Friday, April 03, 2009

chocolate bunnies and grant proposals.

I have been really busy working on a few grant proposals for the new stimulus package -the National Institute of Health was given money to help scientists with research. That's my real job - trying to find genes for diseases. Its expensive so I write a lot of grant proposals.

The other day I gave a chocolate bunny to a homeless person. I had run down to the drug store to pick up a prescription for a housemate that gets home after the store closes, and decided to reward myself with a chocolate bunny. I saw the homeless man outside, and bought him one. He was a bit surprised when I gave it to him and wished him a Happy Easter. I also gave him a $20 bill, so he wouldn't feel he was given chocolate when needed food. I realize he probably spent the money on booze. I also realize that I would probably be a drunk if I lived on the streets too. I try to make sure most of the funds I have to help homelessness goes directly to programs that help get people off the street, but its hard to not help the people I see.

If I get my research funded I will be able to find genes for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and help some of the homeless or at least stop so many vets from hitting the streets.

1 comment:

TheLadyPaintr said...

Thank you for writing about this beautiful gesture of helping the homeless in the moment. I realize we need to collectively and financially come up with bigger solutions for this epidemic, but sometimes it's ok to just do what we can now, at this moment in our lives. Who knows, the gesture may have any wide range of possible positive effects on his life. He may have spent it on alcohol. Yet you may have been the only person who loved him that day, and that was all he needed to go on another day. Or maybe the Easter gift may have satisfied some inner need that was neglected when he was a child.
I ALWAYS give something when I see a homeless person.
I feel strongly that they are people sometimes with huge unrealized potential, at that day the only thing separating me from them, is a home to go back to.
Signed, TheLadyPaintr Laura Schrader