July 13, 2009

Paying It Forward in New Jersey: Week 2

Posted by hopehealsnj under helping hands project, hope heals, poverty | Tags: , , , , |
Leave a Comment 

helping hands new jersey

 

You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone

who will never be able to repay you.  ~John Wooden

.

Week Two of Paying it Forward in NJ:

Project #1:  Last Sunday night, I decided to stop by Rita’s Water Ice to get a refreshing treat.   While standing in line, a mother with 3 children walked up behind me.  When I paid for my order, I gave the worker $10 and asked her to put it toward the next order.   As I was driving away, I saw the mother look over as she realized what happened.   I simply waved, smiled and drove off. 

Project #2:  Earlier in the week, I had purchased 10 gift cards worth $10 each.   I wasn’t quite sure what I w151ould do with them, but I was open to ideas.  On Saturday, I was driving home after having lunch with a friend.   I passed a thrift store and was astonished to see that there were so many people in the store that they had taken over the entire parking lot and were parking on the grass.   Luckily, I had the cards and 4 Hope Heals envelopes in my car.   (A girl is always prepared :) ).    I drove around the corner and headed back to the store to place 4 cards on on cars in the parking lot.   

Project #3:  I still had 6 gift cards to deliver, so I got busy making envelopes:

105

On the back of the envelope I wrote:  Paying it Forward, One Person at a Time (www.hope-heals.org) 

The scene at the Thrift Store the day before still on my mind, I headed over there again… only to find it was closed on Sunday.  However, when I drove up, I saw a man sitting on the steps, in the shade, with a duffel bag.  I got out of my car and handed him a card.  I am not sure he knew what to think as I drove away.  

 

152

 

I still had 5 cards to go, so I headed down the road to see what would inspire me.   As I passed the park, I decided to drive in and see what was happening.  I saw several families with small children who were playing on the playground equipment.  I picked out the oldest cars in the lot and placed the cards on the windshields. 

 

Helping Hands Projects for Week 2 accomplished.   Paying it forward,

one person at a time. 

 ~Tammy

 

 


 

July 10, 2009

Bags of Hope in Philly …

Posted by Hope Heals under Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , |
[2] Comments 

Helping Hands Pennsylvania

I’ve thought about helping someone who is homeless but that’s always quickly crowded out by the next thought “what could I possibly do?” I’m not qualified to get involved, I don’t want to help in the wrong way, how would I approach someone, what would I say, and so on. But Hope Heals affirmed what I knew in my heart: it is okay to simply comfort someone in the moment. I copied, from their experience, some items that someone in need may want.

I put together 20 bags:

Homeless care pack PA

Apples, peanut butter crackers, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, sun block lip balm, pads of paper/pens, combs, band-aids, and a toothbrush/paste kit.

And a note:

Hope Heals Pennsylvania
Hope is a feeling….If you are hopeless, even though I don’t know you, I will hope for you. Someone once did that for me. Hope Heals.

 

All set.

Except I wasn’t sure where to go.

In the last year, many homeless people have been pushed out of where they sought refuge due to construction or areas being fenced to keep them away. I decided I’d drive around for a while and possibly go to an area where I knew there was a soup kitchen. I’d read about affluent neighbors of a park making enough noise to push folks out of there, and sure enough when I went to another there was a policeman on a bike. I was headed for the soup kitchen area when I recognized a street I’ve driven on and made the turn there instead. I pulled over when I saw a small park that I had driven by many times.

Moment of truth.

What am I going to say?

I don’t want to insult anyone. I approached a few men out of the many people there and the one said “Oh you must be looking for Fred”, and I smiled and said “No, but I’m looking for someone who may be hungry.” And he looked right at me and said, “I am”.

I nodded to my car and said I have something for you. At my car as I turned to hand him a bag there were dozens of people behind me. They were young, old, black, white, male and female. They knew there wasn’t going to be enough and one man said “You have a sister behind you”, making sure she got a bag first. I talked with a few people and asked if this was a good time, that I could come back next week and yes it turned out it is a good time.

From the moment I had turned around from my car and in the blink of an eye these people had silently gathered. 

I was overwhelmed with emotion.

I was feeling for them, not pity or sympathy, but hope for all of us in that moment. Just as someone once did for me, not because I was homeless but because I was hopeless.

Next week I’ll be visiting my new friends, with more bags and more hope.

~Lorie

 

July 6, 2009

What Motivates You…

Posted by Hope Heals under Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , |
[3] Comments 

LogoImage

 

 

 The Motivation Within … 

 

Two weeks back, during Project Grab-a-Bag in the park, as we were pouring lemonades and passing out sack lunches, a man came up to me…he appeared curious….perhaps even confused as to why we were there.

“What motivates you?” he asked.

I had never been asked that before.

“Motivates me to do what?” I responded with a smile.

“Well…what motivates you to come out here like this….to be with us….to do this?

I must admit….I’ve never given much thought as to what serves as my motivation behind helping others.

It’s always been quite simple in my mind…people are in need and I can and, most importantly, should do something about it. 

I answered him saying, “How can I not be here?  Look around…it’s a beautiful day…I’m surrounded with a wonderful group of spirited people….this is where I need to be.”

I’m not sure if that was the answer he was looking for or anticipated.  He just smiled…shook my hand….thanked me…and walked away.

But he got me thinking…..

What does motivate us to helping our homeless neighbors?

I asked Amy….”from my childhood, I know what it’s like to be living in slum conditions and going to the fridge to find nothing but condiments…not having all of the ‘modern day conveniences’…feeling like an outcast.

My heart goes out to them.

I can empathize with them.

They shouldn’t be feared and avoided just because they are poor and don’t have a home. Each of us deserves to be treated with kindness and respect. 

Any one of us could be in their shoes.

As someone who has escaped the confines of the poverty ‘hamster wheel’ of generation after generation having to live off the State or being uneducated, I feel a sort of responsibility to help others.”

For me, on the surface, it truly is as simple as seeing a need and wanting to fulfill it, but looking deeper, my motivation lies in the faces and in the eyes of the homeless. 

I am motivated by these images imprinted in my mind.

I am motivated by the exchanges that take place between us.

I am motivated by the laughs we share and the talks we have.

I am motivated to reach out – to do more – to make life a little easier….

For the grown man, nearly my father’s age, who has to come up and see if there’s any way he can have the last women’s deodorant left in our prize tub, because he hasn’t had the “opportunity” to wear any in awhile and thinks it would really be nice especially during the hot, sticky summer months.

When’s the last time you had to ask someone if it was okay to wear deodorant?

When was the last time you viewed deodorant as an opportunity?

Opportunity to feel clean….to feel normal….

It is in these moments…these exchanges….where my motivation lies.

And, like Amy, it is also in my own experiences and challenges.

It is in knowing that life is fragile….

and the soul more so …

It is from within.

 

 

July 4, 2009

Paying it Forward in New Jersey

Posted by hopehealsnj under helping hands project, hope heals | Tags: , , , , , , , , |
[2] Comments 

helping hands new jersey

 

 

With the holiday weekend, I was very fortunate to get a head start on my “Helping Hands” project…spreading acts of kindness.  

0703091435

I got started when I stopped to pick up lunch at Saladworks.  In line behind me was a mother and daughter picking up a quick bite to eat during a break at a softball tournament.  I helped them hurry back to the field by paying for their lunch.   I was walking out the door when they realized what I had done.  They tried to stop me, but I simply looked back, smiled and said “Pay it Forward”. 

 

Later, I was on a mission to carry out the plan I had hatched the night before when I made out these cards:

102

My plan was to head out to the bookstore, buy $5 Barnes and Noble gift cards and place them in the envelopes along with the words of encouragement.

Once in the bookstore, I carefully selected the books in which to place the envelopes….

07030917580703091757

07030917550703091754

 

I then asked the manager if it was okay to place the envelopes in the books.  Once I explained what I was doing, he was very enthusiastic about the project.  With his approval, I placed the envelopes in the books then put them back on the shelf. 

 

I hope that whoever finds these giftcards and notes of encouragement know that they are not alone. 

“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. 

If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”  ~Dalai Lama

My first Hope Heals Helping Hands Project completed.  Many more to come!

~Tammy

 

July 2, 2009

Helping Hands Now in Philly!

Posted by Hope Heals under Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , |
[3] Comments 

Helping Hands Pennsylvania

.

Mike and I headed off to North Philly to leave some “Helping Hands” for people to find at the laundromat.
phillyklaundrymat

 

 

We had 6 pay cards activated for 6 loads of wash/dry at 4.00 each, with a hand written card tucked in a Hope Heals envelope.

phillylaundryenvelopes

 

North Philadelphia was a bustling industrial hub of the city until the Great Depression when mills and factories shut down. Workers who had come North for work were jobless, and left in an unfamiliar concrete terrain. It’s primarily African American and residents suffered racism; not in isolated incidents but in a relentless decades-long assault. This has created multi-generation poverty, some of the worst in the entire city.

phillymikeoscar

Oscar, the supervisor of the laundromat, was very kind in explaining how the pay cards worked.

I told him I’d like to tape the envelopes to the machines and he said “Why would you want to do that!?”

I talked about Hope Heals and a huge smile came across his face. He smiled again when I answered his questions: there were no thanks necessary and no requirement to pass it on.

We loved being anonymous Helping Hands!

-Lorie & Mike

 

July 2, 2009

Hope is Contagious…

Posted by Hope Heals under Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , |
Leave a Comment 

LogoImage

 

 

Spreading Hope…

 

.

A little while back, we announced that we were grateful to find two women, Tammy from New Jersey and Lorie from Philadelphia, who share the drive and inspiration to go beyond themselves…do what’s right….and help those in need. 

After some time chatting with them and communicating back and forth, they came to us with an interest in branching out and extending Hope Heals over to their little parts of the world.

We couldn’t be more thrilled!

So, starting here in July, they’ve taken on our Helping Hands Project which we originally did back in March.  They will each contribute to the blog, sharing with us their experiences of carrying out random acts of kindness in their area.  Lorie’s son, Mikael, will also be playing an active role in these projects - can’t wait to read about it!

You can learn more about Tammy HERE and Lorie HERE. 

(To eliminate any confusion — postings from Tammy and Lorie will be identified with their own Jersey/Philly logo heading)

Let the Hope Begin!

 

June 30, 2009

Project Grab-a-Bag…A Month in Review

Posted by Hope Heals under Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , |
Leave a Comment 

Project Grab a Bag Revised

 

432 Sack Lunches

 

225 Popsicles

 

60 Prizes

 

28 Gallons of Lemonade

 

8 Hours of Games

 

4 Sundays

 

2 Girls

 

1 Month Worth Repeating!

 

June 30, 2009

Coming Together…

Posted by Hope Heals under Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , |
Leave a Comment 

LogoImage

 

Coming Together…

 

.

.

Picture it..

Heartside Park..

Sunday afternoon during Project Grab-a-Bag..

(Hmm…soundin’ a bit like Sophia from The Golden Girls…I like it!)

We’re pluggin’ along…have already served our 119 sack lunches….a good 4 gallons or so of lemonade…about 150 popsicles….

We were on to games … prizes…and fun….

Then…I look over and this big ole bus pulls up!

vrieslandbus

 

 

 

I see box after box pulled from the back of it…

People everywhere…

Then a few come up under the pavilion where we were – passed out kool-aid, granola bars, and bbq sandwiches.

 

I have to admit…at first, I was a bit confused…and was kinda hoping that they weren’t going to come in and take over what we had going on. 

Human nature I guess…to feel that way…to feel a sense of ownership over something you care so deeply about…over something you work so hard for…and devote so much time and money into…..

Quickly, though, I moved past that – putting myself back in check and realizing that this is a good thing.  That this only further helps our homeless and that, together, we can be even more impactful.

As I saw the majority of our homeless patrons run to the bus – taking a break from our games – I realized that they were passing out clothes too. 

Still…I hadn’t a clue as to who they were or what was going on so I went up and introduced myself, explained who we are and what we’ve been doing each Sunday. 

I learned that they’re from the Vriesland Church in Zeeland (about 30 miles West of us here in Grand Rapids) and that they, too, are trying to be of service and come out every 4th Sunday and have been since this past September.  They bring with them boxes of donated clothes, beverages, snack bars, and they make 80 bbq sandwiches for each time they come out.

It was wonderful…especially to see them come over from Zeeland….to want to learn about and be of some assistance to this group in so much need. 

I was then introduced to Jan who heads up the church’s Hope Bus Mission and we had a great chat about what we’ve both been doing and trying to do in the lives of our community’s homeless. 

She loved the idea of getting them engaged in various social activities, playing games with them, getting to know them…learning from them.

And it was reassuring to see that their mission, too, is “to share, to care, and to be there.”

So with that, we exchanged information and are working towards collaborating efforts on the 4th Sundays of the month – getting their volunteers involved in our games – helping us with food – and so on.  This comes to us as a great blessing as they are financially supported by the members in their church, allowing them to put on outreaches like this one, without as much cost constraints as we currently have.

I now feel a little better about not being able to put on our Project Grab-a-Bag event on July 26th (the 4th Sunday) - knowing that they will be there, as usual, while we’re out doing some mission work at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

I trust that this is just the start of many more great things … of coming together as one … focusing on the key mission of being there and being connected with our homeless friends.

So August 30th it is!

Our first collaborative effort with Project Grab-a-Bag and the Vriesland Church!

 

June 30, 2009

A Donation Thank You…

Posted by Hope Heals under Uncategorized | Tags: , , , |
Leave a Comment 

LogoImage

 

 

A Donation Thank You!

 

 

Vicki, a friend and colleague of Amy’s, not only helped us out quite a bit at this past Sunday’s Project Grab-a-Bag, she also hooked us up with a great donation!

vickidonation

From my favorite orange 5-gallon water cooler to a whole bunch of brand-new hats, bags, water bottle, t-shirt, and other fun things for our prize table.

Thank you so much, Vicki – very grateful!

 

June 30, 2009

Project Grab-a-Bag #4

Posted by Hope Heals under Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , |
Leave a Comment 

Project Grab a Bag Revised

.

Alright so wrapping up our 4th Sunday of doing our Project Grab-a-Bag ….

lunchflyer

We had originally planned on doing this for just the month of June, but quickly changed our minds and decided to expand it throughout the summer with August 30th being our biggest event.

Unfortunately Amy wasn’t able to be there this Sunday, but we did have three great volunteers lend their helping hand, for which, I was so grateful.
angieevent4

 

Here’s Angie working the popsicle table…we pass out Flav-O-Ice’s … let them pick their own color…cut off the tops for them…and off they go with a smile.

.

.

Angie was great – getting out there with the people – she walked the park – made sure everyone had a 2nd … sometimes 3rd…popsicle, especially on this very hot and thick Sunday afternoon. 

blackjackkit

 

After doing this for a while now, we’ve come up with more efficient ways of doing things — gettin’ in the groove … that sort of thing. 

To the right, is our little make-shift blackjack kits…deck of cards, a volunteer name button, kitchen timer, and a tupperware bowl to put it all in – including a good handful of kidney beans.   

event4prizes

 

As many of you know, we use the beans as the bank and the kitchen timer is set in 10-minute increments.  Every time it rings, the player with the most beans gets to go up and pick a prize.

Very official, I know…..

.

So we had Meg on the blackjack table and Vicki on the bingo table – Angie worked the prize table and popsicle deal.  Had a nice little system in place… 

coolersevent4

 

Vicki was such a sweetheart…she knew we’ve been wanting another cooler because of the need being so great and our interest in having one of them be used for ice water…so she showed up with this great Igloo 5-gallon cooler filled with ice water and ready to go!  Plus it was in one of my favorite colors…orange! 

It was just another wonderful Sunday….talking with our friends…learning more from them…their lives…interests…needs.

It was also very touching to see so many of them ask about Amy….wondering why she wasn’t there….felt good that they cared…that what we do and who we are matters to them on some level. 

I think we just may be makin’ a little difference ….

 

Next Page »