Social Responsability........

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to organize and attend our last YPO Ed event of the year. This event revolved around the topic of social responsibility. We wanted to bring the members and our families up close to what is a very sad reality for so many people in Mexico.

In order to create more awareness in both members and children we brought them to a site close to Mexico City where, together with the help from other foundations, we built small low cost homes no bigger than 45 sq meters. All attendee families were directed to homes that were in different stages of construction so we could help as "construction workers" with the pending chores to finish them.

The reason I mention all this is for one very important reason...........coming from a family that has always been very philanthropic and having always accepted the importance of helping the less fortunate, I had never experienced something so powerful as I did during this day. Just imagine taking a day from your life, roll up your sleeves, get your hands "dirty" working shoulder-to-shoulder with real construction workers and afterwards having lunch together with the lucky families that will receive these homes!

Having these people, who are economically less fortunate, thank you over and over again, and seeing the joy these parents and their children expressed was a completely overwhelming experience for my family and myself.

This simple event made me understand that it was not only important to give of our money but to share one of our most scarce resources which is our time. Having had given of my time and that of my families, reminded me of how fortunate we are and how important it is to make social responsibility part of our family life.

Social responsibility should be something we do because we truly believe in helping others. This will contribute not only to keep us level-headed, but to create a culture of giving back, and will also help to transform our sometimes natural reaction to hoard wealth to that of becoming a channel that shares with community around us.

In closing, I want to express some questions I am challenging myself with.............have I dedicated of my time and resources with the most needy for the right reasons? Have I done this for the recognition I will receive from others or have I don this to truly share with the less fortunate? Who gained more during this event........the families receiving the home or the families that donated them? How can I do more to help my community in ways that will have a lasting impact? How can I develop in my kids a true sense of sharing and a proper philanthropic culture that lasts a life time?

I still don´t have these answers.........