It's the end of the year already, and KINship is not quite two months old. What started Nov. 7 has grown into an organization that has redistributed several thousand dollars and, more importantly, helped people improve their lives with some hope, some money and some pride. As Jan. 1 rolls around, we at KINship reflect on what has been and what is to come.
You will hear three voices from KINship in today's diary. Patrick has elegantly crafted the majority of the body of this text; Laura and Scott have added a few bits of their own, for flavor and updatey-ness.
THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated. Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she has a right (not only to TAX) but "to BIND us in ALL CASES WHATSOEVER" and if being bound in that manner, is not slavery, then is there not such a thing as slavery upon earth. Even the expression is impious; for so unlimited a power can belong only to God. -Thomas Paine, The Crisis
Patrick says...
As I was pondering a title and an embodying quotation for this diary, I reflected on two things: 1) We have had some extraordinary luck here -- both on this site and with the people who've helped us help others. 2) When we can't help people, they generally have really serious problems. It is easy to get self-congratulatory over the wins we've had. We've -- you've -- helped a lot of people have good Thanksgivings and Christmases. And the stories of love are numerous and heart-filling. And the stories of struggle make me want to choke life until it tells me why, just why, so many people have to have so much shit in their lives.
A woman whose husband cannot work, whose two adult children have an incurable disease that is slowly killing her and them (and her husband), and whose government -- the people paid to watch over her -- seemingly is trying to run out the clock on doing that very thing.
Another young woman whose parents are anything but, and whose story makes most Lifetime movie scripts look like everyday plotlines, and who is doing so much to make something of a life so many people have tried to poison.
A man who came to us with about two weeks to save his house (let alone his wife's or daughter's "nasty health problems" -- and putting it like that tends to be understating it), who simply requested that we make his books known so he can provide for his family.
God Almighty will not give up a people.
There are stories like this all over each state, all over this country, all around this world. People who cannot get a break, whose every Wheel of Fortune wheel spin lands on bankrupt. People whose life situations sometimes sap the hope and resources of those whose ears are turned their way -- while bigger ears and life-changing help are focused elsewhere for faultless reasons. We cannot snap a finger and magically help any of these people. And in the temporary absence of the $50 "to tide me over" requests, and in the wake of the giant Christmas help season, these are the stories we focus on. We look at how to help those who need the United Way and the Make-A-Wish Foundation and everything up to and including a personal senator, and ... well, these are the times that try our souls.
The Thomas Paine pamphlet that led with that famous quotation is named "The Crisis." Pretty fitting. For as the colonies were then faced with cold, desertion, lack of food, lack of much of anything useful and an enemy keenly trained on drawing blood from stones, so we face a government that at the highest levels for eight years has done its level best to do nothing. We face charitable organizations trying to stretch a dollar to cover what $5 used to meet. Medical bills are ridiculous, and people are cutting back in areas where they frankly shouldn't have to think about doing so. Health should not be a sacrificeable commodity in a First World country. It should not be something a senior budgets for, should not be something a family budgets for, should not be something a person budgets for.
By perseverance and fortitude we have the prospect of a glorious issue. And mixed in there, we have more than a lone helping of naive optimism. Optimism that we can eventually help everyone, if not in full. Optimism that someone out there has a friend or co-worker who knows someone who's running clinical trials testing a new drug against that condition the woman's two children have. Optimism that someone out there is a publishing agent who can help this guy. Optimism that one person's desire to help ends not with the last four digits of their credit card but the last four digits of the phone number of someone with a contact point. And while I have no intention of withdrawing from that optimism, knowing of the amount of suffering out there, and how much of it so many of our elected officials don't know about, and how many agency professionals don't care, makes us wonder ... Is anybody there? Does anybody care? Does anybody see what we see?
I call not upon a few, but upon all. In a month, President-elect Barack Obama will be President Obama. The economy will, we hope, have taken a few baby steps on its way to recovery from the last 10 years of "Let's see how much people can take before they up and quit." Moneyed health care industries will be throwing money at elected officials to try to thwart the idea that health care is a right, not a privilege. Foreclosures will still be piling up, and all those incurable diseases will, in all likelihood, still be incurable. In a month, we'll probably have a half-dozen people asking for $50, $200, $400 for a nagging debt or a random transportation or dwelling problem. Someone will be fighting to keep both hands latched onto that crack through which we all worry about falling through. Someone's soul will be tried. Be there, with us, as we pass that test.
It is dearness only that gives every thing its value. So you want to help, but you're staring down your own soul-trying time. OK. Good enough. We all need to help ourselves first. But click here, at The Hunger Site. Then click again. Same number of clicks as it takes to open and Recommend a diary. Click twice and give someone a little more than a cup of food. A meal. Maybe two. And then click here, KINship's request form, if you or someone you know needs help. And click here at KINship's donor form if you can help someone else - not just with donations, but if you can offer education, professional services, or if you can work on our WIKI designed to help people find local services. Any funds donated will go to special microgranting projects and helping Kossacks get through January of 2009.
Thank you for reading, thank you for giving (of your time, your hope, your money, whatever), and thank you for making a difference in lives you'll never live and for people you'll never meet.
Laura speaks...
When opening up a new KIN request in our google mailbox at kinshipplanning AT gmail.com, we often feel a bit of trepidation - can we meet the need? Will we get the support? Can we find this person some help?
I am overjoyed to tell you that many of the requests we've received have been met successfully. Some of the more substantial ones have not, although we continue to brainstorm new ways to assist. The requests we receive sometimes come in straightforward, some come in tentatively, some come in with a ready expression of shame that they have to ask in the first place. When the needs are met, the overwhelming response seems to not just be a thank you to all involved, but a sense that a burden has been lifted. I've had more than one person tell me that their holiday season was brighter just because they knew someone cared enough to help.
This is one of the things KINship was designed for: to provide hope to the hopeless, and remind people that we as a community are electronic neighbors, here to support in our time of plenty and be supported in our time of need. We are a big orange family.
We have multiple projects slated for early 2009. In brief:
KINship Angels - we seek large-amount donors or service providers who can be called upon occasionally for significant needs that we cannot meet in a diary requesting funds. KINship Angels would not give money directly to KINship, but would be matched directly (or indirectly, if anonymity is required) with the person in need. We have a number of Angels needed now, and I'll have a list in brief, below. If you know of someone who may be interested in being an Angel or if you are interested yourself, please contact us through the donor form.
KINship WIKI - Ripley has been working on a website for us, and we are looking to develop a type of WIKI that sorts public and private services for those in need by state and possibly county or region. The concept is that if I live in St. Petersburg, FL, I can go to the Florida page and see a detailed list of non-profits and the like who may be able to help me with my issue. We will need content providers for these pages. In addition, we'd like to provide gathered information on mental health, physical health, thriftiness and the like in the WIKI.
KINship Microgranting - Unlike Angels, Microgranting is designed to help people with emergency and temporary needs to keep them on their feet when they are in need. This is what the majority of the donations through the ChipIn widget (on the Donor link, above) will go to, as we have no operating costs at this time.
Non-profit registration - we are considering registering as an official non-profit to prevent yours truly from needing to cover a huge tax burden through this endeavor, but also to allow donors of time and money to deduct those contributions from their Federal taxes.
KINship Meetups - We are brainstorming the most efficient ways for those whose tables are open to lonely KIN in their area as well as those looking to celebrate holidays with locals to meet up, especially for holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The projects are huge. We can use some help! If you think you can help with any of this, please contact us through the donor page.
We have multiple Angel requests, one of which was highlighted in a previous diary regarding the family in New Orleans who desperately needs medical help and professional legal services regarding SSI. In addition, we have a young woman who needs a few thousand dollars in order to attend college and get away from toxic and abusive home life (we are actively attempting to find a co-signor for this case). Finally, as above, we have an author who simply asked that we make his books known in the hopes that sales may help him with his overwhelming mortgage and medical bills. Angels can take many, many forms. Please don't think you can't be an angel just because you're not rich. If you think you can help any of these people, please contact us.
Scott adds...
I'm not sure what I can add to this, actually, since Laura and Patrick have stated our mission and our goals so well, already. But I'd like to thank all of you who have read and recommended our diaries, spread the word, and given so much. We're eternally grateful to all of you. We're also grateful to those who have reached out to us for help. Your requests have inspired us (and our wonderful donors) to think a little wider, a little higher; and reminded us of how much we have to offer and that our gratitude needs to be shared to be of any real value.
I've experienced the burning cheeks and nagging self-doubts that often come with asking for help. That's pretty much my own fault, I'll admit. But the memories of those times help nurture empathy and sympathy, and if that's not the most basic point of the Human Condition, I don't know what is.
I've fallen behind, somewhat, on some of the work I'm tasked with for the KINship Project, but I'll be catching up this week. We've created a new dKos UID - The KINship Project - so be looking for future updates from us. We've rec'd quite a few requests for assistance that we're just not equipped to deal with, right now, unless we're fortunate enough to find a few KINship Angels. We'll do what we can with what we've got, and work toward bigger goals as we grow.
From all of us at KINship, thank you for your support for the past two months. Your efforts are appreciated by all who are touched by this program. We hope hope that you and your families have a beautiful and prosperous New Year in 2009.
Laura, Patrick and Scott -
[ Update ] Here's the ChipIn widget, if you're inclined to make an immediate contribution. (Note: Contributions are not deductible for Federal Income Tax purposes. But they can make a Hell of a difference for a Kossack in need.)