William Rosenthal

COMM 4688

October 31, 2011

Project Paper

I chose to take part in a project on campus with Kyra Tarbell, who is the Community

Engagement Coordinator for the University of Colorado Denver. My project was in

conjunction with a tour of the Auraria Campus. The project itself was titled Give, Look, and

Play. This project was a file folders game project that benefited the Latter Day Saints (LDS),

a relief organization that looks to help kids and adults alike. What this project was

specifically about was cutting out various patterns such as flowers or faces and coloring

them in colors and designs that did not infer any meanings other then the mathematical

educational intent behind them, as the idea of completing these games is to educate

children through these tools, free from undue influence, such as coloring the items red,

white, and blue.

Being a senior, I had the opportunity to engage freshman and other seniors who

were present for the tour and the project. Everyone I spoke to wanted to feel like they

were doing something constructive with their time and give to other people who are less

fortunate then we are. In talking to the freshman, I found the conversation to be beneficial

to me personally, as not only am I an older student who has returned to school, but I am

also quite a bit older then a freshman. Their perspective was what I would expect for the

most part from a recent high school graduate. The fact that they were eager and hands on

in undertaking the project was impressive and not what I expected to encounter, as my

encounters with this particular age group are made up of me mostly feeling old, as I feel the

majority of these students are more into playing video games and partying, not focused or

interested in donating their time and efforts to those less fortunate. Overall, I feel that the

project I was a part of went well and it was an enjoyable situation in which I understood

the purpose of the project, which made me feel it was a worthwhile investment of time.

My role in this project was to be available to all participating students to answer

questions about the project and hand out the necessary materials for the project in

addition to taking a hands-on role in completing the project as well. I was there from the

set-up phase to the breaking down phase of the project, in which we served a light

breakfast to all the participants. I also researched the beneficiary of our project to

understand exactly how our completion of this project would be of benefit to the LDS and

the causes they support.

I created a flier for the event and I also distributed the flier throughout the campus, such as

the Communications Department, the Tivoli, Plaza, and the Advising Office. I had the event

posted on the Facebook page of the University of Colorado Denver Communications

Department. I also branded the event with Give/Look/Play. This project made me want to

take a deeper look at relief organizations.

There are quite a few relief organizations, each serving as a valuable asset in

assisting those who need help, whether it is a third world country or an established

country such as the United States. In examining relief organizations, the first that comes to

mind is the one I assisted, The Latter Day Saints. The LDS has many humanitarian relief

and development projects throughout the world. In 2010 alone, they assisted 43 countries

to include the United States in distributing over 800,000 kits that included but were not

limited to educational material as well as hygiene kits. They also sent various children’s

kits, clothing, and medical modules. All donations that go to LDS are sent to the poor and

disadvantaged. LDS has supported vaccination programs as well. Since 2003, 59,000

volunteers have assisted in 35 countries lowering the deadliness of measles by 78% in

Africa alone. The LDS has also provided food production training to include teaching

people how to make food at home, store and prepare food properly, and teach nutrition.

Since 2002, the LDS has helped 40,000 people.

One of the biggest resources that everyone on the planet needs for survival is water.

The LDS has assisted communities in ensuring they have clean water. LDS assists

communities to create wells and other drinking water systems to provide access to clean water.

The Church also assists communities establish local water committees and provide hygiene

training for families. The community donates labor and materials. Over 7.5 million people now

have access to clean water because of Church efforts from 2002 through 2010. The LDS clearly

wants to make a difference, and worldwide, they have made a difference with all their various

programs to assist those in need near and far.

For many, the American Red Cross (AMR) is the first relief organization that comes to

mind when it comes to identifying relief organizations. The AMR dates back to 1881. The

AMR is known world-wide for providing neutral humanitarian care for war victims as well as

coming to the aid of natural disaster victims as well. The ultimate goal for the AMR is to

prevent and relieve suffering. The AMR presently focuses on community services for the needy,

support and comfort for military members and families, collection of blood and blood products,

educational programs that focus on health and safety, and international relief and development

programs. There are approximately 35,000 employees of the AMR and with 700 chapters

supported locally, more then 15 million people acquire skills they need to help prepare in

addition to responding to emergencies domestically and internationally. For every dollar that the

AMR spends, 91 cents is invested in humanitarian services and programs. Like most relief

organizations, these are not government agencies. They survive through donations of time, money, and blood to complete their mission. I can personally speak to the benefit of the AMR,

as when I was a member of the United States Air Force, I was notified through the AMR that my

grandmother died. They assisted me in getting home through an emergency loan for airfare.

The International Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is another relief organization

that comes to the aid of children and adults alike, both domestically and internationally. They

are the world’s largest humanitarian and development network, boasting millions of volunteers

in over 150 National Societies. The IFRC is focused to tackle the major humanitarian and

developmental challenges of the decade, with focus on disaster response and recovery,

development, and promoting social inclusion and peace.

Disaster response and recovery is important, as there has been an increase in natural

disasters both in number and in complexity of handling them. By linking humanitarian response

and disaster preparedness to risk reduction, not only our lives saved, but it becomes more cost

effective in handling natural disasters. IFRC volunteers also live within the communities that

they service when natural disasters strike and in many cases are first responders. The IFRC

volunteers are in many cases the best source of comfort for those who are affected by the impact

of natural disasters, as the volunteers are also victims of the same disaster.

The second area of focus, development is where IFRC is also quite active, as they are

involved in a highly extensive HIV/AIDS program, food security, water, and sanitation. They

deliver programs that address the humanitarian consequences of climate change, violence, and

regular and irregular migration. The IFRC works very closely with communities to support their

capacity building, which is important especially with the limited amount of resources many of

these countries impacted by natural disaster(s) have.

The third and final area of focus for the IFRC is promoting inclusion and peace. They

support the integration of disadvantaged people within their own communities. The volunteering

and youth networks take part in a cross-generational dialogue that attempts to overcome the gap

between religion and culture, challenging discrimination wherever it is encountered. This aspect,

in my opinion, is one of the most important things the IFRC does, as I feel that we really do not

know a lot about other people who are in this world or we do not choose to take the time to get to

know other people. There is so much incivility and indifference when it comes to others,

especially when it comes to embracing and accepting the difference(s) that we all have no matter

our race, gender, sexual orientation, or circumstances in life that may leave us in need of a

helping hand, whether that person is a child or an adult.

Another relief organization that is world-renowned is the Salvation Army. The Salvation

Army has a wide array of programs and assists in helping those communities or countries that

have incurred a natural disaster. Some of the programs that the Red Cross takes part in are

programs that look to prevent human smuggling, natural disaster relief, youth camps, as well as

housing and homelessness. In one of the more interesting aspects about the Salvation Army is

that they accept airline miles for donations in helping with their various causes and programs.

In the United States, as of 2010, Americans living in poverty rose to 46.2 million,

which is a shade over 15 percent. Being in the communities throughout the United States, The

Salvation Army has witnessed this increased need first-hand throughout the nation. Of the food

programs that the Salvation Army operates, 94 percent saw an increase in demand for food

assistance in 2010. In addition, approximately 60 percent of Salvation Army programs saw

donations remain flat or decrease from all funding sources, including government, public and

private sectors. One Salvation Army in Auburn, California has stated it may have to start turning

those in need away if its resources continue to decline.

In closing, I learned quite a bit about myself as well as the various relief organizations

that exists to help kids and parents alike. For me, I initially thought my service project was not

one that was really significant, as it did not seem I was truly doing something that had a big

impact. The moment I began looking into the organization I was helping in addition to the

research that I undertook examining the other relief organizations that do help people

domestically and internationally, I realized that this perception would be underestimating the

impact that these projects have not only for someone who partakes in the project(s), but also the

recipient of the end product. I might not be able to physically see the end result of my project

once it was completed, but I understand that my project has an impact that goes beyond just

doing “arts and crafts”, as it helps a child learn basic educational skills that I have taken for

granted all my life.

This project also made me realize that there is a need for people and corporations to take

the time out to help others who are less fortunate or who have suffered as a result of natural

disasters. The bigger the project does not always mean that it has the most impact. Feeling that

way prevents us in truly serving our fellow citizens, as our time is just as valuable a resource as

our monetary donation(s). If everyone took 1 hour a week to give back something to those who

are less fortunate, it would not only impact the cause you choose to support, but it would bring

about a new understanding and civility that we would have towards our fellow man, especially in

a world in which civility towards one another is something that is lacking in our society.

For students such as myself, it is imperative to not only learn about service learning, but

also learning what service means by actually taking part in a service project. This enables us to

become aware of the world around us, not just the world we specifically live in. To be a good

citizen is more then just paying your taxes or not committing any crimes. It is recognizing that

you understand that you are fortunate to be in a position to help others who unfortunately can not

help themselves. It is understanding that you cannot wait for someone else to make a difference,

as if everyone waited for someone else to make a difference, there would be no one making a

difference because we are waiting for someone else to take the lead. You have to take the time

to make a difference and be a leader. No one is going to make a difference for you. By not

trying to make a difference, you will never know the impact you could have made.

References

American Red Cross. Web. 21 Oct. 2011. <http://www.redcross.org/>.

IFRC.org - IFRC. Web. 21 Oct. 2011. <http://www.ifrc.org/>.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Web. 21 Oct. 2011.

<http://lds.org/?lang=eng>.

The Salvation Army: Home. Web. 21 Oct. 2011.

<http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/www_usn_2.nsf>.

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