Noblesse Oblige Research Paper

George is addressing the important issue of the perception of poverty in the United States at this time. She brings up many valid points about the perceptions of poverty in the United States and how nonprofit organizations perpetuate this narrow view of what poverty is in order to elicit contributions (676). Moreover, George is able to show how Habitat for Humanity while helping many people in need. Also gives the false idea that people living in poverty merely need some volunteers to build them a home and then they will be able to work their way right out of poverty (678). Given these points, Prof. George explains, the idea that people in the United States living poverty all live in squalor or are homeless does nothing but limit people’s knowledge of what true people in need actually look like (682). By the same token, when it comes to the actual individuals in need, many of them might not even realize or want to admit that they are in need themselves (682-683). One limiting factor of Prof. George’s article is that she narrowly focuses on one nonprofit organization to show how the majority of nonprofit organizations portray people in

In "Changing the Face of Poverty: Nonprofits and the Problem of Representation" Diana George explains how positively changing the way poor people are represented in the world throughout every aspect of life is a huge progression that challenges everyone to look at the face of poverty a different way, and will not be able to turn away.

As a main point of her argument, she argues that poverty is generally stereotyped into the poverty that would only be seen in Africa, or another third world country. To support this, she establishes a sense of ethos for her readers by citing other individuals that have also noticed the poverty representation gap. Seeing that poverty is a complex issue to begin with, George addresses this complexity by simply suggesting that it should be represented as such in the media. Nonprofit charities may now have to reconsider their

Mark Twain says greed is another of man’s failings. Of course, man is somewhat greedy. But, lots of men know how to control their greed, and also know to do favor for others. In other words, they are thoughtful (kind) and have mercy. For this moment, numberless charities are gathering the helpers and donations to support others who suffer by hunger and poorness. For a common example, there’s UNICEF. They work for saving children in hunger, teach them basic education and gender equality, try to prevent HIV & AIDS to children, protect children from violence, exploitation and abuse, and do policy advocacy and partnerships. They do these things only for the needy.

Diana George’s article “Changing the Face of Poverty: Nonprofits and the Problem of Representation” focuses on the relation between the society and the issue of poverty. She starts by mentioning that a holiday was approaching, Thanksgiving, “...Thanksgiving is near.” (235) and that some nonprofit organizations will publicise ads to collect money from people. They will send ads via the mailbox and this is an effective way for them to communicate. She addresses some publications and the rise of poverty over the years. She presents the occurrence of poverty throughout the city of London and New York, including photographs that depict the disaster of the Great Depression.

I was raised with the fundamental notion of service to mankind, I have always been interested in society’s injustices and problems, and being a catalyst for change. This has brought me to applying to the University of Central Florida’s Master of Nonprofit Management program within the School of Public Administration. I am currently a practitioner in Social Work and serve as the Director of Social Services at the Orlando Area Command of The Salvation Army. I have received my bachelors and master’s degree in Social Work from Barry University in Miami, FL.

Words provoke preconceived ideas and images in the mind, when it comes to a situation like poverty these preconceived notions can have undesirable and unintended consequences. Diana George examines the semantics and the imagery of the word poverty in her article titled “Changing the Face of Poverty; Nonprofits and the Problem of Representation. While also addressing the issue of the perception poverty and what someone in poverty truly looks like (676). Prof. George is arguing that organizations like Habitat for Humanity, which are created to help people in poverty actually perpetuate the wrong image of what someone in poverty looks like (678). Most organizations created to help those in need, especially those in the US tend to portray poverty as what is seen and thought of as living conditions in Third World countries (683). In reality, poverty is all around each and every one of us in this country on a daily basis, and people might not always recognize it for what it is (681,682). Furthermore, the majority of people living in poverty in the United States do not live like or look like someone living in a Third World country. But in reality they are still living in poverty nonetheless (682,683). Organizations that portray people living in poverty here in the US as totally devastated and completely impoverished are doing a disservice to the people they are attempting to help. Consequently, by doing this they are giving a limiting idea of what someone living in poverty

The way higher income families degrade the poor or even the lack of support given to help is mainly due to the negative stereotypes that are placed on social status. In the article “Monsters and Messiahs,” UC Riverside professor Mike Davis examines how and why

The scourge of poverty in the United States of America is a tragic story that seems to never end. When President Lyndon B. Johnson fired the first shots in the “War on Poverty” in 1964, the rate declined by a several percentage points in the coming decade. Sadly, whereas in 1964 the percentage of Americans in poverty was approximately 17 percent of the population, the rate still stood at 14.8 percent a full 50 years later in 2014. The ongoing plague of poverty has given rise to a moral value shared almost universally in communities across America: in a society as prosperous and successful as ours, it cannot possibly be considered moral to bear witness to so many poor people who can see little or no way out of their lot in life. Unfortunately,

Gordon A. Rich was an exuberant and committed supporter of those who have limited opportunities and are of lesser means. He dedicated his time and energy to help people in any way possible. He was an individual who had a passion for helping others and that is a quality that every person should possess. Drawing on my own interests, accomplishments, and experiences, I have embodied the passion, spirit, and ideals of Gordon A. Rich in multiple ways. I have dedicated my time, heart, and soul into helping those who cannot defend and help themselves. I share the same passion as Gordon A. Rich, the passion to help others, although I on the other hand help those of a different species.

According to Skocpol, there has been an increase in advocacy, or nonprofit, groups headed by wealthy elites. The readings state “Before the 1960s grants from individuals or other associations were the typical sources for help; from the 1960s on citizens’ associations relied much more heavily on start-up grants from foundations, corporations, and government agencies. And not just start-up grants but continuing support for advocacy groups comes from foundations and other patrons,” (Skocpol pg. 208). These organizations care more about gaining donors to fund their causes rather than having people join and participation within the structure of their organization. They are more reliant on donations and funds rather than going door to door asking for people to join their cause. The emerging advocacy organizations seem to care more about interacting with governmental agencies rather than the general public. Perhaps the declining membership in civic groups caused advocacy groups to look to other financial resources since they could not rely on membership dues as had been done in the

Self-interested and ambitiously rational actors within United Way who use money for their personal luxury, rather than fulfilling the promise of global community improvement.

In our great nation, nonprofit organizations have played a critical role in helping people in need by providing education, training, residences, counseling, and in‑kind and cash support. Our nations has called upon nonprofit agencies, to take the leading role in American society in addressing social problems. Their belief in the efficacy of nonprofits combined with the current political and financial constraints on government spending, suggests an even larger service role for nonprofit organizations. We know that politics is complexed in its operating environment. There is a real danger when we choose to ignore the complexity of government and how it

Helping people is a noble thing to do especially when it comes to the application of natural justice, where human beings help those who are suffering. There is always a hidden intention in every action that is obscured by the notion of philanthropy. Returned favors expectation might not be the ultimate intention as to why people may perform an act (Michael, 1978). However, it will be illogical to say that these intentions were