Ignore Your New Flat Screen. Put Down Your Wii. Use The Week After Christmas To Volunteer

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and if you've got cash, you're teed up for a good one. In New York, elite stores that don't usually mark anything down until January slashed prices 70% right after Thanksgiving. Every online merchant I visit is offering free shipping. And my phone rings regularly with customer service reps on the line, all of them desperate to hear me say I'm happy.

I'm not. Ditto my wife. Ditto our friends.

That we have enough and others don't -- that many others don't -- casts a pall on the season. But we're parents of a young daughter who is clueless about derivatives and mortgages and lost jobs. So we front. We front beautifully; our daughter is counting the days.

My wife and I are counting different days.

We figure that Christmas Day will see men and women of good will stacked up at churches and shelters, feeding the disadvantaged and making sure that every kid gets a present.

It's December 26th we dread.

The week between Christmas and New Year's will see people who can afford it -- the people who run things -- on beaches and ski lifts. Staycationers will be hooking up their new bargain flat screens. Kids will burn the day playing Wii; college students will party the night away with friends.

If you're a winner, it's time off.

But if you're on the hurting end of this economy, where do you go for help -- or even for distraction from your troubles?

It wasn't so long ago that Barack Obama inspired a lot of comfortable but concerned people to leave their homes and ring doorbells in neighborhoods they'd never ordinarily dream of visiting. And America met America. It was an exciting time -- I think many people were inspired, not just by Obama, but by the possibility of bridging gaps of race and class.

Now I feel as if we're sitting back again, waiting for Obama to be inaugurated so he can fix it all.

Did "yes we can" really evaporate that quickly?

Has economic distress really driven us back behind locked doors?

I don't think so.

I suspect we're all waiting for someone to give us a signal.

Well, consider this: The week after Christmas doesn't have to be a dead week for the haves and a deader one for the have-nots.

We could get a jump on the Obama years. We could step up, help the least of these, help ourselves. We could make a statement that's so simple nobody can miss it: People matter.

In the media, all I hear is the chilly, cruel language of abstraction: property, jobs, liquidity, contracts. Meanwhile, small businesses and homeowners beg for crumbs from the rich man's table. And the families of millions of workers are just collateral damage in a war against unions. It's shameful, this pageant of politicians and pundits.

So it would be wonderful if a counter-message got sent during a week of service. And if it got big and loud, because the idea that people matter is more than a charity slogan, it's something fundamental. But for that to happen, this idea needs helpers.

It would be terrific if, say, Craig Newmark of Craigslist could point me to clearinghouses for local projects -- and my wish came true. Craig has presented really useful suggestions, right here on Huffington Post. .

I read a recent interview with Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks, in which he talks about corporate responsibility and communities. And I thought: It would be fantastic if the 11,000 Starbucks stores across America could be gathering places for impromptu crews of caffeinated volunteers. Up for it, Howard?

And then there's the me-and-thee piece: What would we do?

The need is local; from here, I can't possibly know. Beyond Craig Newmark's links, I have every confidence that there are churches, agencies, online lists and neighborhood loudmouths to point you to people and projects that could use some help.

My thing is kids. School will be out, and, among other things, it means that lunch may not be happening. So I'll be looking to help out at a New York City program that offers sports or an outing --- and a meal.

Care about seniors? Homes for the elderly will surely be short-staffed during that holiday week. You could read. Write a letter. Or just listen.

Concerned about the suddenly jobless? If you cleaned out your closets, culled your kids' old toys, edited your bookshelves.....

The other day, our daughter and I dropped a carload of her outgrown books at a charity that serves homeless and poor kids. It felt good to do it. But not good enough. A little more service, though, and I might just feel okay about these holidays.

If you too are suffering from guilt, sadness or thwarted idealism, this remedy might work for you too.

[cross-posted from HeadButler.com]

Comments

[SinisterK9]

I like the idea of the article. Volunteering for something you believe in is one of the most rewarding experiences in the world.

I'm not suggesting anyone be forced to volunteer. But I think most of us can find some time to give, if only a little. Making this country a better place starts at the ground level with it's citizens.

[VikingQuest]

By "yes we can" we mean "yes you can" because I just want more free stuff which is why I voted for Obama.

[SwampeastMike]

"Did 'Yes, we can" really evaporate that rapidly? It sure looks that way.

Yes, many "haves" did venture out into unfamiliar neighborhoods and cultures for one purpose: to get Obama elected. Not surprisingly, once the task was accomplished, many thought the job complete with things now in Obama's hands--hands that never seemed to throw away the messiah image during the campaign.

At present, many of those--including me--who previously considered themselves reasonably comfortable and secure have lost the majority of their incomes with prospects for similar work and pay nearly non-existant. Many more still are beginning to question their own future prospects for comfort and security and with so many overextended financially (just like our government) they are realizing just how fast "haves" can become "have nots". I hope that many are also realizing that those bargain flat screen televisions are themselves part of the problem.

Rampant buying of cheap consumer goods imported from developing countries has decimated domestic manufacturing. The service sector experienced explosive growth but with pay levels that rarely matched those of lost union jobs. Entire pillars of our economy crumbled, but as long as credit flowed freely and home values continued to escalate a strong shell prevented collapse.

That shell is cracking and likely to shatter soon. What remains of, "Yes we can" will likely soon be replaced by, "I need help too Mr. Obama". I can only hope that his governance proves half as brilliant as his campaign.

[HyperInfluential]

While I appreciate the kindheartedness that's behind this post, I can't help but say, hmmm, no. Americans already take less vacation time than anyone else on the planet, and you want them to give up one of their two weeks working at yet another job, but this time for no money. I can see why they don't want to, and I don't think they should have to.

To me, expecting individual Americans to start volunteering and giving their money away, as the major driving force to solve our poverty crisis, makes about as much sense as expecting that if we trusted the top 1% with all of everyone's money, the Invisible Hand would make sure it was spent for the best. That didn't work out, and neither has volunteer-based care for those in need.

Care for those who need assistance should be a government responsibility. I already "volunteered" when the state took a third of my money. The third of the hours I worked at my job and gave the money to the government from, that was my volunteer service. If the government takes that money and still allows there to be homelessness and hunger, they're misusing my donation!

Hopefully Obama will set up government safety nets that make sense and cover everyone, so nobody feels like they have to give up their only week of slack in the last 26 weeks of work, because as tired as they are, there's someone out there who needs help.

[bobtr900]

Jesse,
You are correct, thanks fora great piece, we all should make Christmas and the entire year a time of giving and service to our fellowman.

Now try, just try telling that to the social conservatives, they who run this country for profit. They own the USA, not you and I. My guess is they will own it for a long time to come, possibly forever. They don't know it, but we are our brothers keeper and it's little enough that we now do. But then what do I know I'm just a godless liberal, one of the hated ones, hated for the past 27yrs.

May God bless us. And may the killing be stopped. Pray for peace. And let us not forget those who are in the killing zone, whether by chance or choice.. May we and they have a Happy Holiday, a blessed Christmas and a safe New Year.

bob

[BilCon]

bob,
As one of the social conservatives, I can say that the attitude towards charity is all that is different. I believe that charity is the individual's responsibility as opposed to the government's responsibility. I intend to spend the day after Christmas the same way I spend every other day. I give where I can, do what I can, and direct to others where I can not. Charity is something that is an everyday attitude. If you care for humanity (Regardless of whether you agree with them politically or socially) you will take care of those who can not care for themselves. I simply refuse to take care of those who are able to take care of themselves but Will Not do so.

[HyperInfluential]

If you don't believe "charity" as you call it should be the government's job, then you clearly need to move to another country more in line with your beliefs. The Constitution of the United States makes it clear that in THIS country, we believe the purpose of the goverment is not only to provide for the common defense, but also to promote the general welfare.

As Mr. Obama said, this nation is rich enough to provide for all her people, if we simply wrote that into the budget. It's hawks and conservatives who have blocked those measures, claiming helping people is not the government's job, that have allowed things to spiral to such a low point. It's going to take a heroic effort to get out of the mess caused by allowing poverty to be an "individual, not government" problem!

[RButler]

I've recently given a disabled friend several thousand dollars, paid off some of his bills and loaned him some money for a car so he could get to the doctor, grocery store etc. I know of lots of people who do things like this for friends and family even though they may not be publicly visible to others. My friend and I are not religious and I don't want anyone to think that I did it because of Obama's campaign because that wasn't the source. Some times people do things out of a genuine affinity for their fellow man and not because of some external directive by politicians or religious leaders. We all do what is before us and it may not necessarily be volunteering at a soup kitchen.

[amoore503]

Although I understand the intent of this article, like others, I too am part of that workforce who must work during the holiday break. During the campaign, I used precious time to register voters but I felt most helpful in discussing the issues of the campaign with many folks who had given up on voting, given up on our government. I felt even more helpful when my Oregon ballot arrived in the mail and I sought out family, friends and folks off the street to have ballot parties. The younger people (1st time voters) and those totally disconnected from the election had a wonderful time joking about ballot measures and giving candidates weird nicknames but did their civic duty by completing their ballots and mailing them in a timely manner. When Obama won, we all felt that we won something more than a new President - we finally won something new within ourselves because of our participation.

So yes, I feel a little not so "yes we can" right now because the election is over but I am waiting to participate in something much larger. I am hoping and praying that the American people come together with a strong voice requesting the arrest and convictions with long prison sentences for George Bush, Dick Cheney, Rumsfield, Karl Rove and a host of many other criminals (treasury department) that tore this country apart during the past eight years.

[bioluminescence]

This global economic crisis creates the best opportunity to empower our children to ask themselves a few simple questions based on the following information: the UN reports that the wealthiest 2 per cent own 50 per cent of the world's total wealth, the equivalent of $37 trillion. It says the poorest 50 per cent own 1 per cent of the wealth and that 20 per cent live in poverty, as defined by the UN.

If the children around you are young, explain to them what a trillion is. Tell them to imagine a football stadium that can hold 100,000 people. Now tell them to imagine 10 million of them. That's a trillion.

Ask them if they think it is fair that a few people own more than half of everything in the world. Let them answer that themselves.

This Christmas, don't give your children answers. Give them questions. It might be the best gift they ever receive.

[mckathiki]

Thank you, sir. My husband and I work all the time for poverty level income, live in a crappy apartment, don't have health insurance.­.. Our 14 year old daughter will have a nice Christmas present-wise because of the kindness of family and friends. She'll have a nice Christmas otherwise because we're warm, clothed, fed and know how to count our blessings.

Some of the comments here are hopeless desperate. If you have a computer to read HuffPost articles and comment, you are better off than millions of people. We live on the Texas border and it is not hard at all to find fellow citizens who have a lot less than we do. I'm certain that this is true in most towns and cities across America.

So I say to those of you who think things can get no worse for you: get out and take a look at how bad things can really be - homeless, cold, hungry on the streets; lonely, blind, old, abandoned in some stinking nursing home; scared, small, alone at home while mommy and daddy are working, the list goes on. I also say to you that President Obama cannot save us or give our children a future singlehandedly. If you can't find the gumption to spend a day or two after Christmas volunteering in some small, or big, way, then how the heck will you help keep the spirit of "Yes We Can" and "Fired up and Ready to Go" alive?

[marcywrite]

Did no one else who read this piece attend one of the FIVE THOUSAND Change is Coming grassroots organizing meetings this past weekend? YES WE CAN is becoming YES WE ARE and YES WE WILL...we'­re already putting together a food drive this week, with food to be donated next weekend to food banks across the country. Want to be part of THE CHANGE THAT WE VOTED FOR? Just go to change.gov and sign up...it's President-elect Obama's new website for the community-based work we'll be doing. If hunger in America isn't the issue you feel most strongly about, fill out the survey, tell them what you care about, and you'll be given info. on how to link up with people who want to work on "your" issue. I cannot believe all the people who posted here who so quickly drew the conclusion that nothing is happening and nothing will. Maybe YOU'RE doing nothing -- but that doesn't hold true for millions of others. So...join us! YES YOU CAN.

[breakingpoint]

"Did "yes we can" really evaporate that quickly?"

Yes, it did.
But fear not, the future economy will fix that too.
We all need a little time to get over the last 26 years of, the one with the most toys wins.
Your good thoughts, however, are prophetically inscribe and have been received in advance

MAY DAY 09 DC

[trunk65]

OOPS, I posted before I was finished. All I wanted to say was we got a great present in Obama, but the opprotunity is only as good as we utilize it. We are all in the same leaking boat, and without each and everyone of us doing our part, it will surely sink. Use the Holidays to plot your course for the upcoming year,draw close to those you love, and become a doer instead of a consumer. I think we all need to ask ourselves one simple question:How serious am I about wanting change, and what can I do to bring it about? Happy Holidays, and may 2009 mark the beginning of a new Golden Age in America

[trunk65]

During the exhilaration immediately after the election, many expressed their relief that an 8 year nightmare was over, and that "Yes we can" was a mantra that signaled the beginning of a new era. If you have watched the antics of W and the GOP in the last few weeks, maybe it is a little clearer as to how difficult the task ahead is.

[PolarisCountry]

Sorry mr. Kornbluth, but i'll be using the week after Christmas to look for a job.

[Balancement]

Good luck with that. I've been out of work for three Christmas's now. And the week after Christmas there are even fewer opportunities available. Add to that, by the way, there are a h*lluva lot more of us out there looking this year than there were over the past two Christmases.

[sradag]

I know what it's like to be unemployed - it's an overwhelming situation and I wish you both well. I was thinking that maybe doing some volunteer work could provide you with some leads or some new experiences to pad your resume. At the very least it could help ease some of the anxious feelings that come with waiting for the next opportunity.

Good luck!

[SonofLiberty1]

PolarisCountry & Balancemen­t..

You have my understanding and sympathy. I was outsourced 3 1/2 years ago, thanks to my family though I have a place to sleep and food to eat. And now it's even worse looking for a job since in the last few months thousands have been given that pink slip.

My best wishes to you:)

You will be in my prayers.

[hopefilled]

Soon we will all receive a call to see ourselves as one community, the community of the human race. We will all have to give of our time in the effort to save the world ecologically, economically and in all areas of life. Everyone can do something and we will get back so much more than we give as one always does when one takes time to serve.