The Helpers
Today I put out a call to help local homeless kids. Within minutes I was connected with several people looking to help. Some people who come through every time I organize a project and other individuals I’ve never met. Several of these people have started their own nonprofits. One woman is supplying us with 17 purses full of items for our homeless teens. I’ve never met this woman. . Then one of my lifelong friends moved mountains so that our nonprofit could accept thousands of dollars (26 pallets) of donated new items for Camp Fire survivors. I met a complete stranger out at the delivery site and we took inventory. We spoke about where the items will go, and how he will make sure they get there. He’s been running truckloads of supplies to survivors for months through a nonprofit he started, and a big-ass truck he procured. . I’ve also been coordinating other projects all day with several people I’ve met because of their volunteer efforts. One woman from Petaluma has spent her weekends up in Butte County since January, running propane to those who would be cold/hot or without a way to cook if she didn’t bring them help. One man showed up at the shelters after the fires and started asking how he could help, he hasn’t stopped since. One woman started a nonprofit dedicated to kindness. Another woman is saving us thousands of dollars by negotiating us bulk discounts on our Welcome Home Kit items. These are all people I interacted with just today. . I started my nonprofit, and my community projects years before, because the world had started to get really ugly. I was tired of all the negativity, so I began creating positive things. The greatest, and most unexpected, reward of all of this has been the connections I’ve made with kind souls. There are so many of them. I meet more every day. . People who are making the world less ugly with their actions, their work, their creation of nonprofits and movements. The people who are willing to SHOW UP, in whatever way they are able, when it matters. . The man I met today was talking about his volunteer work after a hurricane. He said, “I just had to go.” . And I totally get it. . The world is full of so much good. Do yourself a favor and spend some time looking for it. Spend even more time creating it. . www.throwingstarfish.org
