Five Weekly Highlights - February 24, 2012

• “Luke” landed a job, with key help from Linda Lurvey.
•  Three volunteers, through Granite United Way, helped serve lunch.
• “Phil” got a full-time job  - “thanks to the Center’s computers,” he said.
• Women from First Congregational Church donated bags of toiletries – thank you!
• ·“Chan” got a job washing dishes; he’s relieved and delighted.

Five Weekly Highlights - February 17, 2012

• “Kris” just found a place!  She’s practicing better budgeting.
• Lt. Soucy from the MPD came by for a get acquainted visit.  Thanks!
• “Frank” & “Alice” are moving into a new place and are determined to find jobs.
• Two men finished taking an 10-hour online certification course, saying, “I don’t know how we’d do this without the Center.”
• “Ike,” homeless and battling alcohol, has stayed sober, kept a job for four months and is   celebrating getting a car this week

 Five Weekly Highlights

• “Lenny” received wraparound services from our providers and is now in good hands.
• Five St. Anselm students have begun a new season of Life Narrative volunteer work.
•  "Juan” and “Sharlene” found a place to live and received a Good Luck bag.
• Sixteen haircuts were provided by beauticians via Jean Jacques, health educator.
• Photographer Elsa Voelcker from St. Anselm College took twenty portraits for our display.

Five Weekly Highlights - February 3, 2012

• Jean Jacques, RN, came in for a smoking cessation workshop.
• "Phil" praised Peter from Goodwill for resume help: "He’s totally awesome."
• A young woman in the area donated twenty picture frames for our portrait display.
• "Sheldon" moves into a new apartment today – "leaving this place behind…with thanks".
•  Weekly New Horizons loans us a van so we can pick up meals at the Food Bank. Thank you!!

The 80/20 Rule

    Lately I have been citing the “80/20 Rule” fairly often. Let me set up the story. On Fridays
I ask a couple of homeless guests to accompany me to the New Hampshire Food Bank where I pick up 50 pans of food to serve for lunch for the next week. It’s very valuable to me to have their assistance.

    Over the past few months I can count on about 6-8 different guys who will usually volunteer quickly to help me. Others will pitch in now and again, depending on a variety of factors. Most turn away when I ask.Among those 6-8 dependable guys, I frequently hear one of them say, “How come more people don’t volunteer? You give them a free lunch.The least they can do is ride over and help pick it up.”

    Of course the logic is impeccable. But logic does not make the world go `round. What does make the world go round is the Pareto Principle, also called the 80/20 rule. It states that 80% of the work is done by 20% of the people. Or, in its variants:  80% of the results come from 20% of the causes.  

    In all my years in various communities, I have seen the truth of this Principle proven again and again.  And now I see it at the Homeless Center. I saw how true it was with CEOs and physicians when I worked in Connecticut, and I see it as true now with the homeless. 

    What does that tell me? That the Pareto principle applies to human nature, regardless of income or circumstance. Because I have lived for so long with this Principle,  it’s simply part of my view of the world as it is. On Fridays at the Homeless Center, I am always grateful for those who choose to help, and I do not resent those who won’t. I am neither surprised nor disappointed by the reality of human behavior. Acceptance is a big first step toward peace of mind.