Comments on: The Power of One

By: Kelly

Kelly — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 03:37:41 +0000

Yep, 14. Thanks! I was also raised by some pretty good folks… that helps a lot!

By: ehutch

ehutch — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 03:40:34 +0000

you were 14 when you did this? im impressed. you have a good heart.

By: 12 Days of Charitable Giving | taxgirl

12 Days of Charitable Giving | taxgirl — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 14:11:50 +0000

[...] and some warm fuzzies, knowing that you’ve done something good in the world. Remember, the power of one can be [...]

By: Peter

Peter — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 15:30:47 +0000

Come on, what did you really do to get those beads?

By: Willy

Willy — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 19:51:45 +0000

That was a great thing you did for that kid. I had a CCD (”Sunday School”) teacher like that when I was in the 5th grade and spiraling; everyone hated me, teachers, other kids, parents, I was violent and angry and wired. Couldn’t sit still, couldn’t shut up, couldn’t keep from punching people if they pissed me off or tried to touch me, including adults and other kids. All this guy did was tell me he saw through my crap and knew I was a good person, not the tough guy I acted like, and I bawled like a baby because noone in my whole life had ever told me I was a decent person till then. This guy was only there for a few months and they replaced him with some mean old nun, but that offhand kindness really made a difference. And I never tried to piss him off again. I wish I knew his name and could thank him directly, Jack Brotz is what I vaguely recollect, but at any rate, I always tell people who get frustrated dealing with emotionally disturbed kids, that you might not get feedback at the time, but the tiniest things can mean a whole lot to people who have nothing, people that noone’s ever been nice to. Charity comes in all forms, and simple kindness is pretty powerful. I give everything I can afford to help the homeless and mentally ill, both time and money. Mental illness and homelessness are closely correlated and I can really empathize with the latter, and used to really fear the former, back when I was seriously nuts. Next time you’re downtown smile at a homeless person. I’ve always gotten a big smile back.

By: Vinny

Vinny — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:05:17 +0000

I was listening yesterday to a podcast of This American Life where the subject was “Going Big”. The first vignette was about a man named Geoffrey Canada, who decided after joining an organization that helps poor black children in Harlem that the organization needed to ramp up its vision and reach. It was an amazing and inspiring story.

More than 20 years later, the Harlem Children’s Zone has raised more than $100 million to fund schools and programs for children and parents, including Baby College and Promise Academy. Parents learn the tools to help their children rise up and break the cycle of poverty, and it’s working: more than 95% of 3rd graders in the program tested at or above grade level in math, and the graduation rate of students who come through the program is 95% (compared to the almost 50% of teens in the city who don’t complete high school on time).

By: Raul

Raul — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 20:46:19 +0000

Thanks for sharing this Kelly – it’s so important to recognize that poverty touches all of us. And the personal element that you added makes it all the more touching.

By: Miranda

Miranda — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 16:40:10 +0000

Thank you for sharing that story. Amazing. And it really does show the power that one person can have for good. And it doesn’t always mean that you have to donate huge amounts of money (although every little bit helps).

By: Kelly

Kelly — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 16:23:49 +0000

Thanks! To this day, whenever I see beads, I call them Mardi Gars beads.

By: magpie

magpie — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 16:17:00 +0000

I can’t believe I spelled “too” wrong.