Bringing the Good Samaritan to Life

Unbound Media Relations Manager Tammy Marino shares how we can model and teach generosity while helping others. 

We have likely all heard the parable of the Good Samaritan. In Luke 10:25-37, Jesus tells of a man who has been beaten, stripped and left for dead on the road. While a priest and Levite saw him lying there, they simply crossed to the other side of the road and continued their journeys. “But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight.” (Luke 10:33) That Samaritan tended to the victim, treating and bandaging his wounds, and taking him to an inn, where he handed the innkeeper money to continue to care for the man. 

It is a timeless narrative that shows the power and impact of generosity and personal connection. The Good Samaritan doesn’t ask the wounded traveler how he will repay the favor. He sees a fellow human in trouble and provides the needed help. In assisting and caring for the man, the Good Samaritan establishes a bond between them, transcending the divisions of ethnicity and culture, and reminding all of us that our shared humanity is greater than our differences. 

Family, faith, and philanthropy

We all strive to emulate the Good Samaritan. But busy parents’ day-to-day must-dos like work, carpool, doctors’ appointments, laundry, house maintenance, illness and more occupy so much time that we can forget to truly model these kinds of altruistic behaviors for our families. We know and value that being generous with our time, talent and treasure helps to strengthen our faith, so we try to sneak in messages of kindness and the importance of thinking beyond ourselves whenever an opportune moment arrives — certainly at weekly Mass during collections and when we hear of communities in trouble. But sometimes, that isn’t enough.  

Many families have found deeper and more impactful ways to model the Good Samaritan. Some find time in their increasingly chaotic schedules to volunteer in their communities — packing/giving food, connecting with lonely elderly in assisted living facilities, providing tutoring to students in need. Others will donate allowances, lemonade sale profits, or birthday funds to worthy charities that speak to them.  

One organization that offers many opportunities for families to support children and elders across the globe is Unbound, an international nonprofit founded by lay Catholics grounded in the Gospel call to put the needs of the marginalized and vulnerable first.  

Can helping others help you, too?

Most people know Unbound as a sponsorship organization, but it offers many other ways to donate and connect. Currently — with a keen focus on relationships and shared humanity, like the proverbial Good Samaritan — Unbound is involved in an exciting initiative that focuses on a very common noncommunicable disease. Unbound has partnered with Chronic Care International (CCI), a Nebraska-based nonprofit transforming diabetes care in the developing world, to help researchers from the University of North Carolina investigate if generosity plays a role in the health outcomes of individuals living with diabetes. 

November is Diabetes Awareness Month and the perfect time for Unbound to invite people in the United States who are living with either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, and who have a heart for giving, to consider sponsoring elders living with diabetes in the Philippines. As each sponsor and elder create bonds, mentoring and supporting one another through their struggles with their shared disease, researchers will lean into Unbound’s commitment to relationships as they aim to determine if community, connection and generosity can result in positive health outcomes. 

Sponsors will each contribute $40 per month to help their sponsored elder in the Philippines meet basic needs and receive medical care. They will also participate in at least three 30-minute surveys, either online or via phone, over the course of the 12-month commitment.  

The participating elders in the Philippines will receive financial support in the form of cash transfers and medical coverage. The research study provides regular lab tests, quarterly A1C tests, checkups and consultation, necessary medication, diet and exercise coaching to participating elders, who will also have access to support groups comprised of several neighboring older adults living with diabetes and other chronic diseases, allowing them to share their common goals to improve health and wellness while offering genuine encouragement and empathy to each other.  

Like the Good Samaritan, participating Unbound sponsors will have the unique opportunity to care for someone in need and experience the personal rewards of generosity and connection, while witnessing how one small act of kindness can transcend geographical boundaries, creating powerful and lasting ripples in a community across the globe.

If you have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes and are interested in more information on how to participate, please call 800-875-6564, extension 9, or email diabetes@unbound.org. To learn more about Unbound and sponsorships, visit Unbound.org. 

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Copyright 2024 Tammy Marino for Unbound
Images: copyright 2024 Unbound, all rights reserved.