Distinctly American
Last year I had the honor of being on a panel with the CEO of the Girl Scouts (the best managed organization in the country at one time, according to Peter Drucker) and Stephen Post. Stephen had just published his new book, Why Good Things Happen to Good People, and was making the rounds promoting it. The book summarizes a number of recent studies that have linked doing good deeds with increased quality of life. It is a pretty basic idea and well aligned with the intuitive religious concepts of karma and the golden rule. It is nice to see that science has been able to prove it.
This follows another group of
studies, led by Robert Putman and his colleagues, that documents the
dilution of social capital, which is also linked to an impact on the quality of
life for the average American. Their argument is that with fewer and less
meaningful connections between people, society begins to break down and people
become isolated. This is then linked to the breakdown of a civil society, which
requires networks of people outside of business and government to
rally to preserve our collective values (for better or
worse).
It is argued that one of the key
roles of the nonprofit sector is to be this conduit for these two societal
needs. A 24 Hour Fitness for karmic health, a social club for the lonely and
well intentioned, as well as a gathering place for revolutionists with small to
large ambitions.
This is a distinctly American social
design. We enable thousands of social entrepreneurs to meet this need through
nonprofit associations. In some instances, service is simply part of their
broader program ambitions and in other cases it is the core. These
organizations provide an on ramp for civic engagement and good
deeds.
We even have a $1 billion federal
agency dedicated to supporting service in this country - Corporation for
National and Community Service. As a society we consider service a right, as we
see it as connected to our core values and to the basis for social networks and
our democracy.
As an end onto itself, service is an
odd goal for an organization. Ideally it is a wonderful byproduct of another
desired outcome. For example, Operation Access, a San Francisco-based
nonprofit, provides free surgery for patients without health insurance by using
volunteer doctors. It is great to have doctors do something altruistic, but the
primary goal is to help the person under the knife. We see the amazing
volunteer work right after a natural disaster and first think about the victims,
not the volunteers who get to feel like heroes.
This service culture is perverted
occasionally by volunteer organizations and companies who try to placate
volunteers through field trips to see "poor people" or faux volunteer projects
to build team work. The majority of volunteer work in this country, however,
remains focused on improving the health and happiness of those in need and
building associations of like minded citizens who are invested in making their
neighborhoods, cities, states, country and world a better
place.
The Role of the
Nonprofit Sector
This is the
third in a series of posts about the critical roles that nonprofits play in our
society. Previous posts were on the roles of nonprofits as canaries signaling
problems in public policy and as a safety net for basic needs.
I thoroughly enjoyed your entry. Over the past year, I lived abroad in Switzerland and French Guiana. Numerous times, inquisitive foreigners have asked me why my country, one of the wealthiest countries in the world, does not guarantee its citizens basic rights like health care. Many developed nations provide free health care for all individuals, but the U.S. does not. The same people quizzed me about Hurricane Katrina, asking why the U.S. government was so slow to help its citizens after that horrific natural disaster. I tried to explain the complexity of our federal system of government and the intricacies of the situation, but I agree with them that the government’s response was simply inexcusable. I was discomfited to confirm to foreign friends and acquaintances that the U.S. government often falls short, and that it does not guarantee that the basic needs of American citizens are met.
Although our social programs are often inadequate, the U.S. has a vibrant, flourishing nonprofit sector. We instill in our children a culture of service, encouraging them to volunteer from a young age. In my travels, I have discovered that this American spirit of service is unique. Our country encourages social entrepreneurship, supports the nonprofit sector, and promotes volunteering and civic engagement in a distinctive way. As you point out, Americans are strengthening civil society and improving their quality of life through volunteer service. Of this, we can and should be proud.
I look forward to returning to the U.S. in July and finding a job that allows me to support and promote the American spirit of volunteerism.