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Day 160 – Joseph H.

Posted in Food & Beverage, tagged $10, Bike DC, cycling, DC, monuments, washington on May 31, 2010| 7 Comments »

Ok, so now I am really behind….I am a week behind on posting my blogs.

I have really struggled here with technical issues. My internet connection is extremely slow and video, etc just does not upload and usually crashes my system. I will continue to try to get a better work-around in place.

Anyway, last Sunday morning I woke up early and participated in Bike DC 2010. It was a fantastic event where they close down several of the major roads in the DC area and only allow bicycles. It’s rare that you get to see some of these areas by bicycle. Even the areas that are accessible by bikes are not as enjoyable when you are constantly concerned about sharing the space with cars.

I got down to the starting area at around 8:00am, picked up my registration materials, and got on my way. I shot lots of video along the way. Although I don’t believe that Oprah’s initiative to eliminate cell phone use while driving specifically addresses photographing while on a biking, it’s safe to assume that she would not be happy with this. Sorry!

One of the monuments that the ride took us by was the Air Force Memorial in Arlington. I have driven by it many times but I have never stopped. Established in 2006 it serves as a memorial to honor the service of the personnel of the United States Air Force and its predecessors. While I was there I took the opportunity to stretch my legs and find a recipient for my $10.

I found Joseph, a 17-year-old student currently living in Maryland. He is not so much of a cyclist, but some of his buddies told him about the event and he decided to give the 20 mile course a try. Despite being tired from climbing some of the hills, he said he was holding his own. Click on the photo below for a video showing several parts of the ride (including lots of famous landmarks and monuments) and a few moments with Joseph. (When I get back in the US I will add some music to it. I discovered that downloading MP3s outside of the US from Amazon and other places is not allowed)

Joseph during Bike DC (Photo: Reed)

Joseph is very active in theatre at his high school and hopes to major in theatre in his home-state of Texas. In addition to his passion for theatre and music, Joseph is a black belt in Tang Soo Do. He and his friends rode off. I took an extra minute to take in the view of DC from the Virginia side of the Potomac River. Then it was back on my bike for another mile or two to arrive at the finish line.

I highly recommend you to take part in the next Bike DC event. For more information on this event and other biking related events and news in the DC area, check out the Washington Area Bicycle Association.

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Day 149 – Jeffery W.

Posted in Food & Beverage on May 17, 2010| 2 Comments »

A man gives Jeffery some change (Photo: Reed)

If you have ever went into the CVS at Dupont Circle, there is a good chance that Jeffery held the door open for you. I have gone to this CVS several times and most times there was someone holding the door. I am not sure if it has always been Jeffery, because I sadly have not paid enough attention.

Jeffery is 47 and was born and raised here in our nation’s capital. He was wearing an oversized sweatshirt, jeans, and a dark ball cap. A latex glove covered his right hand which holds an ice tea canister that holds the money that he receives from those who stop and help him out.

Jeffery’s soft polite voice greets the customers:

“Good evening”

“Hello ma’am, how are you today?”

“Have a nice evening.”

You might assume that he is homeless, but he is not. He brings in about $100 a day panhandling. He also has another job that he does during the summer months where he works with high-profile clientele in the DC area. He preferred that I not share the name of his other place of employment.

Jeffery is charismatic. He talks about how panhandling has taught him how to interact with others and how to deal with diversity. “You gotta be able to deal with people out here.” He explains that many people don’t carry much cash and prefer to use debit and credit cards, but that doesn’t deter him. “I know that it is just a matter of time before they help me out. I just try to be nice to everyone.”

CVS however has asked him not to stand right by the entrance. They would prefer that he stand a few yards away. “But the people don’t give as much when I stand over there,” he says pointing to a spot closer to the street curb. Being next to the door recently turned out to benefit the store. Jeffery told me that a person ran out with some stolen goods and he was able to run after the person and recover the stolen merchandise.

Jeffery (Photo: Reed)

While I was taking some photos of Jeffery, a woman yelled at me and told him to have more respect for himself and not allow me to take photographs of him. He told me that he didn’t mind.

He wasn’t sure what he was going to do with the money. That’s OK. I know where to find him. I told him I would be back this week to see what he had decided. As I walked home I couldn’t help but wonder why a smart, charismatic man like him was panhandling.

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Day 148 – David B.

Posted in Food & Beverage on May 16, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Dupont Circle (Photo: Reed)

This past week we had some late “April showers.” I actually like to walk the city when it is raining. There are less people out and you can focus on the city. You see things that you normally don’t see due to having fewer distractions from those around you. I walked over to Dupont Circle. This is one of my favorite places to go to people watch and interestingly enough it is also a great place to go when it is raining and nobody is out. You really get to take in the greenery, the sound of the water cascading over the fountain, and the overall peacefulness of this urban respite.

Dupont Circle Fountain

In the center stands a fountain. Built in 1921, it replaced the statue of Samuel Francis Du Pont which was moved to Rockford Park in Wilmington, DE. The fountain was designed by the same folks who designed the Lincoln Memorial. They created three figures that represent the sea, the stars and the wind.

It makes a nice backdrop for photos.

As I made my way around the circle I found David sitting on top of the backrest of the benches that corral the fountain. To his right rested a bicycle still beaded with the previous hour’s raindrops.

David in an empty Dupont Circle (Photo: Reed)

David had just finished his job waiting tables at a local Italian restaurant. He is also an English student at the University of the District of Colombia who expects to graduate in December of 2011. I’m pleasantly surprised to discover that David belongs to an elite subset of my recipients who live in the DC area and were also born here. It’s a very transient city so this is not as common as one might think.

At 27 David has decided to go back to school to get his college degree after years of working odd jobs: bike messenger, construction, life guarding, etc. He also enjoys painting and drawing in his spare time.

I really enjoyed meeting David. He mentioned that the Year of Giving

(Photo: Reed)

reminded him of Time Banks. This concept was vaguely familiar to me, but I went online and checked them out and absolutely love the concept. Basically you give of your time to others. For every hour of time you give, you earn an hour of credit that you can “cash” in to receive someone else’s time. Brilliant idea. There are a couple of DC Time Bank groups that I will explore. If anyone has experience working with Time Banks I would love to hear from you.

He also shared with me a quote from Martin Luther King’s “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence” speech given at Riverside Church in New York City on April 4, 1967.

I am convinced that if we are to get on the right side of the world revolution, we as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of values. We must rapidly begin the shift from a “thing-oriented” society to a “person-oriented” society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered. – Martin Luther King

I love this quote. David and I share King’s belief in a people oriented society. All too often today our brains get cluttered with unnecessary garbage that clouds our vision. We lose sight of the basic principles that once guided my grandparents’ daily lives. But I realize that this only happens if we allow it. I am more committed than ever before to focus firmly on what really matters: our brothers and sisters in our community and the world.

As I left, I circled back to my leading question. David said that his impulse was to give the $10 away to a homeless person. I hope he shares with us the details of his experience.

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Day 145 – Peter A.

Posted in Alcohol, Food & Beverage, tagged $10, acting, DC, Dupont Circle, giving, media, NYC, theatre, washington on May 13, 2010| 2 Comments »

For those of you who have not seen the CNN report, check it out. Reporter David Banks put together a really nice piece.

Last Saturday I met up with a journalism student from the University of Maryland who was doing a story on the Year of Giving. Ruben and I met her near the Dupont Circle Metro stop and walked over to the circle. It was pretty busy and Ruben was excited to see all the people and fellow dogs out enjoying the day. I ran into Danny Harris from Day 64 in the center of the circle.

Shortly thereafter I spotted Peter under a shaded tree reading a biography of the master of suspense Alfred Hitchcock. Peter is an Actor living in the East Village of NYC. Originally from Louisville, KY, he studied at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA and then moved to The Big Apple.

Originally drawn to the stage by Shakespearean plays, now Peter is focusing most of his energy on some short films. He shared with me a the link to a rough cut of one that he recently finished…he’s very good in it, check it out!

So you may be wondering why the heck Peter is 250 miles away from his home sitting under a tree reading about Hitchcock. As it turns out his sister lives in DC and was performing one of the lead roles in The Marriage of Figaro at the Kennedy Center this week and he came down to watch her. She was working during the day, so he was just relaxing seeing a bit of the city.

Peter contemplated the $10. He said that it would probably get spent on some bourbon, beers, or maybe some food. Later he told me, “Maybe I’ll do something else with it…all these other people have done something amazing with it, so who knows.”

He had more time to kill and I probably didn’t help the chances of my money being passed forward as I showed him where the Brickskeller Pub was. We said our goodbyes and thanked one another.

Here is some footage of him being interviewed by the University of Maryland journalist as well as a few of my own questions. The wind is really bad…sorry. It actually blew over my Flip camera at one point!

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Day 143 – Will J.

Posted in Food & Beverage, Gave the money to someone else, tagged $10, activities, art, boredom, DC, washington, youth on May 11, 2010| 6 Comments »

Thanks to all of those who have become Facebook Fans and especially those who have signed up to give on June 15^th, the Worldwide Day of Giving. So far there are only a little over 300 people who have committed to giving in their own community on June 15^th…so pass the word along. My goal is to get 10,000 people around the world to do this and then have them share their experiences, pictures, etc. here with the rest of the world. It should be amazing, but I need your help to make it happen!

Will and Matthew (Photo: Reed)

Last Thursday I found Will with his skateboard at the north end of Dupont Circle. Will is an 18-year-old who lives in the Fort Totten area. He was reluctant to accept my $10 because he felt there were others who were more deserving of the money, but then he decided to accept it and pass the money on.

He describes himself as a “furry artist, tattoo apprentice, capoeira student, skateboarder, traceur (person who performs parkour), film editor, and musician.” I have to say that I felt like a huge under-achiever after learning all about his interests. I had never even heard of parkour for example. It is a non-competitive, physical discipline of French origin in which participants run along a route, attempting to negotiate obstacles in the most efficient way possible.

Will said that he was going to give $5 to his mom who “could really use the money right now.” He is going to break the other $5 into singles and give out a $1 to 5 random people. I asked him if there was anything that people reading the blog could do to help him. He shook his head “no” and said, “I feel that I can give more than I can receive.” I definitely understand his thinking.

About this time, Will’s friend Matthew came along. Matthew and Will met at the same capoeira training center. They both share a lot of the same interests. Matthew also trains in Japanese sword play and Japanese staff fighting.

Here is a small portion of our conversation.

If you would like to check out some of Will’s artwork, click here.

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Day 142 – Angie M.

Posted in Food & Beverage, Gave the money to someone else, tagged $10, DC, family, genocide, georgetown, grocery stores, helping others, moms, mothers, Rwanda, washington on May 10, 2010| 6 Comments »

This blog entry was supposed to be posted yesterday. It was Mother’s Day and I was just not motivated to do much. Sorry. Happy belated Mother’s Day to all the moms out there!

I have been dog-sitting for a few days, so I got up yesterday around 7am and took my new best friend Ruben for a walk. Meandering around Washington early in the morning was so peaceful. There was very little traffic and I had some time to reflect on my Mom. I wish that I could put into words how much I miss her. I know that she would have loved the Year of Giving.

After a long walk, I grabbed a copy of El Tiempo Latino newspaper and made our way over to Dupont Circle. I played with Ruben in the shaded grass for a while and then we found a sunny bench to relax on. I read through the paper and Ruben slipped in and out of a slumber.

Photo: Reed

Last Wednesday I had an opportunity to participate in the Gala Celebration of the re-opening of the Safeway grocery store located at 1855 Wisconsin Avenue. My friend Patricia works for Dufour and Company, one of the nation’s most respected event management firms that was hired to make the Gala a spectacular experience. She invited me to help with the reopening. It was incredible. I have never seen a grocery store turn into such an elegant locale. Props to the Dufour team!

Photo: Reed

This Safeway is amazing too! The produce section was flawless, every pepper and bean was in it’s place. I could go into detail about how phenomenal this grocery store is, but check out Bonnie Benwick’s write-up in the Washington Post.

While I was there, I met Angie who was also there helping out with the event. She is a 26-year-old District of Columbia resident who, like me, is currently unemployed. She has a background in nonprofits and marketing. I really liked Angie’s answer when I asked her what she wanted to do professionaly. “I recently did my 10 year plan. During the next 10 years I want to start my own marketing firm that focuses on the needs of nonprofits, schools, and small businesses.”

Angie (Photo: Reed)

I asked Angie to tell me a little about herself and she said, “I love traveling, laughing, and great ideas. And I love cheese…Gouda and other soft cheeses!” We talked about some of her favorite places she has visited. “I really like San Juan, Puerto Rico. The people are so welcoming.” She went on to say, “I love that you can get a delicious meal, a drink, and dessert for $12 there!”

She came to Washington five years ago and enjoys every minute of living here. “There is so much to do in DC. There isn’t a monotonous culture here like some places.”

In response to my question about what she would do about with the $10, Angie said, “Well, I’m a pedestrian. There are a lot of times that I haven’t had enough money to go from point A to point B. So, I am going to keep the money until I find someone who needs help getting someplace.”

Angie allowed me to take speak with her on camera for a few minutes. She talks about the most influential person in her life; her mother. As I said earlier, this was supposed to be posted yesterday. It would have been a perfect tribute to Mother’s Day. Angie also talks about Rwanda, where she was born, and how the genocide there has affected her life.

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Day 141 – Robert S.

Posted in Food & Beverage, Transportation, tagged $10, art, DC, prison, street vendor, washington on May 8, 2010| 4 Comments »

I got another package for Anthony (Day 67) last week. This time it was from Jamie in Alabama! Take a look!

Later that day I came across Robert.

Robert shared with me that he had a serious drug and alcohol addiction in the past; PCP, crack, heroin, you name it. But after getting high one time and breaking into a school in PG County, he was arrested and served 12 months of an 18 month sentence. That he said cleaned him up. “I did my time and I appreciate what it did for me, but I don’t ever want to do it again” he told me.

Now Robert lives with his mother and makes a living selling personalized greeting cards at the corner of 17^th and H in DC. Although never married, he has five sons.

You can see some of Robert’s work here.

Robert is going to put the $10 toward his Metro card so that he can get to and from the corner where he sells his cards. He says he is there Monday through Friday from 7am to 7pm.

If anyone knows of jobs related to drawing, Robert welcomes your help.

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Day 136 – Warren S.

Posted in Food & Beverage, tagged $10, DC, Dupont Circle, employment, jobs, washington on May 4, 2010| 2 Comments »

Last Thursday I was still pretty sick from the stomach virus I came down with on Wednesday. I finally got myself out of bed around 8pm and walked up to Dupont Circle and found Warren, a two-year veteran of the Street Sense sales force, resting on a chained fence hawking newspapers.

Warren holding the new issue of Street Sense (Photo: Reed)

I have never met Warren before, but I have heard his untiring refrain, “Street Sense, Street Sense, Street Sense, Street Sense.”

Born and raised in Washington, DC, Warren has spent most of his time in the nation’s capital, however, he did spend about 5 years in Japan as a youth. He now spends his afternoons most days selling the Street Sense, usually in and around Dupont Circle. It helps support him, but he confides that he would love to have a job that paid a little more. He used to work in the office printing business as well as drive a delivery van and hopes to be able to return to similar more stable work. When the weather is bad now, he barely scrapes by due to low paper sales. If you know of any potential jobs for Warren, please let me know.

Warren was kind enough to let me videotape him briefly. Take a look.

Warren said he was going to use my $10 to help buy him some groceries.

If you have not already signed up for the Worldwide Day of Giving on Facebook, please do so now! June 15th is less than 45 days away!

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Day 134 – Katelyn F.

Posted in Food & Beverage, tagged $10, careers, college, dance, DC, georgetown, helping others, homeless, media, Studying, volunteering, washington on May 2, 2010| 6 Comments »

Last Tuesday was an exciting and busy day for the Year of Giving project. As I went out on my journey looking for someone to give my $10 to, I was accompanied by a local TV news crew that is doing a story on the project. I will let everyone know when the segment will air.

Another exciting element of Tuesday was that I was able to deliver some much needed clothes and shoes to Anthony from Day 67. Maureen and Josh from PA sent him some shoes and socks. Darnell from MD had sent me some items for Gregory from Day 71, but Gregory has disappeared. I have not seen him for over a month and the local businesses near where he used to panhandle everyday say that they have not seen him either. One of the items that Darnell sent was a brand new Tommy Hilfiger waterproof jacket. I thought that it might fit Anthony and it did! A big thank-you to Maureen, Josh, and Darnell! Check out this short clip of Anthony receiving the items.

Then it was off to find the recipient of the day. I headed over to the neighborhood of Georgetown and found Mariana. She said she didn’t have time to participate and that she really needed more like $1,000 not $10, so I kept on looking.

Davenport, IA

Just a few seconds later I spotted a young woman waiting to cross Wisconsin Avenue. Her name was Katelyn. The 21-year-old from Davenport, IA, is a junior at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, IL, just 50 minutes south of Chicago’s Loop. She has been in DC this semester as part of the university’s Study Abroad Program. While here in DC, she has also had the opportunity to intern with Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, Katelyn’s home state.

I asked Katelyn where she was headed and she answered that she was walking over to a boutique to pick up her dress for the Naval Academy’s Ring Dance, where her boyfriend attends school. Let me stop and tell you that Katelyn has a beautiful smile. When she started talking about her boyfriend and attending the Ring Dance, she was beaming.

Katelyn (Photo: Reed)

I tried to take copious notes, but I may have gotten this wrong. The Ring Dance is a special ceremony where the second class midshipmen, third year students, receive their class rings. Their date wears the ring around their neck and then during the ceremony they dip the ring into water from all seven seas. This is a pretty big deal for the midshipmen. There is even a website that has a countdown clock letting you know exactly how long until the Ring Dance 2010 as well as the 2011 event! If you were wondering, at the time of this post, it was 20 days, 6 hours, and 40 minutes.

Although Katelyn said she felt like she should do something greater with the $10, she said the money would most likely be used for lunch. Her decision could have been influenced by the fact that it was 2:00 and she hadn’t had lunch and said that she was really hungry.

I asked her what her thoughts on giving were. She flashed her beautiful smile again and said, “I think it’s very important.” In fact, she was on her way back from volunteering that morning at Martha’s Table. She also has volunteered her time at the Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center, and other organizations.

After spending this term in Washington, DC, Katelyn said, “I have learned a lot about myself. I used to think I wanted to go to law school, now I think I might want to teach English.”

As far as those who want to help Katelyn, she thought of two things that people could help her with. The first one is that she hopes to go to Japan sometime soon as her boyfriend’s sister is currently living there. Katelyn would like some tips on how to get good deals for traveling to Japan. Also, with her recent thoughts on her career, she would love to find an English professor who would serve as a mentor to her so that she can better plan her future in order to realize her goal of becoming an English professor herself. Please leave a comment here or drop me a note if you have any advice for Katelyn or know of a potential mentor for her.

As I left, I spotted John from Day 40. He said he was not doing well and had just been diagnosed with Cancer. Every time I have met John, either someone in his family has died or he has been diagnosed with a new life-threatening issue. You want to believe people, but this sounds like too much. For his sake, I hope the stories aren’t true.

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Day 133 – Doug

Posted in Food & Beverage, tagged $10, DC, homeless, Penn Quarter, washington on April 30, 2010| 1 Comment »

Last Monday I was on my way to meet up with a friend for dinner when I came across Doug near the corner of 7^th and E in Penn Quarter. He was sitting on top of a hard suitcase, the small kind that you see flight crews carry all the time. Next to him was a larger suitcase with a bag on top. Tied to the handle of the large suitcase was a cardboard sign which read, “Travel funds needed. Extreme Duress. Borderline Crippled Due to illegal Activity on ME.”

Photo: Reed

I first walked by him and then stopped to check my watch. I was supposed to meet up for dinner at 7:30, it was now 7:20. What the heck, I went back and introduced myself and gave him my $10.

I can’t say that I know too much more about Doug after chatting with him for 15 minutes. Although he talked a lot, he told me very little. Most of my questions went unanswered and often he just spiraled into long-winded rants about injustices that he has suffered, the details of which he didn’t care to share.

“I am a semi-long term resident of greater Seattle,” he told me.

According to Doug, he came out here a little over a year ago with the intention on staying for just one month so that he could “get done what I came here to do.” He kept referring to doing everything in his power to legally make things right. I probed again about what he was trying to do and he shifted into a rant on how some people take advantage of others.

“I bet some people would intentionally trip the blind just to hurt them, you know?” “If a blind person were to walk by here I bet some people would try to trip’em just to hurt’em, you know what I mean?” Getting nowhere, I tried to go back and focus on more basic questions like his age.

“Well, how old do I look?”

I tried to dodge that question myself. I finally answered that I thought he was in his 50s. He said, “Well that’s not too bad, not after what I have been through.”

I told him that I was interested in knowing more about that and he replied, “I don’t want to get into details.”

He did tell me that he planned to use the money to buy some food that night and some coffee and breakfast in the morning. Who knows though, he clearly has some issues and I am not sure I got a single straight answer out of him.

I knew that he wasn’t going to allow me to photograph or videotape him, but I figured I had nothing to lose right? He said he didn’t want to be in any photos, but agreed to me taking a picture of his sign.

He continued to rant about things that made very little sense.

I waited until he paused for a second and then told him I needed to head on my way and extended my hand toward him. He said he couldn’t shake my hand as his was full of fractured bones. We left it at that.

Maybe Ivory from Day 49 knows his story. Ivory sells the Street Sense just a block or two away and he seems to know everyone around there. I will stop by and check with Ivory one of these days.

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Day 132 – Mark E.

Posted in Food & Beverage, Savings, tagged $10, coffee, cycling, DC, international, South America, travel, washington on April 30, 2010| 13 Comments »

Filter, 1726 20th St., NW, DC

On Sunday I checked out a new coffee house in Dupont called Filter. It’s well located, tucked behind Connecticut Avenue on the more laid back 20^th Street. I descended a few stairs and walked into the cozy, hip coffee joint an ordered an espresso. The prices seemed slightly higher than Starbucks and Cosi, both of which are right around the corner. Overall I liked the place, despite a guy who was working there complaining that a nearby restaurant manager sent about 10 or 15 of her staff over to get espresso so that they understood what a good espresso tasted like. He didn’t like that they got it to go and one person reached for a cup before it was ready, etc. Anyway, when you work in an open atmosphere you need to be cognizant that others can hear your conversation. As a new location, I would have been thrilled to have 15 customers.

While I was there I met Mark, a graduating senior studying economics at the George Washington University here in DC. He graduates on May 17^th and is frantically wrapping up his final papers and studying for his last exams. I remember my last week of college. It was a great feeling to be “finished.” Little did I know that I was only finished with another segment of life and that new challenges and tests were just over the horizon.

Mark is from the DC area. He grew up in Montgomery County and graduated from Magruder High School.

He and I have something in common related to the $10. Well, in a round about way. So Mark has a plan to go to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska and embark on a bicycling journey all the way to Ushuaia, Argentina. I asked him how far this was and he said, “I don’t know exactly…several thousand miles.” Well, I did a little checking and I calculated that it will be at least 11,000 miles! That is like going across the continental US from ocean to ocean 3.5 times! Along the way he plans to give people $10 and a self-addressed stamped envelope. He will ask that they send him photos, stories, poems, etc. to him as well as a note explaining how they used the money. He sees it as a way to get to know the individuals as well as study the marginal propensity to save (or to consume) in different cultures.

Anyway, watch the video and you will learn a little more about Mark’s interest in cycling, his cycling trip around Spain and France as well as his plans for his upcoming trip from Alaska to Argentina. I also included a small piece where he talks about volunteering to help an adult read better.

As you might expect, Mark put the $10 toward his savings needed to make the trip.

I asked Mark if we could help him with anything on the Lend a Hand page. He said he needs funds to help him make his journey to Argentina. He applied for a grant from the University but was denied. I think there is a way to make this happen with corporate and individual donations. Furthermore, he needs to find a house/apartment in DC for the summer. He is looking for a place in DC that he will share with three other friends with a monthly rent of less than $3,000/month. Mark is also looking for a summer job, possibly in economic development but he is also open to other ideas. He seems like a great guy and would be a good addition to any business.

Reed and Mark

Before we said goodbye, Mark asked if I would consider being on the finish line in Argentina when he gets there. I would love that! We agreed to meet in a couple of weeks and do a bike ride after I get my bike out and get into shape a little. I was so inspired after our conversation, that I went home, got my bike in working order and took it for a short ride that evening. Thanks Mark!

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Day 128 – Ethan B.

Posted in Food & Beverage, Unknown, tagged $10, concert, DC, energy, music, U Street, washington on April 26, 2010| 6 Comments »

I had two sightings of previous recipients this weekend. Yesterday I saw Carlos from Day 118 about a block from my house and he let me know that he would donate the $10, along with additional funds, at the end of the year because then his employer will double the contribution.

Today I saw Ron from Day 24. He was sitting in the same spot where I originally met him in January. I was going to get some lunch at Chipotle and asked if he wanted anything. He took me up on the offer and I got him a garden burrito.

Last Wednesday night I went to the Velvet Lounge to check out Machines on Vacation, a local DC band that mixes a string quartet, guitar, and vocals with electronic beats and sounds. It’s hard to describe their genre…it’s unique and totally worth checking out.

The opening band was Deb Felz with a percussionist whose name I believe was Dan. Dan plays the cajón, an Afro-Peruvian box drum that you sit on and slap to produce a wide range of rhythmic beats. Deb plays guitar and sings. They were quite good together…you can check their music out here.

Ethan and Machines on Vacation at the Velvet Lounge (Photo: Reed)

The main event, Machines on Vacation, took the stage around 10pm. My friend Melanie plays violin for the group. The other members are Ethan (vocals, guitar, and electronics), Amanda (cello), Kellie (viola), and Theresa (violin/viola). I love that they have such a unique sound. It’s really refreshing to hear somebody out there exploring new territory in music. I particularly like Paralyzed Paradise, Oh No, and Light on My Doorstep. You can find some of their music on their Facebook page.

While watching the group I decided to give my $10 to one of the band members that I didn’t know. I approached Ethan after the show and introduced myself and asked if he would accept my $10. He didn’t hesitate.

I asked Ethan how he would describe Machines on Vacation’s distinctive sound. “I have no idea,” he said, getting a laugh from me. Seriously he said that its hard to describe but he offered a couple suggestions: “A melody-focused band that thrives on either embracing or rejecting the tenets of minimalism, sometimes in the same moment of a song”, “The music of the 22nd century – which is oddly just a mix of music from the 18th, 19th, 20th, and 21st”, and “Pop music for nerds but not geeks.” Check out this video for some of Ethan’s comments on musical influences and his obsession with asymptotes.

Leading a group seems to come natural to Ethan. When he is not being the front-man for Machines on Vacation, he is the CFO/COO for Elysian Energy, a DC/Baltimore energy efficiency firm that helps homeowners and businesses lower their energy bills and carbon footprint. The company sounds like it provides a valuable service today as individuals and businesses grapple with energy efficiency strategies, sustainability, renewable technologies, and carbon impact reduction.

Ethan is a fellow Washington Capitals fan (Let’s go Caps!) – they play Montreal Monday night in what is hopefully the final game of that series. He had already checked his phone I think Wednesday right after he finished playing to see if they had won, which they did that night.

I asked him what he thought he would do with the $10. “I feel like I should do something ‘good’ with it, instead of just using it to buy lunch tomorrow.” He and his wife have actually been discussing starting to give in a more organized manner. He said he would think about it and get back to me, but that it would most likely get used to help a person or organization.

Here is some video that I shot of the band playing Oh No at the Velvet Lounge.

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Day 127 – “Emanuele”

Posted in Food & Beverage, tagged $10, DC, espionage, Farragut Square, paranoia, washington on April 24, 2010| 5 Comments »

On Tuesday I met with my group of unemployed colleagues that meet weekly to help each other in their career search. This was the day the AOL news report hit…my blackberry went berserk with a barrage emails and comments coming in just as I entered the meeting. After the session, I was anxious to get back to my apartment to start responding to the comments, but I needed to find a recipient for the day.

"Emanuele" in front of a statue of David G. Farragut, a Union admiral in the American Civil War famous for rallying his fleet with the cry, "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!" (Photo: Reed)

I walked over to Farragut Square to see who was in the park. It was there that I spotted an African-American man with short white hair sitting on his knees, barefoot, hunched over a park bench. I sat down a short distance away and took a few pictures of him. After watching him for a few minutes, I decided to approach him.

As I got close to the man I noticed that he had what looked like a scrap book or a book that you sign in on at a wedding reception. He was entering some notes into the book. Next to him was a small composition book, a bible, two bags, and a pair of old flip flops.

I introduced myself and he accepted my $10. I asked if I could ask him some questions and he became nervous and asked me to walk a few steps away from the bench to talk with him. He spoke with an accent that made me believe that he had moved here from Africa in the last 10 or 15 years.

We walked about 10 feet away and he explained that he couldn’t talk there because there were too many people watching and listening. He mentioned that the park was full of CIA and others. He suggested that I come back on another day and if he was on the west side of 17^th Street, then he would be free to talk. If he was in the park, then it would be too risky.

We walked back over to the bench. I asked him his name and he gave me a look like, “Hey I just told you I can’t talk here” but told me that I could call him “Emanuele.” He let me look at his book. There were three paragraphs on the left side of the page. I couldn’t really understand what he had written, however, I saw a social security number and he said that that person had now been arrested based on intelligence that he had passed along.

"Emanuele" (Photo: Reed)

We only spoke for about 10 minutes and then I left. I didn’t get to ask him any of my normal questions that I ask, but he did offer some information. He showed me a construction area on the northwest corner of K Street and Connecticut Avenue where he explained that three buildings used to exist. They have been torn down and construction is started on a new building complex there. He spoke about several conflicts that the previous owners have with the city about how this was handled, however I only understood about half of what he said.

I agreed to come back and see him when he was not being monitored in the park.

As for the $10, he said he was going to go to McDonald’s and get him a couple of cheeseburgers.

I headed back to my apartment to find almost 1,000 emails/comments from you guys!

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Day 122 – Nicole S.

Posted in Food & Beverage, tagged $10, army, fish tanks, giving, military, nursing, sporting events on April 20, 2010| 33 Comments »

Last Wednesday was absolutely beautiful here in DC. I found Nicole relaxing in her military uniform on a park bench.

Nicole is an active duty officer in the United States Army. A product of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (R.O.T.C.) program, Nicole is an Army nurse stationed at a nearby medical center. The soon to be First Lieutenant said that she chose a career in the military to “travel and see the world.” I chuckled a little bit when she said that because I swear I recall a commercial for the army that said exactly that.

Photo: Reed

Nicole was waiting to meet up with someone that she found on Craigslist who was selling some tickets to the Nationals vs. Brewers baseball game on Saturday. The Wisconsin native not only used the free online marketplace to find baseball tickets, but also found her apartment on Craigslist.

Nicole’s phone rang and the man selling her the tickets, Don, informed her that he had arrived with the tickets. She walked over to meet him and I followed her over hoping to still ask her a few more questions (I’m persistent). Don, who had also served in the military, was unable to go to Saturday’s baseball game because he had tickets to game 2 of the Capitals playoff series with the Montreal Canadiens.

Nicole paid Don and he handed over the tickets and then gave her $20 and said, “The first beers are on me. Enjoy the game!” I thought that was a really nice gesture. I told Don about my kindness project and gave him my card.

He left and Nicole and I spoke for a few more minutes. I was interested in her own giving habits and how those ideas were formed. Like me, she suspected that her values on giving were probably shaped by her parents. Given her current financial situation, she is limited in how much she can donate to organizations, however, sometimes she gives money to people she encounters on the streets of DC. “It’s more of a spontaneous decision,” she tells me as she explains why she gives. Coincidentally while we were talking a woman walked by asking for money and we both refused to give to her.

Nicole plans to use the $10 to buy some food at the ball game. I asked her if there was anything that she needed help with that I could post on the Lend a Hand page. She thought for a minute and said that she needed someone to buy her fish tank. “It’s a 10 gallon fish tank in good shape. I just want to get a bigger one. It comes with the stand, pump, heater, some rocks, and plants.” If you are in the DC Metro Area and are interested in a fish tank, drop me a note and I’ll connect you with Nicole.

We walked toward the metro where we said goodbye to one another and she thanked me. I nodded and thanked her for her military service.

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Day 115 – John E.

Posted in Food & Beverage, tagged $10, DC, Dupont Circle, homeless, mental illness, washington on April 15, 2010| 7 Comments »

John pushing one of this two carts (Photo: Reed)

Taxes are due today. Ugh… I have waited to the last minute. Shame on me. Maybe the IRS will give me $10!

On Day 115 I was walking home and walked by a man pushing two shopping carts full of stuff south down Connecticut Avenue. He had a system where he would push one of the carts about a block, leave it there, then go back and push the second cart up to where he had left the first one. He repeats this for hours sometimes. I stopped and offered to help push his carts for a while so he didn’t have to keep making double trips. He wouldn’t accept my help.

His name was John. Two Johns in a row!

Even from a few feet away I clearly smelled a very foul vinegar-like odor coming from John. He definitely needs some new clothes and a good shower. I wanted to help him and offered him my $10. He accepted it.

Photo: Reed

His shopping carts are full of grocery store boxes and empty bottles and all kinds of other things. I asked where he leaves the items during the day, because I imagine he can’t stay with the items all day long. He said he usually just leaves them down near the McDonald’s on 20^th and M Street. The 64-year-old is obviously uncomfortable talking to me…but I push on.

John has been homeless for five years he says as he looks around a bit erratically. The tattered hat he wears cast a slight shadow on the upper part of his face making it difficult to see his eyes as I speak with him. He says that he ended up homeless here in DC after moving down from Albany. “I couldn’t find housing when I got here,” he said. He has been pushing the carts for years.

My guess is that he suffers from some form of mental illness. He says that he will use my $10 for food. I asked him if there was anything that the YoG followers could help him with, but he said “no.” I really wanted to get his clothes washed for him or get him some new ones but he said he had no contact information, although I might be able to find him near that McDonald’s he mentioned. Incidentally that is the same McDonald’s where Gregory from Day 71 used to hang out. I haven’t seen him for a couple of weeks now.

I managed to get a short video of John, but then he got a little antsy and went on his way.

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Day 116 – Molly M.

Posted in Food & Beverage, tagged $10, Chinatown, DC, giving, helping others, non-traditional student, NPR, nutrition, radio, washington on April 9, 2010| 7 Comments »

I know what you might be thinking…Day 116?! What happened to Days 109-115? Did Reed take a break? Did he forget to tell us all that he is entitled to 2 weeks of “paid” vacation…i.e. not paying others! 🙂 Nope, that’s not the case. I am simply behind on the administrative side of my year-long experience. But don’t worry. To steal and modify a great Teddy Kennedy quote, the giving goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives and the dreams shall never die.The reason that I am posting Day 116 today is that I had the honor of sharing my giving experience today with Liane Hansen and Jack Zahora of NPR. Many of you probably already know Liane as the host of NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday. Jack is a NPR producer for the show. They are putting a story together for this Sunday’s program, which airs from 8am to 10am on WAMU here in DC. The show is broadcasted on more than 600 stations around the country…so check your local NPR station to see when it will be on. Later that day the story will be posted on http://www.npr.org.

It is strange to meet someone that you have heard for years but don’t really know. Liane didn’t disappoint…she was great. I’m guessing she has pretty much worked every weekend for the last 20 years…would you be willing to do that?

Anyway, so they were following me around. I was in the Chinatown neighborhood looking for a recipient and found Molly.

Molly (Photo: Reed)

Molly was walking her bike down 7^th Street when I pulled her over to talk to me. She seemed like she was in a bit of a hurry at first, but probably was just more skeptical of what I was doing than anything else. It turns out that at the age of 31 Molly has returned to school to make a career change. She is studying nutrition at the University of Maryland after having a career in marketing and communications.

I asked her what she was doing today and she said that she had been studying and now was rewarding herself with a little shopping trip. “Although I should probably be studying now” she said.

She said that she was going to use the $10 to buy a couple of grande skim lattes at Starbucks. Although she decided to use the money for herself, she sounds like a pretty dedicated giver. She has volunteered her time teaching exercise classes to women in shelters, tutored children in coursework, helped out at So Others Might Eat (S.O.M.E.), helped an organization that offered tax assistance to low income individuals, etc. Pretty impressive. She also has an internship with DC Hunger http://www.dchunger.org/ whose mission it is to eliminate hunger in the District.

Liane Hansen interviewing Molly while Jack captures sound (Photo: Reed)

Molly was a terrific sport. I hope that you have the opportunity to hear our interaction on the NPR segment this Sunday!

Oh, and if anybody wants to help this aspiring nutritionist, she is in dire need of a good biochemistry tutor! Somebody help!

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Day 99 – Emily H.

Posted in Food & Beverage, Something for others, tagged $10, begging, charities, donating, Dupont Circle, homeless, hunger, nonprofits on March 29, 2010| 5 Comments »

Ben & Jerry's Dupont Circle (Photo: Reed)

I am still behind on posting my giving experiences. Today’s post is from last Tuesday! I’m going to try to start ‘posting two a day until I get caught up.

I was walking home from a meeting and noticed a large line outside of the Ben & Jerry’s scoop shop south of Dupont Circle on 19th Street.

As it turns out it is Customer Appreciation Day where they give everyone a free scoop of ice cream. Ben & Jerry’s doesn’t stop there though, they also partner with cause related organizations to give them an opportunity to fund-raise.

Here’s how it works. Ben & Jerry’s allows the charitable organization to be present and ask for donations on free scoop day. In addition, if a patron donates $2 or more, Ben & Jerry’s gives the donor a 10% off card valid for all purchases for a year. Great idea!

I had to stop. The organization asking for donations was Cancer Prevention and Treatment Fund. I donated $5 to the organization and then decided to try to give my $10 to person asking for donations.

Emily (Photo: Reed)

Originally from Arizona, Emily is a Research Assistant with the organization. It was quite chilly that afternoon and Emily looked like it was taking a toll on her. Her face was tight and body scrunched together as she tried to stay warm. Her coat sleeves provided little relief for her exposed hands that held her sign.

Emily said that she was going to give the money to someone else. “I am not exactly sure how, but it will go toward helping someone else out!” she cheerfully shared. I asked if she gave regularly and her smile went awry and she said, “Well, my fiancée is better at that than I am.”

There were several interns helping Emily get donations. They would tell the people in line that they were accepting donations for the Cancer Prevention and Treatment Fund as well as explain the added benefit that patrons would receive by donating more than $2. At some point the interns had to leave and Emily was left by herself. I noticed that the donations slowed down as people were just walking by Emily. I had a few minutes to spare and offered to walk up and down the line and tell those waiting about the opportunity to donate and receive the Ben & Jerry’s discount card. I did this until 5:30 when a fresh set of volunteers were scheduled to arrive. I had to get going and said goodbye to Emily.

A few hours later I received the following email from Emily!

I was so excited to do something with my $10 but was not sure that “something” would be blatantly obvious. I was wrong. Not only did I have the opportunity to use my $10 for someone else’s well-being, but it happened a mere 2 hours after meeting you.

I was freezing cold after working outside trying to get donations for the organization I work for and just wanted to get home. Upon trying to enter the blue line platform [on the Metro], I discovered the blue line was having massive issues. It was going to be a very long wait to even board a train. I decided I would get a drink and wait it out. Perfectly logical, right? As soon as I stepped outside it began to pour rain. After running into the nearest bar and discovering there was not a single seat, I settled on a nearby Subway.

As I tried to rush in the doors from the rain I was approached by a seemingly homeless female. Now, my personal policy is to not give money to homeless individuals. This is not because I am heartless; rather, I prefer to make donations elsewhere to places I have a better idea of where my money will go. So when she started to ask me–I already had my mind made up–I said no. What I didn’t process until after I had said no, was that she didn’t ask for money–she asked for a sandwich. I promptly ordered 2 turkey meal deals. She was very thankful and is currently eating her sandwich across the room from me.

I wonder what her story is.

Thanks for the opportunity to make someone’s day. I’m still in subway typing this email out…I couldn’t wait to share my ten dollar story.

Respectfully,

Emily (day 99!)

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Day 95 – Ashley D.

Posted in Food & Beverage, Refusals, Something for others, tagged $10, economy, mining, Richlands, unemployment, VA on March 24, 2010| 14 Comments »

Last Friday is the day that NPR and the Washington Post ran their stories on the Year of Giving. I got flooded with emails and comments. My website traffic went through the roof. So many people told me how inspired they were after learning about the Year of Giving. It was a tremendous bright spot in an otherwise melancholy day.

The response has been great. The more media attention it receives, the more people write to me telling me how inspired they are. 99% of what I have received is extremely positive and I am trying to get caught up replying to all the emails. Especially all the wonderful offers to help those on the Lend a Hand page! Thank you so much!

After my cousin’s funeral on Friday, my father and I drove south about 3 hours to Richlands, VA. My mother grew up and was buried there and we went to visit her grave.

My mother's childhood house & shed. Hasn't changed too much except the side porch was added (Photo: Reed)

Richlands is a small coal mining town in Southwestern Virginia. According to city-data.com in 2008 the population was less than 4,000 and the median household income was $30,637 – half of the state average. I don’t think I need to say more to give you the idea that this is a place that struggles economically.

That evening my father and I decided to stop by the King Kone; a simple place where you have to walk up to the window and order and then take the food back and eat in your car. My father told me that my mother used to love to treat herself to a chili dog there. I thought it was only fitting to order a chili dog for myself.

While we were there, I asked the woman who was waiting on us if she would accept my $10. She got very uncomfortable and said that the owner would never allow her to do that. She nervously was looking over her shoulder and I asked if the owner was there. She confirmed that she was and I asked if I could speak with her.

King Kone - Richlands, VA (Photo: Reed)

I gave the owner my card and explained what I was doing to her. She refused and said that they were just too busy to talk to me. I explained that this was a very special place for my mother and made a final plea, but she shook her head “no” and excused herself. As a side note, during the half hour we were there…I think they had 5 customers.

So I went back and approached a couple who were finishing up their dogs in their pick-up truck. I imagine the couple was in their 50s. I said hello and apologized if I was interrupting and explained what I was doing and asked if they would like to participate. The woman, sitting near me in the passenger seat, never looked at me and never said a word. The man remained silent until I finished and just shook his head no and grunted “uh ah” and looked away.

WOW….this was not going to be easy. Although I feel a strange closeness to the town since my mother’s family is from there, its clear that I don’t fit in.

I was now 0 for 3 (or 4 if you count the couple in the truck as two attempts). I looked around and saw a Burger King on one side and a Family Dollar store, a hair salon, and the Richlands Pharmacy on the other. I decided to walk over to the Family Dollar discount store. On my way over I spotted Ashley sitting on a bench in front of the A Wild Hair Salon and Academy. Her easy smile was a huge improvement over my earlier encounters.

Ashley (Photo: Reed)

The 21-year-old said that she had worked there since she was 16. With her husband laid off from tree cutting for the region’s natural gas wells, the $10 was warmly received. It is tough to make ends meet for them and their 13-month-old boy.

Ashley cuts Samantha's hair. I only noticed later that there is a picture that I assume is her son on her mirror that I captured in the background. (Photo: Reed)

Ashley started working on a regular customer named Samantha. I told Ashley that my mother was from Richlands and we soon had something in common. Both of our grandfathers worked in the mines. “Those are the only jobs that pay well here,” she said. The other woman cutting hair there spoke up and said, “I used to want to work in the mines…it’s good money.” Then Samantha shared that her husband is working in the mines. “Six days a week. It’s terrible hours, he goes in at 1pm and gets out at midnight.”

The economy is worse here than what we saw in Roanoke the day before.

In case you find yourself in Richlands and wonder what you might should try to see, Ashley said, “I don’t know, maybe go up to Overlook Park in Cedar Bluff and walk all the way to the top.” It was late and we wouldn’t be able to do that…but on my list to do next time.

Ashley said she was going to use my $10 on dinner for her family. I just hope she didn’t go to King Kone…the chili dog wasn’t that good actually…kind of raw and chewy.

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Day 87 – Rick

Posted in Food & Beverage, Transportation, tagged $10, Alcohol, DC, Dupont Circle, events, giving, homeless, washington on March 14, 2010| 5 Comments »

Mark your calendars. June 15^th is the Worldwide Day of Giving. I know what you are thinking. You’ve never heard about this day. Well, that is because I just made it up. It’s going to be an amazing day though. Let’s see how many people throughout the world we can get to give $10 (or the local currency equivalent) to a stranger on that day and then share their stories here on the Year of Giving. More details to come…but start telling people now. This is your chance to experience the exhilaration that I have been feeling every day for the last 3 months!

On Day 87 I met Rick. He was sitting in front of a hair salon on Connecticut Avenue. I remember seeing Rick about a month and a half ago when I was giving my $10 to Ron. Ron asked if I knew Rick…he said, “Everybody out here knows Rick.”

Rick says he has been homeless for 7 months…but that doesn’t seem to add up with the fact that everybody seems to know him. Even Rick himself told me that everybody knows him. Maybe he has been panhandling longer…but just lost his housing 7 months ago.

He says he doesn’t like to stay in shelters. “They’re full of drug users in there” he says. Most nights he sleeps on the streets.

He keeps one eye always on the foot traffic…especially the ladies. He is quick to shoot a smile their way. A couple people fill his cup with dollar bills as we talk and a few regulars say hello.

Rick is a little too smooth. I wasn’t sure what to believe or not to believe. Sometimes he seemed to lose his train of thought…maybe it was the booze. His breath was soaked in alcohol…although he wasn’t sloppy.

Check him out for yourself and find out what he thinks of his family, where he sleeps, and what he says he is going to do with the $10!

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Day 85 – Manny H.

Posted in Food & Beverage, Gave the money to someone else, tagged $10, food, giving, international, lunch, news, street food, truck on March 12, 2010| 4 Comments »

Yesterday Rebecca Sheir of NPR did two great stories on the Year of Giving. Check them out. One of the stories is available online here …the other I can not get to load on here.

Also, check the Lend a Hand section….some people have stepped up and offered to help out some of the recipients with items they need. Thanks Teri and Maureen!

Manny takes an order in the Sauca-mobile (Photo: Reed)

On nice days, I sometimes will walk all over the city looking for someone interesting to give my $10 to. Tuesday was just such a day. It was warm and sunny and I must have walked 3 or 4 miles. I ended up giving my $10 to a guy in a lunch truck.

Manny was laid off from a Venture Capital firm right before the holidays…now he is helping out the Sauça lunch truck.

According to their website, Sauca “combines food, travel, music, design, technology and fun into the most interesting new concept to hit the streets.” The concept was inspired by “snack vendors in India, railroad station vendors in Europe and the mobile taquerias of South America.” Manny knows a little something about international street food…he has travelled all over the world with the Armenian Folk Dance Group. He likes the fish tacos…but says everything is good. I can’t vouch for the food yet, as I had already eaten when I came across the truck. I will seek them out on another day and try their food, however, I can tell you that a frequent customer stopped by and raved about the food and service. She bought the Medi Vegi and said it is “amazing!”

The website is cool…they have a web came that shows what’s going on at the truck (this was not working when I checked the site out) and they have a great list of sauces you can get. You can also check the website to find out where the truck is going to be. Manny says they are planning add several more trucks this summer. Seems like these lunch trucks are doing well…I should open up a little mobile taqueria!

Check out the video to find out what kind of job Manny is looking for, what he did with the $10 and also take a behind the scenes tour of the truck.

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Day 75 – Phillip B.

Posted in Food & Beverage, tagged chile, community, DC, earthquake, happiness, hats, homeless, hope, jobs, Street Sense, washington on February 28, 2010| 3 Comments »

Terrible news from Chile…another devastating earthquake shocks us this year. Luckily the epicenter was not in as densely of a populated area like it was in Haiti. Nonetheless, I have made myself available to travel to Chile if there is a relief organization that can use my services. I speak Spanish and have been to Chile and would welcome the opportunity to help those in need.

Phillip sells a paper to a passerby (Photo: Reed S.)

On Day 75 I met Phillip, a colorful salesman for Street Sense. I was driving north on Wisconsin Ave. in the Tenleytown neighborhood on my way to my father’s place in Pennsylvania when I saw a man on the right side of the road with a “Cat in the Hat” type hat. Well, I had to pull over and meet this guy.

As it turns out Phillip is a Street Sense vendor and the hat is part of his “marketing.” He is vendor number 202 and has been selling the paper for 2.5 years. He told me that summer is the best time of year for selling the paper when he can often sell over his average of 30-40 papers a day.

Phillip is homeless and on two waiting lists for subsidized housing. “You would not believe how many people are one or two paychecks away from being homeless,” says the former plumber whose problems started when he was hospitalized with stomach ulcers and bleeding. He spent 17 days in the hospital and when he came out he found himself losing his home and his marriage in peril. He got better, but unfortunately was not able to reconcile his marriage. Financially he was in freefall and ended up on the streets.

Go see Phillip if you are in DC. He radiates love and kindness. He can be found in front of the CVS near the intersection of Wisconsin Ave. and Brandywine St. Look for the hat! Phillip needs clothes: Shirts (XL), Pants (38×34), Shoes/Boots (11), Gloves (Med/Large).

Here is a great video clip of Phillip explaining how he stays indoors during the bitter cold months.

There is another great video of Phillip on Facebook. Click here to see it.

Update July 7, 2010: Here is some video of Phillip receiving some of your donations!

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Day 71 – Gregory C.

Posted in Food & Beverage, tagged $10, DC, depression, Dupont Circle, homeless, mental illness, unemployment, washington on February 24, 2010| 4 Comments »

Gregory has been homeless in DC for almost eight years. He stands bundled up holding this sign and a ripped up cup at the corner of 18^th and Connecticut Ave. in downtown Washington, DC.

Photo: Reed S.

I spent about 45 minutes talking with Gregory. He is very soft-spoken and gentle. He says that he lost his job and his wife left him for another man about 8 years ago…the cocktail of events started a chain reaction that left him homeless and drinking. Gregory said he used to never drink…he said he didn’t even like the taste, but he felt that he was able to escape from the pain and depression that he suffered from by drinking. He paused and said that he has been sober for seven months now.

His voice got even softer and he fought off tears as he shared some of the painful memories. He told me that he had seen some doctors at one point and they wanted to give him pills for depression and mental illness. He never took them.

Like almost every homeless I have met, he does not stay in shelters due to the violence, theft, and poor conditions.

While we talk, a man who was eating at Fuddruckers came out and gave him a small box of food, said nothing, and left. Gregory continued to talk to me for a few minutes and then asked if I minded if he ate while we talked. He opened the container to find an order of French fries. He seemed hungry as he ate the entire box.

I asked him what he planned to do with the $10 and he replied, “I know exactly what I am going to do with it. I can get 3 meals at McDonald’s and have a dollar left over for something else…maybe something on the $1 menu.” His favorite food is fried fish. I asked him what the most he had ever received and he pointed to me and said $10.

We talked about different services that are available to him. I suggested he sell the Street Sense paper as well…several of the vendors do quite well once they build up a loyal customer base. I asked him if there was anything that the readers of the Year of Giving could do for him and he said that he could use some jeans and other pants. He wears a size 38 x 32. If you are in DC and would like to meet Gregory, he is normally in front of the McDonald’s on M Street in between 19^th and 20^th Streets. If someone else is there, he usually goes to Connecticut and 18^th Street. I can also reach him if you would like to get something to him.

By the way, I went down to try one of John’s burritos at Pedro and Vinny’s burrito stand. It was excellent…I highly recommend it! You definitely need to check out his stand at 15^th and K. The food is tasty, the banter upbeat and interesting, and the line is full of regulars who he quickly recognizes. An interesting thing is that John has somewhat of an honor system going on for payment. He has a box that you are supposed to put in the amount that you owe. I liked that.

On my way home I saw Roger from Day 57 but we didn’t get to talk. About 4 blocks away I ran into Nikki from Day 66. She didn’t recognize me and seemed pretty out of it. She said she was talking to “the Man upstairs” and continued walking on to meet with a group of men standing in the center of Dupont Circle. I also saw Kenneth from Day 30…but he was across the street and I was late for a meeting so I was unable to say hello. Needless to say, I am starting to really get to know my neighborhood!

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Day 68 – James E.

Posted in Food & Beverage, Transportation, tagged $10, Chinatown, DC, lies, trust, washington on February 21, 2010| 2 Comments »

I found James on the streets near Chinatown in Washington, DC.

I have debated what to write about my encounter with him. I have heard some interesting and sometimes unbelievable and crazy stories. For the most part I think that you need to have faith and give people the benefit of the doubt that they are honest. That being said, I just didn’t believe James’story.

He claimed that he needed money to get home from his job as a “Class B Engineer.” He had a tool belt on, a measuring tape on his jacket, a flash light, miner’s head lamp, and a half a dozen other small details that would suggest he was an electrician. However, there were several things that simply didn’t add up. I guess the bottom line is that I just didn’t buy it. Plus, his speech sounded like he might have had a few alcoholic beverages before I met him…check out the video and you judge for yourself.

As for the $10, James says that he will use it to get home and get a cup of coffee at McDonald’s.

Maybe James will check out the site and leave a comment and tell me that I am wrong.

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Day 67 – Anthony

Posted in Food & Beverage, tagged $10, employment, food, homeless, housing, jobs, needs on February 20, 2010| 7 Comments »

I updated the Statistics Page yesterday…check that out if you are interested in where the money is going as well as where the people following the blog are from.

A few updates. I heard back from Jenny from Day 13. She landed a job doing regional Public Health work. Congratulations Jenny! She sounds really happy. She’s still waitressing a few nights a week to help pay off all the bills that stacked up due to her extended unemployment.

Roger selling Street Sense at Conn. and K St., NW in DC (Photo: R. Sandridge)

I also met up with Roger from Day 54. He said that after we talked the first time he was inspired to try to reach out to his estranged wife. You can hear directly from him on the Facebook page. By the way, he still would like very much to have some counseling sessions as well as a used laptop. If you know of anyone who can help, please let me know.

I ran into to Leonel from Day 56 as I was out one day. I plan to set up a time to follow up with him in the coming weeks and will post that to the Facebook page.

Speaking of the Facebook page, we have about 200 fans now…growing slowly. If you haven’t already become a fan, please do so.

So on Day 67 I had met some friends for lunch at Nooshi. Good place for noodles and sushi. By the way, Wagamama (the British-based ramen noodle restaurant) is coming to DC in May! 418 7th St. NW. I was introduced to Wagamama when I was in Dublin. Check them out! Back to Anthony’s story.

So as I left lunch I saw Anthony selling Street Sense on the corner of 19^th and M in DC. I love this guy. He is one of the original Street Sense vendors…he started in 2005 and has badge number 005.

We talked about DC Urban Plunge, an event every year where mostly college students come to DC and live on the streets to experience and understand homelessness. Anthony really likes interacting with the young people when this event happens. You can read one person’s account of doing their own “plunge” in DC here.

Anthony says he will use my money to get some food. I asked him if he needed anything specific and he said he would really like help getting into some type of apartment. Also, he would appreciate a size 9 pair of sneakers…even lightly used would be ok. I hope someone reading this will be able to help Anthony out. You can find him at the corner of 19^th and M most weekdays or you can email me and I have his contact information.

Check out the short video I took of Anthony:

UPDATE: September 18, 2017

Anthony has started to make greeting cards, and they look fantastic. Check out Second Story Cards to see some of Anthony’s designs.

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Day 66 – Nikki G.

Posted in Food & Beverage, Transportation, tagged $10, benefits, DC, Dupont Circle, giving, health, homeless, washington on February 19, 2010| 5 Comments »

Nikki panhandles near Dupont Circle, DC (Photo: R. Sandridge)

Nikki has been homeless off an on for the past 20 years. She is 55 and says she suffers from various health complications stemming from some aneurysms that she has had. She sits on the cold concrete ground, rocking back and forth, and never looking at me in the eye. The emotion in her face has been completely drained. She maintains that cool steady expression during the entire time that we speak.

I asked her what she planned on doing with the $10 and she said that she would probably use $5 for food and the other $5 to put on her Metro SmarTrip card.

Nikki says that people can stop by and say hello to her. She is in/around the Dupont Circle most weekdays. Also, she could use some help from somebody who understands Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). She has been denied benefits and says that her case manager is not very helpful in getting the issue resolved. So if anyone has some knowledge about this and is willing to share with Nikki, please let me know.

I taped a little video with Nikki which you can see here:

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Day 65 – Stephen S.

Posted in Alcohol, Food & Beverage, tagged $10, bicycle, bikes, courrier, DC, messenger, washington on February 18, 2010| 1 Comment »

Stephen waits for work

Stephen has been a bike messenger in DC for two years. Prior to that, he studied sociology at George Washington University.

It was not too cold when I met up with Stephen, however, the wind was blowing a little and there was a lot of snow and ice on the streets and sidewalks. Both of which create challenges for Stephen.
He is dressed for the job: helmet, heavy coat, messenger bag, radio, and pants that are pinned so as to not interfere with his peddling. His bike leans against a pole nearby. “I’ve got four other bikes…different bikes for different occasions.”

Most of his jobs are downtown. Transporting documents for law firms. In fact, he says more than 90% of his work is for law firms and lobbyists. Occasionally he gets the odd request to pick up some pet food or something like that.

As we talk, some other couriers show up. I detect that they have their own lingo. One of them talks about an area of DC they call “the hole.” They mention dangerous jobs like going from Capitol Hill over to Arlington to an area that was not plowed. Hopefully they get some hazard pay or something for taking such assignments.

Occasionally Stephen’s radio will squawk…and there is the chance for work…but unfortunately that is not the case while I am there.

Check out the video to find out what Stephen is going to do with the $10. And keep a look out for these guys when you are driving…try not to hit them, they really do earn their living.

How did I forget to ask him about the mullet?!

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Day 63 – Moe M.

Posted in Food & Beverage, Transportation, tagged cab, DC, driver, losing things, pizza, rosslyn, taxi on February 17, 2010| Leave a Comment »

I met Moe on Monday evening. My cousin Cheryl and I hailed a cab in DC to take us over to Rosslyn, VA to meet with my brother, sister-in-law, and friends Conor and Scott. We were meeting them at Piola, a good pizza joint that I was first introduced to in Buenos Aires in the late 90s. Later, I ate at Piola in Sao Paulo.

Piola - Rosslyn, VA

About a year ago, Piola opened up here in DC. In an age where pizza seems to be getting so processed and tasteless, Piola is a little bit of hope. Even the pizza they make here is not as good as the pizzas they serve up in Sao Paulo though…then again, Sao Paulo has some of my favorite pizza in the world.

Cheryl and I didn’t talk to Moe much on the drive. We were busy chatting away. When we arrived, Moe said he had to ask a question about what happened at the end of Cheryl’s story. Cheryl explained and we got out of the cab. Normally I would probably think it was rude for the cab driver to be so nosey as to ask something like that, but, not the way Moe asked. He had a real genuine interest.

We paid the fare and got out of the cab, Cheryl noticed she was missing one of her rings and looked all over for it. The driver got out and checked around the car, under the seats, everywhere. But it was not to be found. The 58-year-old former real estate executive and father of two twin boys took our contact info and offered to get in touch with us if he found it.

I was touched how thoughtful and kind he was and I pulled out my $10. He took it and said he would use it for gas.

In all the craziness about the ring, I forgot to get his contact information to invite him to the year end party and maintain contact with him throughout the Year of Giving. So, Moe, if you check this out, drop me a note!

By the way, Cheryl found the ring in her hotel room the next morning.

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Day 62 – Joe L.

Posted in Alcohol, Food & Beverage, tagged Britain $10, DC, England, government, Nottingham on February 16, 2010| 1 Comment »

The Year of Giving hit 4,000 unique visitors today from more than 37 countries around the world.

I met Joe, an Englishman from Nottingham (think East Midlands, the legend of Robin Hood, Raleigh bicycles, William Booth of the Salvation Army, Nottingham Forest F.C., home of Boots) who is in DC on vacation. This is my first recipient who is not living in the US. The 24-year-old is smart, witty, and easy to converse with. Even a little self deprecating as he tells me that he has no talents whatsoever. His friend Anna chimed in, “That’s not true…you are an expert at post colonial Nigerian military history.” A tight smile came across Joe’s face and he slowly nodded and said, “Well, that is true. I am.” I never quite understood why such the specialty, but I am sure that comes in handy.

I asked Joe what he would do with my American dollars that I gave him. “I’ll probably spend it on some beer and food, I guess.” I asked his friend Anna what she would have done with it. She thought about it and said that she would feel like she had to do something karma-like with it…like give it to a homeless person. She recalls finding $10 a few weeks back and says that she gave it to a cab driver who said he was being evicted from his place.

Joe, like me, is unemployed right now. He hopes to find work in the UK working in government. Specifically doing campaign related work for the Labour Party…the party of current British PM Gordon Brown and former PM Tony Blair.

I enjoyed speaking with both Joe and Anna. They mentioned an interesting blog to me, People’s District. I checked this blog out and really enjoyed it. They also tipped me off to a potential place to hold the year-end celebration that I am planning in December.

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Day 61 – Issa M.

Posted in Food & Beverage, Transportation, tagged $10, DC, Hotel Monaco, shaving, snow, wedding on February 15, 2010| 8 Comments »

February 13, 2010.

Today was the wedding of my brother and his fiancée (well, now his wife!) Mandy. After spending a couple hours chiseling ice off of drain spouts around my building and shoveling snow off of our flat roof (by the way, flat roofs in regions where snow is prone, not a good idea), I headed over to meet my dad and brother for a shave at the Grooming Lounge on L Street in DC.

If you have never gotten a professional shave, I recommend it…at least for you men out there. Matt gave me my shave. He did an excellent job and I recommend him if you want to check this place out. Your face just feels amazing afterwards. I do kind of wish they would use the straight edge razor…the one that you use the strop with. But they use safety razors…the same kind I shave with at home and claim that you can get as good of a shave with the modern safety razors as you can with a straight edge razor. Any opinion on this?

I then hurried around, picked up my dry cleaning at Georgetown Cleaners (they are pretty good) on Florida Ave., reviewed my notes for the ceremony and headed down to the Hotel Monaco for the wedding.

I think I have mentioned in other posts that my brother and Mandy asked me to perform the wedding ceremony. This is not something that I have a lot of experience doing. In fact, I didn’t have any experience.

I think it went well though. I did forget to tell the guests to sit after the bride and groom came in though. So, everyone stood for the ceremony! Oops…good thing it was only about 12 minutes long.

Mandy and Ryan (photo: Maureen Buckley)

The reception was wonderful. The hotel setting was beautiful, the food was fantastic, and all the other details were perfect. I got to see a lot of family and friends that I have not seen in some time… only wish I could have spent more time with them all.

I sensed the reception was coming to an end…could it have been the Neil Diamond tune that clued me in? Who knows? I found a hotel staff member cleaning up and thought I should offer him my $10.

Issa is a 50 year-old-man originally from the West African country of Sierra Leone. He is a Banquet Captain at the Monaco and has worked there for about 7 years…pretty much since they opened in 2002.

He is tall and slender and was very appreciative of the gift. He said that he would use it to put gas in his car and buy some juice. Issa was busy and I let him finish his work so that he could get home.

Several of us headed to the hotel bar, Poste, for the penultimate drink.

Congratulations Mandy and Ryan! Your wedding was beautiful and I am very happy for you both. I love you very much.

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Day 60 – Laqueen

Posted in Food & Beverage, tagged $10, DC, Dupont Circle, hair cut, hair cuttery, wedding on February 13, 2010| 3 Comments »

This one will be a short one, as I have to get ready for my brother’s wedding.

I went to get my haircut yesterday at the Hair Cuttery in Dupont. I like this location. It is one of the very first Hair Cuttery locations. I never request anyone and almost always have a good experience.

Yesterday Nancy was to cut my hair. She had cut my hair once before. She is a petite asian woman who has worked there since 1979. She is a very sweet woman, but she wouldn’t take my $10. Neither would another worker there.

On my way out, I asked the receptionist/cashier is she would accept it and she did. Laqueen is 21 and has been working there for about a month. The place is very busy and she keeps her cool as she coordinates who cuts whose hair (is that proper English?). She said she would spend the $10 this week on some food.

If you need a good hair cut and don’t want to pay a fortune for it, head down to the Hair Cuttery in Dupont at Connecticut and R Street.

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