College of Business Administration

GROUP MEMBERS:

Elizabeth Quintard
Darren Natemeyer
Josh Malament
Maryann Hough
Bret Harmuth

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

Overview of the Organization

We partnered with Bayview CDC. Bayview is a community development corporation, organized in 1995 with the goal of achieving economic advancement for the residents of San Diego’s inner city. Partnering with government agencies, community groups, local businesses, and concerned citizens, Bayview CDC has been able to help improve the lives of hundreds of San Diego families. Bayview CDC’s mission is to serve as a catalyst for the economic advancement of San Diego’s under-served populations. Through the development and implementation of economic initiatives and affordable housing programs, they promote self-sufficiency and the recycling of capital within their communities. They believe that dilapidated neighborhoods can be completely turned around with resident involvement. They start by bringing people together, strategizing changes, and then working together to make improvements. Soon, perceptions begin to change, sense of pride emerges, and the neighborhood becomes a better place for everyone to live. One way they bring the community together is by having holiday dinners and parties. In the past years they have held both Christmas and Easter dinner events as well as Halloween parties.

Mission of the Project

The mission of our social change project was to work with Bayview CDC, under the supervision of the Community Organizer, Stephen Miller, to organize the first annual Thanksgiving dinner for the residents. As a group, we had several tasks to accomplish in order for the dinner to be a success. We started by seeking out businesses for donations. We were looking for donations of food and craft materials. We then decided what type of entertainment and activities we would provide at the dinner. After all of the planning, it was time for us to work at the actual dinner event. We all had different duties and activities to oversee. Elizabeth organized and supervised the craft room, where all the kids made turkeys and colored before dinner was served. Maryann used her digital camera set-up to take pictures of the families. Darren helped set up decorations and the food lines. Bret and Josh were the entertainment for the night. Bret was dressed in a turkey costume while Josh dressed as a pilgrim. They took pictures with the families and greeted people as they toured the room. When it was time for dinner, we worked in the food lines, and we all helped serve the residents.

Results and Recommendations

The overall dinner was a success. We served over 200 dinners, took and gave out about 80 pictures of families and friends, and provided craft projects for over 50 kids. The residents had the opportunity to have a delicious meal and socialize with neighbors they may otherwise not spend time with. The residents left with their stomachs full and smiles on their faces. We helped make the thanksgiving holiday better for hundreds of people.

This feat did not come without several obstacles. First off, it was almost impossible to get donations from businesses. We initially targeted grocery stores for food donations. The employee strike made it very difficult for any success. In the end, we received nothing from these stores. Then, the tragic fires came into play. Other restaurants and stores had nearly depleted their donation efforts for the fire victims. This left us with very little options. Luckily, with the help of some connections, we managed to receive enough donations to feed and entertain everyone. Our supervisor, Steve, was very essential to the success of the dinner. Since we could not find enough donors ourselves, he used his connections to supplement what was needed.

Our main goal of this project was to plan a dinner to help bring together a community. We also wanted to make connections and leave an example for future Thanksgiving dinners to be modeled by. We were very successful in everything but making connections. We made minimal new connections. For the most part, we used businesses that we previously worked with. We recommend that anyone who plans on seeking donations, do it with plenty of time in advance. We may have been more successful if we locked in donors before the strike and the fires. If we started sooner, we may have been able to make connections for future events.

Social and Ethical Implications

The Social Contract Theory states, “Morality consists in the set of rules governing how people are to treat one another; that rational people will agree to accept, for their mutual benefit, on the condition that others follow those rules as well.” We hoped to have influenced these residents in a positive manner. We want them to see there are people out there willing to help and give of themselves. We were in a position to help, and we did. According to this theory, the residents would want to, and be obligated to, help others when they have the opportunity to do so. When neighbors help each other out, the community can be drastically changed. Working together, these residents can turn around their communities, which is a main goal for Bayview CDC.

The Ethic of Care “asks us to recognize and take seriously the moral worth of relationships, particularly those characterized by caring.” We encouraged caring relationships among neighbors and between these neighbors and Bayview. This caring is very essential to the improvement of a community.

The Land Ethic states that “a thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise.” The ultimate goal of this dinner was to bring together the community, to encourage pride within their neighborhood. If they have a sense of pride, they will want to take care of their surroundings. They will want to improve and keep their neighborhood beautiful, which is consistent with Land Ethic.