Show your children that problems can mean prosperity

Posted by Jeremiah on December 13, 2013

Where most people turn away from our social problems, Chris Megison and his wife, Tammy, see some of the most profitable answers for our community… as well as a very rewarding career path.

Social entrepreneurship has made Solutions For Change a very successful organization. Not only are they operating the largest aquaponics farm in California (superior to traditional farming because it saves nearly 1.5 million gallons of water every year), but they are also doing something very important for you.

In fact, whether you know it or not, this non-profit organization has single handedly contributed an estimated 32,000,000 dollars of savings to the tax payers of San Diego.

Simply put – their success means increasing the financial stability of the citizens of San Diego. And, according to the way things are going for them now, with the support of:

· Congressman Darrel Issa
· former first lady Laura Bush
· and the recent endowment of $245, 857 from the Vista Soroptimist international organization

…That success is only going to multiply.

Let’s look at some of the other amazing benefits that Solutions For Change is bringing to our San Diego residents.

1. With 86% of their budget coming from private sources, they aren’t cluttered with governmental regulations. They are free to tailor their services in innovative ways, challenging existing norms and creating a new model for social aid in the process.

2. They are fiscally responsible. As a true start up social enterprise they are providing powerful examples for other for their counterparts in the private sector to follow, successfully diversifying into aquaponics, property management, online sales and real estate development.

3. They are investing in San Diego. With 20,000 sf. of educational space, 14 dorm rooms, 28 2 bd./1 ba. apartments, 87 homes scattered throughout San Diego and 18 separate properties in 4 cities, their organization’s growth is positively contributing to San Diego’s real estate market.

4. They provide answers that no one else can. Through an intense 1000-day engagement at “Solutions University”, participating families go from costing the State $38,000 in services a year to earning an average annual income of $29,000. That’s a total value of $67,000 to our economy.

But before I tell you what the core mission of Solutions For Change is, let me tell you how it came to be.

Years ago, Southwest Airlines had a problem. Their employees were doing a good job – but there was just something missing. This is when Rob Greenwald, founder of The Servant Leadership Institute, came in to help them revitalize their corporate culture. The result was a new company filled with employees who showed up to work every day with one moral imperative – to lead for the sake of others.

Since then, companies such as Chick-fil-A, Kindred Hospitals and the city of Carlsbad have all enjoyed a new level of productivity because of this same commitment to serve others.

This is exactly the kind of work ethic that Solutions For Change instills in each and every one of its students.

So you see, Aquaponics is only one of the many ways that the students in this program learn the soft skills that they need to succeed in life.

After 500 days, students are becoming paralegal assistants, nurses and teachers in our local schools. They are vibrant individuals with an unwavering commitment to becoming the best employees that they can possibly be.
After 1000 days, they have all achieved the goal of becoming a productive members of society.

“We set the bar high”, says Megison, “We’d rather see them fail and try again then just see them get a job and make ends meet.”

“We teach them to show their real value. I say, you’ve got a great opportunity here. You can blow your employers away because, simply put, they’re not expecting someone of your caliber.”

Why is that?

Because whenever anybody hears that you used to be homeless, they immediately assume the worst.

This is the core of the problem. But this is how Solutions For Change is different.

“Some of our students are 3^rd-generation welfare recipients. They just don’t know any other way to live. So the last thing they need is another governmental program aimed at ‘containing’ their problems instead of ‘dealing’ with them.”

“I often tell people, when it comes to homelessness, the system we have right now is perfectly designed to get the results that we already have, right now“, says Meigson, “If you want to change the results – change the system.”

This is the innovation that only social entrepreneurs can provide… this is what it means to be a servant-leader.

What has this commitment meant in the lives of Linda Martin and her 8 year old son Isaac?

Transformation. Solutions For Change has helped them go from sleeping on the floor at the homeless shelter just 3 years ago, to leading a happy, self-sufficient life with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice today.

In fact, since 1999 Solutions For Change has helped over 640 families like the Martins go from being dependent on society to giving something back.

This is the real bounty of Solutions For Change.

These are the stories of overcoming hardship and learning to believe in yourself again that touch us all.

And…

when you think of the 1,300+ children who’ve been raised out of the cycle of poverty and despair through their parent’s positive role model, it’s clear to see that this is an investment in our future.

Chris Megison says that his job isn’t all about charity and sacrifice – admitting that for many of us these days these have almost become dirty words.

This is a human connection that contributes to the betterment of all of our lives.

Talking with Chris Megison made me realize something… I’ve been looking at homelessness all wrong.

By addressing this problem from the perspective of a social entrepreneur, we can see that this is really a chance to save tax payers boatloads of money… create a safer, more productive environment for our children… and even find success in life.

I used to think that non-profit meant “no profit”, but it really just means – “no tax”.

This is the advantage that society gives in return for all it receives. Because really, we can’t even begin to put a price on the importance of those who have the innovation to look at our problems in society and turn them into potential.

If you’d be proud to see your children start their own non-profit organizations, why not start telling them about the great work that people like those at Solutions For Change are doing these days?

It might just inspire them look at life in a different way.

“If you think about America 100 years ago”, Megison reminds us, “that’s exactly what helping your neighbors meant to our great grandmothers and fathers. That’s just how we survived.”
The next time you visit the hospital, you never know, your nurse could be one of the many proud graduates from “Solutions University”… and it might just be their tireless dedication to your health and happiness that makes all the difference.

– Jeremiah Magone

Google

Show your children that problems can mean prosperity

Where most people turn away from our social problems, Chris Megison and his wife, Tammy, see some of the most profitable answers for our community… as well as a very rewarding career path.

In fact, whether you know it or not, this non-profit organization has single handedly contributed an estimated 32,000,000 dollars of savings to the tax payers of San Diego.

Simply put – their success means increasing the financial stability of the citizens of San Diego. And, according to the way things are going for them now, with the support of:

· Congressman Darrel Issa

· former first lady Laura Bush

· and the recent endowment of $245, 857 from the Vista Soroptimist international organization

…That success is only going to multiply.

Let’s look at some of the other amazing benefits that Solutions For Change is bringing to our San Diego residents.

1. With 86% of their budget coming from private sources, they aren’t cluttered with governmental regulations. They are free to tailor their services in innovative ways, challenging existing norms and creating a new model for social aid in the process.

2. They are fiscally responsible. As a true start up social enterprise they are providing powerful examples for other for their counterparts in the private sector to follow, successfully diversifying into aquaponics, property management, online sales and real estate development.

3. They are investing in San Diego. With 20,000 sf. of educational space, 14 dorm rooms, 28 2 bd./1 ba. apartments, 87 homes scattered throughout San Diego and 18 separate properties in 4 cities, their organization’s growth is positively contributing to San Diego’s real estate market.

4. They provide answers that no one else can. Through an intense 1000-day engagement at “Solutions University”, participating families go from costing the State $38,000 in services a year to earning an average annual income of $29,000. That’s a total value of $67,000 to our economy.

But before I tell you what the core mission of Solutions For Change is, let me tell you how it came to be.

Since then, companies such as Chick-fil-A, Kindred Hospitals and the city of Carlsbad have all enjoyed a new level of productivity because of this same commitment to serve others.

This is exactly the kind of work ethic that Solutions For Change instills in each and every one of its students.

So you see, Aquaponics is only one of the many ways that the students in this program learn the soft skills that they need to succeed in life.

After 500 days, students are becoming paralegal assistants, nurses and teachers in our local schools. They are vibrant individuals with an unwavering commitment to becoming the best employees that they can possibly be.

After 1000 days, they have all achieved the goal of becoming a productive members of society.

“We set the bar high”, says Megison, “We’d rather see them fail and try again then just see them get a job and make ends meet.”

“We teach them to show their real value. I say, you’ve got a great opportunity here. You can blow your employers away because, simply put, they’re not expecting someone of your caliber.”

Why is that?

Because whenever anybody hears that you used to be homeless, they immediately assume the worst.

This is the core of the problem. But this is how Solutions For Change is different.

“Some of our students are 3rd-generation welfare recipients. They just don’t know any other way to live. So the last thing they need is another governmental program aimed at ‘containing’ their problems instead of ‘dealing’ with them.”

“I often tell people, when it comes to homelessness, the system we have right now is perfectly designed to get the results that we already have, right now“, says Meigson, “If you want to change the results – change the system.”

This is the innovation that only social entrepreneurs can provide… this is what it means to be a servant-leader.

What has this commitment meant in the lives of Linda Martin and her 8 year old son Isaac?

Transformation. Solutions For Change has helped them go from sleeping on the floor at the homeless shelter just 3 years ago, to leading a happy, self-sufficient life with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice today.

In fact, since 1999 Solutions For Change has helped over 640 families like the Martins go from being dependent on society to giving something back.

This is the real bounty of Solutions For Change.

These are the stories of overcoming hardship and learning to believe in yourself again that touch us all.

And…

when you think of the 1,300+ children who’ve been raised out of the cycle of poverty and despair through their parent’s positive role model, it’s clear to see that this is an investment in our future.

Chris Megison says that his job isn’t all about charity and sacrifice – admitting that for many of us these days these have almost become dirty words.

This is a human connection that contributes to the betterment of all of our lives.

Talking with Chris Megison made me realize something… I’ve been looking at homelessness all wrong.

By addressing this problem from the perspective of a social entrepreneur, we can see that this is really a chance to save tax payers boatloads of money… create a safer, more productive environment for our children… and even find success in life.

I used to think that non-profit meant “no profit”, but it really just means – “no tax”.

This is the advantage that society gives in return for all it receives. Because really, we can’t even begin to put a price on the importance of those who have the innovation to look at our problems in society and turn them into potential.

If you’d be proud to see your children start their own non-profit organizations, why not start telling them about the great work that people like those at Solutions For Change are doing these days?

It might just inspire them look at life in a different way.

– Jeremiah Magone

Google

“Some of our students are 3^rd-generation welfare recipients. They just don’t know any other way to live. So the last thing they need is another governmental program aimed at ‘containing’ their problems instead of ‘dealing’ with them.”