Raising People’s Hopes Through Community Presented by Mark Van Baale

Economy has hit us hard through: Home foreclosures Unemployment Illness Stress Overdue bills No health insurance

Home foreclosures

Unemployment

Illness

Stress

Overdue bills

No health insurance

This generation is in a state of desperation: In the Midwest, foreclosure has played a role for 15% of newly homeless people Unemployment rate at 10% in Kansas City area 86.7 million Americans uninsured over last two years *Foreclosure to Homelessness 2009 survey by National Coalition for the Homeless

In the Midwest, foreclosure has played a role for 15% of newly homeless people

Unemployment rate at 10% in Kansas City area

86.7 million Americans

uninsured over last two years

*Foreclosure to Homelessness 2009 survey by National Coalition for the Homeless

People are hurting everywhere Feelings of: Depression Failures Shame Hopelessness Loneliness They need a helping hand to reach out

Feelings of:

Depression

Failures

Shame

Hopelessness

Loneliness

They need a helping hand to reach out

We need each other to help Humans are social animals: We crave feeling supported, valued and connected. We can transform society by extending a hand to lift people up through service to their needs

Humans are social animals:

We crave feeling supported,

valued and connected.

We can transform society by

extending a hand to lift

people up through service

to their needs

How can Communities help? Olathe Serve Day Christmas in October program

Olathe Serve Day

Christmas in October program

Olathe Serve Day In 2009: 45 home projects completed 150 single mothers got free oil change, car checkup 2 pre-fab homes built for needy families

In 2009:

45 home projects completed

150 single mothers got free oil

change, car checkup

2 pre-fab homes built for needy families

Christmas in October program Founded in 1984 by 2 KC area men Volunteers offer labor/time to make homes more liveable 6,000 volunteers repair 500 homes annually One of the largest volunteer programs of its kind in the U.S.

Founded in 1984 by 2 KC area men

Volunteers offer labor/time to make homes more liveable

6,000 volunteers repair 500 homes annually

One of the largest volunteer

programs of its kind in the U.S.

Online networks can help to change the world We are social by nature and crave feeling supported, valued, and connected. Use of tools like Twitter enable us to read about people’s lives and interact with them to provide support/help The power of many in a network can make a difference in someone’s life

We are social by nature and crave feeling supported, valued, and connected.

Use of tools like Twitter enable us to read about people’s lives and interact with them to provide support/help

The power of many in a network can make a difference in someone’s life

David Armano helping Daniella's family get back on their feet David, known as @Armano on Twitter, asked people to help Daniella and her family Used the power of his network via Twitter and his blog $5,000 was goal $17K was raised, 337% of goal

David, known as @Armano on

Twitter, asked people to help

Daniella and her family

Used the power of his network

via Twitter and his blog

$5,000 was goal

$17K was raised, 337% of goal

InvisiblePeople.tv Blog Mark Horvath set out to change view of homelessness Homeless portrayed on video to give them a face and a voice Some homeless even use Twitter to talk about their daily struggles (@padschicago)

Mark Horvath set out to

change view of homelessness

Homeless portrayed on

video to give them a face

and a voice

Some homeless even use

Twitter to talk about their

daily struggles (@padschicago)

Amy Kiel’s support for suicide prevention Amy openly shares on her blog and Twitter about the need for the mental ill to not be ignored Amy received support all over the world for Out of the Darkness walks to increase awareness of suicide prevention

Amy openly shares on her

blog and Twitter about the

need for the mental ill to

not be ignored

Amy received support all

over the world for Out of

the Darkness walks to

increase awareness of

suicide prevention

Twestival (Using power of Twitter for donations, raise awareness) Global series of events organized by volunteers around the world under short timescales, which bring people offline for a great cause. The first Twestival Global was held in Feb. 2009. 200 cities participated. 100% of all proceeds went direct to charity: water. $250,000 was raised in total. Twestival is run 100% by volunteers and independently from any not-for-profit. Sponsors donate time/resources for event, usually held on one night worldwide

Global series of events organized by volunteers around the world under short timescales, which bring people offline for a great cause.

The first Twestival Global was held in Feb. 2009. 200 cities participated. 100% of all proceeds went direct to charity: water. $250,000 was raised in total.

Twestival is run 100% by volunteers and independently from any not-for-profit.

Sponsors donate time/resources for event, usually held on one night worldwide

ModestNeeds.org Work to stop the cycle of poverty BEFORE it starts for low-income workers Grants offered to people to help them deal with short-term expenses Donors can make financial contributions and allocate where the money is spent to help

Work to stop the cycle of poverty BEFORE it starts for low-income workers

Grants offered to people to help them deal with short-term expenses

Donors can make financial contributions and allocate where the money is spent to help

Online Network for Kansas City to help less fortunate get back on track Similar format to ModestNeeds.org Website database showing all needs People enter in their needs and those who want to help can search the needs Match those who want to help with those who need help Those out of work can use skills/time to help others

Similar format to ModestNeeds.org

Website database showing all needs

People enter in their needs and those who want to help can search the needs

Match those who want to help with those who need help

Those out of work can use skills/time to help others

Online Network for Kansas City to help less fortunate get back on track contd. This model would be used locally in KC at first and potential to grow Bring together communities (churches, individuals, groups) to collectively meet people’s needs through site

This model would be used locally in KC at first and potential to grow

Bring together communities (churches, individuals, groups) to collectively meet people’s needs through site

Together we can change the world "The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have too much . . . it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little." - Franklin D Roosevelt