I live in Atlanta, where we have multi-use trails called the PATH and the Beltline. These walking, biking and running trails snake around the city, offering protection from vehicles as a bit of nature while in the city. Hopefully, you have places like these around you!

How do these paths get created? How are they maintained? In the case of Georgia, which I think is a lot like this in many cities, these paths are not always government-sponsored public works. Non-profits sponsor most, which is crucial because it means you can contribute much more straightforward than going through elected officials.

There are three ways you can get involved to help non-profits: Treasure, Time, and Talent.

The first one, Treasure, is the one that most people think about. It's the idea of, "Let me just donate money. Let me cut a check." Suppose you're able to contribute money to these organizations. In that case, that goes a long way to allow them to buy the surveyors they need, pay the employees they need, and pay the executives that work at these foundations that help them negotiate the land deals they need to build these paths. There's no question that your financial donations help, and they matter. And so that's a wonderful way you can contribute.

The second one is your Time. These organizations always need people to help; they always need people to volunteer to help execute the plans they have put into place. It could be working the trails to make them cleaner. It could be building a handrail or assisting in the office. There's a bunch of different ways that you can just say, "Hey, I have a couple of hours, let me donate my time." And that goes a long way to helping these organizations.

The final one is donating your Talent. You all have Talent, and there's a good chance that Talent can help an organization like this. Maybe you are an accountant. Perhaps you're a surveyor. Maybe you're an architect. Maybe you're a planner of some sort. Or perhaps you're just an excellent woodworker, and you could help build some of the different structures these places need. Maybe you are good at organizing stuff, and you can help bring teams together to manage a group of volunteers or organize a people to help. There are so many talents that you have that these organizations would crave.

At the end of the day, if you want something done, it doesn't always come down to partitioning the government. Sometimes it comes down to finding the non-profits that are constructing these paths and finding out how you can help by donating your Treasure, your Time, or your Talent.

Best wishes,

-George