I had an amazing night at SafeHouse! I dropped off socks, caught up with some people, got some more letters written and got some promises of letters on my next visit.
Spent most of the night talking with one gentleman about the retreat I just got back from, mindfulness and meditation, nature and beautiful places. We also talked about services provided to people who are homeless, whether it be assistance with housing or getting a child into a school that works with them and their circumstance. There's one young boy in particular that I always see - he has been raised on the street and has not been in school. It's not too late to help turn his life around but there are so many barriers to cross in order to do that, including his family. So the cycle of homelessness, in this particular family, will likely continue. How do we make a difference? How do we, as a society, help?
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Monday, October 3, 2011
Day 276
I'm back from retreat, feeling completely relaxed, and hoping to be more mindful :)
Started off the week with a visit to SafeHouse. I started the evening in a long conversation with a gentleman who told me about his relationship with his fiance and with his son. We talked about friendship and love, and he talked about how difficult it is to define love. He also shared that he is getting closer to being able to go home, hopefully that works out for him!
I also saw a gentleman from my early days at SafeHouse - hadn't seen him since about April/May, so that was a pleasant surprise. He filled me in on how he has been doing and shared that he joined a three month program and that he has been focusing on school. We talked about burn out and keeping boundaries when working in a social science type field.
I also spent some time asking some of the guys to write letters to troops for the Bert Show's Big Thank You. Hoping to get a few more over the next two weeks.
A big thank you to everyone for covering while I was away!!
Started off the week with a visit to SafeHouse. I started the evening in a long conversation with a gentleman who told me about his relationship with his fiance and with his son. We talked about friendship and love, and he talked about how difficult it is to define love. He also shared that he is getting closer to being able to go home, hopefully that works out for him!
I also saw a gentleman from my early days at SafeHouse - hadn't seen him since about April/May, so that was a pleasant surprise. He filled me in on how he has been doing and shared that he joined a three month program and that he has been focusing on school. We talked about burn out and keeping boundaries when working in a social science type field.
I also spent some time asking some of the guys to write letters to troops for the Bert Show's Big Thank You. Hoping to get a few more over the next two weeks.
A big thank you to everyone for covering while I was away!!
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Day 275
Today is Chandni's last day out to town. She returns tomorrow - YAY!!! We have missed her so much!
We did another day of virtual volunteering today. Jiten and I played free rice through out our day, while watching football. Jiten donated a total of 4800 grains of rice while brushing up on some of math and english skills, while I donated 6500 grains of rice while playing math, english, french, and some chemistry.
A total of 11300 grains of rice in just a couple of hours!!
90 days to go.....
~ Hema
We did another day of virtual volunteering today. Jiten and I played free rice through out our day, while watching football. Jiten donated a total of 4800 grains of rice while brushing up on some of math and english skills, while I donated 6500 grains of rice while playing math, english, french, and some chemistry.
A total of 11300 grains of rice in just a couple of hours!!
90 days to go.....
~ Hema
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Day 274
A local radio station in Atlanta is doing a project called Bert Show's Big Thank You and we decided to participate. The radio station is trying to collect 400,000+ hand written letters of thanks so that every
single soldier stationed or deployed outside the United States can receive a letter of gratitude on Thanksgiving Day. Since the soldiers are away from family and friends during the holiday season, we hope that the letters we wrote will bring some holiday cheer to their faces. They are risking their lives everyday so that we can have an easier life back here in the US. If you would like to help and please visit http://thebertshow.com/the-bert-shows-big-thank-you/ for details. Lets help them reach their goal of 400,000 letters. :)
So today we planned on having all the kids over but due to having back to back soccer games. So we had to change up the plans.
It was just Shini and I who colored. We made a couple cards for the troops. It is an easy way to give back and to teach kids to give back. Although her friends couldn't make it they were looking forward to it. I told some of the parents to do it with their kids.
Hopefully next week we can get all the kids together to do the cards!
~ Giselle
single soldier stationed or deployed outside the United States can receive a letter of gratitude on Thanksgiving Day. Since the soldiers are away from family and friends during the holiday season, we hope that the letters we wrote will bring some holiday cheer to their faces. They are risking their lives everyday so that we can have an easier life back here in the US. If you would like to help and please visit http://thebertshow.com/the-bert-shows-big-thank-you/ for details. Lets help them reach their goal of 400,000 letters. :)
So today we planned on having all the kids over but due to having back to back soccer games. So we had to change up the plans.
It was just Shini and I who colored. We made a couple cards for the troops. It is an easy way to give back and to teach kids to give back. Although her friends couldn't make it they were looking forward to it. I told some of the parents to do it with their kids.
Hopefully next week we can get all the kids together to do the cards!
~ Giselle
Friday, September 30, 2011
Day 273
Chandni is still out of town so this evening so Jiten, Kalpesh, and I went to SafeHouse. Jiten and Kalpesh got there a little earlier than me as I was stuck in traffic.
As I arrived to SafeHouse, most of the crowd was making their way inside. We stayed behind and started by helping putting away the chairs. Then we started chatting away one of the regulars. Our conversation started out by us talking to him about his current job. Then we talked about flying kites, and most importantly, Football. We discussed our favorite teams and the teams that we love to hate.
We ended the evening by watching a group of guys play a friendly game of basketball. They guys were really enjoying themselves and we were having a great time watching them and cheering them on. I have to say, some of those guys really have some skills on the court. :)
Tonight is going to be a very chilly night in Atlanta. So before we left, we handed out a few sweaters that we had brought along. They are really going to go a long way this weekend, since we are expecting a cold weekend. Hopefully everyone will be able to find a way to stay warm.
I am so glad that we could fill in for Chandni tonight at SafeHouse. We had a great time and look forward to going back soon.
~ Hema
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Day 272
Today I went to Books for Africa. There was a very small group of volunteers there today and we were all busy doing our part with little conversation about college and looking for a job. I packed science books today. Got through an entire pallet of books in the two hours I was there. It was a hot and tiring day today, but I was glad to be able to do my part and in those two hours I packed almost a 1000 books!
Chandni is away at a retreat and has also been able to give while there. Here is what she's been up to:
"So I'm at a mindfulness retreat for a few days and it has been an amazing experience so far. While here we each are assigned a way of giving back to our community here at the monastery by helping with different tasks. We can help with meals, cleaning the kitchen, cleaning the grounds, washing dishes, taking out the trash, or setting up chairs for different events. My groups assignment is to take out the trash after each meal. So even though I'm not able to give in the ways I've done all year, this small giving task is my way of giving back while here at the retreat. There's always an opportunity. We just have to be willing to do it :)".
Chandni is away at a retreat and has also been able to give while there. Here is what she's been up to:
"So I'm at a mindfulness retreat for a few days and it has been an amazing experience so far. While here we each are assigned a way of giving back to our community here at the monastery by helping with different tasks. We can help with meals, cleaning the kitchen, cleaning the grounds, washing dishes, taking out the trash, or setting up chairs for different events. My groups assignment is to take out the trash after each meal. So even though I'm not able to give in the ways I've done all year, this small giving task is my way of giving back while here at the retreat. There's always an opportunity. We just have to be willing to do it :)".
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Day 271
Since Chandni is out of town for the rest of the week, we all are pulling together to help out on whichever days we can. Today was covered by Giselle. She went to American Cancer Society Hope Lodge, a place which offers cancer patients and their caregivers a free, temporary place to stay. Here's how it went:
Okay so today was my first volunteering day there. I met Kayla and Eli. We helped check out two of the cancer patients. One of the ladies was going home 6 hrs away past Macon. The other gentleman was there for six weeks and finishes his treatment tomorrow. He graduates tomorrow and plans to move to Atlanta. He expressed how much the Hope Lodge had become his home through his treatments. He said he would miss it and would be back for the reunion in April.
I put up a weekly calendar of dinners and lunches that were being donated this week by Georgia power. They really have a need for people sponsoring dinners and donations there.
They were also having a Hope Lodge fundraiser where they were selling items kind of like a yard sale and raising money for the old wing to be remodeled. They have raised a little over $1,500.00 and still have to reach $3,000. Last year they raised $2,500 and hope to reach that.
The lodge is like a family. Barbara and Kimberly, the staff on site, knew everyone. They said next week Joe is graduating and, "to have your tears ready." She said everyone had given up on him but himself and now he is graduating which means he is done with his treatments. I hope to be there next week and be able to take pictures of this occasion.
Again, none of this would have come about without my grand father. When I came to Dona about doing my Hope Lodge Fundraiser, I felt so selfish. Only because my grandfather had cancer and stayed at the Hope Lodge. I wanted to give back. I look back now and think if this wouldn't have happened then I wouldn't be helping the future guests at the Hope Lodge. You have to start some where.
Okay so today was my first volunteering day there. I met Kayla and Eli. We helped check out two of the cancer patients. One of the ladies was going home 6 hrs away past Macon. The other gentleman was there for six weeks and finishes his treatment tomorrow. He graduates tomorrow and plans to move to Atlanta. He expressed how much the Hope Lodge had become his home through his treatments. He said he would miss it and would be back for the reunion in April.
I put up a weekly calendar of dinners and lunches that were being donated this week by Georgia power. They really have a need for people sponsoring dinners and donations there.
They were also having a Hope Lodge fundraiser where they were selling items kind of like a yard sale and raising money for the old wing to be remodeled. They have raised a little over $1,500.00 and still have to reach $3,000. Last year they raised $2,500 and hope to reach that.
The lodge is like a family. Barbara and Kimberly, the staff on site, knew everyone. They said next week Joe is graduating and, "to have your tears ready." She said everyone had given up on him but himself and now he is graduating which means he is done with his treatments. I hope to be there next week and be able to take pictures of this occasion.
Again, none of this would have come about without my grand father. When I came to Dona about doing my Hope Lodge Fundraiser, I felt so selfish. Only because my grandfather had cancer and stayed at the Hope Lodge. I wanted to give back. I look back now and think if this wouldn't have happened then I wouldn't be helping the future guests at the Hope Lodge. You have to start some where.
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