Honoring Heroes By How We Live Future

Below is a photo I took while stationed in South Korea with the US Army in 1969. It's from their National Cemetery, honoring their war dead.

I've written a number of articles on Memorial Day Weekend since I started this blog in 2005. Some are here. Others are here. My photo is a sad reminder that young people have been dying for their countries since the beginning of time.

I created this image in the mid-2000s to illustrate how much I was committed to helping find the money and talent to operate Cabrini Connections and the Tutor/Mentor Connection (T/MC), with a goal that others would be willing to make equal commitments to my own.

I used this graphic in this 2010 article along with a graphic from the Boston Indicators Project web site.

I realize that people have many causes that they care about. Thus, my goal is that some of the people in Chicago and across the globe, budget part of their time, talent and dollars to help end poverty and close the opportunity gap for kids, by helping them connect with a wide range of adults who help them through school and into jobs and careers.

The challenge I pose is "How much are you willing to sacrifice?" to solve some of the complex problems that our generation is passing on to future generations. Charitable giving in the US averages less than 2.5% percent of total income (see info). Visit this page to view a pie chart showing giving to various sectors.

According to this article, "The average dollar amount given to charity by wealthy donors increased to $68,580 from $53,519 in 2011, But average giving as a percentage of household income decreased by one percentage point as increases in income levels outpaced increases in charitable giving among this high net worth demographic."

As you look at the pie chart above, look at what percent of giving is focused on health, environment, education and human services and what percent really goes to non profits that benefit the wealthy. This Chronicle of Philanthropy article illustrates how giving by the wealthy contributes to inequity in America.

During this weekend's celebration we are honoring those who gave 100% to defend our freedoms and values. What will it take to dramatically increase the number who sacrifice even 10 to 15% of income or wealth to reduce the problems we are passing on to future generations?