How Can I Be More Like Willie Mae Dorsey?
February 15, 2010 by Nathan
CBS’s Sunday Morning may be one of my favorite all time television shows. There is something about a cup of coffee, the newspaper and their segments that seem to make everything right in the world. I can remember watching as a kid and catching myself being truly interested in what I considered to be one of my parent’s shows – yikes.
This last Sunday was no different, and it led to me watching an 8-minute 12-second segment (Selling Your Home for Charity) that I have been thinking about and talking about all week. It focuses on a family who downsized their home and used proceeds from the sale to start a non-profit organization assisting families in Ghana. The story posed the very important question: “How much should you give to charity?” One statistic noted that Americans give approximately 2.2% of their individual annual income to non-profit organizations. This statistic was juxtaposed with a vignette about Willie Mae Dorsey, a Publix cashier who donates 10% of her $25,000 annual salary. Point being: Often, the people who earn the least give the most, as a percentage of their income.
All week I have been thinking: What if we were all like Willie Mae and reached deeper, (giving 5%, 7% or 10%) to help people in need? How would the world be different? Suddenly the idea of ending hunger or poverty doesn’t seem as unreachable. It certainly has me looking to see what else I can be doing to be more like Willie Mae.
Read the rest of this entry »
'); ?>
February 15th, 2010 at 8:13 pm
Nathan – Thank you for spotlighting this story! It is a great reminder for us to all reevaluate our giving; and to remember that we were put on this earth to love & to help others.
February 16th, 2010 at 9:09 am
Thanks, Kimberly. We are always looking for ways to get others involved, so the timing for this story was perfect. Sort of meant to be.