Cookies for troops

I bought Girls Scout cookies and sent them to the troops today.

For some reason it reminded me of this blog.
So long since i've posted.

But I always do try to change the world every day.

Help Boliva

I spent most of tonight thinking of ways of fundraising for Help Bolivia.  That's my sister and her husband's new non-profit.  Please consider being a monthly donor, they could really use the help their first year.

Kiva

Made 6 kiva loans today, to new agencies

Housed a homeless person

Today I invited one of the clients from the Shower of Hope and her dog to come live with me.  Last week she had black eyes and a split lip and she needs to get off the street.
I have a friend/ex-employee staying here also stitching Halloween orders for me. She's unemployed and living in her van.
 And with the girl I brought in last year, that makes 3 I'm providing homes for.  But only 2 will stay for a while.

Shower of Hope - Steven the CPA

Today at The Shower of Hope I met Steven. He approached us with a look I am becoming familiar with, apprehension, need, disbelief, and a bit of shame. He had one of our flyers in his hand, so I welcomed him. He told me he had just become homeless a few days ago. And he hadn't eaten in 2 days. He hadn't showed in a while and had no clothes to change into. He had worked as a CPA for over 20 years at a place within walking distance. His family was all killed in a car accident by a drunk driver and, as he said, he just 'checked out' for a while and lost it all. He cried a bit. And he got Hope at the shower. He got kindness and clothing and food and toiletries and hugs and a shower. It put a noticeable spring in his step. #Hope

Shower of Hope. Helping the homeless with a mobile shower.

Helped 34 clients at The Shower of Hope today. There were a few new people. A married couple came by who have been living in their car. I think one lost a job and they couldn't afford the rent on only one salary. They still had a bit of the 'I can't believe this has happened to me and I have to accept charity' look in their eyes. They really enjoyed their showers and they both got haircuts.

Kiva loan to Farmline

Made a kiva loan to Farmline.  Farmerline is a global social enterprise using mobile technology to connect farmers to information and vital services that increase profit. ​ Through Farmerline’s 399 service, farmers are able to dial the USSD code “399” on a mobile phone in Ghana and are presented with options to access affordable, genuine inputs, financial literacy education, weather forecasts, as well as weekly updates on market prices, all in their local languages. Farmerline is presented with viable data which is used to connect the farmer to the nearest Famerline in-field workshop, community agent, or distributor. At this point the farmer has the option to obtain the input through a layaway wallet program or input credit scheme. As a result, Farmerline is able to provide the high quality inputs that farmers need to protect their crops and the resources to purchase other services to support their livelihood. Watch and learn how Farmerline's 399 Service is impacting farmers

Shower of Hope

I volunteer each week at the Shower of Hope, a mobile shower for the homeless.

Today at The Shower of Hope I met Eric. It was his first time at the shower. He just became homeless a month ago. He left an abusive relationship of 7 years. His ex was also his business partner so he lost his job too. His family won't help him because he's gay. He has his stuff stored at a friends parent's place and he is trying not to overburden his friends by couch surfing. He has a degree from UC Santa Barbara and good job experience. He doesn't expect to be homeless long. He said several times that he never, ever thought he would end up where he was. I hear that a lot. Most people don't plan to be homeless.

Eric had the first shower he had in days and a very stylish haircut, a wonderful lunch (including a salad donated by Trader Joes), and he got to spend a few hours in a space with people he could talk to.

Kiva loan for a modern sewing machine

https://www.kiva.org/lend/1506856

Kurbonoy is really grateful to Kiva lenders for their support and understanding. Only thanks to your support, she could realize her plans and continue her animal husbandry business. It helped her improve her family's financial situation and solve her problems.

Kurbonoy always seeks to advance in life and doesn't want to be complacent about the achieved. Currently she is planning to start an additional business. She learnt how to sew and decided to provide seamstress services. However, to implement her plans she needs your assistance once again. She will use the amount of the provided loan to buy a new sewing machine and will start her new business.

Gold and Drum Bugle Corp

Made a donation to a friends gold and drum bugle corp. Not real sure what it is but he likes it and it makes his world a better place.

Shower of Hope

Was at the Shower of Hope today - 29 showers, 9 hair cuts.

I was speaking to a client for a bit and he said 'wow, for a moment I forgot I was homeless'.

Shower of Hope

I helped out at Shower of Hope today.  29 showers, 10 hair cuts. 

Today I met a 22 year old girl Lauren who has just hit the streets 3 days before. She left an abusive relationship and didn't want to go home to an abusive mother. She was contemplating suicide. Luckily she found Maria who has taken her in. Maria is in her late 60s and I've known her for a while, she's very funny and we've spent hours in conversation. Maria lives with her boyfriend in a tent in a homeless camp. She said the men have already been sniffing around Lauren and Maria said she had to have her sleep in her tent her while the boyfriend stood guard last night. 
The wait for a place in a shelter is long. It's improbable she will survive unscathed. #SheDoes deserve safety and protection.

She Does Matter - homeless women in LA

Spent the night sleeping in a tent on the sidewalk outside city hall of Los Angeles. "camping out in solidarity with the thousands of homeless women who are forced to sleep outside due to the severe lack of shelters in Los Angeles. We are demanding that Mayor Garcetti and the City Council of LA appropriate $20 million in the discretionary budget towards sheltering 1000 women by August 2018. We must have this action as the City budget will be voted on Friady, April 20th, 2018. We are also demanding that the Mayor and City Council promise to take immediate action to secure a minimum of 8 separate locations to accommodate shelters for 1000 women."

She does matter. All women do. And we need to get them off the streets.

Shower of Hope - Shower for the homeless

Helped out today at a mobile shower - Shower of Hope.  We helped 27 people have showers and 7 got haircuts. 

Showers for the homeless

Helped out today at a mobile shower - Shower of Hope.   We are in a #SheDoes movement to get at least 1000 new shelters for women by august.  Tired of seeing women abused on the streets.

Groceries

Just sent a friend $145 worth of groceries.  She has 5 kids, 4 still at home in high school, and she can't work. She got injured last year and is in a wheel chair.
  She's been posting pictures of things she's selling to pay the bills this month, her camping stuff (that's how I know her, we do a reenactment together).  And she just posted a request for people's grocery coupons - the new monopoly game. She posted her address.  So I sent her groceries.  Not sure if she will be able to tell they are from me. 
   Her kids are all doing very well in school and her parents are helping so I"m hoping she won't end up on the street.

Shower of Hope

Helped out at a mobile shower for the homeless.  It's a 4 shower unit that moves. On Friday night it's in Highland park in the parking lot of a church that allows people to sleep in the pews.
Shower of Hope

Shower of hope - mobile shower for homeless

Helped out today at a mobile shower - Shower of Hope.  Incredible experience.  The group is the Monday Night Missions  that feed people on Skid row. I've joined a few times, the group is non-religious, not official, just a bunch of caring people who want to see people have basics in life, like food.  And now showers. This mobile shower is new and there are now several of them and more coming. Totally changes someone's perspective when they can have a shower.

Kiva for chocolate bars

Kiva loan .

Pacari, started by Carla Barbotó and Santiago Peralta  created Ecuador’s first locally manufactured, premium chocolate bar. Pacari aims to benefit both consumers and producers. Pacari works directly with its cocoa growers to ensure farmers are trained and can deliver high quality cocoa. Pacari’s chocolate is 100% organic, soy free, gluten free, and dairy free. Pacari pays farmers for quality, offering roughly 2x the market price for their cocoa beans. Pacari currently works with 3,500 farmers, for cocao and other ingredients such as golden berries, Andean blueberries, salt, chile, and guayusa.

Loan use

The loan will be used to buy cocao from a new association of 30 small scale farmers with 90 hectares land. Pacari will purchase 660 quintals of cocao which will generate an approximate revenue of USD 105k for the association.

Kiva loan

Kiva loan to Indonesia

The featured borrower, Suyitno, is a 46-year-old corn farmer who lives in Lampung, Indonesia. He is married and has four children. He also has other small businesses that he manages like a kiosk and selling cattle.

He is asking for a loan through Vasham to support his corn farm, allowing him to purchase needed seeds and fertilizers that will boost his crop’s yield for the upcoming season. He has farmed with Vasham since 2016. Before that, he found it difficult to find someone that would allow him to borrow money for a loan.

Suyitno has been a farmer for two years. In the future he hopes to expand his land.

In this group: Suyitno, Witdiyanto