“Helping Works” is your one-stop site for all things non-profit,
updated throughout the week, to keep you caught up with volunteer
opportunities, events, news, and more to help your neighbors and
community.

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JOURNAL: Feb. 9

She's not First Lady of California for nothing

Maria Shriver — daughter of Special Olympics founder Eunice Kennedy
Shriver, and wife of California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger — seemed
more than a little testy when she took the podium at Saturday night's
glittery Special Olympics benefactors and founders party at the
Steuckle Sky Club.

She followed near-Apprentice Troy McClain, and a young Ugandan
woman, Florence Nabayinda, who serves as a Special Olympics Global
Messenger. Through McClain's speech, through Nabayinda's, the guests in
attendance continued to chat, paying little attention to the goings-on
in the front of the room. A cell phone or two rang. People answered
their phones, and continued to cluster around the buffet table.

But all that stopped when Shriver took the stage, holding Nabayinda at her side.

"Florence, many people continued to talk while you were speaking.
Most people would have stumbled, or gotten ticked off. You were elegant
and composed," Shriver said.

The room began to quiet a bit. Cocktails seemed to settle in their glasses a bit.

"I'm not so patient, Florence," said Shriver, turning to face the crowd. "I want your attention and I want it now."

She got it, and not a few sheepish looks.

In the now silent room, Shriver spoke movingly of how her mother,
Eunice Kennedy Shriver, once “fueled by rage,” founded the Special
Olympics program.

Kennedy Shriver had watched her own mother, Rose Kennedy, struggle
to build a complete and healthy life for daughter Rosemary, who was
born with an intellectual disability.

Shriver said that while many advances have been made for children
with disabilities, her mother would still be filled with rage for all
the work that still needs to be done.

“Millions are still in the shadows,” Shriver said.

She paraphrased Mother Teresa, a woman admired by her mother: The
greatest diseases in the world are not leprosy and tuberculosis, but
people’s inability to see one another.

Shriver, and her old-fashioned scolding, hopefully helped the party
guests see Florence Nabayinda — and many others — in that room
Saturday night.

Another sign of a faltering economy: business is up at the Mission

It's sad to say that this news probably won't surprise anyone.
Dining rooms at the Boise Rescue Mission's three locations, the River
of Life, the City Light Home for Women and Children and the Lighthouse
Rescue Mission, served 27,588 meals in January — 3,800 more meals than
during the same time period a year ago.

If there's a silver lining to all of this, it's that the community
is still generous, even as more and more of us are anticipating uneasy
times. Mission Director Bill Roscoe said that so far, food donations
from the public have kept up with the demand. Still, donations are
always a welcome safety cushion. Call 343-2389 to find out how you can
help.