The Emotion Constrained by Reason Debate

I must admit, I feel a little guilty about the soul-searching debate you've brought to the blog about the balance between emotion and reason in making your final decision (a little guilty, though, not a lot, it's a good debate).  I've wondered whether you've emphasized reason at the expense of emotion.  Remember: the definition we've used this semester is philanthropy is emotion constrained by reason.  Think of the definition in parts: 

1.  Philanthropy is emotion
2.  Constrained by reason

Philanthropy is both heart and head.  You may start with what you believe based on personal experience, values, the way in which an organization simply resonates with you.  The reason for that resonance may not be intuitive or immediate, it may simply be.  That's ok.  That's a reasonable starting point.

Constrained by reason means that emotion is not enough.  You need to use evidence, to build a case for an organization that at least balances your emotion.  Constraining gets at making sure that emotion is not the exclusive basis for your philanthropy. 

My impression is that the (fairly easy) decision the group made about the Soup and Sandwich program is an excellent example of this principle.  In general, the class had an emotional response to Soup and Sandwich and its dynamic leader.  The program embodied values important to class members, respect for all people, concern about poverty, a wish for all people to have their basic needs met.  Your discussion and analysis, however, constrained the emotional response you had to the program and its wonderful leader.  You asked a series of reasonable questions that led you to decide not to fund the organization: To what extent would a gift to pay for tables and chairs make an important difference for the program and the community?  How did the impact of this organization compare to the other organizations you considered?  How many people would your gift help and in what way? 

The discussion in class on Tuesday included both emotion and reason.  That's good.  I hope that you all came to class feeling passionate about the organizations you considered funding AND that you felt the individual and group analyses you prepared constrained those passions in a way that clarified what you considered the right decision.  In the end, as Max hinted in his comment on Cassie's post, the issue is not avoiding emotion, it's constraining emotion.  As important, but something we emphasized less in our discussions, is to respect others' perspectives and consider, as deeply as possible, the reasons why they may disagree with you, so that you have confidence you have come to your decisions with as full and defensible an understanding of the reasons for it as you can. 

What a relief!

    Well, it certainly feels good to finally have a decision made! We've learned so much this semester about how nonprofits function, who they target and how effective they are. We have had many long debates in class but it gives us a taste of the real world and how grant makers have to make difficult decisions like we did today. I feel like a lot of our emotions got in the way of our discussions today as we each tried to defend our favorite organization but what we need to realize is that we are philanthropists, we made an educated decision and we are helping the community around us! It will definitely bring me joy when I inform FEN that they will receive part of our grant and it satisfies me that what we did is such a good thing. All this knowledge that we have gained from this class will stay with us, as donation opportunities will arise in the future we will have an idea how to benefit the cause in the best way possible.
     We have learned so much information from the different resources that were available to us throughout the semester, from the different books we had to read to the informative speakers that came to class. The best part of our learning is that it was hands-on in a sense, we actually get to give away money! Professor Campbell did an outstanding job making sure we stayed on track by "constraining our emotion by reason," any assessment we came to, he always had a question that forced us to think about things in a different, realistic way in order to expand our horizons. I think, that, in part, contributed to how lengthy our debates got today, because we were trying to keep everything in mind, from our issue area to how effective organizations are. I think that our class discussions were always interesting as we were able to bring information from outside sources into play and talk about nonprofits from all different angles!
   I think next Tuesday we will really see how much we had truly gotten involved with our community!

Relay For Life

Relay For Life is one of the most awe-inspiring events I've experienced, and I was glowing with pride for Binghamton University last Friday night when we held our own Relay. Of course, I cried, but that's not saying much because I cry at commercials. But when Nicole, a student with firsthand experience as a caregiver and as someone who has lost loved ones to cancer, took the stage I was not the only one crying. 

Relay is the main volunteer driven cancer fundraising event of the American Cancer Society. I did not realize the enormity of Relay until last Friday night, when the speakers at the event pointed out that some 1 in 6 people will participate in a Relay event. No matter what, no matter who you are, we are all somehow affected by cancer, either indirectly or directly. The effects of cancer permeate throughout society, and without events like Relay, individuals and families dealing with cancer would be unheard. According to their website, Relay now takes place in 21 other countries around the world. I was proud to partake in this event with such a great cause and movement. I was surprised to see so many clubs and organizations participating there. Two of the organizations that I am a part of tabled at Relay, the Binghamton University Scholars and Peace Action. Scholars made some awesome stress balls out of balloons and lentils and Peace Action sold our beautiful crayon art to raise donations.

Do not be mistaken: Relay is not solely dedicated to making you cry your eyes out. If anything, Relay is more of a memorial/support walk, as participants celebrate the lives of survivors, remember those they've lost to cancer, and united as a community against cancer. I definitely witnessed that sense of community Friday night. During the lumineria ceremony, there was a slideshow dedicated to those lost to cancer and those battling cancer. As a community, we then walked around the track in unison, as beautiful candles spelled out “HOPE” on the bleachers and illuminated the gym.

Also, as a side note, Shriman took on his alternate personality in the Miss Relay Competition, Shriwoman, and she looked beautiful! Shriwoman raised $15 dollars by walking around the track. If anyone wants to see the pictures, our team has plenty! 

At the end of the night, our team raised $1,399. I wonder what the total amount raised ended up being!  

Emotion versus Logic

Does anyone else feel the rising tension in the room??

I think we have to be careful here about creating too much emotion in our class discussions.  I know that many people feel strongly about their organizations, especially now that we have gone on site visits and gotten to know the people who will be benefiting from the money, but we need to be sure that we keep our emotions balanced with reason.

It is interesting how quickly our feelings can change.  When Debbie presented most students were 100% persuaded to give money to the Soup and Sandwich program.  After the presentations the next week it seemed that Soup and Sandwich was not at the foremost of people's lists.  Was this an emotional response or were people persuaded by the logic/information in the presentations?  To help balance out our emotions I think that we need to have our reasoning for/against a group written down and supported with evidence so that our discussion tomorrow can be logical (if not argument free).  If someone's idea is challenged they should be prepared to provide evidence that supports their decision.  Now, I am not saying emotion cannot be a part of the process- I think that is necessary.  What I mean is for everyone to understand the reasons for their emotion and be willing and able to explain those reasons to the rest of the class. 

I thought Adam's post was very interesting and connected quite well to this idea- I think it will  definitely bring about an emotional response rather than a logical one.  I think that was a good strategy to bring up when we are all still considering our options but I do not think that anyone should try to play the Devil's Advocate tomorrow in class.  These issues are important and I think many people will be offended or become argumentative if the organization's needs, or lack of, are exaggerated.

These issues are very important- the choices we make can be the first step in funding a large project or the last chance for an organization to succeed.  I would like everyone to think clearly in class tomorrow and try to listen to the reasoning that others present in class.  Even though we are coming down the final stretch there is still a lot we can learn from each other about the organizations.  If we are willing to listen to what other have to say and gain the most information from others we will make the best decision.  What do you think?  Is this something we can prepare for or do you think emotion will rule the decision we make tomorrow?

If anyone wants to read how another group made it through their decision making process look at the blog from University of Maryland.  They have some pretty interesting posts- do any of their difficulties sound familiar??

http://collegeparkphilanthropy.wordpress.com/2012/10/29/the-tough-part/

Philanthropy: More than just a donation

As we consider our final choices, we have so many things to consider. What is the short/long-term impact of our donations? What type of issue does each organization address? Do they advocate AND serve? Do they have good financial standing? We are going to have to choose a few organizations and divide the money. However, our relationship with these organizations doesn’t have to end now. We are now so much more aware of the non-profit sector in our community, and I want to make sure our class doesn’t pass this opportunity by.

For instance, the Soup and Sandwich program needs volunteers every Saturday! If you are staying in the summer, they have a special needs, since student groups no longer send volunteers. When I visited this past Saturday, the Poverty Awareness Coalition expressed how impressed they were with the quality of the program in relation to other Soup Kitchens that they volunteer at.

Contact: Debbie Thorpe dthorpe@stny.rr.com

The Boys and Girls Club meets Monday through Friday, after school until dinner time! That means they need a TON of volunteer hours! In addition, volunteers have the unique ability to help using special skills. You could tutor in an area you are strong in, play games with children, help cook the dinner, or help get food donations for dinner.

Information: http://boysandgirlsclubsbinghamton.org/volunteer.aspx

When looking for an internship, consider working with a non-profit! You may not get a paid internship, but wouldn’t it be cool to say that you have experience working with low-income families at the Hope Dispensary when you are applying for a nursing job?

Hope Dispensary of the Southern Tier Internship Opportunity

Contact: Dawn Desorcie (607)584­9376 dawndesorcie@lourdes.com

The Hope Dispensary is looking for an intern with compassion, good interpersonal skills and organizational skills to fill the position of Prescription Access Eligibility Counselor. This position involves conducting face­to­face interviews with clients to determine their eligibility for our medications, prescription assistance programs through pharmaceutical companies, state funded insurance programs as well as the local hospitals' financial assistance programs. To apply send your resume to Dawn Desorcie and to learn more about The Hope Dispensary you can visit their website.

Remember from our first classes, philanthropy can be more than just our $10,000 donation. I’m excited to see what kind of an impact our class can have after the money is given away!

Hope Dispensary needs

Hi everybody. A group of us went to visit the Hope Dispensary earlier this week, and I wanted to share some things before you all make your final choices.

I know a lot of people were uncomfortable with the idea of giving to the Hope Dispensary because the representatives were not clear about what they were going to spend the money on. When I asked the question again on the visit, Dawn apologized for being so vague at her presentation. She then said that ANY amount would be useful since it would go towards their total budget for the year, but then gave some specifics about what they need:

- Money for rent. It may be an operating cost, but they can't do anything without a roof over their heads.

- Money for staff. She openly admitted that the Hope Dispensary spends a lot of money on employees. However, this is because they employ a Pharmacist, a Pharmacist Technician, and a Social Worker. All of these positions require degrees, and therefore need to be compensated accordingly. She did mention that whatever work they can hand off to volunteers (secretary work, mostly) they do, in order to keep costs lower.

- Money for drugs. $5 can buy a whole bottle of generic perceptions. Our money could go a long way. Some perceptions, however, are very expensive and our money could really help make sure those perceptions are kept in stock.

- Money for other supplies. The Hope Dispensary supplies more than just prescription drugs: they provide tylenol, children's medicines, and cold medicine to anyone who needs it. They also supply glucometers and testing strips (which are $1 a piece!) to anyone who needs them.

I just wanted you all to keep this in mind in your final decisions. I know may of you ruled out the Hope Dispensary because they were so vague, but hopefully seeing their needs will give some food for thought.

The Hardest Decision Yet...

Upon finding out that I won tweet of the week again, I was REALLY enthused to give the money locally. However, as I went back through all of the applications again and considered everything we have heard, I found myself unable to make a decision. At that point, I started looking through other organizations outside of Broome County, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that at this point in the semester, after seeing all of the need in the area, that I should be donating locally. This went on for about a week consistently, and it took me ages to narrow things down. Eventually, I followed my gut and became torn between the Soup and Sandwich Program, which would be impacted the most by $48, and the Boys and Girls Club, which I have become a big fan of throughout the course of the semester. Ultimately, I decided to give to the Boys and Girls Club.

Throughout this semester there has often been dispute over whether giving a little bit of money to a larger organization is helpful, but I believe that every bit counts. I decided that since I truly believe in the success and mission of the Boys and Girls Club, I would like to contribute to them in any way possible, rather than giving somewhere else simply because the money may be a larger portion of their annual expenses. I know that $48 might not be a groundbreaking sum for the Club, but I truly feel assured that this money will be used towards making a positive impact upon the youth in Binghamton, which is exactly the kind of cause I want to support.

I’m sure everyone in the class knows a lot about the Boys and Girls Club at this point, but take a look at their website (http://boysandgirlsclubsbinghamton.org/) if you’re interested in learning more about why I felt compelled to support their mission.

Just as a side note, I found it interesting that this ended up being the hardest tweet of the week decision that I have made. The first time I excitedly jumped right into giving to The Hunger Project because we had just read about them. The second time I knew I wanted to give through Jolkona, but I took a much longer time trying to choose which project would have the greatest impact. This time, however, I found myself overwhelmed with information and ideas. I guess it just goes to show that informed giving is certainly a much more difficult task, but in the long run it's truly worth it to know your money will be doing the most good possible.

Playing Devil's Advocate

It is finally time to vote. As the class has said countless times, it is going to be a difficult process and not everybody is going to agree. I feel like we should take a step back and realize the power we have. We have the power to give medicine to those that cannot afford it, to provide a stimulating playground to young children, to allow for intellectually curious students to see space through a telescope, to secure women faced with domestic violence, to provide a baseball field for students looking to potentially play in college, or to purchase more portable and better quality table and chairs for those that want free meals.

As I have mentioned, each organization would provide some value to the community if we choose to give our money to them. However, when voting I would like everybody to keep in mind the potential arguments against giving to each organization, since everyone will likely be focused on talking up organizations as opposed to talking them down.

Family Enrichment Network: They are asking for a better playground for their school when they already have a functioning playground. It may not be the most elaborate, but the $10,000 worth of supplies they are asking for is not necessary. They want a sensory station for outdoor use when they already have some of these for the kids to use inside. They want a $1,165 art easel. That is correct. $1,165. They want 4 balance beams even though many of their students are under the age of 7, which will likely lead to many injuries. Also, when I went on the site visit to FEN they had many different supplies that would stimulate all of the senses of students.

SOS Shelter: My main argument against giving money to this organization is that what they are asking for is a little ridiculous. They want many cameras and DVD monitors for security when they never even told us they had any trouble with security in the first place. I do not think they mentioned one time when one of their members got taken away or somebody tried to sneak or break into the house. Also, the whole system is very expensive and they made it seem like an all or nothing type of project.

Soup and Sandwich Program: Although we all loved its founder, the Soup and Sandwich is not meeting or providing some sort of solution for a need in the community. It provides one meal a week to a limited number of people and the organization isn’t even asking for food. The organization wants higher quality tables and chairs so the volunteers do not have to spend as much time cleaning up, and from the reaction I got from those that went on the site visit, it did not seem like it was back breaking work to move the tables and chairs.

Boys and Girls Club: The Boys and Girls club is asking for a baseball field. From my childhood days a baseball field was any open space. All you need is 4 makeshift bases and space that they apparently already have. I have turned my backyard and street into a functioning baseball field at times, so I am pretty sure if they have an open field then they do not really need our money.  The backstop I would understand, but they are asking for the field first. Also this will be a project that will need repeated funding, as maintaining all of the dirt at usable quality costs money.

Kopernik: Kopernik wants a telescope that is supposed to inspire somebody to pursue a STEM career. However, the two people that actually live in Broome County from our class have no desire to give to this organization because they have been there and realize how futile it is in comparison to something Broome County actually needs. As Melissa pointed out in class, not that many people are even attending the events. To spend $1500 for a few students to see stars does not make much sense.

Hope Dispensary: The Hope Dispensary needs money for operations and medicine. The only argument against it is that I do not recall them ever having to turn down patients that qualified for the medicine because they did not have enough money. I may be wrong here, but I cannot think of any other arguments against it.

I know for some of these I was stretching the truth a bit and seemed heartless, but it is just something to keep in mind as we figure out whom we give our money to. Does anybody have any more arguments against organizations that I missed?