Blog Action Day 2008: Fighting Poverty at Home
Living in, not to mention running a business in, one of the most visited cities in the world has tremendous benefits. San Francisco is the home of diverse culture, great food, bounding creativity and innovation, and it’s not such a bad place for a web designer. However, like any other city in the world, San Francisco has poverty. And for those of us who live here and those of us who visit, it isn’t something easily missed.
When we started our web design company in 2006, we had something bigger than just making great websites in mind. We wanted to make a difference in our community. We believe that businesses have a great social and ethical responsibility.
Start Local
I always think the best way to make a difference, is to get involved locally. Poverty, like many other problems we face, affects our own communities. The philosophy is, if each of us take steps to address the problems around us, we have a long term solution.
That said, poverty is by no means an undaunting problem we face. In 2007, 12.5% of the U.S. was at or below the poverty line. The problem is huge. And the question this often raises is, “what can I do?” The question it too often raises is, “where do I start?”
So here are my thoughts on the matter and I’ll follow this with some links to other resources. I tend to think the best way to get involved in helping any cause, is to focus on what you know. For example, as designers and owners of a We Design and Development firm, Lauren and I have dedicated our efforts to helping community arts and education organizations in San Francisco and the Bay Area, such as the San Francisco Children’s Art Center, the Community School of Music and Arts in Mountain View and Root Division in San Francisco.
By allocating a portion of our time and money to organizations like these, we aim to help build a stronger foundation for fighting some of the causes that can lead to poverty. Through education, we can help open up new opportunities for people who otherwise have few. And, we get to do it in a way were we feel we will be most effective.
In my opinion, being a part of solutions in a way that draws on your personal strengths and experiences, is the best way to affect change. And in doing this, you build stronger communities. With this in mind, Root Division is hosting their 7th Annual Art Auction on October 23rd. We hope you will join us!
Some Resources to Get Started
There are many more resources on the Blog Action Day website and I’d be more than happy to talk to any of my fellow designers who interested in ways they can get involved.
I think people often overlook the roll that arts and culture play in advancing society. Youth education and adult education through these non-profit organizations are important in fostering creativity, a skill that is key for survival in the 21st century.
Supporting your local arts non-profit is a worthy and rewarding endeavor
How are you?, Do something for help the hungry people in Africa or India,
I made this blog about them:
in http://tinyurl.com/5hu74e