This past Monday Sally Platt presented to us how to create a Community Needs Assessment. Her program was about how to make our Rotary projects more effective. Many times, we as Rotarians want to come in and just try to fix everything!

How do we pick projects that will have long term positive results? Sally brought to us not answers but three questions:

1. What is Service? Is it a band aid or a cure? Are we doing it to make us look good or to serve the community?
2. Are our projects effective and how do we know?
3. Are our projects chosen to fill a need that is not already being addressed by other organizations?

She suggested a couple of books to read written by Robert Lupton, “Toxic Charity” and “Charity Detox.” “Toxic Charity” addresses attempts to serve the inner city and the poor. It talked about how charity can be very destructive. It can easily become self-serving to the giver of the charity.

Sally offered her services to us and other Rotary Clubs to help them chose projects and implementation to insure the most effective result with long term positive results.

She refers to it as a Structured Community Needs Assessment. She does this through workshops. 

The Rotary Club of Sandy Springs would like thank Sally for all of her time and effort she's invested into Rotary and the world.

More information about Sally Platt can be found on her LinkedIn page here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sally-platt-60520a11/

These photos and more are available in original resolution at: https://rotaryclubofsandysprings.zenfolio.com/p588462561