The story of the river and the bridge. A fable for times of chaos, crisis and change

There was once a woman strolling along the river’s edge. She heard a cry for help and realized a person was struggling to stay afloat in the rough waters.

She pulled the person out.

Then came another cry and a second person was drowning. The woman pulled this person out to the safety of the shore.

A third cry came and the woman looked up the river to see a long line of people struggling to get to shore.

Suddenly the mist cleared and the woman saw where the people were coming from.

A footbridge crossing the river upstream was damaged and people attempting to cross the bridge were falling in.

This presented a dilemma for the woman: Should she stay where she was, pulling people one by one to the shore, or should she run up to the bridge and block the entrance, so no people crossed it?

Her choice. Your choice.

And so it is with our vital ten services for surviving and thriving, and the needs we must address to ensure the safety and health of all. Amid a pandemic and economic free fall, we have a stream of children and adults requiring help with the basics of survival. Others might have more resources, but still struggle to engage with the services that address their trauma and promote self-sufficiency, like behavioral health care and job training. The 100% Community model is one where elected officials, organization leaders and fearless advocates go upstream to fix the bridge while making sure lifeguards rescue those who fall into the turbulent waters.

Now accepting applications for bridge builders and lifeguards. Apply today.

The future is what we make it. Join the evolution.

Please excuse any typos as I construct an article at 3am on only one cup of Joe. These stories are mine and mine alone. I do not represent any organization here. If one of my illustrations looks like a real human, that’s total coincidence. Words and images ©Dominic Cappello but share with everyone you know. Any questions? The future awaits: www.tenvitalservices.org