A Year of Giving

365 Days of Giving, aka Project 365, was one of my early morning “crazy” ideas (it might be a good thing that I don’t have too many of these!). Without much planning, or much insight into what it would actually take to accomplish, I set off on my journey of giving. There was a lot of doubt initially on whether or not it was feasible with a full-time job that requires traveling, an active social and family life, and the responsibilities of home. But I took it day by day and got creative in fulfilling each day’s commitment. 

The blog outlines how each day of the Project went but the Project did so much more! I knew I wanted to get my family and friends involved to show them that giving can be easy and simple, and lots of fun. They amazed me, not just with the amount of support they gave me, but with how involved they became in the Project. There were times when I thought I was going to have to skip a day and they came in with their encouragement and support to make sure that didn’t happen. They committed to days and events and joined me at many service projects. Some of them gave back for the first time, some gave back more than they ever have, and all of them had a great time giving back. There aren’t enough ways or words to express my gratitude towards everyone who helped out. I’m truly humbled by all that you’ve all done for Project 365 – THANK YOU!!

To all the service projects I was able to join this year – THANK YOU! You are all making a positive impact on our community and it takes a lot to go from randomly helping out to committing to helping out by setting up organizations to do just that! While each of these organizations had their own unique goal for making a difference, as a volunteer I got to see the widespread effect of these many organizations. The people behind these organizations are inspirational and they make it so easy to go out and give back.

Even though this Project was all about giving I feel like I got the most out of it. I learned a lot about myself. Helping people has always been something I’ve done, but not at the level of this Project and not in the many ways that this Project has allowed me to help. I learned that once I set my mind to accomplish something there’s really nothing that will stop me from reaching that goal. I learned that compassion for others and caring about others can be shown in many ways and I’m so grateful that it is something that feels natural to me. Everyone knows that smiling is contagious, but I really saw the impact of a smile this year and the difference it can make in another person’s day. Anyone who knows me knows that I’m the quiet one but this Project helped me open up to so many different people in a way that I don’t think I’ve ever done before.  I’ve made many new friends and I think most of them will be lifelong friends. I’ve learned that we can become really creative in our efforts to give back and make a difference, and that no idea is a bad idea if you keep in mind the people you are helping. I’ve learned that my greatest joy comes from giving to others, whether it’s listening to their stories or meeting their needs. 

What next? Even though the Project is over giving back has become a constant in my life, I don’t think I can stop now! I will continue to volunteer with some of the organizations I’ve helped out at so far, and will continue to find new organizations and more ways to give back. I won’t be writing a daily blog anymore but maybe I’ll write a monthly blog instead. To the wonderful supporters who read the blog – THANK YOU!! I didn’t expect all this support but I am so grateful for it and hope that you’ve found some ways to make a difference in your community (and I’d love to hear about how you’re making a difference!).

I started 2011 with one goal in mind – to give back every day. Now, 365 days later, I’ve completed this goal and have discovered that giving is a passion for me. It’s not something that you do for the applause and attention; it’s something you do because you want to, because it’s from the heart.

Day 365

It was the PERFECT night at SafeHouse!! It started with some conversation with the man who lives under the bridge - he told Cindi and I the story of him getting hit by a pick up truck, and explained what egg custard is since neither of us has ever heard of it.

The crowd was smaller than usual, it being New Year's Eve and all, so I said hello to a few more people before heading inside to help make grilled cheese sandwiches. There was no church serving tonight, but the group visiting there and a few of us volunteers were more than happy to help put something together!

While doing that and having random NYE conversations with one of the ladies outside it seemed like something was going on there tonight, especially since some of my family members SHOed up! I was asked to come inside for something and walked in to see cake and cards set up in the serving kitchen! Once getting through the thank you's, the hugs, and some cake we started making plates with cake, sandwiches and bowls of potato soup.

We served the meal, had some conversations with a few more people inside, hung out with the awesome group staying there (Happy Birthday David!!) and of course the best volunteers anywhere!

It was definitely the perfect end to this project! Looking forward to going back tomorrow :)

Day 364

It was a quieter night at SafeHouse today, everyone's getting ready for the new year!

I spent some time talking to a gentleman about the winter shelter program - the rules, the program, and his thoughts on it. We then talked about how his job search is going, he's hoping that he'll have better luck after the holidays. Keeping my fingers crossed for him.

I also spent some time talking to a gentleman who wasn't feeling too well this evening. He's been feeling sick for a few days and today has been the worst! He told me about his day, he usually gets 3-4hrs of sleep a night, works a labor intensive job during the day, and is helping out at SafeHouse most nights. He doesn't eat much and is usually exhausted by the time he gets home.

I wish I could do more to help someone like him who's doing all the right things to get his life together to the point of exhaustion! For tonight all I could offer was a cup of hot soup, some green tea and some conversation. Hope he feels better soon.

Day 363

It was a fun night at SafeHouse this evening!

The group there today was amazing! They started by serving hot chocolate, then had a wonderful service, cooked some good food, and ended the night with smores around a bonfire!

I had some great food conversations, helped a gentleman figure out how old he is, did some cloud watching (and saw rainbows!), caught up with a gentleman I had not seen in a few months, and handed out shelter tickets at the end of the night.

Hoping for more conversations tomorrow :)

Day 362

There was no church serving at SafeHouse today, but some of the amazing staff there put together a meal that had everyone wanting seconds, thirds, and more! It was a simple meal: delicious soup, toasted bread, and fruit. The soup was the house favorite - I think it's a secret recipe!

We only had a few volunteers today too, so it was a busy night of getting everything into plates, bowls, and cups, serving, and of course having a lot of fun while we did all of that. I had a few minutes as we were serving to say hello to different people, and only had a few conversations before everyone came inside. So I'm definitely looking forward to an evening of conversations tomorrow :)

Kid and Hema - you guys are the best!! Thank you for coming with me tonight.

Day 361

It was a really really cold day in the city - thank goodness for the group serving there tonight! The doors were opened early to get people out of the cold, and the volunteers with the group made hot chocolate and served everyone while they were waiting for service to start. And they were making hot soup to serve with dinner!

I went inside and said my hellos to as many people as I could before it got crowded, conversation topics included weather, rainbows, leprechauns, and frogs! One gentleman spoke to me about doing good for others (even if it's just a friendly hello) no matter what kind of day he has had. He has a wonderfully positive attitude about everything and it's so refreshing to talk to him!

Since this has come up a few times :)
...the project will be over in a few days...all that means to me is that I won't have to write a blog at the end of the day. I still plan on volunteering about 3-4 days a week, primarily at SafeHouse but also Open Hand, Atlanta Community Food Bank, Global Soap, and Books for Africa, and then any other opportunities that interest me. This project has made a huge impact on my life, there's no turning back now!!

Day 360

The past few days have been emotionally draining but my night at SafeHouse was a welcome break from it all, filled with some good conversations and helping in the kitchen. I started off catching up with a gentleman I haven't seen for a few weeks. The last time I saw him he told me that he would be moving in to a winter shelter and would not need to come to SafeHouse for meals while he was there. But he stopped by today to socialise and it was great catching up with him.

The gentleman who lives under the bridge shared food stories with me :) We talked about fried chicken, butter milk and corn bread, and his all time favorite seasoning - Mrs. Dash lemon pepper seasoning. I'm definitely going to have to try this one out!

Before I left for the night I had a cathartic discussion (I think discussions can be cathartic, maybe). This gentleman talked with me about relationships in his life and the emotions that arise when some relationships end. We talked about making life altering decisions and how those decisions are clouded by emotions, as well as how sometimes it's better to wait and control the emotions before making a decision. We talked about trust and respecting yourself and the other person, because any relationship without those things will fall apart. He was talking specifically about his relationship but this is the basis of so many relationships.

As this project comes to an end, I'm once again reminded of how much this year has given me...

Day 359

SafeHouse hosted a Christmas Party this morning/afternoon for some wonderful families! I arrived at about 9am and helped get some of the basic setting up done. Before I knew it, it was time to get to the apartments to pick up families and bring them back to SafeHouse for lunch. After 3 trips we had everyone there enjoying some delicious food and waiting in excitement for their presents.

A LOT of volunteers were able to make it out (they're amazing!) so we had several people making plates, serving food and soda, interacting, cleaning up and just doing whatever was needed at any given moment. Santa also made a special appearance and the kids loved it! With his arrival, the gifts were handed out and all you could hear was laughter and excitement in the room!

The event was perfect! And it was a great way to start my day :)

Day 358

I made up for no conversations yesterday - this evening at SafeHouse was full of conversations!

I started off talking with the gentleman who lives under the bridge. Today's topic centered on animals - cats and kittens, possums, rats. It evolved into what animals eat and the claim that they eat anything, and right before I left that conversation it switched to cannibalism!

I then spent the remainder of my time there talking with the gentleman who always cleans up with me. I hadn't talked to him since I got back from vacation so we had a lot to catch up on. He has been going to the library regularly and is not happy about them being closed for the holidays! He had a lot of questions about my trip so we talked about what life is like over there, animals, the weather, and food. We also talked about the local shelter and all the news about it closing or not closing. I asked him about his thoughts on joining a program and, like many others have told me, he doesn't want to join a program because of the structure - he says it's a loss of freedom. He shared that he enjoys being out here learning about the world and being able to see different things.

That's one of the things I love about SafeHouse - they meet people where they are in life and provide whatever assistance they can for that specific person's needs. For this gentleman, it's a meal and service each night.

Day 357

It was sorting day at SafeHouse. After yesterday's nightmare of finding clothes I asked if I could take some time this evening to sort (somehow) through the piles of clothes in the back hallway.

I went through and sorted mens, womens, and kids clothes and tried to fold them up, as neatly as I could!

Once service was over we handed out as many clothes as we could, mainly jackets, sweaters, and blankets. It's really cold tonight so hopefully anyone sleeping outside will be a little warmer!

I had a few conversations, mainly about holiday plans, new year resolutions, and presents!

Now its family time in the city :)

Day 356

After battling thunderstorms from Columbus I made it to SafeHouse just in time for a rather busy night. Since it was pouring rain here as well, Lablanc thought it would be great if we could give anyone who needed it, a dry set of clothes. Of course I was on board with this so that's what we made happen tonight.

Thank goodness Dona and Luna were there! As I got people's sizes, the two of them dug through piles of clothes to find the right ones for each person. After service we handed them out to everyone and then helped anyone else who needed clothes/shoes. It was a relief to know that they were not going to have to sleep in clothes that were soaking wet!!

Before leaving for the night I had a chance to talk to the gentleman who used to be in the air force. He came by after service to get a cigarette and ended up telling me about his whole day and how it led up to the moment he came by SafeHouse. It was a fun conversation and he promised he'd come by tomorrow to tell me more stories - I'm looking forward to it :)

Day 355

Freerice competition is getting tense!! So I dedicated the evening to donating grains of rice (again). I dabbled in English vocabulary, French, flags, and the world map.

And ended with the most I've ever donated in one sitting - 10000grains of rice :)
This may be my last virtual opportunity for the year so it had to end on a high note!

10K!!

Day 354

I'm taking a break from freerice and instead went to Amnesty International to write letters for human right's issues:

The first one was an urgent action letter for a lawyer who was beaten when he demanded to see his client. On 17 August lawyer Dmytro Karpenko was detained and tortured by police in Cherkasy, Ukraine, after demanding to see a client. When he complained about his treatment, the police accused him of assaulting them. His trial is on 29 December. The letter was to ask that his charges be dropped and that there be an immediate investigation into the allegation that Dmytro Karpenko was tortured while in police custody.

The next one was a letter for Wa’el Khattab, a forty-four year old man who was arrested on 14 August during the ongoing popular protests in Syria. He has had no contact with his family since. He appears to have been subjected to an enforced disappearance by the Syrian authorities. I wrote to ask that his whereabouts be disclosed; that he be protected from torture and other ill-treatment, allowed access to his family and a lawyer of his choice and provided with all necessary medical care; and that he be released immediately and unconditionally if he is a prisoner of conscience held solely for peacefully exercising his rights to freedom of expression and assembly.

The last one was for Sarabi Seyunov, who has been held in pre-trial detention in Nalchik, Russian Federation, since November 2005, and has contracted tuberculosis (TB) allegedly due to his deliberate placement with a TB-positive inmate. His condition has rapidly deteriorated while he was being denied adequate treatment, and he can no longer attend his long-awaited trial. I wrote to ask for adequate medical care as well as a response to his requests for an independent medical examination, in accordance with the UN Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Imprisonment or Detention. I also asked for consideration of replacing detention with a different form of pre-trial restriction in view of his health condition as well as an investigation of all allegations of torture and other ill-treatment of Sarabi Seyunov and his co-defendants.

That's all for tonight! Happy giving!

Day 353

I spent another evening on freerice today (my competitive side is being challenged :) ). I donated 5660grains and as a group our company has donated 54510grains of rice.

Most of the group is able to use work time to spend some time on freerice so those numbers will be going up over the next week!

Giving is just that easy - would you/your company let staff use work hours for a good cause??

Day 352

Back on the road so I visited freerice.com and tested my English vocabulary till I got to 3000grains of rice.

Work has a freerice group set up and as of today we have donated 36530grains of rice! Feeling the competition so I might just dedicate this week to freerice! :)

Day 351

Hema, Lisa, and I went out to Brook Run Skate Park this afternoon in support of the Shred for Josh Benefit Concert. Josh was shot in the stomach while hanging with friends in downtown Atlanta in late November. He is currently in stable condition but was left with some pretty hefty medical bills. All proceeds from the contest are going directly to Josh to help him pay the bills. 



The weather was perfect for the event and there were A LOT of people out to support it. None of us had ever been to a skateboarding event so we were in awe as we watched the skateboarders! And I was constantly gasping when people fell off boards or balanced on edges that I know I don't have the balance for. We left before things got gnarlier!


It was a great event - thank you Clint and Brook Run Skate Park for having us!!

The ONLY girl in her age group!

He's 4years old!!!! And adorable!!

Day 350

Busy night at SafeHouse! I spent some time talking with the gentleman who used to be in the Air Force. He shared all kinds of informational tidbits. He is not always coherent and usually mutters to himself while collecting anything he sees on the floor. But this week he has been a little more focused, conversations are still very tangential and factual. He told me about sharks and dolphins, Nixon, helicopters and jets, and an Access card that he can use to get whatever he wants as long as he knows the PIN.

Once service started everyone went inside, so Cindi and I helped where ever needed: finding clothes for various people, serving soup, collecting garbage, handing out shelter tickets, and of course socialising as much as possible!

Day 349

SafeHouse didn't have service today but I was there early enough that I got to talk with the gentleman who lives under the bridge.

It was a conversation down memory lane. We started talking about cloudy days and how it can make people feel depressed. He told me how grateful he was for each day and that he hopes to live a long life. He shared that he had seen many family members pass away at an early age, and from there he shared many family stories. He told me about playing with his cousins, going out to underground in his teenage years, mum's home cooking, and skipping school. I loved listening to each of his stories and am so glad I got to talk with him today!

Now its game time @ the dome!!

Day 348

SafeHouse was, once again, the perfect place for me to go to this evening to "get away" for a while. I started off with helping one gentleman fill out an application to get his ID. He wasn't sure about some of his info - I'm hoping he will get the last few details so we can finish that up tomorrow. He shared that he would like to get his ID so he can start looking for a job, and possibly learn more about computers.

Helping him with that then turned into a conversation circle. Each of the guys showed off their cellphones, we talked about ID photos and how horrible they can turn out, my trip home, food and cultures, and then everyone's favorite sports/hobbies. As the evening went on there were a lot of hellos and checking in conversations. One gentleman shared that he has orientation tomorrow for his holiday job; another shared details on his upcoming move to Florida.

Cindi and I also helped find clothes for a gentleman who was in need of clean clothes. While he was eating we hung out with him. He is very talkative but usually keeps to himself so it was great to be able to have a conversation with him, even one that was very tangential!

Day 347

I made a quick stop at SafeHouse before heading to their last 11 for 11 fundraiser of the year. The lot was quieter than normal. I talked to the gentleman who lives under a certain bridge - he told me that it was warmer in the city today and that he spent the afternoon enjoying the sun and reading a book. We watched a couple of people play Frisbee, and we directed traffic on the lot!

About an hour later I headed over to Mood Lounge for tonight's fundraiser. Dona spent a lot of time putting this one together and making sure every detail was perfect (including her santa hat and mistletoe). The location was chic and I was pleasantly surprised.

The crowd was very different this time and I had a great time meeting all these new faces! There were lots of introductions, conversations, great appetizers and drinks, and of course lots of laughing!Dona kept up with making sure everyone was having a good time while I walked around collecting donations. Overall, it was the perfect ending to my day and we are so grateful to everyone who came out to show their support for all the amazing work SafeHouse does! THANK YOU!!