Another link

[velvetpage]

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/7/10/933/94851

The cost of declining social capital.

This is what I have often noticed in my students. Those who attended church or a similar religious institution usually had better literacy, better skills relating to people of all ages, and a larger range of experience generally than people of the same socio-economic class who didn't attend church. It has little to do with the religious aspects (beyond an understanding of common purpose) and everything to do with social capital.

Comments

[collie13.livejournal.com]

I would love to have some sort of social capital group to attend regularly. They're hard to find, though, and when I tried starting one, I was not as successful as I'd hoped. Any suggestions on how to find a non-religious one? Hmm... I think I'd even accept a religious one, as long as it was more oriented towards kindness and tolerance.

[kesmun.livejournal.com]

Check for a Lions Club in your area. We're exclusively a volunteer/charity organization and most of the funds we raise go straight back into our communities, though a portion does indeed go to combat global problems, like the current program Sight First II which is working to combat blindness globally, especially "river blindness."

That and church are the ways that I'm involved with my community.

[collie13.livejournal.com]

Thank you; I'll try that.

[kesmun.livejournal.com]

Tell them Lion Kes Yocum of the Killeen Evening Lions Club told you to check them out. *S*