Agent of Change
Change is an incredible thing. Without change (or progress), we wouldn’t have the microwave, cell phone, or digital TV—and don’t we all love our cell phones. Additionally, without change, men and women alike would not have the right to vote; without change we wouldn’t celebrate July 4th every year as there would have been no Independence Day.
What about the smaller changes that happen all around us everyday? Have you ever watched and thought about how the smaller change in your life affects the larger change in our community, and nation. Look around. For instance, when Thomas Edison invented the light bulb in 1879 it didn’t happen overnight; there were a number of other individual influences leading up to his work (actually starting as early as 1806..imagine that!). Think about when you reach out a hand—
-To watch a neighbor’s child while they go to work
-To help your elderly neighbor take out their trash
-To send out “thinking of you cards” to homebound individuals
-To clean up the community park
-To give your input and ideas on a local board
-To read to or mentor young children
With anyone of these you are acting as an agent of change. There are the immediate results you can see and the not so immediate results. I think about the relationship I have with my sister, Rachel, who is 11 years younger than I am. Reading to her as a young child, and now mentoring her through her high school years as she prepares for decisions such as which colleges to pursue, and which courses to take for her senior year, etc. I am able to watch the change and impact I am able to have in her life. Some of those are immediate, however often it’s a process over time. And, I am one of many individuals to impact her over the past 17 years of her life, and there will be many others.
We have agents of change here at Metro United Way, throughout the building where we work, throughout the community where we live. From those who come and volunteer their time on the Campaign Cabinet to raise resources, to those who serve on the Program Review team to make funding decisions, to our partners who work beside us. Each of these individual’s have a lasting impact on what our community will look like each year, and into the future. For instance, the Campaign Cabinet in Southern Indiana (and in each of our counties) works each year to raise resources. These volunteers are the “feet on the street”, and are advocates for the work of United Way. (Thank you to all our volunteer teams.) Without the resources this team volunteers to raise our community would look very different. In fact, last year through Metro United Way this Campaign Cabinet, along with companies, individuals, foundations, brothers, sisters, moms, dads, the whole of Southern Indiana raised and contributed a total of $1.86 million dollars. These resources equate to change.
Look into the future, can you see what it will look like with and without this change. It could be the difference between sunshine, and rain for someone you know. Be an agent for change. You can learn more at www.metrounitedway.org, or choose to change the face of your community by visiting www.give5forall.org and use your resources to change one life at a time.
Sarah, what a great message about volunteer engagement. Thanks for sharing and speaking our language!