The Starfish Thrower

There is a story about a Young Man and a Starfish.  The author is Unknown and there are several versions.  I found one at "The Starfish" that I would like to share with you. 

The Starfish Thrower

“Once upon a time there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.  One day he was walking along the shore. As he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself to think of someone who would dance to the day. So he began to walk faster to catch up.

As he got closer, he saw that it was a young man and the young man wasn't dancing, but instead he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the ocean.  As he got closer he called out, "Good morning! What are you doing?"

The young man paused, looked up and replied, "Throwing starfish in the ocean."

"I guess I should have asked, why are you throwing starfish in the ocean?"

"The sun is up, and the tide is going out. And if I don't throw them in they'll die."

"But, young man, don't you realize that there are miles and miles of beach, and starfish all along it. You can't possibly make a difference!"

The young man listened politely. Then bent down, picked up another starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves and said, "It made a difference for that one."

There is something very special in each and every one of us. We have all been gifted with the ability to make a difference. And if we can become aware of that gift, we gain through the strength of our visions the power to shape the future. We must each find our starfish. And if we throw our stars wisely and well, the world will be blessed.”  

Please join us at Entrusted Legacy as we work to make a difference in the lives of youth.  Contact us at www.entrustedlegacy.org or by emailing us at support@entrustedlegacy.org

Thoughts on Ted Talk with Dan Pallotta—The Way We Think About Charity Is Dead Wrong

In March, 2013, Ted Talks were held at Long Beach and one of the speakers was Dan Pallotta.  He shared his thought that the way we have been taught to think about non-profits undermines charity and “the causes we love and our profound yearning to change the world.”  Pallotta who has raised millions for breast cancer and AIDS research is considered by many as an expert.  He states that there are two rule books in play, one for non-profits and the other for for-profits.  He points out his belief that this started with the Puritans who were aggressive capitalists who were taught to feel badly about the money they made by their Calvinist beliefs.  So to do penance for making money, charity became a “place for penance” and since you can’t make money when you’re doing penance for making money, the entire notion that all of the donated money should go for the cause instead of profit (more recently translated into overhead), was born.

He points out that in his opinion non-profits suffer because they cannot offer adequate compensation to attract the brightest and the best in business to be part of the team or lead the way; they are unable to advertise and market; they are unable to take risks on new revenue generating ideas; they don’t have the time needed to ensure a return on investment; and finally they don’t have the ability to attract risk capital because there is no promise of profit.

Pallotta advocates for looking at philanthropy in a different way if we plan to tackle social causes related to health and human services in a way that will make a difference.  He believes that we can make the philanthropy “pie” bigger is we stop confusing morality with frugality.  His full Ted Talk can be viewed at: 

Dan Pallotta: "The way we think about charity is dead wrong"

At Entrusted Legacy we work to keep our overhead low and work as much as we can with a volunteer workforce.  We are committed to our mission to educate afterschool professionals to be positive role models and mentors for youth, and we humbly share that we can’t do this without you.  We believe that we can change the world, one child, mentored by a positive role model at a time.  Join with us to brighten our future and secure your legacy.  Visit us at www.entrustedlegacy.org or by emailing us at support@entrustedlegacy.org