Going good while doing well …

I was confronted by a homeless man on my way out of a Make it Good function …  (For those of you who do not know Make it Good – check out http://www.borrowme.org, the philanthropic arm of BorrowMe.)

When it comes to doing well by doing good – many of us can talk a pretty good talk about the numbers, the capacity and creativity of business & its potentially positive social & environmental impacts. My experience is that if we’re not careful, it can all become pretty theoretical.

So, after the last Make it Good function, where I sensed a general feeling of self-satisfaction about being involved in doing good – I was confronted by a homeless man. I was on my way out of the restaurant, and he

approached me in the parking lot. I listened patiently as he told me about his situation, but already I was prepared to tell him that I had no money for him (what I almost always say – because I don’t trust him to use it well).

As I got into my car and reflected on the encounter, I was struck by the paradox. I was enjoying the comforts of a restaurant while dismissing the very people I purport to want to help.

I was left feeling a bit confused, even a bit ashamed. Wasn’t there something more I could have, or should have done? Perhaps he would have wasted the money, or used it unwisely in some fashion. Perhaps I could have taken him for a bite of food – although he told me he needed a place to sleep. Mostly – I didn’t know what to do, and frankly, I still don’t.

I make an effort not to be dismissive or to ignore the the folks I see on the street, even as as they approach me for ‘the ask’. This seems to fall short, and frankly leaves me with an empty feeling. Frankly, it still bothers me. Perhaps it should. I really don’t know.

The postscript: In reading over this blog posting – I was more confronted by my sense of helplessness, than I was by the middle aged gentleman who was looking for a place to sleep.

– Sean

Founder, BorrowMe Inc.

http://www.borrowme.com/start.php?id=2723