Philanthropy and Bureaucracy

Our class trip to Bread For the City was a very worthwhile endeavor. What most impressed me was the professionalism of the staff. Although a non profit program such as BFC is not the most glamorous choice of occupation, I got the impression that these people were there because they wanted to be. It is certainly refreshing to see such a successful program in operation with such a direct effect. 

Programs like BFC are ones that the government should be funding more heavily. Although this program alone cannot end poverty, it nevertheless is a step in the right direction. It is through the idealism of hardworking activists and the compassion of volunteers that impoverished members of society may find the chance for a better life. 

The governmental procedure of requesting grants, as stated by one of the staff members, is overly bureaucratic. Our challenge, therefore, is to find a way to make this process more efficient. By doing so, such organizations will be able to secure funds faster, enabling them to more fully attend to the needs of their clients. Until greater emphasis is placed on assisting these philanthropic entities, inefficiencies within the federal system will continue to delay appropriations to fund these organizations.