AKA How many run-on sentences can you identify?
The following description of my overall concept was written in March, that’s March 2008! You’ll see that the focus of my vision is on the outcome, the positive impact on the community. Now, I just need to get all the money, employees, customers and sponsors stuff out of the way, and we can get busy… Sometimes I need to remind myself that the process of getting the money, employees, customers and sponsors will serve the purpose – increasing awareness and action in the realm of social and environmental lifestyle choices in the suburbs… Thank Goodness, that means that, already, it is Time Well Spent…
My vision is to create a successful working prototype of a dues-paying, membership-driven, facility where citizens – young and old, of a typical, small, suburban community – can expand their own sense of self-confidence, self-worth and purpose, as they maximize their social and environmental impact and creative output by pooling their combined resources, talents, knowledge and energy to give to those in need through an on-site giving program that is convenient, predictable, and responsive to changing needs. The multi-purpose, center-based concept includes a system for responsible repurposing , recycling, and redistribution of worthwhile goods and materials, including donations to different levels of the “community” (local, state, country and world-wide). There will also be a significant opportunity for retail sales to the general public, a self-sustaining activity allowing the center to continue activities that benefit those in need and the environment while supporting the creativity of the membership and providing quality products and convenience to the consumer.
As a result of the eco-friendly efforts of the enterprise, local environmentally-conscious living decisions will increase at a greater rate than would occur without the presence in the community of the enterprise. This positive environmental impact will result not only from those center-based activities that reduce the amount of trash being dumped into landfills, but also as a result of the increased awareness generated on the topic within the membership and reported within the local community through media outlets, the result of a strong and continuing publicity effort. As a result of participation in an organized, collaborative effort toward a common, measureable and noble goal, members will experience a strong feeling of purpose and community, increasing the likelihood of long-term involvement and membership. There will also be opportunities for learning and self-expression for the members that will directly support the enterprise’s efforts to encourage and empower its members, from teen members (our future leaders) to senior members (who still have much to give to society), to choose a lifestyle that personifies the new business concept of triple bottom line.
Working in the nurturing, creative, resource-rich and empowering setting provided by the enterprise, individual members will grow and expand their own horizons, reaching to a higher potential. The result will be a cumulative, positive impact. Positive social and environmental activity throughout the community and memberships in the enterprise will increase as others are inspired by the positive impact on the community and on the members themselves. As these individuals find their own sense of purpose and confidence, they will accomplish more as they improve their own quality of life and that of those less fortunate, through a continual program of responding to existing need and giving in a variety of ways, as the differing needs are determined.
Ultimately, the successful development of the enterprise, its systems and its strong branding identification, as part of an overall business-inspired marketing plan, will lead to the potential for multiplying that positive impact many times over. That exponentially growing positive effect will take place when the enterprise – its business plan, organizational structure, operating and evaluation systems, reach that point where they are ready to be brought to scale, spreading across the entire country through a strong, mult-faceted plan for a triple-bottom line enterprise that is both self-sustaining and replicable. By taking on the risk associated with a true innovation in social enterprise, the enterprise will lay the path for other communities to follow, a step they would be far less likely to take if the non-starters of developing a business from scratch, as well as all the associated risk were present. and work required. By removing these obstacles, we are able to increase the the likelihood of socially and environmentally conscious citizens making the decision to pursue the same objectives within their own communities.
Nancy Gallant's Blog ~ Time Well Spent 