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Over the St. Patrick’s Day weekend last month, my wife and I visited our daughter in Philadelphia.
Every time we visit the City of Brotherly Love, my daughter enjoys showing us some part of the city’s rich history or having us experience one of the city’s many great restaurants. This time around, in addition to feasting on Shepherd’s Pie and celebrating all things Irish, we walked through the “Old City” neighborhood and learned a bit more about our Founding Fathers and the humble beginnings of our nation.
As we toured, it became shamefully obvious that there was a lot more about Benjamin Franklin that I forgot or never knew, compared to what I did know. Since my grade school years, I knew he famously flew a kite in a thunderstorm to better understand electricity; was a key figure in drafting and signing both the Declaration of Independence and Constitution; invented bifocals; and is the face on the $100 bill.
What I didn’t realize was that, among his countless contributions to society, Franklin founded the first lending library, the first volunteer fire department, and the first hospital in Philadelphia; invented the stove and a musical instrument; held elective offices and was an ambassador to France; started the U.S. Postal System; and started what is now the University of Pennsylvania. He was also a printer, writer, real estate investor and a statesman.
Ben was the 10th of seventeen children in his family and his parents could not afford a “proper” school for him. Yet, he was an ardent advocate of reading and education. He also valued civic duty, promoted ideas that enhanced society and improved the lives of others, and encouraged a strong philanthropic and charitable spirit.
Although the United Way system did not start for nearly one hundred years after Franklin died, I think he would have appreciated the United Way model. The United Way network was built on a philanthropic spirit that seeks to improve lives and strengthen communities.
Today in the Wyoming Valley, a significant amount of our work focuses on the complex issues of childhood poverty. We believe there is a lot of wisdom in Franklin’s old adage, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” If we can do more to help at-risk children early in life, we can possibly prevent more challenging and critical social service needs later in life. Franklin’s own writings reveal that our priorities — the education, health, and financial stability of children and families — were important to him and to society at the time. They still are.
Benjamin Franklin was a man of action and one of the most accomplished men of the 18th century. It has been written that one of his best talents was his ability to “persuade people to join together for benevolent purposes.” To address the problems we face today, especially those as large as childhood poverty, food insecurity, affordable housing, quality education, etc., we still need that charitable spirit and for people to come together for the common good.
While getting reacquainted with Ben Franklin was a lesson in history that I should have learned long ago, it allowed me to reflect on the similarities of his efforts to improve society and the work of the United Way of Wyoming Valley today. Times are indeed different, but efforts to strengthen our community and improve lives are still very much needed.
To every donor, volunteer, and partner who comes together to support the impactful work of the United Way, I’ll share Franklin’s words from the mid 1700s, “When you’re good to others, you’re best to yourself.”
Thank you for being good to others and, in our words today, thank you for LIVING UNITED.
Bill Jones is the president and CEO of the United Way of the Wyoming Valley.