Organizing for America | John Cavanaugh's Blog: Who will help?

Who will help?

By John Cavanaugh - Feb 9th, 2009 at 6:54 pm EST

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Tags: call to action, Community Service, ohio, Rep. John Patrick Carney, Strickland

In the Feb. 1st Sunday Columbus Dispatch, reporter Rita Price asks the key question all citizens of Ohio must now address as nonprofits like South Side Settlement House struggle with declining resources and skyrocketing demand during this historic economic crisis. During these difficult days, we need only look back to the very founding of our nation to find our answer. As Thomas Paine wrote on Dec. 23, 1776 : "These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman". Indeed, we can all join everyday heroes such as Child-care worker Wynida Searcy and provide a "service stimulus" to our struggling communities. Now more than ever all of us have an opportunity to fulfill the mission outlined by former Corporation for National Service Chair Stephen Goldsmith and Senator Harris Wofford who wrote: "As the government seeks to deal with the economic crisis and relieve the distress felt by millions of families, we should not overlook the great American tradition of service. More than 60 million citizens every year are providing service to their neighbors and their communities". Here in Ohio, whether that be answering Governor Strickland's recent "Call to Action" or Representative John Patrick Carney's proposal to allow retired medical workers to maintain their licenses to serve at low income health clinics, we can and should help to ensure that our friends and neighbors weather this economic storm. Can all this be done during such a time of turmoil? Again, if we draw inspiration from our recent past, we will discover that our greatest triumphs have come during times of impending peril. We can and should follow the example of our parents and grandparents who grew up during the Great Depression, fought in World War II, and whose productivity on the home front keep our nation whole. Likewise, we should remember that it was this "Greatest Generation" who survived the war pressed on to build and rebuild our industries. So who will help? The generous and innovative citizens of the great state of Ohio!

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