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Posts from the ‘Aging’ Category

Jan 31

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Design Thinking While You Work

Charities Review Council design thinking

At the Charities Review Council Annual Forum 2014, participants engaged in design thinking exercises about disruptive philanthropy.

When I ran into a former colleague recently, she asked me what I liked about freelancing.  Without hesitating, I commented on how stimulating it is to work with such a diverse group of nonprofit and foundation clients.

As I explore fields that are new to me, I meet fascinating people, and best of all, I get to apply what I learn in unexpected ways that benefit my clients — and my community.

For instance, before I was introduced to CornerHouse in Minneapolis, I knew little about child and adolescent abuse.  Plus, I was completely unaware that this local agency is known worldwide for training of forensic interviewers, or that it is the only children’s advocacy center in the country that is offering healing home visiting services to children and families dealing with the aftermath of abuse.

Experience the Creative Rush
So in the course of just a day or two, I’ve written about families recovering from trauma, grocery delivery services for seniors, and rural broadband access, among other topics.  Shifting from one subject to the next, I see surprising connections between ideas and audiences, and new communications strategies emerge . . . it’s a sort of creative rush.

And it feels like that creativity allows me — in my own small way — to participate in the  local “disruptive philanthropy” movement.  The Charities Review Council team members — who championed the movement at their annual forum last fall — defined disruptive philanthropy as:

“a transformative event or moment, an act of giving and relationship building that is a departure from the status quo. It may not be easy, endorsed or comfortable, but it is necessary to inclusively create a shared vision, a new sustainability, innovation, imagination and growth.”

Personal Design Thinking
In another way, my work on behalf of my clients and their beneficiaries feels like a personal design thinking exercise.

During participation in the Giving 2.0 MOOC last fall, I heard David Kelley from IDEO speak about design thinking in philanthropy and use of the Human-Centered Design Toolkit.  Its underlying premise is that problem-solving in philanthropy must be preceded by deep empathy for the people who will benefit and close engagement with them in “need-finding.”

No matter what how you describe it, I feel happy to zig and zag while I work, using my neurons to connect seemingly unrelated dots . . . and making my small contributions to the third sector and our greater community.

May 12

Going on a Scavenger Hunt . . . for Food

Grocery cart filled with items food for seniorsLast Friday was my first day as a volunteer shopper for Store to Door.  Yes, a volunteer shopper.  Does that sound like a dream gig for a “shop-a-holic”?

But shopping for Store to Door is not as frivolous or simple as it sounds.  Volunteer shoppers meet up at 6:00 a.m. at a local Cubs Food store and fill grocery orders for home-bound seniors who are unable to get out to the store and shop for food, medicine and other necessities.  (The orders are created by another group of volunteers who call the seniors every other week and enter each requested item into a nifty computer system.)

The orders are very detailed — brand, size, flavor, expiration date and much more.  Matching the items from the store shelves with what’s listed on the order sheet is challenging . . . like a scavenger hunt.

The need for this service is large and growing.  Minnesota Compass reports that 30 percent of seniors 65-plus in the Twin Cities have a disability.  And 10 percent of the 75-plus population lives in poverty.  Without Store to Door and other human services organizations, some of these seniors would face malnutrition, mounting health problems and consequences even worse.

I was impressed on Friday with the dedication and efficiency of the volunteers (some were 20-year veterans) and the professionalism of the Store to Door store coordinator and drivers who deliver the orders.  I look forward to going back again this week to shop for everything from soup to nuts — and whatever else these elders need to stay well-fed and healthy.

Do you know of a senior who is homebound or having difficulty walking through the grocery store or lifting heavy bags?  Do you have a couple hours a week to spare to become a volunteer order taker or shopper?  Check out the services and opportunities at Store to Door . . . it’s a vital service in our community.

photo cc Phil! Gold