The More In Common Dinner Club
The More In Common Dinner Club is a national organization that during a time of unprecedented division provides a place for people to meet over a good meal and practice the simple art of human communication, enjoy interesting conversation, and build authentic community. They are my version of Jeffersonian dinners, and an expansion of the dinners I hosted during my travels in America, and at my home near Aspen, Colorado during the pandemic.
"During those warm and intimate gatherings, I found people eager to understand one another and share their experiences and while observing where the conversations trended, I realized that most of us desire the same things: love, family, friendship, good work, security, safety, and community. But due to cultural and other changes, we now more often define those in very different ways." - Christopher Baron
More In Common Ventures. Giving Cash Grants Is Proven To Be Life Changing
More In Common Ventures is a lean and agile national non-profit whose mission is to stabilize communities with low-friction, direct to recipient grants for housing, recovery after tragedy such as health events, and with modest capital for small business formation.
It's grants are designed for episodic events that jeopardize recipients' housing, recovery from health related challenges, and so more citizens can participate in the American Dream, working capital for basic business formation. During our founder's travels he was impressed with hundreds of organizations of all types staffed by people who obviously cared in some manner for their clients. Each was attempting to address overwhelming demand in their cities. However, in interview after interview none looked at the "whole human," few were proactive, and most required such laborious vetting that if a client were truly in a crisis or had a scenario that didn't fit within narrow guidelines, they might not receive help.
It's grants are designed for episodic events that jeopardize recipients' housing, recovery from health related challenges, and so more citizens can participate in the American Dream, working capital for basic business formation. During our founder's travels he was impressed with hundreds of organizations of all types staffed by people who obviously cared in some manner for their clients. Each was attempting to address overwhelming demand in their cities. However, in interview after interview none looked at the "whole human," few were proactive, and most required such laborious vetting that if a client were truly in a crisis or had a scenario that didn't fit within narrow guidelines, they might not receive help.
Housing
Keeping People In Their Homes Avoids Cascading Issues For Them, Their Families And Communities
Health
Proper Recovery Reduces Stress, Minimizes Knock On Effects, And Improves Productivity
Capital
More Americans Deserve The Opportunity To Build The Businesses Their Communities Need
Origin of The Organizations - An Immersive Study of Post-9/11 America
Beginning in 2010, our founder devoted 14 years to circumnavigating the United States as well as extensive travels in the mountain West and Great Plains. He also embedded in cities across the country, eventually having conversations or interviews with thousands of Americans from all walks of life. He had a front row seat of the forces that were changing not just the United States, but countries around the globe. In the US, he repeatedly witnessed incredible need during a period that birthed the most significant creation of wealth in human history.
Findings - Too Many Americans Do Not Have A Chance For The American Dream
Systemic Destabilization
Wages Have Lagged
Rewarding Capital, Not Labor
We are living in a period of systemic destabilization, unprecedented technological advancement, and profound societal disruption. That has resulted in tremendous challenges and existential risks across domains. The unprecedented wealth creation and financial benefits are highly skewed towards those with the education, skill and capital to build wealth. While that is not new, and no other country creates GDP like the United States, far too many Americans were left behind or are unable to compete in an economy that rewards capital more than labor.
Many Americans have the ability and drive to start a basic, low risk bsuiness that will provide income for themselves and their famlies, as well as pride of accomplishment and dignity. They lack the capital and credit to do so. Traditional banking is complex, expensive, and complicated for modest amounts of capital many Americans take for granted. Especially as we are entering a time when it is likely many Americans will experience a changing employment landscape due to artificial intelligence, modest amounts of capital for basic businesses can provide reipients with working capital to transition the next chapter of their lives in an orderly way.
Many Americans have the ability and drive to start a basic, low risk bsuiness that will provide income for themselves and their famlies, as well as pride of accomplishment and dignity. They lack the capital and credit to do so. Traditional banking is complex, expensive, and complicated for modest amounts of capital many Americans take for granted. Especially as we are entering a time when it is likely many Americans will experience a changing employment landscape due to artificial intelligence, modest amounts of capital for basic businesses can provide reipients with working capital to transition the next chapter of their lives in an orderly way.
More Americans deserve a financial shot in the arm to live stable lives, rebuild after tragedy, and participate in the American Dream.
