We’ve been asking for people to publicly support our vision and plans, partly to show to potential funders that we’re not a madcap group of do-gooders; there is a genuine need out there.
In this update, I’m pleased to share what one new supporter wrote. What’s below is from Ewan Aitken of Cyrenians, an Edinburgh-based charity that for 50 years has served the homeless and vulnerable transform their lives by helping them believe that they can.
“Our systems are, at their core, transactional, focused on “fixing” the individual for the cheapest possible price. Real transformation lies in deep relational approaches, which touch where our human flourishing really lies, in meaning and purpose, which is by definition connectional.
“It is when we reach out to others we find our needs are met. It is in community we discover our individuality. It is in exploring difference we find what binds us as human beings. It is in listening to those in the toughest realities we discover new journeys to share.
“I hope this exciting network can be a catalyst not simply to change our systems but to fundamentally re-frame how to best bring change not just for others but for ourselves as well.”
We thought it was a pretty awesome set of words and were pleased that Ewan gave us his permission to share them.
In more tedious news, we’ve had three rejections from funders. One said they only fund communities directly. Another said they only fund work in their patch. And another said they only fund work in the 150 communities their trust was set up for.
So be it. Let’s hope some of the other funders are able to stretch beyond their patches and see the value of being in something bigger.
