Kiva, Just Do It
By admin | July 22, 2008
Yeah I know that’s Nike’s deal but I think it works better with Kiva.
I am reading Bill Clinton’s Giving and in it he introduced me to microfinace and an organization called Kiva. Microfinance is the supply of lans, savings, and other basic financial services to the extremely poor, it also has to do with providing those services in a sustainable manner.
So what is Kiva exactly, well it’s kind of like facebook and myspace. You register and create an account but rather than looking for people you know you look for people you want to help. You can search through hundreds of lending opportunities until you find the right match for your desire to help. Next you add funds to your account via credit card or pay pal. Once you have funds on your account and you have found an entrepreneur you want to help you just loan the money. Once all the funds are raised for that loan Kiva contacts the field partner associated with your entrepreneur and disburses the loan. When the loan is repaid the field partner contacts Kiva and your funds are replace in your Kiva account. The whole time you can opt to receive email updates on the entrepreneur or go check the Kiva site to see what’s going on, how business is going, how construction is coming and so on. Once the loan is paid back and you have the money back in your account you can take your money back, donate it to Kiva, or fund another loan. You only need to put money in once and you could easily change hundreds of lives by continually reinvesting in new projects, and it wouldn’t actually cost you anything.
This is an awesome opportunity for normal people like you and me to make a difference in someone else’s life. Give me one good reason why you shouldn’t go to kiva.org right now and help someone. I know you have at least $25 to loan if you are online and reading this right now, so you better come up with a better excuse than money.
Give someone the chance you didn’t get.
Love is stronger than poverty.
-Mark
Topics: Finance, Fund Raising, Kiva, Loan | No Comments »
Looks like it’s a no go.
By admin | April 7, 2008
I just received notice from the government today that they are not willing to provide Servant with a 501(c)(3) endorsement because our mission is “too broad”. It’s not the end of the world but it looks like it is the end of Servant. I will continue all of this work on my own and any financial support you can provide would be awesome. Thanks for everything. -Mark
Topics: Uncategorized | No Comments »
All board members “On Board”
By admin | February 22, 2008
Ryan Pfeiffer has agreed to serve on the Servant team! You can expect to see a page with all three board members bios and pictures up by the end of the weekend. Once that is up then it is time to start fundraising. There are so many prospects out there to help people, unfortunately alot of them require atleast a little money. I can’t wait to help you guys change the world. -Mark
Topics: Board of Directors, Finance, Fund Raising | No Comments »
The choice is yours.
By admin | February 22, 2008
Sometimes people in our lives make decisions that we disagree with or don’t understand. Your friend might sell his old baseball card collection or leave a church you have been attending for years. Another could choose to leave their estate to a college rather than their children or even quit their work and just live in poverty.
Three weeks ago today Lee decided that it was time to move on, he came and got his debit card at 5 am and I haven’t seen him since. Lee didn’t tell me he was leaving, he just never came back. It really took me by surprise because he seemed to be excited about starting work later that day.
I consider this effort a success in the sense that Lee was able to make a choice for himself and he did what he wanted to do. I am personally disappointed because I wanted much more for him, but alas it is his life and his choice alone.
Thanks to all of you who supported us and I look forward to partnering again with you in the future. Lets change the world with love.
-Mark
Topics: Lee Snare | No Comments »
Servant Finances outreach program.
By admin | February 2, 2008
In all of our communities there is a void. Some people try to fill that void with a church but many find that a religious institution does not truly fill them. These are people you and I know, people we spend our days with, our husbands and wives, our daughters and sons, our best friends, roommates, bosses, clients, drinking buddies, pastors, employees, deacons, brothers and sisters. What does this mean to you? It means there are people you love around you that are searching for something and not finding it; they are left to wander the spiritual wasteland.
A group of like-minded individuals in Santa Barbara realize this reality and we are striving to make a difference in our local community. We are trying to provide a place and a medium in which everyone can connect on an intimate and personal level. Our intention is to create a climate in which all the questions that are weighing on everyone’s souls can be addressed and possibly answered.The Sheppard and the Knucklehead is a program that will hopefully provide my Santa Barbara friends and I with the tools necessary to develop this culture of openness and love that we desire to foster. Parker, the man who is coming down to help us create our own program, is coming this April and we are very excited about having him with us.
Servant has fronted the remaining $1400 needed to get Parker down here from WA and now I am looking to you to help Servant recoup the funds. Any donation would be helpful and very appreciated. So if you believe in our cause please contact me so that we can make arrangements.I have attached links to the Sheppard and the Knucklehead program, the parent company Bridge Works, and a letter from Parker about Sheppard and the Knucklehead.
-Mark
mark@servantcorp.org
The Sheppard and the Knucklehead
Topics: Christian outreach, Finance, Fund Raising, Sheppard and the Knucklehead, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Board of Directors Agreement
By admin | January 18, 2008
The following items are the terms of service that Servant Corp expects all its’ board members to abide by for the duration of their service with Servant Corp.
All board members will:
• Have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
• Desire to express true love thru service to those less fortunate than themselves.
• Provide timely response to project approval requests.
• Provide timely response to financial posturing requests.
• Agree to provide service to Servant on a volunteer basis and in a supervisory role.
• Not receive compensation, relief, assistance, education, or support in any form other than projects intended for the welfare of the general public in the community where they live.
• Maintain email and phone contact with Servant Project Leaders in order to provide appropriate guidance and support.
• Ratify or veto policy, procedure, and structure changes.
• Serve a term of no less than one year.
Topics: Board of Directors | No Comments »
Lee Update
By admin | January 18, 2008
Well Lee has been living with me for the last week and it has been a real blessing. It is a very humbling experience having someone less fortunate than yourself directly involved in your life.
Lee had an interview with a local security company this last Wednesday and today he called them back and they took his measurements so they could have a uniform ready for him next week. I feel that this is a great first step to Lees’ independence because not only is the money very helpful in improving his current situation the confidence he has begun to exhibit is very empowering.
Lee has asked specifically for prayers, transportation assistance, and help finding a place to rent in the near future.
Thank you for your consistent support and future support of Lee.
Love knows no boundaries.
-Mark
Topics: Lee Snare | No Comments »
Friends without homes.
By admin | January 11, 2008
Thankfully most of us will never know what it is like to not have a place to call home. Even when an American family is considered poor, or under privileged they still have a roof. Today I met a man named Lee who is one of those few who in our land where success is equated with excess has next to nothing. Lee has been homeless for the last three years living outdoors in parks when the weather is good and in local shelters when it is too rainy or cold to brave the storm. At 61 years of age he is not exactly suited for out door living. Just before Christmas this year Lee found out that he had a mass on his lungs. On New Years Eve he had a CT scan, which confirmed a mass growing on his lungs. Fearing the mass was cancer the doctor ordered a biopsy for the following Monday. That Friday Lee found himself at NorthStar Coffee Co. talking with Jeff Shaffer and John Mullen telling them about his current situation. Jeff and John then prayed Lee; specifically that he would receive divine healing in his lung. When Lee when it for his biopsy his mass had decreased in size so much that the doctor said it might not even be necessary to continue with the biopsy. Lee decided to err on the side of caution and have the biopsy, which returned with a result that it was not cancer.After I heard all of this I expected to hear Lee tell me how he had given up and was ready to roll over and let life kick him again. However he didn’t say anything of the sort, he said he was to get back on his feet. He has hope for the first time in a long time. AWESOME!! RIGHT??So I know I am supposed to wait on my Board of Directors, and there is a paperwork shuffle that I am circumventing but my thought is Love and Compassion is not subject to Paperwork. For the time being Lee is living with me and I am helping him find some work so he can become self sustaining again. Plus if there is no official board then there is no one to say no. I will keep you updated on Lee and his journey as well as ways you can help Lee directly and ways you can help Servant help Lee.Love will keep us together!-Mark
Topics: Lee Snare | No Comments »
Two members of the Board of Directors confirmed.
By admin | January 10, 2008
Today I spoke with Eric Warner and Daniel Todd who both agreed to serve as board members for Servant. As soon as I get their bios and pictures I will post them for you. One more seat on the board is yet to be filled. Once the board is complete I will officialy begin fund raising and be able to accept relief requests.Love is all it takes,-Mark
Topics: Board of Directors | No Comments »
Up and running….kinda.
By admin | January 9, 2008
Welcome to Servant. This site is still a work in progress but I will do my best over the course of the next few days to get some content up here and to give you a better idea what Servant is all about. The down and dirty is that Servant is here for you, whatever you need, that’s what Servant does. Pretty cool huh?
Soon there will be a link on the side bar for you to submit project ideas or relief requests. Also there will be info on donations and volunteer sign ups.
Servants’ first big project is tentatively scheduled for this July. House building in Mexico.
If you have any questions, comments, ideas or needs email me at mark@servantcorp.org
If you have any complaints send them to my cousin Kenny. Just kidding I will take those too.
Hope your day is going great and I look forward to changing the world with you soon.
Love in all things,
-Mark
Topics: Uncategorized | No Comments »