Edward Everett Hale

Do What You Can

Edward Hale was a brilliant man from a privileged background yet he devoted his life
to improving the lot of his fellow man.

It is said of him: “It was natural of him to want to help a fellow creature” and that he spent his life “consistently going to all sorts of out–of–the–way places and wherever people needed help and cheer.”

His words below inspired the name of our
“Doing What We Can” programs and are at
the very root of our motivation.

They also inspired our founder’s poem:
“Just Because”

“I am only one,
But still I am one.

I cannot do everything,
But still I can do something;

And because
I cannot do everything
I will not refuse
to do the something
that I can do.”

—Edward Everett Hale
1822-1909