“Nothing could be worse than the fear that one had given up too soon, and left one unexpended effort that might have saved the world.” Jane Addams: Twenty Years at Hull House
No one is immune from human need. No community is immune from human needs –
• rivers rise, natural disasters destroy; • foreclosures breed insecurity; • unemployment diminishes self-esteem & fosters financial instability, • disease impoverishes – spiritually, physically, financially • war ravages – particularly the families of those who serve.
Who among us is the next Jane Addams? What is that kernel of an idea you have not had a chance to act upon? What do we need to know?
It takes courage and tenacity and heeding that “call to action” to make a difference. That call is now. Let’s be ready. Let’s be assured there will be no homeless underneath our bridges – and there is no chance of collapse – within our hearts, or our pace.
• how our honorees worked together and took advantage of societal impulses to bring about reforms in developing their model of assistance for the needy and troubled
• whether and how they can take action to benefit the common good by solving seemingly intractable problems.
The Human Spirit Initiative is a virtual organization and has no office or employees. Most of its printing, conferencing and research needs to date have been met with pro bono and in-kind contributions. As the momentum builds, however, the budget will allow for the assistance of outside contractors, authors, facilitators and a part time administrator/fundraiser, as well as other operating expenses.
Most important, we seek to extend the discussion of the role of creative and motivated individual volunteers in building civil society. As we spread the word of our mission, we will link interested parties and partner with others to extend our reach. Leading by Example
The Human Spirit Initiative is led by a small but highly motivated board, each possessing a
strong bias toward action. The chairman of the effort and the person instigating the vision and providing the inspiration is Kay Horsch, a Minneapolis-based social activist steeped in the ranks of volunteer leadership and community networking. Among her achievements, she was the first woman to become chair of the American Cancer Society.
Members of the Board of Directors of the Human Spirit Initiative have each provided leadership and vision in shaping the health and human services sector within the United States. Their belief in the importance of joining history and biography to assist all of us in understanding the importance of civil society and the role each of us can play in keeping it alive – is a gift to the human spirit.
