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Day 34 – Aminta

Posted in Savings, tagged , , , , , on January 17, 2010| 4 Comments »

Today was one of those days that I waited until the end of the day to give away my $10.  I got home from my theatre rehearsal and headed out around 10:15pm to find someone.

I saw many people, but didn’t feel compelled to give anyone the money.  I don’t know why.  I am often asked to explain how I pick people.  There is really no secret formula.  It is more spontaneous than thought-out.  Some people think that I only look for homeless individuals.  That is not the case.  In fact, I think it is just as interesting to learn what someone who makes a six-figure salary is going to do with the money as it is someone who is homeless.  Granted, I feel better about giving the money when I know that it gets used for something that has value to someone else. 

Tonight I found Aminta sitting alone on a bench at a bus stop waiting for the D6 bus.  She was eating a slice of pizza from a big slice pizza joint.  I felt bad interrupting her, but I figured if she had time to eat a slice of pizza she probably had time to chat with me for a few minutes.  I explained what I was doing to the 27-year-old and she accepted my $10.  Usually the people I approach, especially late at night, appear a bit nervous or uncomfortable but she was very calm and relaxed. 

Originally from Puerto Rico, Aminta works at Target and has been in DC for about three months.  Her mother, who was living here in DC, got the swine flu and she moved her to take care of her.  In a weird twist of events, she arrived here on her two-year wedding anniversary and ended up separating from her husband on precisely that day.  “We are still great friends,” she told me.

I asked her what she planned to do with the $10.  She said, “I am going to save it for one year and then we can get together and figure out what to do with it then.”  Interesting answer.  I scribble my John Hancock on the bill and date it in some attempt to mark the bill as the one that I gave her. 

I see the D6 pulling up and tell her that I think her bus has arrived.  She gathers her things, accidentally dropping her to go box of pizza on the ground.  Thankfully, the pizza stayed inside the box.  We shook hands and went our separate ways into the night.

It would be interesting to meet up with the recipients at the end of the year.  Maybe we can throw a little party or something?  Would be interesting to see who would come.  Perhaps some people who have followed the blog would come as well as some recipients.  I will keep that idea in mind.

By the way, I have not forgotten about Mark from Day 29!  I am going to follow up with him tonight to see what he has decided to do with the $10.

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Day 33 – Dana

Posted in Food & Beverage, tagged , , , , , , , on January 16, 2010| 3 Comments »

I was on my way to help construct the stage for the theatre production that I will be performing in starting January 22nd.  [For those of you in the DC area, come see the Foreigner at Rockville Little Theatre.  Details can be found here!] 

I was heading up to Rockville, MD on Georgia Avenue where you turn off to Veirs Mill Road and saw a woman standing on the median with a sign that said, “Not homeless yet.”  I made a u-turn and parked at a Baptist church, crossed to the median and went to speak with her.

As I walked up to her, she crossed her arms in an “X” shape and said, “Oh no!” as if she was trying to keep me away from her.  What the heck?  This has never happened.  Was I wearing my Montgomery County Police Department hat?  I asked her what was wrong and she said, “Your shirt….you a Redskins fan?”  I was wearing a Washington Redskins shirt.  It was then I noticed her Dallas Cowboys hat.  Oh lord…my second Cowboys fan here in DC that I have encountered in my Year of Giving.  I explain that I am actually a Steelers fan and we form a truce.

Dana, a 47-year-old single woman living in Maryland, says she is at the Georgia Ave. / Veirs Mill Rd. location almost every day from 9am to at least noon.  She claims to have hit financial turbulence two years ago when her mother passed away and left her with a house that still owed more than $60,000.  She says that she was unable to make the mortgage payments and the house entered into foreclosure.  She offers to show me the foreclosure papers that she has in her bag, but I didn’t think that was necessary. 

She says she is looking for work.  “I will scrub floors, clean toilets, whatever!” she says.  She gets by with the money she collects at this intersection now.  A Wonder® Bread truck rolls past and she hollers out, “Hi honey!”  She goes on to say, “Sometimes the driver gives me some leftover bread and pastries.”

This got me thinking.  I asked her what was the best thing she had received from someone driving by.  Her answer intrigued me.  Instead of saying a dollar amount or some material good, she said that the most valuable thing that she had received was encouragement from those that speak with her. 

She says she will use the $10 for food. 

Dana is very likeable.  She has been hardened considerably by her life experiences, but that doesn’t keep her down.  She is very positive and optimistic and smiles often; revealing that she has almost no teeth left.  We chat for a few more minutes as cars wiz by us on both sides.  She probably notices my slight fear of standing only 3 feet away on both sides from cars traveling 40 miles an hour.

I asked her if I could take a picture of her with her sign.  She agrees, but the camera on my phone doesn’t work.  I told her I would try to see her some day next week.  I thanked her for her time, wished her good luck, and said goodbye.

If anyone would like to reach Dana or help her, please let me know.

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Day 32 – Garland L.

Posted in Food & Beverage, tagged , , , , , , , on January 16, 2010| 4 Comments »

So today my brother Ryan invited me to go with him to see the Washington Capitals hockey match against the Toronto Maple Leafs.  The game was a lot of fun.  The Caps won easily 6-1.  Even though I was happy to see the Caps win, I felt sorry for the Maple Leafs’ goalie, Vesa Toskala.  He is from Finland and I have a soft spot for Finns having worked for a Finnish company for 7 years and seeing how passionate they are about their hockey.

After the game, Ryan and I walked toward Metro Center and passed a guy who had several buckets set up as a drum set.  He was jamming pretty good.  I thought, I ought to give this man my $10! 

Garland keeping the beat in front of the National Portrait Gallery

His name is Garland although many people know him as the “DC Street Drummer.” He is 33 and actually lives in Baltimore, not DC.  Garland and I chatted for a while.  He told me that he had been drumming on buckets since he was 13.  He comes down to DC because street musicians do not need a license here and you can make a decent amount of money according to him.  “Here at Gallery Place, I make about $100 a night, but over in Georgetown on 19th & M I can bring in $150 easily.” Not bad for doing a little drumming on equipment that he says cost him about $20.

An interesting tidbit is that while we were waiting to talk with Garland we saw a young drunk guy dancing in front of the drummer trying to impress some girls.  He threw a dollar in the drummer’s bucket and continued to dance.  Then he pulled his phone or something out of his pocket and we saw some money fall to the ground.  My brother and I both tried several times to tell the whacked-out dancer that he had dropped some money, but in his highly inebriated state he motioned for us to go away and stop bothering him.  After he left, my brother picked up the money that had fallen and discovered almost $50 in cash.  He put it in the Garland’s bucket.

Garland has one large industrial size trash can and then an array of buckets.  All are on top of those orange-colored pylons that police use.  He uses sawed off mop handles for drum sticks.  The rudimentary set up doesn’t hold him back as he methodically keeps the beat for those who are passing by.

Garland said that he doesn’t drink or do any drugs.  You would think that he was on something given the tremendous amount of energy he has.  He proudly tells me about a movie opportunity that he might have and some other gigs that he has been offered.  He talks about all the kind people that visit him every day.  It’s clear that he has carved a niche for himself here in DC.  If you would like to see him, you can check him out here.  If you want to see him live, keep an eye out (or maybe your ear open) for him around: Georgetown (19th/M), Downtown (9th/Constitution), Dupont Circle (South Metro entrance), and Gallery Place (in front of the National Portrait Gallery.)  Garland gave me his contact details if anyone would like to contact him for work or to do a story on him.

He says that he will use the $10 to pay for food for him, his wife, and two-year-old son.  I note this in my small black notebook and start to wrap up the conversation.  I see my brother talking to one of Garland’s friends, Gary.  I try to eavesdrop on what they are talking about all awhile listening to Garland.  I am not successful.  I can’t understand either of them.  So I decide to finish up and thank Garland.

By the way…I enjoy street drumming.  I think my favorite street drummers are Jermaine Carter (Boston), some street drummers from Chicago (don’t know their name, but there are like 4 or 5 of them that play together outside the baseball stadiums and around some of the L stations, and the Brazilian carnival drummers.  There’s something about the way Jermaine Carter contorts his mouth when he plays that is reminiscent of Sammy Davis Jr.

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Day 31 – Gilles

Posted in Something for others, tagged , , , , , , , , on January 15, 2010| 3 Comments »

The end of my first month.  I have invested $310 to date in random acts of kindness.  It has been worth every penny!

Embassy of Haiti in Washington, DC

I decided to go to the Haitian Embassy to see if there was something I could do to help in the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti.  I arrived at the embassy to see it blanketed in camera crews and news trucks.  There was a small candle memorial in front of the embassy as well.  Apart from the news personnel, I did not see many people outside.  I saw two gentlemen walking toward the embassy and I thought I would offer them my $10.

Gilles’ mind was clearly elsewhere and I sensed that he has suffered greatly from this earthquake.  Despite this, he kindly responded to me, “You can give me money, but any money you give me is going to go directly to the efforts to help those in Haiti.”  He invited me into the embassy and said he would be with me in a minute.  I figured he worked for the embassy at this point, but I later found out that he was from Philadelphia and worked for Church & Dwight, the company that makes Arm & Hammer and several other household and personal care products.  

I waited in the lobby of the embassy for Gilles for a few minutes.  There were about 20 in the lobby.  Some looked almost lifeless, paralyzed by the tragedy and loss of this week’s earthquake.  Others were bustling around trying to resolve a myriad of questions.

Gilles appeared and explained to me that he was born and raised in Port au Prince and had left his homeland five years ago to move to Philadelphia, PA.  He had driven down from the city of brotherly love to try to get his passport in order so that he could fly to Port au Prince to help in the relief efforts.  His plan was to get a satellite phone and then help the people of Haiti get in contact with their friends and families.  “Communication is limited there right now.” He paused and continued, “There are lots of deaths.” I asked him about his family and he said he was able to contact his family to find out if everyone was ok.  I heard a tremor in his voice and saw him holding back a tidal wave of emotion.  There was a split second where I had to decide whether I push on and ask about his family or avoid the potentially painful subject.  I gathered the courage and tried to respectfully push further.

“I lost my mother,” he said.

Gilles didn’t cry, but the tears were flowing inside him.  I found it hard to swallow and really wanted to just give him a hug.  I understood that she died at home when their building collapsed.  He says the rest of his immediate family appears to be ok.

Where do I go from here?  There are so many things I want to ask him, but I also know

Earthquake devastation in Haiti

 that he has much more important things to be doing now.  I asked him how readers of my blog could help.  “They need food, water, and medicine,” he told me.  They really need on the ground volunteers he explains.  He says he will introduce me to someone from the Greater Washington Haiti Relief Committee who can give me more details on how you can help.    

But first he says, “Come with me and we are going to donate the $10 right now.”  We walk to a desk with a woman speaking on the phone.  When she hangs up, she explains that she can not accept cash.  Gilles holds the $10 out in front of him and says, “You keep it man.  Find another way to donate.” I encouraged him to hold on to the money and put it to good use while he was in Haiti.  He agreed.  I gave him a hug and said I was sorry about his mother and wished him good luck.  I wish I would have asked for his email address so that I could follow up with him later.  It was such an emotional moment that I simply forgot.  Maybe someone reading this blog can help me find him.  I did some searches but haven’t had any luck so far.

I later spoke to Fermin from the Greater Washington Haiti Relief Group.  He said the best place for information on how to help can be found at their Facebook page.  Type “Greater Washington Haiti Relief Committee” in the search field and it should come up.  There they give this information about donations:

Make checks payable to “GWHRC” and mail to:
Greater Washington Haitian Relief Committee
Embassy of Haiti
2311 Massachusetts Ave NW
Washington, DC 20007

Needless to say it was a very powerful scene to witness first hand. I gave my name and contact details to them and offered to help in any way possible.  I even offered to go to Haiti one month from now to help in reconstruction efforts.  Hopefully I can help in some way.

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Day 30 – Kenneth B.

Posted in Food & Beverage, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 14, 2010| 3 Comments »

Today was a busy day!

I had an informative meeting with a friend of a friend on how to effectively incorporate twitter into my Year of Giving.  Look for this being added to the site soon.  Then I had a meeting with World Neighbors, a very impressive international development organization whose focus is to eliminate hunger, poverty, and disease in the poorest, most isolated rural villages in the developing world.  I urge you to check out their website and support their fantastic work.  Then I met up with Jenny from Day 13 to follow up on her thoughts about being a recipient of the Year of Giving and

Jenny from Day 13 in front of Kramerbooks where I met her

how her job search is going.  As you might remember, several YoG blog readers commented on suggestions for her to find work in the international public health sector.  Thanks to all that helped!  I should have a short video posted on Facebook soon where Jenny talks about her reaction to the Year of Giving as well as her own altruistic pledge!

Finally I went to the Embassy of Haiti to volunteer my time and resources to any efforts that they may have.  As I approached the embassy I was greeted by news trucks and a small memorial of candles and paintings.  Inside the embassy there was a very uncomfortable vibe.  Somber yet frantic if you can imagine.   The hustle and bustle of people was occasionally broken up by tears and desperation.  While I was there, I gave away my $10 to Gilles, a Haitian-American who lost his mother in the earthquake.  It was a very moving experience.  I will give a full report on Gilles tomorrow. 

I have been so busy, that I have not updated the blog on yesterday’s recipient…so here goes.

On day 30 I found Kenneth selling Street Sense at the Dupont Circle Metro entrance.  I bought a paper for $1.00 from the 43-year-old and asked if I could talk to him about a project I was doing.  He agreed and grabbed his personal items and suggested we have a seat nearby on a bench.  Kenneth is cheerful and full of energy. 

Kenneth selling Street Sense at the Dupont Circle Metro entrance

Before I finish telling you about my gift to Kenneth, let me say a few more words about Street Sense.  Street Sense is a great paper produced twice a month that is mostly run and written by those who are homeless or below the poverty level in DC.  You might recall David from Day 5 who was also selling Street Sense.  I have seen the Street Sense sales people for years, but never bought the paper.  Since I bought my first copy from David, I have really become a fan.  The paper is short and can be read in one sitting.  The stories are great and really give you insight into the DC homeless and poverty issues.  Sixty-five cents goes to the vendor and thirty-five cents goes to the paper.  The next time you see a sales person, stop, say hello, and buy an issue.  It’s a dollar!  These people are making an honest buck and the paper is great.  Here’s a little bit of trivia too.  Check out their vendor ID number and you can tell how long they have been at Street Sense.  They go sequentially from when they started so you might meet someone who has been there since the early days back in 2003 when it was started if they have a number under 20 for example.

Back to Kenneth.  He shared with me that he suffered from various conditions (bipolar, schizoaffective, and post traumatic stress) and as a result was living in a community residence facility (CRF), which is like an assisted living situation.  Although he said he wished that he could live on his own, I sensed that he understood that living in the CRF would help him get the most out of life.  

He enjoys selling the paper.  On good days, he sells his 20 papers within 2-3 hours.  Occasionally he gets the opportunity to mentor young professionals who want to experience what it is like to work for a nonprofit organization – he says he really enjoys that. 

I am mindful that my time with Kenneth is keeping him from selling his papers and wrap up our conversation.  He says he will spend the money on food this week.  I asked him if I could take his picture and he smiled and happily said that was fine.  He quickly went back to work hawking the remaining papers.  I encourage everyone who uses the Dupont Circle Metro to keep and eye out for Kenneth.  He is usually at the corner of 20th and Q.  Say hello, get a paper, and tell him that I sent you!  If you don’t live in the DC area, check to see if your city has a newspaper dedicated to the poor and homeless, lots of urban areas have them!

One final note, I heard back from Zazzle.com about sponsoring business cards for the Year of Giving.  They were delighted to help and will be shipping me 500 cards shortly!  THANK YOU!!!  Check out there site.  They have an interesting business model and do all kinds of other personalized items (clothes, mugs, etc.).

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Day 29 – Mark K.

Posted in Something for others, tagged , , , , , , on January 13, 2010| 5 Comments »

Well, still no news from the DC Unemployment Office, I will have to give them a call tomorrow.

Today’s give turned out to be a new experience.  I must admit that I kind of like when things do not go as planned as long as it doesn’t involve me getting mugged or pooped on by a bird.

My day started out quite interesting.  I had a variety of phone calls in the morning related to potential work opportunities and connected with a few old colleagues.  Then on my way to my Tuesday networking group, I saw Ron from Day 24 outside the Chipotle Mexican Grill.  I was on my cell phone and quickly shouted hello and hoped to speak to him when I came out.  I met my friend Levi for lunch and thought I would take Ron something, but when I walked outside he was gone.  That is the first time I have seen a past recipient again.  But that wasn’t the only first of the day.

So later, I hopped into a coffee bar to get warm and attempt to give my $10 away.  I walked up to a man sitting by himself working on the exact same (or very similar) laptop that I have, a Lenovo X60.  By the way, it is a very small portable laptop if anyone is looking for something like that.

Anyway, it looked like Mark was entrenched in some spreadsheets.  The 51-year-old economist made a slightly wry face when I asked him if he could help me with my project.  I ensured it would only take a few minutes and he said alright as long as it didn’t take too long as he needed to finish some work.  I explained what I was doing and handed over one of the cards with the web address on it.  He seemed taken aback a bit when I asked him to accept my $10.  He left it sitting on the table in between us as if he still hadn’t completely made up his mind if he was going to take it.  In fact at one point he said, “You can have your $10 back.”  I explained that if he didn’t want to accept it, then I would have to find someone else.  So the money stayed on the table.

I commented on the convenience of him being able to work comfortably from the coffee bar.  We swapped some ideas on technology and he smiled as he remembered a story.  About 20 years ago Mark had told a boss of his that, “One day, I will be able to do my work from the top of a mountain!”  Little did he know how much the Internet would change our lives and how correct his statement would prove to be. 

Well, here is where Mark threw me a curve ball.  When I asked him what he intended on using the money for, he took a long pause and then peered back at me from behind his rectangular spectacles and said, “I don’t know yet.  Could I get back to you on that?”

Nobody has asked me for time to think about it…sure some people take a minute or two to think about it but nobody has wanted to sleep on it.  At first I didn’t know what to say.  A “condition” for receiving the money up until now has been that people had to tell me what they were going to use it for.  He had my email and said he would let me know when he had thought it through (another great benefit of technology).  The more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea.  Here was someone who really wanted to think about it.  He wanted to make the right choice.  He didn’t want to just give me any old answer, but he wanted to give it proper consideration and then decide.  Well, I said sure.  I got his email as well, just in case Mark loses my card or forgets, I will hunt him down :).

I would love to hear Mark’s version of our encounter.  What was going through his head?  And I look forward to finding out what he plans to do with it.  I will update you when I hear from him, or maybe Mark will post something directly here in the comments.

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Day 28 – Larry A.

Posted in Food & Beverage, tagged , , , , , , on January 12, 2010| 3 Comments »

Well, just when I thought I had resolved the problems with my unemployment situation, I found another hurdle.  You might recall I went in person a few weeks ago and met with the facility manager at the Rhode Island Ave. location, Ms. Bonham.  When I logged into the website to check to see if my payments had been processed I saw that it had the same error as before.  I called Ms. Bonham and she remembered me right away and said she would try to resolve this once and for all.  Despite the headaches I have had getting this to work, the people at the unemployment office have been extremely friendly and professional.

I am fortunate to have a small savings that can carry me over until I find new employment.  I have a college degree, solid professional experience, car, internet access, phone, etc.  I am sure that many people who are filing for unemployment do not have these things.  What would they do if they went three months without being able to get a resolution from the unemployment office?  How would they logistically or financially get themselves to the unemployment office?  Would they be able to access all the forms that they refer to online?  Ok, I will be quiet now.

So yesterday I got home from my theatre rehearsal around 11pm.  I still needed to give away my $10 so I went out to quickly find someone before midnight.  I found Larry sitting against a bank on a busy street.  As I approached him he asked if I could spare some change.  I asked him if $10 would help and he replied, “Hell yeah!” I kneeled down beside him and gave the 54-year-old lifelong resident of DC a crisp $10 bill.  He looked at it almost as if he was checking to see if it was counterfeit and then it disappeared into his coat.

Larry has been homeless in DC for more than 10 years.  He used to be a food and beverage supervisor at the Hyatt Regency.  When he lost his job he said that things just snowballed and he ended up on the streets.  Now he spends his days and evenings panhandling.  Larry laughs easily and grins revealing that half of his upper teeth are missing.  His eyes are glassy and the alcohol on his breath smells almost medicinal.  He says his eyes are really bad.  He needs prescriptive lenses and has cataracts.  His parents have passed away, but he has three siblings, a sister with whom he has contact, another sister that he has lost contact with and a brother that he is not in touch with since he was hospitalized for mental illness.  Needless to say, Larry has a handful of issues.

He is not shy to ask me questions.  Larry investigates why I am doing the Year of Giving, what others have done with the money, etc.  He says that he will spend the $10 to get some food this week.

I stood for a second to stretch my legs.  It was uncomfortable talking to him while standing though so I returned to my squatting position.  How do baseball catchers do it…my knees are killing me.  Our conversation sailed back and forth jumping all over the map.  He proudly told me that he met Dr. Martin Luther King when he was 9 years old when the great leader was giving a speech at a DC school.  He later goes on to ask what I was going to do on Martin Luther King Day.  Interesting that he asked, as my friend Kim just invited me to participate in a day of service preparing food next Monday for Martha’s Table, an organization that helps at-risk children, youth, families, and individuals in the community improve their lives by providing educational programs, food, clothing, and other support.  We will be preparing food for them.  Thanks for including me Kim!

I started to cough and am reminded that I need to get indoors and get some rest.  I have been battling a cold for some time.  I wish Larry well, shake his hand, and head home.

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Day 27 – Brittany

Posted in Bills, tagged , , on January 10, 2010| 2 Comments »

I have almost completed my first month.  The time has really flown by.  I have already met so many new people and learned a great deal.  Not just about the individuals with whom I come in contact, but also about myself.  For example I have learned that I enjoy writing.  I guess that is a good thing since I have 338 days left!  Every day I am excited about the giving adventure that I will have.  No two days are the same, no two experiences are the same.  Somebody told me last week that this project will certainly change my life forever.  I think he was right.

I was in McLean, VA  this morning when I met Brittany.  The 25-year-old from Baltimore is a dental hygienist.  She stops what she is doing and asks me to repeat what the Year of Giving is all about.  I take a breath and restart my 30 second elevator speech.  I have probably explained this a hundred times by now, so I try to focus and deliver it more succinctly.  You have to connect with the person quickly or you run the risk of losing their attention and getting a quick response of, “uh, I’m not really interested.  Thanks.”

Brittany says that she really likes my idea and agrees to accept my $10.  

She tucks the bill away with a warm smile.  Brittany says that she will put the money toward paying some bills.  Times have been tough and she has found herself picking up some odd jobs to help make ends meet.  She hopes to one day be able to open her own spa.  I think you could make an argument that someone like Brittany who wants to have her own spa has an inner drive to make others feel good about themselves.  Your customers come there because they want to feel or look better.  Those who work there get a sort of satisfaction knowing that they have helped their customers look and feel better.  I definitely can relate to this.  I don’t know if I look better since I have started the Year of Giving, but I certainly feel better.

Brittany said she had to get going.  We exchanged thank-yous and went our separate ways.

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Day 26 – Christine

Posted in Rent, tagged , , , on January 10, 2010| 1 Comment »

On Saturday night I found myself out in Chinatown in DC with my brother and several friends.  

Fado's Irish Pub

I had not given my $10 away yet and it was getting close to midnight, so I thought I better find someone quick.  Inside Fado’s Irish Pub, I spotted Christine who was talking to some of our friends and I found myself inserted in some random conversation.  I decided to see if the 25-year-old would be open to receiving my $10.  You might laugh when I say that, but often people say that they don’t want to receive it.  They think there is some sort of catch or it is all part of some sort of scam.

Originally from Maryland, she now lives in DC where she keeps a busy schedule.  She teaches chemistry, is enrolled in a doctoral program for physical therapy, and is a massage therapist.  Her long-term goal is to work in the field of neurological rehabilitation.  If all this wasn’t enough, she somehow finds time to practice tai chi chuan.  Suddenly my mind wanders to images of an early morning park setting where a group of people perform precise movements at a painfully slow rate.  She says that tai chi helps provide for a solid base of self-defense as you learn how to put your entire body into your movements thereby creating more power.  Thankfully it turns out that she has never been put into a situation where she had to defend herself, well, except for a fight that she was in in the second grade.

I asked her how she would use the $10.  She said that she was going to put it toward her rent.  She shares an apartment and for some reason her roommate has not been paying his portion.  Although she doesn’t come right out and tell me this, it sounds like she is helping him out financially while he doesn’t have the money.  That is extremely generous of her.

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Day 25 – Jessica

Posted in Gave the money to someone else, tagged , , , on January 9, 2010| 2 Comments »

Yesterday was a pretty busy day.  My father was in town, I had several errands to run, and I had some admin work to do on the blog.

My father came down to go to a Capitals hockey game with my brother on Thursday evening.  So Friday morning we met up around 10:30.  I arrived at Ryan’s house and was presented with a gift.  My birthday is January 22nd, however, my dad gave me my gift early as he thought it could help with the blog.  He got me a Flip Mino HD handheld video camera.  It’s idiot proof and shoots excellent quality from what I have seen so far.  I will try to start adding some video to the blog.

So last night I ended up at the Russia House in DC.  I hadn’t given away my $10 yet and I decided that perhaps I would meet someone interesting there to give to.  I was talking to Mike, DC’s greatest bartender, when I met Kent and Jessica.  The engaged couple have known each other since middle school.

Jessica starts telling me the entire story of their lives, and let me tell you, she didn’t leave out any details.  My goal is to keep this blog PG or PG-13 at the most…so I have had to exercise some editorial privileges.  Best friends since about 12 or 13, they used to dream that they would end up together.  That didn’t happen though when Kent dated one of Jessica’s friends in high school.  But they remained close friends up through the beginning of college when she went to George Mason and he went to James Madison.

That’s when they lost touch.

After college Jessica had spent some time in Puerto Rico (where her mother is from) and Ft. Lauderdale.  Fast forward about 8 years and Jessica decided to search for Kent on Facebook and found him.  Kent proudly informed me, “She found me around noon on a Wednesday.  I bought my ticket to Ft. Lauderdale by 7pm and flew there two days later to see her!”  Kent is the type of guy that you don’t want to dare to do something…I gotta feeling he’s got a healthy amount of craziness in him.

They got engaged and plan to get married later this year. 

So, I ask Kent if he will accept my $10.  Being the gentleman that he is, he said he would have to pass and let his fiancée receive it.  She said she was going to give it to someone else.  The time came for the young couple to leave.  They left the $10 sitting in front of them for Mike the bartender.  That was only the second time I have actually seen a recipient using the $10.  The other time, on Day 8, was when James gave me the money back!

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Day 24 – Ron

Posted in Alcohol, Food & Beverage, Laundry, tagged , , , , , , , , on January 8, 2010| 3 Comments »

This one is a long one… go get yourself a cup of tea.   

I met up with some former work colleagues today.  It’s great to reconnect and hear how things are going for them.  On my way home, I came across a heavily bearded gentlemen sporting a hiking style backpack.   

Ron, a 40-year-old California native, says he has been in DC for almost 3 months.  He had hitchhiked his way from Phoenix to DC and hopes to continue on to Massachusetts after brunt of winter passes.   

After a long period of not finding work he found himself on the streets two years ago.  Ron says he is a good skilled laborer and has experience operating various types of equipment.   

Ron holds his $10 citation for possession of an open container of alcohol in public

 

We stood talking in the sub-zero temperatures for nearly 40 minutes.  Ron is easy to talk to and opens up to me very quickly.  He said it’s harder to get work as he gets older.  I told him that 40 wasn’t that old.  He shifted his weight from one side to the other and paused a little before speaking.  “I always want to know, how old do you really want to be? I don’t think I really want to be past 60.  A lot of people say they do, I just don’t.”  This was so sad to hear.  I found myself wishing I had some background in psychology and started to ask him some questions about his upbringing.      

At the age of three, Ron’s natural parents, whose names he does not know, gave him up.  He bounced around five different foster homes throughout his younger years. He does not have a solid relationship with his last foster family.  He even says that he doesn’t truly have a legal last name that he knows of.  He uses the last name of his last foster family; however, he was never legally adopted by them.   

There is a lot of pain deep inside him some place.  I decide to change the subject.   

In DC he supports himself by performing day labor and panhandling.  He usually goes to the Home Depot off Rhode Island Ave. and hopes to get picked up by work crews.  On days he panhandles he brings in about $30 per day.  “DC is tough,” he tells me as he mentions cities where one can receive a lot more money panhandling.  Salt Lake City and Las Vegas are much better according to Ron.  He says that a $100 day is not uncommon in Las Vegas, although he explains that panhandling on the strip is prohibited.   

Although Ron is living on the streets, he is a part owner of a house in California.  He and some of his foster brothers went in together on a house years ago, however, right now given the housing market lull, he doesn’t believe he will see any of that money for some years.  Although he doesn’t have a roof over his head, Ron is not bitter about his situation.  He points out that he often sleeps very comfortably in a little covered area just off of Dupont Circle.  As he describes the place, I realize he is describing the place where I found Ayalew.  I start to describe him to Ron and he immediately confirms that it is my friend from Day 20.   

So what is Ron going to do with my $10?  “I’ll probably get a little bit of food and maybe do some laundry,” he replies.  Then he changes his mind as he recalls that it is supposed to snow later in the evening.  He avoids laundry before snow/rain storms that end up getting him wet and dirty.  He then says, he might spend part of it on some alcohol.   

Despite Ron being extremely lucid, there was the distinct scent of alcohol on his breath.  He admits that he has an alcohol addiction and says that he was drinking earlier in the day.  In fact, he goes on to share that his drinking that afternoon resulted in him receiving a citation for having an open container of alcohol in public.  He unfolds the citation and shares it with me.  Would you believe how much the fine was for?  $10!  I said, “Hey, now you have money to pay the fine.”  He smiles and says that he fully intends on paying the fine because if he fails to do so and gets a subsequent ticket he potentially could be arrested.   

His entire encounter with the police department was quite interesting.  They asked him for ID and he showed them his DC ID card.  He showed me as well.  On the ID is a clean-shaven version of Ron.  His address is listed at 309 E Street.  “Is that where you live?” I asked.  He explained it was a Day Center where he sometimes goes.  “What should I put on the card?” he fired back.  “Bench next to Fountain, Dupont Circle, Washington, DC?”  He went on to explain that the confrontation with the police department went on for more than an hour.  Two additional units were called in for back-up since they could not find his name in the system.  He offered to leave the area many times, but they insisted on giving him a ticket.  He felt that this was unfair based on the fact that on New Year’s Eve he said there were some youths that were setting off illegal fireworks at Dupont Circle and the police came and didn’t even write them a citation.  “I wasn’t doing anyone any harm, those fireworks could have actually hurt someone.”   

Ron had been very generous with his time and I felt that I should let him get on his way.  I had one last question for him.  “What would you like the general public to know about people who are in your situation?”  He thought for a while and said that he hoped that people would understand that many people get to be homeless.  Many more, he goes on to say, are 1-2 pay checks away from being homeless.  As I was getting ready to leave he reminded me of the Day Center at 309 E Street where he says I will see first hand some of the struggles people are having.  “Take a body-guard though, it’s pretty rough there.”  Hmmm, I will have to think about that.  He also mentions  that he goes to Miriam’s Kitchen, an organization that offers homemade meals and high-quality support services to more than 4,000 homeless men and women each year.  I checked them out and they seem to be a good operation.  I asked him if he had ever received meals from S.O.M.E.?  He said he had in the past.  I brought it up because I have volunteered there and also started a corporate social responsibility program for a former employer that involved donating our time at S.O.M.E.   

I put my notebook away and asked if I could take a picture of Ron.  He said sure, and I got a picture of him holing his $10 police citation!  I couldn’t hold back my grin from the serendipitous timing of me giving him $10.

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Day 23 – Stephén

Posted in Food & Beverage, tagged , , , , on January 6, 2010| 3 Comments »

Today I had a job interview.  I think it went well.  You never know though.  I met with some really talented people, so hopefully I measure up.

Before I forget, thanks to all the Facebook users who have visited the Year of Giving.  Also, for those of you who have not became a “fan”, check out the Facebook page.   Take a look, I will be putting up some video there which I have not been able to add so far to my blog.  Also, become a fan…who knows who will see that you have become a fan and be inspired to incorporate more giving into their life.

On my way home from the interview, I saw a Parking Enforcement Officer walking along one of DC’s downtown streets.  I knew immediately that I had to give my $10 to him.  I walked up to the 23-year-old who was typing away on his handheld parking enforcement device.  Stephén wins the prize for the recipient who was best prepared for winter weather.  The DC native had on some serious winter gear.  He had a total of about 5 square inches of skin exposed, that’s it.  Perhaps that helps keep his identity hidden as well in case somebody gets really angry with a ticket he writes!  Anyway, I was intrigued to speak to someone with a job that puts them in a high degree of direct contact with the public…and often the interaction is not civil. 

With an average of 50 tickets written each day, Stephén says that every day is an adventure.  He has been doing this for over a year and says that he loves it.  Even upset vehicle owners don’t deter him.  “If someone is wrong, then they’re wrong.  It’s that simple.” He understands people get upset, but, he wishes they would understand that he is only doing his job of enforcing the rules.  If you break the rules, then you get a ticket he says.  Despite plenty of irate confrontations, he says nobody has physically threatened him.  I would not have been surprised to hear that he had been assaulted.  People can go a little wacko. 

So what is Stephén going to do with his $10.  He said he would buy some lunch with it.  He thanked me for calling him a parking enforcement officer and not a “meter maid.”  “You’re probably the first person I have come into contact with on the street who has got that correct.”  He is a likeable guy.  The only thing I could possibly fault him with is his love for the Dallas Cowboys!  I can’t believe we have a lifelong DC resident that is a Dallas Cowboys fan.  Unbelievable!  “There’s more Cowboys fans here in DC than Redskins fans,” he said.  Given the ‘Skins performance this year, he might be right.

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Day 22 – Theresa

Posted in Donation, tagged , , , , , , on January 6, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Today’s giving experience will not disappoint.  I promise.

 On Tuesday’s I meet with a group of recently laid off professionals.  We openly discuss our career situation and try to leverage one another’s experience, ideas, and contacts to help one another out.  I left our meeting around 4pm and ran some errands.  On my way home I saw two women in front of a Starbucks asking passersby for a few minutes of their time.  This was interesting because lately it has been me asking strangers to stop and talk to me.

Interested and excited to see how this goes from the other side of the table, I stop and meet Theresa.  She is a 24-year-old Maryland transplant from Wisconsin.  It is bitter cold out and she says that her Wisconsin heritage prepared her well for just such a day.

She explains to me that she is working for Save the Children, an “independent organization creating lasting change in the lives of children in need in the United States and around the world,” according to their website.  She typically works nine-hour days, 5 of which are spent directly engaging with potential donors.  With an educational background in International Studies and a one year stint with AmeriCorps, she is well poised to be working in this field.

In only 22 days I have had some interesting encounters.  So I figured with her experience engaging citizens face to face to help the organizations that she has worked for, she probably has had some experiences that stand out.  She recalls one day that she was working for Amnesty International and asked a woman to become a donor.  The woman explained that she was a survivor of the Darfur genocide and in a witness protection program and therefore could not divulge her name or be put on any type of mailing list (personally, if I was on such a list, I think rule number one would be not to divulge that to anyone).  Another time she met one of the lost boys of Sudan who had actually been a recipient of Save the Children aid when he was a child.  He received soup and vitamin supplements from the organization.  He was a student when Theresa met him and not able to become a monthly donor, but he gave her $10 (sounds like I have a copy cat J).

So, speaking of that $10.  I asked her what she was going to do with the money.  Part of me was curious if someone who pleads with strangers all day, everyday to donate to a cause would give their own money as well to the cause when given the chance.  She didn’t hesitate at all and said she was going to donate it to Save the Children.

Theresa is a very energetic individual with a talent for her field of work.  I think I need to connect Jenny (Day 13) and Theresa somehow.  Theresa said she was going to check in with the blog…so if she does, I will connect the dots.

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Day 21 – Almena

Posted in Food & Beverage, Something for others, tagged , , on January 4, 2010| 5 Comments »

Today got off to an interesting start.  Just after midnight this morning, the blog received its 1,000th visitor!  I was sleeping when it happened, but I had a little celebration this morning.  Then when I checked the news this morning, I read that a train had somehow crashed into a Holiday Inn hotel in Helsinki, Finland.  Shivers went down my spine (not just because my apartment was freezing this morning) when I realized I stayed in this very hotel the last time I was in Finland.  Weird.

Early this afternoon I was walking on U Street when I spotted Almena.  Almena is a beautiful 76-year-old woman.  She was braving the cold today as she walked slowly down the North side of U Street, using her cane to help her along.  

I stopped her and asked if she would be able to help me with a project that I was working on.  “Well, I don’t have any money” she gently replied.  I laughed and told her about the irony of what was about to happen.  She gladly accepted my $10.

It was so cold out and Almena’s neck was not well covered by her coat.  I almost recommended that she buy a scarf with the $10 to keep her warm on blustery days like today.  But, I didn’t want to influence her decision of what to spend the money on.  And although she might have been cold, I am telling you that she emanates a personal warmth that is just beautiful.  She thought for a moment and said she would buy some food with it.

Her soft words were orchestrated with a soothing albeit slight accent.  I am not sure from where, but it was the kind of accent that just radiates goodness.  We talked a little and I learned of some of the generous things she does regularly.  Just about then two women passed us on the street and said hello to her.  She lifted her head and shot back a pleasantry.  They lived in the area she said.  I bet Almena is quite the social butterfly. 

I explained to her more about what I was doing and then I said goodbye.  We only spoke for a few minutes, but she seemed like someone who I had known for many years.  I felt like I should have given her a hug when I said goodbye.

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Day 20 – Peter and Ayalew

Posted in Food & Beverage, Refusals, tagged , , , , , on January 3, 2010| 6 Comments »

Today was bitter cold and windy.  The temperatures will approach 0 Fahrenheit over night with the wind-chill factor.  I went out around 9pm to look for a recipient of today’s $10.  With the weather so cold, I thought I would look for someone who was spending the night out in the cold.  They could probably use the $10 and I could let them know about the shelters.

From a distance, I saw Peter very methodically laying some blankets down on a wooden bench.  As I got closer, I could see that he was well prepared for the cold.  He had on several layers and I could only see from his eyes to the tip of his nose, the rest was protected from the frigid air.  The eyes, ivory with dark pupils, contrasted against the rich dark skin of his face.  Peter and I talked for a while. 

Originally from Sudan, I wondered how he could manage outside on a night like tonight, but he said he would be fine.  This was his first night he said in the cold, the other nights he had been staying in the shelters but he said people were bothering him there so he decided to sleep outside.  I urged him to consider going to a shelter, but he resisted. 

Peter never fully understood what I was doing.  And I never fully understood why he refused to take my $10, but he did.  We continued to talk and he finally conceded that if he and I were to meet again, then he would accept my $10.  I asked where he was during the day or if he would be back there to sleep again, but didn’t get a solid answer.  I went on my way to look for someone else.  All the while thinking about the conversation I just had.  I will keep my eyes open for Peter in the coming days.  After all, he and I made a promise.

Not far away, I saw someone in a cove-like area off of one of Washington’s many traffic circles.  They appeared to be settling in as well.  They had on so much clothing that I could not tell if it was a man or a woman until I got closer.  When I got about 15 feet away, I saw that there was another person sleeping nearby, completely covered by a gray blanket. 

Ayalew had his back to me, so I approached with caution as to not startle him.  I called out a friendly greeting and he looked over his left shoulder.  He too was very well covered.  His head was almost lost in the three layers of colorful hats and hoods he had on.  The 52-year-old said he has been here in DC for about a year.  He is a gentle man with a warm smile.  His soft words hide behind his beard.  I asked him where he was from originally as I detected an accent and experienced some minor challenges understanding one another.  “I am American”, he said.  I would have guessed he was from the Middle East.  A quick Google of the name Ayalew lead me to believe he is Ethiopian. 

I speak softly so that we don’t disturb the person sleeping a few feet away.  I ask my new friend if he would consider going to a shelter tonight to avoid potential frostbite.  He smiles and says that he is fine.  “I have so much clothes and personal items, that I prefer not to go to the shelter because I can not look after my things” he adds. 

I explain the Year of Giving and ask him if he will accept my $10.  He readily accepts and I hand him over two five dollar bills.  He says he will use the money to buy some breakfast tomorrow morning and some more food later this week. 

I am not quite ready to leave despite the pain I feel in my almost numb fingers.  I am somewhat intrigued by Ayalew.  Our conversation is comfortable, going back and forth like calm ocean waves reaching the shore.  He tells me a little about his family and that several family members, including his mother, are living in Texas and will be coming to DC soon.  He and his family hope to get a job some place in exchange for the rent of a room.  In the mean time, he says he spends most of his time reading and studying. 

As I started to leave, I told him about Adam’s Place, the emergency shelter that I had heard of yesterday.  He smiled, but said nothing.  I shook his hand and wished him a safe and warm night.

My walk home took about 10 minutes.  Despite my multiple layers of clothing, my body was cold and stiff.  I covered my face and picked up the pace.  I am so fortunate for what I have.  I take for granted the roof over my head and the “endless” supply of heat that keeps me warm inside.  When I am hungry, I need only to open the refrigerator or the cupboard and I am greeted by a myriad of delicious options.  Meeting and talking to Peter and Ayalew made me appreciate this.  They gave me something far more valuable than $10.

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Day 19 – John S.

Posted in Transportation, tagged , , , , , , , , , on January 2, 2010| 4 Comments »

If I had to use one word to sum up today, it would be frigid. 

I hopped on the Metro and headed down to Union Station.  David, a journalist from CNN, had asked to meet with me and do a story on the Year of Giving.

It was really cold.  The 45+ mph wind gusts didn’t help either. 

I love Union Station.  For those of you who are not from DC, you should definitely check it out if you come to town.  The 101 year-old building’s 96-foot barrel-vaulted, coffered ceilings are bathed in 22-karat gold leaf.  The beautiful white granite takes you back in time to when Union Station was the largest train station in the world.  With its majestic ceilings and definitive architectural lines, Union Station seems right at home among the many monuments and classic governmental buildings that surround the transportation hub.  

I saw David crossing the main hall toward the enormous Christmas tree (I think they may be calling it a Holiday Tree this year to be politically correct) that looks much smaller than it actually is given the large cavernous space that now serves as its home.  I wonder how long they will leave the tree up, today is January 2nd.

We sit down and David asks me some questions and shoots a little video.  Then I invite him to follow me as I give out my $10 for the day.  He has a very discreet hand-held camera that he fires up and trails behind me.  I urge him to go outside with me, despite the frigid temperature.  We walk outside and the cold stark wind greets my skin with noticeable chill.  We wander away from the historic building like two people inching their way out into the ocean, ever mindful not to get too far from shore.  It isn’t long before we start heading back toward the warmth of Union Station.  I don’t want to surrender just yet though and I decide to walk around to the side of the building where the Metro entrance is located.  About 15 feet away tuck in a corner sat the recipient of Day 19’s $10.

John was sitting on a piece of cardboard with a sign that read, “Help me get a bus ticket to New Orleans” or something to that nature.  He had a plastic cup cradled between his feet with a few dollars inside.  His face was fairly well protected from the cold but he didn’t have any gloves on and I was seriously worried about him.  I walked up to him and asked how he was doing.

He responded in a slow semi-dazed voice that he was ok but that he needed money for a bus ticket to New Orleans.  The 25-year-old said that he recently broke up with his boyfriend in Vermont and was trying to get to New Orleans where his father had a place.  He said he didn’t have enough money for the entire trip, so he made it to DC and now needed to gather some more money for the remainder of the journey.

You want to believe John, but part of me wonders if I am getting the real story.  A woman interrupts us and tells John he should really get in a shelter and that he can go to nearby Adam’s Place, an emergency shelter for single men ages 18 and older run by Catholic Charities.  She shoves a few dollars into his cup and makes a final plea for him to get inside.  I urge him as well.  Today is the kind of day that hypothermia ceases to be something you read about and turns into something that you experience first hand.  He thanks her and also says that he has the Shelter Hotline number with him.  Last night he slept at a shelter but said that it was a terrible experience. 

John accepts my $10 and says he will put it toward the bus ticket to New Orleans.  Part of me wants to help more.  I offer to go with him to Adam’s Place and get him checked in for the night, but he says he will go later.   

Most of my time with John was somber.  I was concerned for his well being.  I feared how he fair should he not get out of these conditions.  Despite his dire straits, he finds it in him to let his mind wander away from reality and tells me how he really enjoys REO Speedwagon, Meatloaf, and the Scorpions.  I smiled and laughed a little.  He is probably the only 25-year-old that I know that is a huge fan of that genre of music.  It reminds me of a friend of mine, John Wilson, who is a huge music enthusiast in his mid twenties.  He could tell you almost anything you wanted to know about music recorded years before he was born.  Then again, my friend JW could talk solidly on just about any topic you could think up.

So I left John.  It was hard to walk away.  I invited David from CNN to come over and introduce himself to John.  I hadn’t told John that I was wearing a microphone and being filmed. I didn’t want to affect the experience.  David asked if he would allow the footage of him to be used in the story about the Year of Giving and he agreed.  It’s an awkward moment because as decent people we want to ask permission prior to the fact, however, in this case asking permission would certainly have changed the way the recipient would have acted.  David’s set-up is really minimalist and goes virtually unnoticed, so he is able to capture the events in a way that helps preserve the genuineness of the experience. 

David and I go inside to talk some more over coffee.  I can’t stop thinking about John and if he is still sitting on the frozen cement.  When we were finished, I walked by the spot where we met John.  He was gone.  I hope he sought out a warmer environment.

For those of you interested in the story that David is doing for CNN.com, I will follow up with some details when they become available…but it will probably be a few weeks.

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Day 18 – Melvin

Posted in Something for others, tagged , , , , , , on January 2, 2010| 5 Comments »

01/01/2010.

The first day of a new year.  There are probably so many interesting angles to examine on the first day of the year.  What does this year have in store for us?  Will the economy improve?  Is there peace in the future for Iraq, Afghanistan, Darfur, etc.?  Will world leaders make climate change a top priority of their administration?  Will Bill Cowher accept a job to return to coaching in the NFL?  (ok, that one is not probably on the minds of so many people, but I personally vote that he come to Washington and coach the Redskins!)

It’s an odd feeling on the first day of a new year.  It’s like the first day of a new job or the first day of high school.  You don’t feel any different, but things are somehow different.  For me, the biggest thing I notice when a year comes and goes is that I keep writing the old year by mistake on forms, checks, etc.  

That awkward feeling could perhaps describe the interaction that I had with today’s recipient.  I got a late start today.  I recovered from my evening of celebration and tried to get my condo cleaned up.  I decided to cook up a tray of lasagna.  I know my friends and family in Central Pennsylvania are probably horrified…there is a strong tradition there of cooking pork and sauerkraut on January 1st to ensure a year of good luck. After enjoying some lasagna and a glass of wine, I decided to head out to give my $10 away before midnight.  

I walked a little ways and came across a Rite Aid pharmacy.  I underestimated how cold it was tonight and was not dressed properly, so I thought that I would find someone inside to give the money to.  As I crossed the street and approached the pharmacy, I thought, I am going to give the $10 to the first person I see when I get inside. 

I didn’t a bit more walk through the door before I saw Melvin carefully studying the shelves in the first aisle.  I walked right up and asked him if he could help me out with a project.  He seemed a bit reluctant and started to try to get rid of me I think.  I quickly countered with, “it will probably only take 2 minutes and you get $10.”

That was all it took…and cash had exchanged hands.

Melvin has lived in DC for five years although he is originally from Honduras.  I asked if he was from Tegucigalpa and he replied that he was from a place about 6 hours from there by car.  I guess it is probably like if I was in Honduras and told someone that I was from the US and them asking if I was from Washington, DC.  Well, I guess that is a bad example since I in fact live here in DC, but anyway, imagine someone else…say from Oconomowoc, WI and them saying that they were from the US.  It would be kind of ridiculous to assume they were from our nation’s capital.

Anyway back to Melvin.  He seemed very nervous.  Perhaps that is a result of my rather hasty approach.  I exchanged a few words in Spanish to see if that might make him more comfortable, but he still seemed a bit on edge.  He said he was going to use the $10 to buy his 2 year-old son a toy.  That seemed to be a thoughtful use of my money and I bet it will make his boy happy.  He seemed eager to end the awkwardness and turned his attention back to his shopping.  I wished him a happy new year, shook his hand, and walked out of the store.

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