My buddy, Brian, shared this project with me last month. He's on his second month and I'm just now getting around to doing my part.
Basically, here's the deal. I'm making a commitment to do something charitable each month. I generally do this, but I'm instituting this as a form of accountability for myself and to hopefully get you involved. Thus, the Benevolent Blogger Project. I am planning to contribute 3% of my income each month AND 3% of my time. I'm not sharing what the dollar figure is, but the time is one day.
I'm kicking off this month with a donation to Kaboom! Kaboom! is a non-profit organization that builds playgrounds for children. They have a committment that there should be a playground within walking distance of every neighborhood in American. Isn't that cool?
For my time commitment, I was in Durham, NC this week and participated in building a playground. This playground was in Hope's Crossing. Hope's Crossing is the first ever "Green" Habitat for Humanity subdivision in NC. There was a building blitz this week and 10 houses were built in just FIVE DAYS! Yes, you read that right. Five days!!
The cherry on top was the playground for the kids!
Wow, it was hard work. I'm so sore, but so fulfilled! Those kids were so happy to have that playground. Honestly, I think I got more out of this than those kids did. I spontaneously burst into tears several times.
One of the men working on my team was the boyfriend of a woman who was the recipient of one of the houses. (First of all, did you know that Habitat houses are affordable housing, not FREE housing. People have to qualify, put in many hours of hard work and they have a mortgage.) Anyway, this man's girlfriend and her two daughters, ages 6 & 8, moved into their home last week and were so excited to have this new playground. They were over the moon! It was so nice to have interaction with the families who would enjoy the space.
I'm thinking that I'd like to work with Kaboom! again once I move to Chicago. One side benefit to the organization is that it's a killer workout!
Saturday, June 07, 2008
Beneveloent Blogger Project
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6 comments:
Yay! I'm so glad your are joining the BBP.
This sounds great. I have heard mention of Kaboom, but had never read much about it. A good work out AND building play space for kids. Good stuff.
Hi Geggie!
Thanks for volunteering and giving to KaBOOM!, and for spreading the word about it through your blog!
I wanted to let you know that I added a link to this post to the KaBOOM! blog. You can see it at http://tinyurl.com/5bn5au .
Have a playful day!
Annie Lynsen
Manager, Online Content and Community Development
KaBOOM!
You are my new role model! Way to be a decent human being Geggie. I will need to check out the Kaboom site.
We have a third grader in our school who is very ill. Our class has been bringing in change to help save for his care.
I told the students that I would match their donations. They are only second graders and have collected 133.00 in three days.
You should see their faces when they put their change in the jar. They are so proud and happy to be doing something for another person.
You should see my face now that I realize how much dinero I am going to need in three weeks when this is over. :)
Har, you're being a Benevolent Blogger!!! Share the story on your blog, and get just ONE person to join the project and this is how good things get started!
I will share on my blog but it will take me a few days. My brain doesn't want to work right now.
I promise I will do it.
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