Catalysts for Social Change
by Evan Feinberg
Tonya is a mom of 10, five of whom are adopted, three foster children, and two biological. Somehow, she finds the time to lead Peppers Ranch, an intentional foster care community that’s transforming the lives of hundreds of kids.
Scott is sober, in recovery from addiction. He’s also a guy with a bike that utilized physical fitness to overcome his obstacles. He started The Phoenix, formerly Phoenix Multisport, which is quickly becoming a national movement to leverage a peer-to-peer approach for helping people live sober lives.
Brandon narrowly escaped incarceration at the age of 18 and was given a second chance. He committed his life to providing opportunities for returning citizens leaving the prison system, building a world-class restaurant — Edwin’s — that also serves as a culinary school. They staff the restaurant with returning citizens looking to get back on their feet. They have never had someone from their program re-offend.
What’s amazing is that there are Tonyas, Scotts, and Brandons transforming lives all over the country. We have traveled from coast to coast connecting with hundreds of catalysts for social change.
Why? Because we see an enormous opportunity to connect, support, and scale these efforts to build a movement of millions of Americans catalyzing social change.
Let’s be clear. We don’t do what we do because of wishy-washy do-good feelings. We do it because we believe the most important work being done in America today is the result of everyday people solving problems in their own communities — faith-based organizations, volunteer groups, businesses, and individuals who are breaking through barriers to help others to improve their lives and make the world a better place. We are inspired by the stirring words of Alexis de Tocqueville:
“As soon as several of the inhabitants of the United States have conceived a sentiment or an idea that they want to produce in the world, they seek each other out; and when they have found each other, they unite. From then on, they are no longer isolated men, but a power one sees from afar, whose actions serve as an example; a power that speaks, and to which one listens.”
And that’s why we’re called Stand Together. Tocqueville discovered the secret sauce of America — a culture in which people of all conditions, ages, backgrounds, and beliefs were constantly uniting to solve problems and improve lives.
That’s why we have a “+” in our logo. At our core we are a connector, facilitating and supporting the spontaneous order of civil society, which is what’s so exciting about Stand Together. We don’t create associations — we find them. We leverage them. We support them. We celebrate them.
We do this because we believe in an America where everyone has a chance at a life well-lived. To provide for our families, to support and be supported by our community, and to create — these are the opportunities we want for everyone. Our conviction about the nearly unlimited potential of every human being is what drives Stand Together.
But there’s a problem. The innovation and associations happening within our communities are often not recognized, supported, scaled, shared, or celebrated. And people are losing hope that we can solve important issues facing our communities or our country.
Stand Together is stepping into this gap by building a movement from the bottom-up. We have the lofty vision of revitalizing the associations de Tocqueville described — our civil society — the fabric of our communities that binds us together in a culture of mutual benefit and mutual aid. Together we can solve our country’s toughest problems, like poverty and education, and help as many Americans as possible to improve their own lives.
The essential ingredient is what’s already happening in our communities. The inspiring commitment of citizens and organizations across the country is the fuel of these efforts — Stand Together is a connector and a catalyst.
This isn’t about us. It’s about citizens who want to build this culture of mutual aid and mutual benefit. We’re enlisting the help of all Americans who believe that there’s a better path forward for themselves and for the country.
We are deeply motivated by Frederick Douglas’ timeless words, “I would unite with anyone to do good, and nobody to do wrong.” Imagine a movement of millions of Americans who put aside their differences to do good, while placing their faith and trust in each other to help those in poverty to find opportunity. Imagine millions of people working together to improve educational outcomes and equip more Americans with the values and skills necessary for success.
When we stand together, we can accomplish amazing things.
Evan Feinberg is the executive director of Stand Together, where he provides vision, enthusiasm, organizational leadership, and direction. Evan is an experienced leader in non-profit management and social welfare causes. Evan and his wife, Sarah, a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, live in Virginia with their three sons.
