Here --> http://www.stjohnsshelter.org/_newsletter3Q10/story1.html <-- is an interesting article from Michele Steeb, Executive Director of St. John's Shelter for Women and Children.

She points outs some interesting things to think about

* The long term impact of "failure" based systems

* The difficult work it is for those interested in empowerment to restore what "failure based" systems created, or left uncreated.

* The possiblities every person holds

Some exerpts:

Plates, St. John's Caf and Catering business, has now been open for over two months. We have served thousands of individuals for both breakfast and lunch, including several company off-site meetings. The reviews on the food, the service, and the mission, have been outstanding.

We've learned that for the majority of the women St. John's serves, how to manage success is a much more difficult challenge than how to manage failure.

I've been asked several times lately what our greatest challenge is at both the Shelter and at Plates. I can say without hesitation, and without even a close second in mind, that our greatest challenge is low expectationsthe low expectations that society has of these women and the low expectations that these women have of themselves.

Our system does little, if anything, to incentivize these women to aspire to more than living off a monthly government check.

In my three years at St. John's, I have literally met over 1,600 mothers and 1,800 children. Of these mothers, I cannot think of a single one who is not capable of becoming a contributing member of our society in some way. Of these children, I have not met one who doesn't deserve that positive example in his or her life.

I encourage you to read the link and view the video of Plates -- to be both inspired and challenged. It will be worth the 3 minutes of reading and 6 minutes of viewing.