Starfish Impact Inspiration Story

There’s a famous story* of a woman walking on a beach where many starfish had washed up on the shore. As she walked she picked up one starfish at a time and threw it back into the ocean.
A man saw what she was doing and told her it was pointless; it was futile; it was a fool’s errand: There were too many starfish to save. She would never make a difference. The woman stopped. She examined the starfish in her hand and responded, “It makes a difference to this one.”

This story is often told as an example of how we can individually make a difference. It also shows the challenges in making that difference. What philanthropist hasn’t felt that they could do more if only they had more time, more money, or more help? What non-profit hasn’t felt the pressure of making a difference when there are so many people in need? Starfish Impact is here for the starfish throwers of the world; those wonderful people that have identified the starfish they want to help. Our job is to multiply that impact: To bring more people to the beach to help throw those starfish; To figure out a strategy for getting the man that didn’t believe to pick up a starfish; To maximize the amount of starfish returning to the ocean; To bring the woman’s skills and best practices to other beaches where the starfish are waiting; And to figure out the root cause and prevention strategies for those starfish washing ashore in the first place.

*Credit: The Star Thrower by Loren Eiseley