“It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do a little. Do what you can.” –Sydney Smith.
Think about it:
I came across this interesting idea in the book Coach Yourself To Success by Talane Miedaner. that I wanted to share with you. As we can always do something to improve or change our little part of the world.
My special project was called “Neat Street.” I was tolerating two big things about living in New York City—the dirty streets and the homelessness. I didn’t like the way my block always looked trashy even though it is in a nice residential neighborhood in midtown Manhattan. I also didn’t feel right about the homeless people. I didn’t want to give them money because I thought it would go to drugs or alcohol, but I didn’t feel right about just walking by either. Then an idea popped into my head: why not ask the homeless people to clean the streets? I was so inspired I went down to the nearest atm and as always, there was a homeless man with his cup extended. I asked him if he would be interested in working. He said yes. I told him the idea. If he would volunteer to sweep my block on both sides of the street every day, I would ask each resident on that block to give him at least $1 a week donation. (This is a city block, so there are over 150 people on our block.) I told him there was no guarantee how much money he would make, but that he had nothing to lose. He showed up on the block the next morning at 7:00 a.m., and I gave him a broom and a dustpan. This was the birth of “Neat Street.” James, the homeless man, ended up being photographed for an article in the New York Times and was also on television. He became a regular part of the community, sweeping the block rain or shine, and ended up making enough money to share an apartment with a friend. Now “Neat Street” has spread to other blocks, and all sorts of organizations have created partnerships with the homeless to provide them work cleaning the streets. Who knows, maybe one day New York will be a remarkably spotless city.
If you aren’t the starter type, how about joining someone else’s project that you believe in? It doesn’t matter if your project is a little teeny tiny one. It still makes a difference.