Dreaming Big 101

by Drew Stelljes September 24, 2008 No Comments

On Wednesday Robert Egger, founder of the DC Central Kitchen visited W&M to meet with students, faculty, alumni and community partners. This was Robert’s fourth annual visit to W&M. Just as in previous years Robert’s talks were thought provoking, idea generating, inspiring, and chock full of information on the non-profit sector.

This year Robert has dedicated countless hours to advocating on behalf of the non-profit sector. He launched the V3 campaign and interviewed most of the Presidential candidates asking what she or he would do to partner with the sector. To give you a taste of Robert’s approach I have borrowed part of his recent blog. Check this out, Egger writes:

“Like a scene right out of Kill Bill, Vol. I, the nonprofit sector had one of its legs cut off last week- but the cut happened so fast, and it was so clean that they haven’t even felt it yet. But make no mistake—a huge source of revenue just vanished. What’s worse—the ripple effect will force other sources of revenue to dry up. Local governments just lost a TON of cash flow. Mayor Bloomberg said, this weekend on Meet the Press, that he expects NYC to see a 12% drop in revenue in 09—in a state that posted a $5 billion deficit in 08.

This is huge. Legislation designed to poach nonprofit assets (i.e. property taxes) is coming. A new wave of folks needing basics like food and shelter is coming, particularly if pensions and social security dry up.

ALL of this is on the line—right now. Where are you? What are you doing to respond to all this?

Join the V3 Campaign and get into this dialogue. There is no safe corner, folks…this is it. Right here, right now…join.”

His style is casual and his approach is engaging. His passion as intense and focused as any I have encountered. Robert is not a faculty member here or anywhere. He does not have formal training in teaching, yet he teaches how to dream big, to generate ideas and ask the big question to seek real change.

The DC Central Kitchen will soon be 20 years old. Robert insists that the Kitchen not celebrate their anniversary. In fact it does seem rather peculiar to celebrate the constant need for a kitchen that feeds homeless men and women. I bet Robert would celebrate if his kitchen were no longer needed.