2009 – 8th Grade 4th Place Winner.

Sarah Condon, Minnesota.

Giving: America’s True Heart

“We make a living by what we get but we make a life by what we give”, this quote was mentioned by Winston Churchill and I believe that it proves a great point, we could all say that greed has caused this economic issue today but I think giving can have a greater impact on society. If we give, we can spread it on to other people and it can travel throughout the entire globe. Many organizations, like homeless shelters and food shelves, all give many different things to make our world a better place, which shows us how big of an impact giving can have.
This past fall I had an opportunity to go to a homeless shelter called Sharing and Caring Hands in Minneapolis, Minnesota. We went with a church organization and served food to the homeless staying in the city. When I first arrived I was surprised by the many homeless people but was ready to help out as best I could. I was in charge of serving the cookies but before I began, a woman named Mary Jo Copeland came in and prayed with the entire group of people. She runs the entire shelter and was probably one of the most giving and inspiring people I have ever met. After her prayer the line of homeless started to move and they came to get their food. As each one passed, I gave a cookie to them and they seemed to smile, really appreciating it. Once we finished, we loaded back in the car and headed on our way home with heavy hearts.
Another example of giving in our society would be the many organizations that help fight hunger all around the globe like Feed My Starving Children. Also, many communities participate in food shelves and Toys for Tots, therefore having an impact on the entire community. Greed may be what has gotten us into the mess of an economy we’re in, but giving touches people’s hearts and has a lot more meaning than greed does. Many people give time, effort and money to make our society function and without it our society would not be what it is today.
Now, on the other hand, greed can also have a slight impact on society. It has caused and economic mess and most of the crime in the world comes out of greed. Greed is America’s epidemic and affects many in a very negative way in which giving is not. Many of the rich and famous are surrounded by greed too, but many also contribute a lot to Aids in Africa and many other great organizations. So greed may be an issue facing America today but giving is creating a larger impact.
Overall, greed affects many negatively but giving is much more positive and creates a much more meaningful affect on others. Our society today may be affected by the greed surrounding us but we all make efforts to give and it has created an overwhelming impact on many people in this world. So I hope next time you seek an opportunity to give, that you contribute and think of others before yourself.

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