Volunteers – We Want to Hear From You

Volunteer Assembly Sat. Dec. 11, 2010

We would love to hear from any of our volunteers who went out on delivery this weekend, or from anyone who helped us in any capacity. But in many ways the most rewarding part of our work is the direct interaction we get with those individuals whose lives we touch. This weekend we spread out all around Los Angeles county, from downtown and Skid Row, to west L.A. and Santa Monica, and up to the San Fernando Valley, we met many people and I’m sure heard many stories. Who did you meet? What did you talk about?

Here’s my brief story:

I met two Vietnam veterans, an evicted couple, a woman in a wheel chair with only one leg, an elderly woman, and many others just happy to receive a little help. Not all who we approached, though, wanted help, but all of those who accepted our offer showed much gratitude.

The group in my car was able to pass out over a dozen kits in the area around the 405 between Santa Monica Blvd. and Ohio Ave. We found a woman named Camile who we gave a kit to who then told us about others in the area. We found 3 men living in a trailer in a parking lot, a second homeless couple, and several other people in that small area. Two of those who we gave kits to were ill, one gentleman had a type of gout in his foot which was taking most of his attention and another woman who probably had the flu, she was very appreciative of the kit and the blanket, she said she just wanted to rest. We also met Brian who had just been to service at Brentwood Presbyterian Church earlier that day and said that it must have been a sign that he was there and also that we had the same name – a sign that he was meant to be there to receive our kit. He inspired us to take a moment to say a prayer of gratitude together, so we put our hands together and expressed our appreciation to the universe for bringing us together -that was a first. I’d say overall I just enjoyed meeting these people and I had an amazing weekend and an eye opening experience to what other human beings have to live through. I look forward to the next time.

So, anybody who would like to talk about their weekend can just post a reply to this blog post, or if you are on Facebook you can post your comments on our Facebook Discussions page here: http://www.facebook.com/TheGivingSpirit

Hope you all had a great weekend,

-Brian Coe

Thank You to All Volunteers

Thank you everybody who came out Friday and Saturday to help TGS assemble and distribute bags to the homeless, with emphasis on homeless women, children, teens and families. It was a big success in that we were able to serve another 1,000 individuals, bringing the total number of homeless served by TGS to 11,000! It’s all because of the efforts of everybody coming together that we are able to spread a little friendship and hope.

If anybody would like to share their experiences of this weekend in a paragraph or two please go to our “Volunteers Stories” page here and tell us anything you’d like about your day reaching out to the homeless.

Again, thank you to everybody who donated their time this weekend!

We hope to see you again this December so we can help 1,000 more…

TGS Volunteer Stories Part 2

In getting prepared for our Reach Out Saturday Event I thought it would be good to share a few more stories from our volunteers from past events.

Don’t forget, that we are now asking volunteers to register for our event coming up this June 4th and 5th. All volunteers must register individually so that we can keep track of all people. Please follow the link to sign up: http://thegivingspiritreachoutsaturday2010.eventbrite.com/

We hope to see you there.

Volunteer Stories:

My children and I were a part of The Giving Spirit Christmas event in Brentwood. What started out as an evening helping some friends turned into three days of making new friends from all walks of life. We were touched by Tom, his family and friends who started The Giving Spirit with an idea and made it into a reality. Strangers from every corner of Los Angeles came together and worked in harmony for three long days to accomplish the same thing. To go and reach out to the homeless population without judgement was an eye opener. Each person we met had a story to tell. And we realized that this could happen to anyone. The following is a poem a homeless gentleman in Santa Monica wrote for my daughter when she handed him his bag.

Believe it or Not by Royce Hummer

I don’t have the season cheer this year-My soul has disappered. Wanted to write a Christmas poem, But all I’m getting is the same Renegade stuff-I truly believe there are superior Beings-I think we are in the final chapter. I won’t write about a jolly man in a red suit-I wish you could see the Real Sociality-Not very civilized. Nobody with much joy in their hearts, People who proclaim to bellieve in God than act Like the Devil. Greed and Power are tools of satan weather Jesus was born on this date or not-it does not matter it’s the thought behind the gift that counts-Nobody alive knows the true story of the world you must choose to believe or not.

Thank you Giving Spirit for sharing your visions with us. We look forward to next time.

Second volunteer story:

This is my first year and it won’t be my last. I came into this with skepticism and prejudments about the homeless. Whether some of these humans have done things that have caused them to be in this situation, they are still humans with regret, fear, and dispare.

One of the women that my boyfriend approached was very hostile and I figured it was because she did not know what he wanted. I told him to let me approach her. When she saw me and my son coming up with the bag, she realized that my boyfriend just wanted to show his kindness. I suspect men had approached her before with terrible suggestions. Her demeanor went from scared and mean to appreciation and the need to talk.

She had broken up with a boyfriend and her family was from the high desert, which she couldn’t reach. She was cold and immediately covered herself with the blanket. Since it was my first experience with approaching someone, I told her I just wanted to give her a gift and wished her a Merry Christmas then left. My boyfriend talked to her only a little because he felt compelled to follow me. I regret not spending more time with her but now know what to do next time.

A very enlightening weekend and one I will never forget. I loved seeing my children be a part of this as well. I was so proud to see them work so hard but did not complain. Even at a young age, they realized they were a part of something bigger than them. This is what the season is all about. Thank you Tom, Tim, and Gregg for bringing me into a wonderful experience that will forever be a part of my Christmas experience.

Third volunteer story:

Hi All, a belated follow up to an extraordinary day. My wife Kim and I participated December 14th by distributing 12 duffels and approximately
25 blankets to homeless friends that we found at the bluff park area above Santa Monica pier. I think a lot of the volunteers headed to 6th and Alameda that day but the homeless gentleman that was at the church assisting with loading the vehicles suggested we head down towards San Vincente and Ocean. We saw a few folks with duffels they had received the day before but had no problem finding others in need. The weather was due to turn crummy the next day so the blankets were well received and appreciated. One or two declined the offerings but most were excited and several enjoyed talking for a bit. Everyone has a unique name and story…Tom’s right, it is something less than six degrees. We met a gentleman in just his third week on the streets. He was out of work from the construction industry and seemed to be in pretty good physical shape. His main concern, ironically, was finding a safe place to sleep at night. He said he was relieved whenever he’s awaked during the night if it is a police officer. Another older gentleman that we had given a duffel to was smiling and chewing away when we passed by him a second time that day. To be sure it was a day that we will remember throughout the year. Thanks for the great present. We will stay in touch. Take care, Dave Ganoung and Kim Foster.

TGS Volunteer Stories

It is always uplifting to read the personal experiences of volunteers who have worked with TGS.  Please enjoy a couple of first-hand stories from our volunteers who helped us deliver needed supplies to the homeless. We encourage all volunteers to share their stories by leaving comments to any post. As we come closer to our June event we anticipate there will be many rewarding stories to share.

“My name is Julie Hartz and I am a teacher at Los Osos High School in Rancho Cucamonga, CA. A group of students and I organized a club at school which benefits this incredible organization. We attended the December event, our first-ever TGS event, and we all walked away better people who are more connected to the world around us. As a teacher and mother, it has been an incredible experience to not only watch my students work their tails off for a purpose bigger than themselves, but to see them touch and interact with those who will benefit as a result of their compassion and commitment. TGS is a hands-on community service opportunity for all students everywhere. My dream is to see TGS develop a chapter on every school campus across southern California. If you are a teacher, student, parent or administrator and would like information as to how we successfully developed TGS at our school, email me at tycam72@msn.com”

Here’s another volunteer:

“My 13 yr. old son and I had the most amazing experience at the Christmas event. We unloaded trucks, packed the bags and hit the streets. The first gentleman we approached who looked very much in need, turned us down and said there were others down the street who needed it more. This was a story we heard several times that day, along with guiding us to others in need “just down the block” or “sitting on the corner.” My son and I came away with the realization that not only are these folks just like us but many are kinder to those around them than some of our more affluent friends. A real eyeopener. The sad story however was a lovely lady who has been sitting on a bus bench at PCH and Sunset for over a month reading her Bible. We attempted to gift her with our bag and blanket and she refused us saying she was just waiting for her ride and couldn’t take all our stuff. That was her reality and how she survives on the street, she is still sitting there, wish we could have helped her.”

And another:

“Hi I’m Francine and I am a current student at Los Osos High School. I’ve always wanted to get out and go do something good for my community but I never knew how. The year, when my former spanish teacher, Mrs. Hartz, told me about The Giving Spirit I joined in a heartbeat. This is exactly how I wanted to give back to my community. I’ve grown up in an affluent community and I never thought about how serious the homeless situation was until I participated in the L.A. event in December. At first I was afraid and then I realized that the homeless are human beings, human beings just as much as you and me. It was depressing to realize that there were so many people with absolutely nothing and we weren’t even seeing the majority of them. Our day was long and demanding but totally worth it. One woman was so grateful for the duffel bag and blanket we gave her that she began to cry. The TGS event in L.A. was a life changing experience, I can’t even describe the feeling. I hope that more people join this cause. We are all so priviledged and I know we can all give something, even if its just a smile or a “hello.”