It has been a tough summer. With unbelievably bad publicity and futile efforts to resolve the bizarre issues we are left only with the ability to stay positive and keep working to carry out our mission.
I am a social person who loves talking to people. Last week I was getting in to my car at the Marston’s Mills Post Office and one of our donors, who I know well, pulled into the next parking spot. I hoped she wouldn’t see me. I left. Yesterday we received an unsolicited donation from her with a very nice note of support.
Being under constant attack for the existence of the NOAH Shelter, and for an ill-timed comment I made to a staff person in May, which I have gotten in trouble for, has made me think hard about what we are doing and what we believe at HAC. After being up very late last night talking to my wife about it I realized that we can’t slow down what we are doing and or stop believing in what we stand for. We can’t be afraid. We are so often the last defense and last hope for those in need.
I deeply believe we are all equal as human beings. But we don’t all get the same breaks or advantages in life. We see people all day every day who don’t believe in themselves because they have been told all their lives that they are worthless. I know it is impossible to help everyone and it is unrealistic to expect that we will be able to put in enough time and effort to make all the difference needed, but we can try.
The cover story in HACbeat is just such an example. And what you don’t know is that the staff person who did the great work with this family is someone who needed a second chance herself and we gave it to her and she responded. My hat is off to her.
Last week another donor contacted me and said she wanted to give HAC a “large” gift in my name that would be a message to others, and would help others restore their faith in me and HAC by her example. I have gotten lots of cards and letters as well and been contacted by many that I haven’t seen or heard from in years.
Last night, at a play, a man who I didn’t know came up to me at intermission and thanked me for the work I do and HAC does and wished me well.
In order to have HAC continue its great work, and even improve upon it, we have to have faith in the goodness of humankind. I have lost some of that faith this summer, but the examples I have written about here are bringing it back.
