Kudos to the Non-profit Organizations and Volunteers Who Fight the Fight… to alleviate hunger, poverty and homelessness

Posted on September 7, 2013 by heatherfromthegrove

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”

I have always viewed volunteer workers and non-profit organizations – such as (but not limited to) The World Food Programme, Feeding America and Action Against Hunger/Action Contre La Faim – with deep and profound respect.

It is a difficult and thankless job.

Ahhh, but many of these dedicated men and women don’t view it as a “job”… nor do they expect a pat on the back, let alone an actual “Thank You.”

Imagine, for a moment, what it must feel like to see hardship, hunger, poverty and sickness… day in and day out. Yet, these volunteers press on… hoping, no, praying that they are somehow making a difference, making a dent in this world epidemic that is Hunger.

Imagine what it must feel like to try to recruit people to help… to contribute their time and yes, their money, to a problem that – like it or not – affects us all. So many people (too many) prefer to turn a blind eye. Until it happens to them. And for those raising their eyebrow: it can happen to them. And to you. And to me. It is never wise to be complacent. As we’ve seen with disasters like Hurricanes Sandy and Katrina, it can happen in a flash. Here today, gone tomorrow.

So today marks the last day of my 3½-week Help Fight Hunger book promotion.

To say that I am “disappointed” is a huge understatement, but it will not deter me from continuing to contribute my time and writing to helping others, to raise awareness on important issues that ultimately affect us all, and to hope that someone – anyone – will listen and perhaps even join the effort to help those who need our help.

I’d like to take a moment to thank the family members, friends, and colleagues who have been kindly “spreading the word” on behalf of my Help Fight Hunger campaign. Most importantly, I’d like to express my deep love and gratitude to my husband for putting up with all the intensity.

I hope that I’ve provided you with some informative, thought-provoking blogs on a subject that is discomfiting, but nevertheless very current and critical.

Thanks for reading.

― Heather

Image (t the very top) via erikarachel.com.

Want a dose of wisdom? Talk to a taxi driver.

Posted on September 5, 2013 by heatherfromthegrove

Over the years, I’ve had some highly entertaining and very informative conversations with taxi drivers. If you ever want a spot-on gage (or gauge) of current socio-economic issues and seer-like accurate predictions of future events, speak to a taxi driver. These guys (although there are female cab drivers, it is still a male-dominated field of work) will always tell it like it is, without frills or any long-winded speeches.

In an election year, forget what the polls say. Ask a cabbie, and he’ll tell you who will win. He will usually be right.

Want to know how bad (or good) the economy really is? Speak to a taxi driver. He will filter out all the marketing rhetoric that the political pundits are espousing. He will refute many economists (particularly the ones who back up the politicians) as they predict current and future economic trends.

Taxi driver wisdom is not unique to the United States. Take a cab in any city or suburb in Canada, in Europe, or indeed anywhere in the world… and you will be a captive audience of one – a student in the University of Reality.

Before you laugh and shake your head in disbelief, I tell you that what I say is true. I’ve “attended” many such “class lectures” – from Dublin and London to Paris and Berlin, from Vancouver (British Columbia) to Charlottetown (Prince Edward Island), and in at least 35 states right here, in America.

I will tell you the latest “word on the street.” Recently, I phoned my favorite taxi driver (Martin), to wish him a happy birthday (he and I were born in the same year). I’ve known Martin for 15 years and he has become a dear friend. After all the birthday wishes and catching up on each other’s news, I asked him the million-dollar question:

“So what do you think, Martin… are we in an economic recovery… as we’ve been told?”

He laughed mirthlessly and said:

“Are you kidding me? Maybe the country club folks think that this is a recovery. They are not feeling the pinch. The middle class is. People are still struggling to make ends meet. Even my regular corporate customers are traveling minimally, taking no more than one or two business trips each quarter.”

I asked one last question:

“Is there an economic recovery in sight, perhaps in 2014?”

With a sigh, he said:

“Yes, probably towards the middle or end of 2014…. but it won’t be the recovery that we’ve all been praying for. It will be a weak recovery. But, at least it will be a little better than it is now.”

From your lips to God’s ears, Martin.

So, there you have it. Taxi driver wisdom.

We’ll see how everything pans out.

From Aug 14-Sept 7, purchase a copy of Casualties of the (Recession) Depression, and for every $20 book purchased directly from me, through my website, I will be donating $5 from the proceeds of each book sale to either: Feeding America (US), Action Against Hunger (Canada), or The World Food Programme (Global). The purchaser chooses one of the three. As I’ve stated before and clearly state on my website, this promotion does not apply to books purchased from third party distributors, such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

A Coffee Shop is Not Just a Coffee Shop

Posted on September 4, 2013 by heatherfromthegrove

In cities across America, coffee shops have become a mecca for professionals to gather in one place and share experiences, intel, advice and networking opportunities. Most of those guys and gals sitting at the corner table, intently working on their computer while nursing a cup of coffee for three+ hours… are educated people just trying to do their work or drum up some lucrative business in an economic market that has been challenging at best. The real estate development folks refer to these coffee shops as “third places,” an extension to one’s living room.

It’s true, a coffee shop is not just a coffee shop anymore. Many an interesting character can be seen frequenting these “offices” … a lot of wisdom, gathered in one room.

Coffee Shop Jive

“It took him only fifteen minutes to walk to the coffee shop. It was hot and humid, but he was used to it. The Panama hat that he wore shielded him from the sun, which was a good thing. He opened the door and was greeted by a blast of frosty air. “The staff always keeps the air conditioning on way too high,” he muttered to himself. His favorite seat by the window was thankfully empty, so he strode over and placed his computer bag down.

Looking around, he noticed all the regulars. There were students, architects, retailers, some mellow reggae musicians, a poet and a few homeless veterans who had a lot of interesting stories to tell. Everyone usually stayed there for at least three or four hours, nursing their one cup of coffee and nibbling on a pastry. Money was still very tight for most people. The coffee shop was over-priced, but the customers enjoyed the music. The ambiance was nice.

He remarked to himself that he hadn’t seen some of his old buddies and colleagues for a long, long time. 2013 sure looked and felt a hell of a lot different from 2006. A lifetime ago. Back then, they were all starting to feel the pinch of a tanking economy. One by one, his friends dropped out of the consulting scene. A few went bankrupt. Some divorced. Others had left the state and even the country. A few had died. There were several guys who seemed to have fallen off the face of the earth. He decided to check his LinkedIn, to see if they had made any status updates.

He fired up his computer and, after an annoying few minutes, was able to sign on to his LinkedIn. “The Wi-Fi is really slow in this coffee shop,” he mumbled. He clicked on some of his connections and what he read made him throw his head back and laugh out loud. One of his engineering friends wrote, under “Current Job:” … “Something Entirely Different.”

As he scrolled down, he noticed that most of them were doing something entirely different. And he was no exception. That’s the nature of the beast. When the economy tanks and stays tanked for such a long time, you either sink or swim. You hope for the best, but plan for the worst. It’s called Plan B. The interesting thing is that sometimes “Plan B” turns out to be the best thing that ever happened to you.

He started moving his leg to the music. It was an old reggae song by Frighty & Colonel Mite. The title, Life (Is What You Make It).”

(PS: Seriously, this was truly the actual song that was playing!)

Image (at very top) via visagemobile.com.

Perseverance and Hope

Posted on September 2, 2013 by heatherfromthegrove

“Only in the darkness can you see the stars.”
― Martin Luther King, Jr.

Since launching this Help Fight Hunger book promotion, I have been posting blogs in an effort to raise awareness on the hunger crisis that is not only afflicting the very poor, but also the middle class ― a class that is steadily descending below the poverty line, as a direct consequence of this serious, prolonged economic downturn. I’ve illustrated how this crisis has no geographic boundaries. Its force and devastation is reaching communities around the world. I’ve shown you statistics, possible solutions, and highlighted some of the wonderful work and philanthropic efforts that individuals, communities, and non-profit organizations have been doing to help alleviate hunger. I’ve also posted some excerpts from my book, Casualties of the (Recession) Depression, to give you a snapshot in words of some of the challenges that people face. The vignettes are not fiction. They are real stories, featuring real people.

I am sad to report that my Help Fight Hunger book promotion has been a dismal failure thus far. Not one direct sale.

That said, I will continue the effort.

In this last week of my book promotion, my posts will focus on a powerful force which provides essential spiritual “fuel” to many of these men and women: Hope.

Hope is that source of renewable energy which helps us to wake up each morning, ready to face and battle the daunting challenges head-on.

I don’t know how many times I’ve said this, but I’ll say it again and again: There is always hope.

This, I know for sure.

Tomorrow’s post: “Plan B.”

From Aug 14-Sept 7, purchase a copy of Casualties of the (Recession) Depression, and for every $20 book purchased directly from me, through my website, I will be donating $5 from the proceeds of each book sale to either: Feeding America (US), Action Against Hunger (Canada), or The World Food Programme (Global). The purchaser chooses one of the three. As I’ve stated before and clearly state on my website, this promotion does not apply to books purchased from third-party distributors, such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

Righting a wrong

Posted on September 1, 2013 by heatherfromthegrove

“He looked at the piles of food again, and it was like he was seeing it with new eyes. “This is wrong”, he thought, “Letting food rot while people die of hunger. It’s evil.”….
He breathed in the too-sweet smell of rotting food, “I can stop this evil.”

― Margaret Peterson Haddix, Among the Enemy

Image via tillhecomes.org.

Because I can. More importantly, because I want to

Posted on August 31, 2013 by heatherfromthegrove

“I’m not doing my philanthropic work, out of any kind of guilt, or any need to create good public relations. I’m doing it because I can afford to do it, and I believe in it.”

— George Soros

Photo by dekalegitarist.

The Kindness of Strangers

Posted on August 28, 2013 by heatherfromthegrove

“She walked briskly out of the supermarket. The aisles of food and the smell of fresh fruit and vegetables had made her light-headed. She had spent two dollars on a dozen eggs and some bread and only had ten dollars left in her purse – in quarters. She passed by a man who was standing near a bench by the store entrance. He was tall, thin, about thirty-something, dressed in clean jeans and a t-shirt, and was African American. He was asking people for money to buy some food. She glanced at him, mumbled “Sorry, I can’t” and continued walking.

Then, something in her sub-conscious made her stop and turn around. He was sitting on the bench, his head in his hands. She noticed something that she recognized only too well. Despair. She reached into her purse and counted five dollars worth of quarters (half of what she had left to last her for the next two weeks) and she walked back to the man and said “Excuse me sir, but here is five dollars in quarters. I hope this will help tide you over.” He looked at her. She could hear the intake of his breath. His eyes were clear and intelligent. He stood up and thanked her, very earnestly and with respect. Their eyes met and he understood. They were the same.”

― from the vignette “The Kindness of Strangers” – pp. 52-53 of Casualties of the (Recession) Depression, by Heather Joan Marinos

(Copyright © 2013 by Heather Joan Marinos – All Rights Reserved)

From Aug 14-Sept 7, purchase a copy of Casualties of the (Recession) Depression, and for every $20 book purchased directly from my website, I will be donating $5 from the proceeds of each book sale to either: Feeding America (US), Action Against Hunger (Canada), or The World Food Programme (Global). The purchaser chooses one of the three.

Image (of hands) via dosomething.org.

Hunger up north

Posted on August 27, 2013 by heatherfromthegrove

“Reducing household food insecurity, and the poverty that underlies it, is a win-win situation. It is a win for people facing low income, and for Canada as a whole. One does not need to look far to find many libraries worth of evidence that poverty is a key negative influence on health. Reducing low income leads to better health, which leads to higher levels of economic participation and lower costs related to health care and social services.”

— Food Banks Canada, Hunger Count 2012

Here is the hunger news from our northern neighbors, and my “Home and Native Land” …

The Numbers:

According to Food Banks Canada:

each month, 882,188 Canadians need to rely on food banks to feed their families
31% more Canadians rely on food banks now, than before the recession
over one third are children and teens
14% of the elderly Canadian population who live alone, are impoverished
3.2 million Canadians live in poverty

The Solutions:

Food Banks Canada recommends some small policy changes that will help rectify some of the root causes of hunger and poverty:

make housing more affordable, and therefore more attainable
increase social investment in Northern Ontario
make pensions more adequate for the seniors who are impoverished, and who are experiencing food insecurity, as well as health issues
invest in good quality, support-intensive social assistance programs
address the issue of the decline in well-paying jobs

For more solutions, itemized in the Say No To Hunger campaign petition(sponsored by Food Banks Canada), go to:

http://www.saynotohunger.ca/SayNoToHunger/Our-Solution.aspx

Canadians, you may want to consider signing the petition!

A tribute to the unsung heroes who help others

Posted on August 26, 2013 by heatherfromthegrove

“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then just feed one.”

— Mother Teresa

They don’t have the power of money or celebrity to back them up. Nor do they receive any payment or compensation for what they do. Self-gratification is not their ulterior motive.

They are simply ordinary people who do extraordinary things… to help others − for no other reason than love and respect for humanity.

These are the people who…

… save their leftover food from their restaurant meal, so they may give it to the person standing outside… that hungry person who’s seen better times but who, for one reason or another, finds himself down and out.

… volunteer their time to work in community outreach programs.

… make daily visits to elderly neighbors who live alone, just to make sure that they are okay and to give them a little caregiving and companionship.

… regularly help out at the food banks and missions.

… notice that an exhausted single mother, trying to do it all, may need a little assistance with carpooling, babysitting, or a few ready-made meals that she can freeze and reheat later.

… sense that a friend may be going through hard times, and invite him/her over for dinner each week.

… teach their children kindness and empathy towards others.

The list is endless.

These are the people who, although not labeled as “activists”, are quietly making a difference in the lives of others.

One person at a time.

Image (of hands) via mysuccessprinciples.com.

The value of altruism

Posted on August 25, 2013 by heatherfromthegrove

“I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the community. And as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. Life is no brief candle to me; it is a sort of splendid torch, which I have got hold of for a short moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to the future generations.”

− George Bernard Shaw

Image via faithkitchen.org.

heatherfromthegrove

a writer's musings…

Category Archives: visionaries, philanthropists & sheer brilliance