This post will change over time to reflect new ideas and intentions. Consider it a work in progress as we build and discover the needs of the P2PFA community.
Mission: To gain, and retain control over our lives, our families, and our community.
What is P2PFA?
P2PFA is an acronym meaning Peer To (2) Peer For America. It is an unaffiliated community effort designed to educate, empower, and reward those in our community (Peers) that understand the meaning of, and desire prosperity. P2PFA will return control to those that feel they’ve lost it, provide them with a supportive and nurturing community, and help them discover the power that they have in their lives.
It’s a life-philosophy that encompasses everyone, from those caught in the cycle of poverty, to the working poor, single parents, and anyone willing to put forth the effort to improve their position in life. There are no income requirements and there are no limitations for whom, and where we serve.
The change P2PFA will make will take time – lives will be filled with self-appreciation, gratitude, respect, honesty, integrity and compassion. Communities of people with these traits will achieve amazing things in the years to come.
What P2PFA is not
P2PFA is not a government, political, charity, or religious organization. Moreover, the messaging across the entire organization is devoid of divisive subjects. Focusing instead on life/social skills and fundamental education allows for positive and productive conversations. Community participation removes any feeling of charity, and encourages the sharing of ideas and positive memes.
On Being Deliberate
Today’s society faces unprecedented amounts of overstimulation and negativity. For most, very little of what we read in the newspapers, watch on TV (news or otherwise), or hear discussed at work helps provide a hopeful and bright picture of the future. P2PFA encourages its peers to turn off the television, and to focus on the things that matter. Those things are self, family, neighbors, and community.
The intent is to simply to provide an incredible amount of focus while increasing the understanding of how America works. Example: candidate X’s plan for Z and their opinion on anything means literally nothing to someone that is struggling to provide basic necessities or their family. There is time for politics, and real wide-spread change, but until there is a complete, unbiased understanding of the details, we encourage Peers to disconnect from polarizing subjects.
On External Influence
This project is not political in nature and therefore it has no political affiliation or influence. It is not a religious foundation, and therefore it’s not affiliated with nor is it influenced by theological beliefs. It is powered by people just like you, and your desire to make America a better place for everyone. Political and religious belief systems are divisive, and while peers are certainly free to believe whatever the heart dictates, for the sake of this project, we keep affiliations and theological beliefs to ourselves.
On Differentiation
P2PFA is a startup in every sense of the word. We use the lean startup methodology, and understand customer development, business models, and the minimum viable product. We operate under our own rules, leveraging as little of the existing infrastructure as possible to reach our intended audience.
Our Methodology
Outreach is done in a manner that allows peers to self select based on aptitude – without requiring expensive campaigns or more intense hands-on sessions and interviews.
Our specific focus on helping individuals understand the personal, economic, and socio-relational aspects of their current situation, and how to level-up, is unique.
Answers to simple questions reveal a deep understanding of how potential peers relate to money, health, and social topics. When answers are given that match the goals of the specific focus, peers are invited to participate in a more formal interview process. This eliminates overhead, and allows our teammates to focus on those individuals that have demonstrated vision in the philosophies of P2PFA.
This program is executed by peers and neighbors in the very communities of Peers, providing a guaranteed level of trust and respect. It’s well known that building trust in a community is imperative for the success of any program. P2PFA’s instructors are hand picked from the communities we support.
On External Peer Pressures
The advertising industry is worth more than $250 billion annually. It defines success (wealth, happiness, a house in the burbs, a new car, $200 jeans), and how to achieve it (90 days same as cash, no interest for 24 months, 0% car loans, 5/1 ARMs). What‘s not told is the unknowable damage this causes to the human psyche as we compare our “success” with those around us. If we don’t have this widget, or that, then we must not be successful. It causes us to make unsound financial decisions all in the interest of maintaining status for people we don’t know, and whose opinion shouldn’t matter.
Example: A well maintained 15 year old car ($3,000, no payments or interest) works just as well as a brand new car ($15k over 84 months, $6k in interest alone), yet there is social pressure to have that new car. We feel “complete” and “safer” with a new car, though the older car (if chosen correctly) is statistically identical, and costs less than the interest on the new car.
To achieve its goals, P2PFA works with each Peer to understand how the economics of advertising and marketing work. We don’t have to have the latest gadgets. We don’t have to have new clothes, and we don’t have to drive new cars. Those are luxuries, and will come in time, if and when appropriate.
On the American Dream
The American Dream was a creation of the finance, advertising, and marketing industries. The reality of the matter is that for most, that dream is unattainable in the way it’s been sold. We can achieve far more by simply understanding how these things are created, and more importantly, how to live within our means. To us, the American Dream is redefined: “To live in sustainable prosperity, to improve our lives continuously, and to positively impact our family, our friends, and our community.”
On Instant Gratification
“For anything worth having one must pay the price; and the price is always work, patience, love, self-sacrifice – no paper currency, no promises to pay, but the gold of real service.” – John Burroughs
Patience has been lost by many. The marketing industry has ingrained in us the desire to have anything we want, whenever we want it – and that means now. We can finance just anything – 90 days same as cash, no interest/payments until 2016 (4 years!).
Such easy access to new things means we can easily make payments on a more luxurious lifestyle. What’s never accounted for in the equation is risk. What if your spouse loses their income? What if you get laid off? Worse, what if you’re injured on the job and can’t work for 6 months? Simple events can cause financial catastrophes.
P2PFA instills patience and intention in “quality life” planning. Not only is it OK to live within your means, but growing your lifestyle responsibly is better for you, your family, and ultimately for the health of our country.
On Focus
With our self-paced, community driven education, anyone with the desire to improve their lives, can. Each focus has a simple message, written in fifth grade english and spanish, and contains a task. Tasks are extremely accessible, and provide a quick, measurable reward. The feeling of accomplishment encourages Peers to continue to the next Focus, and to share what they’ve learned with others.
The Focus areas are as follows. Each Focus will be a small, one page flyer or PDF, and will cost between 50¢ and $1. The Basic Humanities Focus will always be free.
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On Feedback
P2PFA operates in a continuous feedback loop. If you have feedback on the P2PFA mission, please send it. In addition, we’re always looking for writers – specifically those with domain mastery, and the heart of a teacher.
Thank you.
Great initiative. People who are in involved in solving other people’s problems are the happiest people on earth. If you aren’t already focused on solving other people’s problems in a way that allows and encourages them to stand on their own two feet, get involved in P2PFA.