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| "France, our hearts are yours." |
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Just a Quick Note of Support to the French
We aren't equipped for international response at this time and are not a political organization in any stretch of the imagination. Just want to share a thought.
Thursday, October 29, 2015
Sometimes Just Being There is Enough
You know, sometimes just treating someone down on their luck like you'd want to be treated is enough. Have you ever been at a stop light where there's a homeless person on the center divider and just rolled down your window and said "Good Luck and God Bless?" Have you shaken his hand?
These are things I try to do at least a few times a week. If you don't, that's okay. This blog isn't meant to be preachy or intended to make anyone feel guilty. We all have different comfort zones. And let's be real. Sometimes when you roll down your window to chat with a homeless person it doesn't go so well. While our ambitions as a disaster relief group are pretty grand in terms of scale (We just added two semi truck trailers to our five year operating plan), it's the little things on a local level that can make a big difference. It's five minutes of your life you could be using to make someone else's day just a little better.
From what I see on YouTube, Facebook and through the experiences of my children, it seems like the younger generation gets this. Where my parents would avoid someone who looks "dirty" camped out on the street, the younger folks seem to be more comfortable actually engaging them in conversation and making them feel acknowledged and relevant.
Here's a video I ran across that made me feel hopeful. What if we all did something like this just once during the holiday season?
Click here to play the video: https://www.facebook.com/keeptheheat/videos/10153661676802069/
These are things I try to do at least a few times a week. If you don't, that's okay. This blog isn't meant to be preachy or intended to make anyone feel guilty. We all have different comfort zones. And let's be real. Sometimes when you roll down your window to chat with a homeless person it doesn't go so well. While our ambitions as a disaster relief group are pretty grand in terms of scale (We just added two semi truck trailers to our five year operating plan), it's the little things on a local level that can make a big difference. It's five minutes of your life you could be using to make someone else's day just a little better.
From what I see on YouTube, Facebook and through the experiences of my children, it seems like the younger generation gets this. Where my parents would avoid someone who looks "dirty" camped out on the street, the younger folks seem to be more comfortable actually engaging them in conversation and making them feel acknowledged and relevant.
Here's a video I ran across that made me feel hopeful. What if we all did something like this just once during the holiday season?
Click here to play the video: https://www.facebook.com/keeptheheat/videos/10153661676802069/
You Will Surprise What Happen When The Homeless Man Ask Him Wa...
You Will Surprise What Happen When The Homeless Man Ask Him Wait For 1 Minute... |
Monday, October 26, 2015
San Francisco Charity Group Snapshot: Food Runners
What happens to all those muffins left over after that coffee break at the industry conference you were at? Where did all the extra bagels and fruit go after that charity fundraising run that ended on Crissy Field? What happens to hundreds of boxed lunches that don't get consumed during lunch meetings at Moscone Center trade shows? What do restaurants do with the food you don't eat?
Well, it turns out there's an app for that. Or, more accurately, a group of people that manage to get food from where it's no longer needed to where it is desperately needed. The group is called Food Runners.
While I've been ramping up It's Time to Help (sales plug: have you seen our new website?), I've been volunteering at local charities that are providing relief on a local level. Yesterday, I worked with Food Runners and will be rejoining their efforts later this week. This is a group that are masters at short-term logistics and manage to get volunteers with vehicles to charity events, restaurants, stores, conferences, tradeshows and other venues in San Francisco where more food is available than there are folks to eat it or buy it. If you've ever done event planning, then you know it's standard practice to have food left over at an event so you don't run short.
Food Runners takes this extra food and gets it to shelters and other organizations, such as Glide Memorial, that use their expertise and compassion to hand out the food to those in need. Food Runners relays more than 5,000 meals a day to those in need...food that would otherwise be thrown out.
I'll keep exploring the local volunteer scene to let you know ways you can help while we ramp up ItsTimeToHelp.org. If you haven't already registered as a Time to Help volunteer, I definitely encourage you to do so, but the important thing is to get out there and do what you can with the time you can contribute.
Well, it turns out there's an app for that. Or, more accurately, a group of people that manage to get food from where it's no longer needed to where it is desperately needed. The group is called Food Runners.
While I've been ramping up It's Time to Help (sales plug: have you seen our new website?), I've been volunteering at local charities that are providing relief on a local level. Yesterday, I worked with Food Runners and will be rejoining their efforts later this week. This is a group that are masters at short-term logistics and manage to get volunteers with vehicles to charity events, restaurants, stores, conferences, tradeshows and other venues in San Francisco where more food is available than there are folks to eat it or buy it. If you've ever done event planning, then you know it's standard practice to have food left over at an event so you don't run short.
Food Runners takes this extra food and gets it to shelters and other organizations, such as Glide Memorial, that use their expertise and compassion to hand out the food to those in need. Food Runners relays more than 5,000 meals a day to those in need...food that would otherwise be thrown out.
If you are looking to spend some of your spare time to help others and you live in the San Francisco Bay area, this is a great way to get your feet wet in the volunteer scene. Not ready to build a house for Habitat for Humanity? That's okay. All you need is a vehicle and about an hour of your time and you can make a difference.
If you'd like to get involved, here's the contact information for their operations manager. The paperwork to get going is minimal and you can be out there as often as you'd like to be. There's pretty much something to do any day of the week. I've found this organization is good about letting you know what opportunities are out there to help without being high pressure about it.
To learn more please contact
Nancy Haan
Operations Manager
Operations Manager
I'll keep exploring the local volunteer scene to let you know ways you can help while we ramp up ItsTimeToHelp.org. If you haven't already registered as a Time to Help volunteer, I definitely encourage you to do so, but the important thing is to get out there and do what you can with the time you can contribute.
Saturday, September 26, 2015
Helping Middletown, CA After the Fire
...and then it got real.
Building a disaster response organization and actually responding to a disaster are two entirely different things. But, you can't ask volunteers to do what you won't do yourself, so I went to Middletown this week to help with disaster relief and talk to as many people as I could about on site needs.
Arriving was the hardest part. You just don't understand the impact on people's lives until you are there in person.
The fire burned so fast and so hot that not even toilets survived. There is just nothing left of neighborhoods that were hit.
I slept in the back of a semi truck in bunk beds provided to volunteers, fed volunteers thanks to the generosity of the Lions Club and helped residents do what they called "sifting," which is going through debris looking for anything that might be salvageable or a keepsake. (I didn't find a single thing.)
In order to understand where volunteers fit in, I talked with people from The Red Cross (thanks for the chili), Army/National Guard, the police, firemen, the Southern Baptist Church (thanks for the shower) and many residents.
As you might have guessed, the first responders do an excellent job. The Red Cross was passing out food and even some companies showed up in a big way to lend a hand (Verizon set up a mobile network and offered use of computers and phone chargers for example.
The people I encountered were amazingly positive. Yesterday morning I was in the town center chatting with residents and several pulled out their cell phones to show me pictures like you see here...except the pictures were of their houses. Still, they would say things like "At least I saved my dog" or "I got my 70-year-old neighbors out 5 minutes before the fire hit." Talk about a glass half full approach!
You Can Help! Here's How.
The residents of Middletown need pretty much everything to rebuild their lives. They have food and water thanks to first responders, but they've lost everything else. They need plates, pots, clothes, hay for their horses...everything. Fill a box and send it to:
Middletown Senior Center
21256 Washington Street
Middletown, CA 95461
(There are also hay drop stations in town.)
The Southern Baptist Church is providing showers via a big semi truck and laundry with another big semi truck. You know that basket of hotel mini soaps and shampoos that you've collected, they need that. They also need towels. Send those to:
Middletown Baptist Church
1818 W. Main
Middletown, CA 95461
Or, if a cash donation is more of a fit in terms of helping out and not filling boxes, based on what I saw when I was there, I would recommend The American Red Cross at www.redcross.org.
You are the difference. You can pay it forward.
Building a disaster response organization and actually responding to a disaster are two entirely different things. But, you can't ask volunteers to do what you won't do yourself, so I went to Middletown this week to help with disaster relief and talk to as many people as I could about on site needs.
Arriving was the hardest part. You just don't understand the impact on people's lives until you are there in person.
I slept in the back of a semi truck in bunk beds provided to volunteers, fed volunteers thanks to the generosity of the Lions Club and helped residents do what they called "sifting," which is going through debris looking for anything that might be salvageable or a keepsake. (I didn't find a single thing.)
As you might have guessed, the first responders do an excellent job. The Red Cross was passing out food and even some companies showed up in a big way to lend a hand (Verizon set up a mobile network and offered use of computers and phone chargers for example.
The residents of Middletown need pretty much everything to rebuild their lives. They have food and water thanks to first responders, but they've lost everything else. They need plates, pots, clothes, hay for their horses...everything. Fill a box and send it to:
Middletown Senior Center
21256 Washington Street
Middletown, CA 95461
(There are also hay drop stations in town.)
Middletown Baptist Church
1818 W. Main
Middletown, CA 95461
Or, if a cash donation is more of a fit in terms of helping out and not filling boxes, based on what I saw when I was there, I would recommend The American Red Cross at www.redcross.org.
You are the difference. You can pay it forward.
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Let's Get Started
I'm headed to Anderson Springs and Middletown to see what is left and what is needed after the fires. We aren't yet ready to respond as an organization, but I at least want to learn what the volunteer needs are. What could second responders be doing right now to help now that the fire is 80% contained? Would I like to have 500 volunteers with me? Yes, but we aren't there yet. So, I've packed my car with tools and I have a lot of questions to ask people and hopefully I'll learn a lot and help a few people along the way.
Inspiration
(a personal note from the founder)
Hi, this blog is meant as a behind the scenes look at the formation and continuation of www.itstimetohelp.org. For better or worse, you get to hear about the sausage making of an organization devoted to helping communities in need.
I had an inspirational experience this past weekend. I went to Parents Weekend at my daughter's university (Have I mentioned my daughter is awesome, by the way?) and among other activities we saw a speech given by Steve Harvey.
Now, I know what you are thinking. Based on the applause given by the audience during his introduction, I think the whole audience was thinking it. "It's the Family Feud guy!!!" ...and that would be wrong.
Steve Harvey is a passionate, motivated and spiritual guy. Though he was there to speak to the students, there were times when I felt he was speaking to me about starting www.itstimetohelp.org. He's gone through some adversity and come out better and stronger for it. His main points were:
1. If you have a dream, pursue it and know that maybe there's a greater influence in creating that dream. (I try not to impose any religious beliefs on the organization, so just fill in the blanks.)
2. Others that don't quite have their minds around your dream will tell you it can't be done. It's just too big. (Yup). But, do it anyway.
3. The only way you make your dream happen is to jump off the cliff and see if you soar or fall. (Check. I've officially jumped.)
4. People will understand your dream when it becomes reality.
What I've learned lately is that you don't know when or where you are going to find inspiration. It may be that person sitting next to you on that Southwest Airlines flight. It may be friends and neighbors. And...well...it may be sitting in a basketball gym listening to Steve Harvey.
Steve...if you ever read this, thanks!
Hi, this blog is meant as a behind the scenes look at the formation and continuation of www.itstimetohelp.org. For better or worse, you get to hear about the sausage making of an organization devoted to helping communities in need.
 |
| Hey, that's Steve Harvey! |
Now, I know what you are thinking. Based on the applause given by the audience during his introduction, I think the whole audience was thinking it. "It's the Family Feud guy!!!" ...and that would be wrong.
Steve Harvey is a passionate, motivated and spiritual guy. Though he was there to speak to the students, there were times when I felt he was speaking to me about starting www.itstimetohelp.org. He's gone through some adversity and come out better and stronger for it. His main points were:
1. If you have a dream, pursue it and know that maybe there's a greater influence in creating that dream. (I try not to impose any religious beliefs on the organization, so just fill in the blanks.)
2. Others that don't quite have their minds around your dream will tell you it can't be done. It's just too big. (Yup). But, do it anyway.
3. The only way you make your dream happen is to jump off the cliff and see if you soar or fall. (Check. I've officially jumped.)
4. People will understand your dream when it becomes reality.
What I've learned lately is that you don't know when or where you are going to find inspiration. It may be that person sitting next to you on that Southwest Airlines flight. It may be friends and neighbors. And...well...it may be sitting in a basketball gym listening to Steve Harvey.
Steve...if you ever read this, thanks!
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
The Uniform
Hi again.
We realize we just can't have people showing up at the doorstep of households in need wearing t-shirts that say "Is it 4:20 Yet?" or "Duran Duran Forever," so I've been putting my very limited fashion skills to designing a shirt that lets people identify us when we are in the field.
You'll see there is a lot of space leftover and that's so we can feature the logos of corporate sponsors and partners that will help us make this happen.
Our fashion model budget consists of all-you-can-eat carnitas so we were able to pay for my son Garrett to model the very first concept of the shirts our volunteers will wear. Please tell us what you think. If someone came to your door wearing this and offering help, would you feel comfortable letting him or her in?
Okay, admittedly, Tim Gunn has not been calling us for fashion advice, but it's a start.
We realize we just can't have people showing up at the doorstep of households in need wearing t-shirts that say "Is it 4:20 Yet?" or "Duran Duran Forever," so I've been putting my very limited fashion skills to designing a shirt that lets people identify us when we are in the field.
You'll see there is a lot of space leftover and that's so we can feature the logos of corporate sponsors and partners that will help us make this happen.
Our fashion model budget consists of all-you-can-eat carnitas so we were able to pay for my son Garrett to model the very first concept of the shirts our volunteers will wear. Please tell us what you think. If someone came to your door wearing this and offering help, would you feel comfortable letting him or her in?
Okay, admittedly, Tim Gunn has not been calling us for fashion advice, but it's a start.
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