Listen to the "poor"!

May 02, 2016

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Fellow Billionaires: Let's Listen to the Poor

Pete Ryan, for The Chronicle

 

by Manoj Bhargava               

One of the biggest fallacies of philanthropy is the expectation that money will solve everything and that more money equals greater results. Trillions of dollars are spent globally on social and environmental issues, and very few problems have been solved. Why is that?

We’ve been focused on the wrong things. Our assumptions, traditions, and self-interest have made us lose sight of what it means to do philanthropy in the true sense of the word. Philanthropy should be about serving humanity and giving people what they need — not what we think they need or what feels good to give, like putting our names on buildings or giving to institutions that are already rich.

To truly change the world, we need to make significant adjustments — to our mind-sets, our motivations, our attitudes, our ways of thinking, and even our business models. Like several other billionaires, I have pledged to give most of my wealth away. As I do it, I am trying to follow these principles:

Value and success should be based on results, not dollars.
Philanthropy today is judged almost entirely. . .Read more here.

The overlooked wealth

Rich and Poor Connected for Good or Ill

[Interesting analysis of the current flu outbreak from The Huffington Post.  Notice how even human disease sets establish our common link to one another across class and income lines!  Lessons??? LJ]

Flu In Poor Communities Shows Inequality Of 2013 Outbreak

Posted: 01/14/2013 6:47 pm EST

The 1918 flu killed more poor people than rich. The same affinity for inequity may be raising the 2013 flu's toll -- on the rich and poor alike.

Boston health officials have reported that low-income communities are bearing the brunt of the city's outbreak.

"What you see with flu activity is the same as what we see with health outcomes in general. Unfortunately, communities of color and low-income communities tend to share a disproportionate effect," Nick Martin, a spokesman for the Boston Public Health Commission, told The Huffington Post.

But as experts warn, such a disparity may not only be an issue of social justice. Elevated rates of the flu in poor communities may threaten the health of people who live in wealthier communities as well.

"We've found that getting lower-income neighborhoods covered with vaccines benefits higher-income neighborhoods," said Bruce Lee, an infectious disease expert at the University of Pittsburgh and lead researcher on a 2011 study of access to flu vaccines.

Based on computer simulations of 7 million "virtual people" in the Washington metropolitan area, Lee's team found the fewest infections at an epidemic's peak resulted when flu shots were allocated to the poorest counties. Delaying vaccinations in the poorest counties also increased infections among the wealthiest.

"This drives home the fact that we are all connected," Lee said.

To read the entire report click here. 

Funding

Frankly, too much of my time gets spent trying to raise money, balance tight budgets and squeeze efficiences out of every cent and process. 

There.  I feel better now!

Actually, there is a very warm, human side to fund development. Those who fund our work, be they foundation leaders, government decision makers, churches and faith communities on mission, individuals who care, businesses wanting to engage the community, all come to the process as human beings.  Often, and when things align as they should, funders come seeking significant relationships, sometimes even friendship. 

So, a big part of my life is a true blast.

But, back to numbers.  You can't escape numbers, I've learned.

In looking over 2011, I discovered more data that confirms a consistent trend in our funding at CitySquare. 

Get this. 

"Poor folks," those who come to us seeking service, assistance and friendship contribute in gifts and/or fees 56% as much as the individuals who contribute dollars as donations only.  I find that fairly amazing. 

Translation:  in 2011 individual donors contributed $1,087,758.59 to support our efforts in the inner city.  During the same period, our neighbors/customers contributed $605,916.18.

Consider this.

During 2011, churches donated $214,740.31 to our efforts.  Again, "poor folks" provided almost three (2.8) times as much from their income. 

Funding remains a challenge.  But working at it exposes me to some amazing folks, rich and poor.  And, the numbers continually instruct.

The amazing rise of the rich

Recently, I ran across Tim Dickinson's essay in Rolling Stone describing the intentional, dramatic and unjust strategy that has been imposed on us all over the past 25 years (see below). The facts of the case make me angry. The ugly truth about our culture, our economy and our political reality would enrage the Hebrew prophets, you know, guys like Amos, Jeremiah, Micah, Isaiah, to say nothing of Jesus and his brother, James.

Please take the time to read the entire report. Then, tell me what you think. I hope some of you who seldom comment will make the special effort to do so on this post. I can anticipate the predictable reactions of some of my regular readers. What I need on this post is a response from you who see the truth here. I'd love a conversation about what we can do. Or, if you disagree with the article, comment on its substance.

How the GOP Became the Party of the Rich
The inside story of how the Republicans abandoned the poor and the middle class to pursue their relentless agenda of tax cuts for the wealthiest one percent

By Tim Dickinson

November 9, 2011 7:00 AM ET

The nation is still recovering from a crushing recession that sent unemployment hovering above nine percent for two straight years. The president, mindful of soaring deficits, is pushing bold action to shore up the nation's balance sheet. Cloaking himself in the language of class warfare, he calls on a hostile Congress to end wasteful tax breaks for the rich. "We're going to close the unproductive tax loopholes that allow some of the truly wealthy to avoid paying their fair share," he thunders to a crowd in Georgia. Such tax loopholes, he adds, "sometimes made it possible for millionaires to pay nothing, while a bus driver was paying 10 percent of his salary – and that's crazy."

Preacher-like, the president draws the crowd into a call-and-response. "Do you think the millionaire ought to pay more in taxes than the bus driver," he demands, "or less?"

The crowd, sounding every bit like the protesters from Occupy Wall Street, roars back: "MORE!"

The year was 1985. The president was Ronald Wilson Reagan.

Read the entire instructive report here.