Millionaire uses fortune to help kids in struggling town

[LiberalArkie]

http://www.today.com/news/millionaire-uses-fortune-help-kids-struggling-town-1C9373666

Harris Rosen went from a childhood in a rough New York City neighborhood to becoming a millionaire whose company owns seven hotels in Orlando, but his self-made success is not his proudest achievement.

Twenty years ago, the Orlando, Fla. neighborhood of Tangelo Park was a crime-infested place where people were afraid to walk down the street. The graduation rate at the local high school was 25 percent. Having amassed a fortune from his success in the hotel business, Rosen decided Tangelo Park needed some hospitality of its own.

“Hospitality really is appreciating a fellow human being,” Rosen told Gabe Gutierrez in a segment that aired on TODAY Wednesday. “I came to the realization that I really had to now say, ‘Thank you.’’’

SNIP

In the two decades since starting the programs, Rosen has donated nearly $10 million, and the results have been remarkable. The high school graduation rate is now nearly 100 percent, and some property values have quadrupled. The crime rate has been cut in half, according to a study by the University of Central Florida.

SNIP


http://www.today.com/news/millionaire-uses-fortune-help-kids-struggling-town-1C9373666

[Tsiyu]

1. He started out with the most basic, simple thing: paying for daycare

In the poor Appalachian community where I live, this is one of the things lacking: access to affordable daycare so that parents can work and get ahead.

Rosen, the bejillionaire, understood that very basic, simple need and met it.

Now why cant all the bejillionaires in Congress and Wall Street use their fortunes for good?

Rosen doesn't seem to be suffering from being a giver. Neither would they if they had a clue about how to be actual human beings and not money hoarders.

[WinkyDink]

3. "Now why cant all the bejillionaires in Congress and Wall Street use their fortunes for good?"

Because they don't have to.

Our system allows unbridled greed as much as it does noblesse oblige.

IMO, a different system (of taxation, if it must be Capitalism) would be more helpful and more consistent in its help to all of society.

[BrotherIvan]

4. I rec both of your posts

I would be so happy to pay taxes (higher even) that supported the PEOPLE of this country: schools, daycare, health care, transportation, infrastructure, etc. But I know that most of our taxes go toward war, corporate welfare, crony pork, etc. My Danish friend always says the Danes know their taxes buy things that matter even though most grumble about how high they are. Here, people must pay for all the basics on top of taxes, so they have every right to grumble.

[valerief]

6. No, because they don't WANT to. The system must keep

a certain amount of impoverished people for the wealthy to stay wealthy and get wealthier.

[Kber]

2. Nice!

It's amazing what investing in education can do for a community!

[surrealAmerican]

5. All it takes is a bit of money.

We could be choosing to spend public funds in this way. We could be doing so much good. Why do we not? We are not too poor a nation to look after our own people.