Imagine a bucket full of holes. One hole is a steady flow of people who are food insecure – these people are supported by the non-profit organizations that provide meals and pantries. Another hole is a steady flow of people falling into homelessness. Each hole represents a different human service need: housing, employment, education, clothing, furniture, healthcare, and more. And the bucket is constantly filling up with more and more people who then fall out of the holes. That’s how it works with human services at the moment.

The Harvard Business Review defines CSR as the idea that a business has environmental, ethical, philanthropic, and economic responsibilities to the society that exists around it. According to this definition, a company is considered socially responsible if it ensures that its operations are environmentally sound, all decisions are based on ethical principles, it invests philanthropically in the community, and justifies all financial decisions with its commitment to the common good.

Today’s youth have been through more than most. They’ve lived through a global pandemic, disruptions to the typical school year, little to no in person contact with friends and family, extreme exposure to the internet, racial protests, social unrest, and a looming recession. In Philadelphia in particular, youth face even greater challenges such as gun violence, underfunded schools, and poverty.

Today’s youth have been through more than most.