When you discuss philanthropy, financial contributions immediately leap to mind. There’s no doubt that donations to worthy charities in human services, education or the arts are important, but the true essence of philanthropy is changing individual and social conditions so people can enjoy better lives.

And there’s no better opportunity to do this locally than COMPASSION ’10, which kicks off later this month.

COMPASSION ’10 is the second-annual community roundtable to improve services in Lee County. Sponsored by a coalition of ministries and social service groups, this year’s edition will be held Feb. 25, from 1 to 5 p.m. at the McSwain Center in Sanford. It’s free to attend and designed to help ministries, nonprofits and governmental agencies be more effective in their all-important effort to care for people in need.

This isn’t just another one-shot, sit-and-listen conference. Last year’s gathering united local organizations providing similar services — but who often didn’t even know each other existed! Separate working groups were formed for organizations providing food, employment, financial help, dropout prevention and housing, and specific ideas were generated to improve the effort.

Some working groups continued meeting after the roundtable ended and the results were tangible. One example: Several community food pantries now coordinate and share freezer space. That one move, alone, allowed more local families to receive a free turkey last year during the holidays.

Now that the introductions are done and people are looking for ways to build our community more effectively, big things are expected for COMPASSION ’10.

This year’s centerpiece will be a session by Susan Pennock called “Understanding Poverty,” which helps people working with the needy better understand the people they serve. A well-respected speaker from Communities In Schools of North Carolina, Pennock will discuss essential topics like how poverty and differences in economic class affect the way people learn, work, communicate and make decisions.

She will point out differences between “generational poverty” and “situational poverty” — and how organizations must treat these groups differently to be effective in their missions.

And she gives specific suggestions on how to interpret “hidden rules” that differ among social classes and find individual strengths that could help people pull themselves out of poverty.

But that’s only the beginning. Because COMPASSION ’10 is designed to provide real help for community groups doing important work, Pennock will return during coming months to assist those individual working groups providing food, employment, financial help, dropout prevention and housing.

During each visit, she will meet with Lee County organizations to learn exactly what challenges those nonprofits face and how the information she provides this month can be used to help local families.

There’s no doubt that philanthropic donations are essential, but they’re only as effective as the organizations doing the work. COMPASSION ’10 — beginning in February, but extending into the coming months — is designed to make all of our social service groups stronger. Which, in turn, makes your donations more effective and our entire community a better place for everyone.