| Mr. William and Ms. Dorothy Hustead bought a | | | | Nonprofit organizations are also often too narrow |
| small store in a tiny town near the South Dakota | | | | in their thinking. I have visited many food |
| Badlands. From 1931 to 1936, they struggled | | | | distribution centers for needy families, but don't |
| through the Depression serving the town's 326 | | | | recall ever seeing such a center that provided a |
| impoverished residents. | | | | way for the unemployed to find work. |
| One day in 1936, Ms. Hustead, bothered by the | | | | While families wait for the groceries, a separate |
| sound of cars on the nearby highway heading for | | | | set of volunteers could be helping match people |
| Mount Rushmore, persuaded her husband to | | | | to available jobs in the area. Volunteers could help |
| expand their business to serve these travelers. | | | | those with limited reading and writing skills to |
| Mr. Hustead put up signs on the highway to draw | | | | explore lists and fill out applications. Cellular phones |
| visitors to their store, making a unique appeal. The | | | | could be shared to make job interview |
| signs said, "Free Ice Water . . . Wall Drug." In the | | | | appointments. |
| days before automobile air conditioning was | | | | These centers should see their role as helping the |
| common, that offer was an irresistible appeal. | | | | needy to be able to provide for their own needs. |
| Beginning from this humble expansion of its | | | | As the Chinese proverb says, you do more good |
| customer base, Wall Drug now serves more than | | | | teaching someone to fish rather than just |
| 20,000 visitors a day during the summer in its | | | | providing a fish for today's meal. |
| Wall, South Dakota, store and many more on its | | | | As an example of how more can be accomplished |
| Web site. | | | | by thinking about other ways to help, Habitat for |
| Let's look more closely Wall Drug in the 1930s to | | | | Humanity found that it could multiply its global |
| explore expanding a for-profit business's scope | | | | efforts by encouraging national organizations to |
| and concept. People heading for the Black Hills also | | | | send one-tenth of the money they raise to other |
| needed services. | | | | countries. |
| Wall Drug's employees could have checked car | | | | While a new home in the United States might |
| radiators to see if they needed more water and | | | | cost $50,000 to build, an African home might cost |
| could have helped tired travelers make motel | | | | only $500. By sharing 10 percent of the money |
| reservations, plan side trips to little-known | | | | they raise, a U.S. affiliate can increase the number |
| attractions, obtain referrals to South Dakota | | | | of families served by their funds as many as |
| physicians and dentists, and acquire local towing | | | | 10-fold. |
| insurance for their cars. | | | | In addition, the Habitat families and volunteers |
| While the free ice water was welcome to hot, | | | | learn to build homes, take care of the homes, and |
| tired travelers, Wall Drug failed to appreciate that | | | | help others build their homes. In many cases, the |
| such travelers were primarily trying to enjoy a | | | | families and volunteers can then find work in |
| nice vacation and would have welcomed many | | | | home building and related trades. As the |
| reasonably priced, vacation-enhancing services. | | | | no-interest mortgages are repaid, poor families in |
| Wall Drug could have offered some of those | | | | the homes are also providing funds for other poor |
| services for free to the travelers by relying on | | | | families to use. |
| commissions from motels, attractions, and | | | | What's missing to have the right scope and |
| insurance companies. | | | | concept? Organizations are focused on providing |
| While checking the radiators, Wall Drug would | | | | more of what they do today rather than |
| have found plenty of cars that needed gasoline, | | | | considering what those who receive the products |
| oil, filters, windshield wiper blades, spark plugs, and | | | | and services really want and need. Naturally, |
| other minor items that could have been provided | | | | organizations need to concentrate. Adding the |
| after the radiator water was checked. The | | | | wrong additional products and services can create |
| Husteads would have benefited by realizing that | | | | havoc with the economics of a business or |
| they were also in the business of improving | | | | nonprofit organization and leave everyone worse |
| vacation travel, rather than only selling pharmacy | | | | off. |
| items. | | | | Copyright 2007 Donald W. |