Helping Hands

It seems to me that the average American does more to help one another than big business or the rich when you consider donations, time and income. Everyday people come to the aid of others during a crisis; they give what they can to help their neighbors. It is the ordinary person who keeps the Red Cross and other charities functioning. And, it was the average American that got tornado torn Joplin, Missouri schools rebuilt in time for the school year and assisted in providing clothing and other donations.

The Fresno, CA School Superintendent Larry Powell retired for one day and came back the next day to do the job for less. His current salary and benefits were costing the district $290,000 a year; his new salary is $31,000 a year with no benefits for 3 ½ years. He saved the district about $830,000 and he gets to decide what to do with it. He wanted parents and kids to know that during the tight budget crisis that they weren’t going to stop delivering on the unique things that kids need. He said the community gave him a good life and he wanted to give something back. On the Ellen show I heard about the Principal of the Whitney Elementary School in Las Vegas, Nevada who deals with the poor and homeless. To keep the kids in school she takes care of not only all school material, including backpacks, but clothes, groceries, electric bills and more.

There are some good millionaires and billionaires doing first-rate things with their money. We know Ellen, often with donors, helps families in need. Others have causes such as Feeding America, stopping human trafficking and more. I recently heard about Starbucks putting up $5 million and selling bracelets in an attempt to create new jobs. Comcast is offering low income students discounts on computers and internet service in 4,000 districts. There was an anonymous donation of $10,000 to the Arkansas Havana Assembly of God church to help feed the congregation. ABC News reported that free dental care was given to more than 4,000 people in Cherokee County Georgia and the North Carolina Dental Society followed suit by having a free dental clinic in Charlotte. Additionally, the Starkey Foundation gave away, as a gift, 50,000 hearing aids. Along these same lines, NY Optometrist Dr. Jordan Kassalow, founder of Visionspring, is bringing sight to people around the world. He says if you can’t see, you can’t work or survive. Visionspring establishes eye clinics in rural/village areas that don’t have access or the money for eyeglasses. Local people are trained to conduct simple eye examinations and provide low cost eyeglasses. For example, in Bangladesh people spend a half a day’s pay, $2 for their glasses. Blake Mycoski of Toms shoes gives away one pair for every pair sold; to date they’ve put more than 2 million shoes of children’s feet around the world. The company is moving into doing the same thing with sunglasses; for every pair bought they will give prescription glasses, cataract surgery or eye treatment to someone.

We need more businesses giving a helping hand in America.