Help the Homeless, Feed the Homeless

During the holiday season it is always nice to give back, and why not give back to those who need it the most - the homeless.  I have done other projects to help the homeless, but I feel this was one event that really opened my eyes to the reality of the situation.  When I decided to feed the homeless I didn't know what to expect, but it was something I knew was the right thing to do.  Instead of just donating money, or giving canned goods to a shelter I encourage all of you to get out and help the homeless directly so that you can better understand their situation and grow from the experience.

First off, I would have never imagined how difficult it was to set up before going to give food.  I thought you would just need to get food and go, but it is a much more complicated process.  We needed to cook the soups and chili, ask for donations of money and of food products from our neighbors and local bakeries.  Not just that, but we needed tables, pots and pans, socks, a pick up truck and much much more preparation.  Besides the preparation, we needed to find a location that there are a lot of homeless grouped together so that we would be able to set up in one spot to serve people instead of searching for them.  We decided to go to downtown Santa Ana, California where there were numerous groups of homeless in the surrounding parks trying to set up camps/shelter.

Once we finally got there and set everything up, people started coming in hoards.  The line stretched down the street to get some chili, socks, and other holiday treats.  Unfortunately for us it was one of the only days in Southern California that it rained, but it rained hard the entire time.  Thus, the people that came really needed not just the food but the warmth the soup provided.  One thing that shocked me was how polite people were.  They were very respectful in the way  we organized the booth all standing in line patiently, letting others go before them, collecting some materials for their friends, and always saying thank you to us.  For someone who has been so down on their luck because of society it is amazing how high their spirits are - very polite and even joking around.  This really opened my eyes to the reality of the situation.

Of course there are always those who have mental problems, and those with drug and alcohol problems but from what I saw most of those we served were just down on their luck.  All the circumstances differed but why should we discriminate when we are trying to help? No one deserves to be starving and struggling to survive in the rain.

Unfortunately the reaction of those we asked to support our cause was not as understanding.  There were many people who belittled us for what we were doing and others that flat out said they didn't care.  Although it is a personal choice to help others and decide who is worthy of help - wouldn't you like to be helped if you had no one to rely on and you were facing some tough times?  I know I would, that is why I am hoping to go back after the holidays.

There are many people helping the homeless during the holidays which is wonderful, but they matter and struggle just as much when its not the holidays and people have stopped going to help them.  I'm going to try and ensure that they are not forgotten especially during these rough weather conditions.  This time I helped out by feeding them, but they need so much more - socks, clothes, suitcases and bags, tarps to keep them dry, and most of all people to understand their situation.  This is why I want more people to go and help directly because your eyes will be opened to what really goes on in your community - money and donations can't solve everything.

I wish you all happy holidays, and happy helping.

Help the world - go to happy hour!

Put the papers down, and pick the wine glass up - for a cause that is.  The other night I decided to take a trip up to Los Angeles after seeing a post online about a meet up group for happy hour.  This wasn't just any happy hour though, this happy hour we were all hoping to save the world.  Net Impact, a responsibility group was holding a networking meeting and it was eye-opening to say the least.

This is an interesting group which meets to put together events, conferences, and networking parties to help change the world.  This is not the only group that has this focus - but if you are interested in going green or being responsible joining one could help make your contribution to the world really matter and powerful because you are joining a group of many working towards the same cause.

Networking is an interesting way to meet people who might be working towards the same goal yet through different means.  A lot of times both parties need each other but just haven't found a way to connect, and these types of events are great to bring together people, ideas, and organizations.  I spent a lot of time listening to interesting ideas, and getting cards from people who can help me with my projects - and I want you to be able to benefit from the same sort of events.  I have prepared a list of what you can do to network and help the world during happy hour:

• Remember your business card - This is important, even if you don't have a business card from your company or work make a personal one.  You never know when your project and someone else's idea lines up - it's better to be safe than sorry.

• Collect their business card -  You have been having an amazing conversation with someone, you say goodbye and its over.  If you don't collect their card and contact information you will never know if this great idea could be made into a reality through your collaboration.  Again, its better to have too many cards of people that you won't contact, than missing the vital card of your potential game changing connection.

• Ask more questions -  Not everyone is comfortable telling their great ideas right off the bat, most try to stay humble.  However, you are missing a lot if you spend the time just talking about yourself.  The more questions you can ask the more you will learn and possibly get new ideas to change or  create new projects.

These three key points will help you to make the best out of your networking trips.  I look forward to going to more happy hours and meetings to connect with people who have the same interests.  I can't wait to see where these connections will take me.  Happy networking!

Just say NO to plastic bags!

Christmas shopping season is among us.  Everyone is out buying gifts and toys for children, families and loved ones.  We are out shopping till we drop this season - and where exactly do all of these purchases go?  Most likely a plastic bag.

This doesn't seem like that big of a deal, that is until you get home and you realize that you have been collecting more plastic bags than gifts themselves.  They are so freely given, baggers don't even ask if you want one anymore it is just an assumption that plastic is all you have to carry your purchases out to your car/home.  These little bags just sit in our homes collecting until there are just so many we can't store them anymore.  I however, have found 2 different solutions to this problem.

• Say "NO!" to plastic bags, or any disposable packaging if possible

Before I even think of going to the store I bring along my handy recycled reusable grocery bag.  With two of them you can take home almost everything you buy and they are much sturdier.  You don't need to worry about double bagging the milk (how wasteful) and you don't have 15 little bags to take in after you get home, just one bag per hand.  It is convenient and efficient.  Plus, after you get home you don't have to find a place to stuff all those extra plastic bags.  Moreover, you don't have to worry about what it does to the environment if you were to throw them away.  No worrying  about the increasing swarm of plastic floating in the ocean harming marine life and polluting our shores.  You will no longer be contributing to the over 1 trillion plastic bags used each year with only 1 of every 200 being recycled.  If you are interested in purchasing one or learning more about why we should stop using plastic bags I have found a great link: http://www.reuseit.com/facts-and-myths/learn-more-facts-about-the-plastic-bag-pandemic.htm

Another instance to refuse plastic bags wouldn't just be at the grocery store but at the food counter.  While preparing your sandwich and a drink they get out a plastic bag to put one napkin and your sandwich.  Is it really worth it?  Although it is an automatic reflex for the employees to start putting your food in a bag, you can quickly intervene and say "oh, I don't need one".  Who knows it might inspire the guy waiting in line behind you to do the very same thing.  

Finally, as a woman I have my handbag on me at most times.  It's intended purpose was to carry things.  So, when you buy small things throughout the day do you really need all these plastic bags accumulating or could you just quickly pop it into your hand bag?  Each time you say no to a plastic bag you are saving not only the ocean from being more polluted but you are reducing the demand on the production of plastic bags.  Although small, our impact is the beginning to a global trend to save the earth.

• Recycle for the benefit of society

There are already a ton of plastic bags in your home if you have just started using reusable bags.  You don't want to throw them away because it is bad for the environment.  However, you are unable to use them all again.  You can either go to the grocery store and recycle them (which only takes certain types of plastic) or you can "upcycle" them.

If you want to help the community and be good to the environment, why don't you take those used plastic bags and start a craft project for a cause.  More specifically I am talking about helping the homeless.  A few days ago I saw a project online about these women crocheting together a plastic sleeping mat for the homeless.  Seeing that there are a lot of homeless in my community that could use some help too I decided to put my bags to use as well.  You can follow this project and gather bags to re-purpose them for a better use such as this, or you can come up with your own project on how to recycle these bags.

What should be taken from this though is that there is always many different creative solutions to helping the environment, and to get yourself and others engaged its always more fun to take a creative route.  Normal recycling is great, but it isn't something that you are excited to do everytime you use these bags.  So, what I want you to take from this is to not just recycle but make it fun, and make it powerful.  Every time I come home to my project I feel motivated to help others and I remember why I am doing all of this in the first place.  Also it makes others very curious about my projects as well, which is a talking point allowing you a platform to make others more aware of their impact on the globe.

Overall I hope now you all will say "NO!" to these wasteful plastic bags, because the more we reduce the less we need to find ways to recycle.