Here's a Random Act Of Kindness "program" that Jon Carroll (a columnist for the SF Chronicle that I correspond with occasionally) has been advocating in his column every year at Christmas time for the past couple of decades...
I don't entirely agree with it, (I've done it a little bit on a limited scale, but you can never be sure that the person you give the money to isn't going to be bullied out of it when the word gets out that somebody is going around passing out money...) but it is certainly an excellent example of the "Random Acts Of Kindness" concept:
It’s time again for the Untied Way
By Jon Carroll
Updated 4:14 pm, Tuesday, December 2, 2014
You’re invited! To a party! Please join Mayor Ed Lee, columnist Willie Brown, manager Bruce Bochy, author Dave Eggers, actor Rene Auberjonois, singer-songwriter Holly Near, conductor Michael Tilson Thomas and special guest star Audra McDonald in a gala evening of songs, jokes and moving digital presentations (as seen on YouTube) to support the wonderful work of the Untied Way©, whose motto is, “When People Care, Then Something Happens.”
It’s $5,000 per seat or $60,000 for a table of eight. All donations tax deductible. Caution: You may have to remove your shoes and jewelry.
Actually, no. Everything in the first two paragraphs is a lie. The Untied Way does not do galas. It doesn’t have the infrastructure. Candidly, it doesn’t have any infrastructure at all. Neither does it send out fundraising letters with a picture of a sad child on the envelope. It does no photo-ops, no press conferences, no courting of the media with flattery.
It does not promote itself on Facebook or Twitter or Kickstarter or Reddit. It’s an idea made manifest every year as though by magic. It happens because people make it happen, people who do not know each other, not even virtually.
You can be a member of the horde. So few people have ever belonged to a horde; now’s your chance. It’s an invisible horde, but all the better. Few people have had the chance to be invisible, either.
The Untied Way works with other charities. It fills the gaps. Remember that people need blankets and shoes too. Remember they need places like Glide and St. Anthony Dining Room. Make the Untied Way part of your pattern of giving — but don’t remember it in your will. It’d be pointless.
We give because we have to stick together on this one. We have to make sure government indifference is not reflected in personal indifference. Here endeth the sermon. You may yawn now.
What is the Untied Way? It’s a program of citizen-to-citizen cash disbursement. The recipient uses the money in self-directed need areas. The recipients may not make good choices. There were times when you didn’t make good choices either. Two inches to the left, a cop passing by at the wrong moment, the failure to leave a forwarding address — you were a lucky daughter-of-a-gun, weren’t you?
Sometimes you made mistakes and there were consequences. And yet here you are, able to read text. You are among the fortunate.
Might not you say in all sincerity, looking at people living in cardboard boxes or sitting on the corner drinking cheap whiskey: There but for the grace of God go I? People who make mistakes, people who are still making mistakes, also need our love. Or our cash — at least they need our cash. Maybe the next decision will be a better decision.
How do you participate? Go to your ATM and take out a collection of $20 bills. Take a little more than makes you feel comfortable; live dangerously because there are people in real danger. Then take that pocketful of 20s and go to an area where people are asking for money. Give each person you see a $20. Keep doing it until you run out of 20s.
There. You’re an official Untied Way volunteer. Alas, we will not be able to send you a Plaque of Recognition. You may wish to make one of those yourself.
It is possible to give more than $20 per. When this idea started, $20 was a respectable sum of money. Nowadays, it might be better to hand out $50 bills, except you can’t get 50s at an ATM. If someone wants to branch out in that direction, the Untied Way will create a separate “premium” membership, which is just like a regular membership except more prestigious.
The reaction from your clients may not be entirely appropriate. Your generous gift may even go unacknowledged. You may be berated. Here is where you encounter the true meaning of charity. You’re not giving in order to bask in the gratitude of others.
Some clients, by contrast, will be overly grateful. They may call upon the Lord to bless you. They may express their gratitude over and over. So, you know, ask them a question. “Think it’s going to be cold tonight?” is a good question. That’s somebody’s son or daughter there. It’s the least you can do.
But it’s a start. You know, how about this afternoon? Would that be a good time for you? I’ll meet you somewhere where people are asking for money.
http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/car ... 930743.php
