Giving back!!

[giaebonyprincess]

Today I was in a bit of a grumpy and frustrating mood. Something happened in my personal life where I bought a family member a meal but they didn't show up. So here I am with fresh chicken fingers from A&W but I'm not in the mood to eat it myself because I'm angry I feel like throwing it in the garbage.

But I didn't and started to walk back to the gym. As I headed back, I seen this twenty something year old girl sitting on the sidewalk holding a cardboard sign asking for money or food. I turned down to her and said "hey my nephew didn't show up and I bought him a 5 strip chicken finger meal with honey mustard dip sauce, would you like it?" She smiled graciously, took it and said thank you.

I felt so good. It was like all that anger left my body the moment I saw her smile. It got me thinking about volunteering and giving back somehow to my community.

Any suggestions of ways to give back or if you volunteer what is it you do?

Thanks so much:strawberry:

 

[Officeguy]

I had a similar moment a year ago, I went to KFC and there was this VERY cracky woman crouched on the sidewalk a little ways from me, as I walked toward the door she said she was hungry and could I get her something please, I was also in a grumpy mood due to a family issue and I snapped NO, and walked in......I suddenly felt like a real ass...I told the girl at the counter to please make me up a dinner for one with 2 pieces of extra chicken, a Cola and some popcorn chicken pieces .....she made it up right away..even before my order and the person who was waiting ahead of me...I went outside and knelt down and apologized to her...told her I was an ass and yes I would be happy to help her today......I then remembered the stranger that helped my run a way 13 year old daughter to safety once many years ago.....I still felt bad I acted that way but thankful I realized it in time to correct my actions, inside I went in and the two ladies handed me my order and thanked me....she has been outside for an hour and turned down by every customer...I will never again forget everyone is a person and I hope someone helps me one day if I need it

 

[italian233]

That's very nice of both of you!
Years ago I played soccer for a team that would do team events volunteering serving Christmas dinners for underprivileged families. We would serve dinner, eat dinner and socialize. We had some good laughs and so pleasing to see people enjoy something they may not have. You could tell they really appreciated it.

 

[giaebonyprincess]

Making a difference, a such a wonderful thing

That's very nice of both of you!
Years ago I played soccer for a team that would do team events volunteering serving Christmas dinners for underprivileged families. We would serve dinner, eat dinner and socialize. We had some good laughs and so pleasing to see people enjoy something they may not have. You could tell they really appreciated it.

Yeah I was one those families. I remember one Christmas when I was six or seven, a beautiful white older couple knocked on our door and left us a whole pile of groceries. We felt so lucky.

 

[Officeguy]

My mother brought the 4 of us alone, we were poor as dirt......we were so fortunate at christmas that the Salvation army would bring a christmas hamper and a well off family adopted us one christmas, mom worked full time but because we were on welfare she was only allowed to keep $100 a month, but mom worked full time hours regardless and walked home in the dark and snow.....i asked her years after why she worked all those hours for nothing...she said it wasn't for nothing...you kids had to see you don't ever not try your best and she wanted to teach us the right way.......

 

[giaebonyprincess]

I had a similar moment a year ago, I went to KFC and there was this VERY cracky woman crouched on the sidewalk a little ways from me, as I walked toward the door she said she was hungry and could I get her something please, I was also in a grumpy mood due to a family issue and I snapped NO, and walked in......I suddenly felt like a real ass...I told the girl at the counter to please make me up a dinner for one with 2 pieces of extra chicken, a Cola and some popcorn chicken pieces .....she made it up right away..even before my order and the person who was waiting ahead of me...I went outside and knelt down and apologized to her...told her I was an ass and yes I would be happy to help her today......I then remembered the stranger that helped my run a way 13 year old daughter to safety once many years ago.....I still felt bad I acted that way but thankful I realized it in time to correct my actions, inside I went in and the two ladies handed me my order and thanked me....she has been outside for an hour and turned down by every customer...I will never again forget everyone is a person and I hope someone helps me one day if I need it

Glad your daughter got home safely many years ago!!

 

[Officeguy]

she ran away......with her friends.....her friends were run by a pimp unknown to my daughter......she ran away so many times at that age we did not catch on she was in real trouble....we heard through the grape vine they had her on the street recording licence plate numbers for the girls....and she was soon going to be put to work....she refused....they told her they would kill us...she said they didn't know where we lived....one early am we got a call from a man saying he found our daughter on the street and wanted to cab her home....what was our address....she never showed up ....my daughter told us years later that was the pimp calling us to get our address so he could force her and show her how easy it was to do as he wishes.....a client saw her recoding the plates and crying....he went to the cops who came right away and picked her up....it was not the end of our various nightmares with her but at least this time she was rescued

 

[westwoody]

That is so sad.
Pimps are really scum. They are just fucking scum.
I have a friend whose daughter got turned out by a native street gang a couple of years ago. How it happened nobody knows. She was from a nice family in a nice neighbourhood. Everything seemed fine, she was in university, then she just got into meth and lost it.

 

[sybian]

she ran away......with her friends.....her friends were run by a pimp unknown to my daughter......she ran away so many times at that age we did not catch on she was in real trouble....we heard through the grape vine they had her on the street recording licence plate numbers for the girls....and she was soon going to be put to work....she refused....they told her they would kill us...she said they didn't know where we lived....one early am we got a call from a man saying her found our daughter on the street and wanted to cab her home....what was our address....she never showed up ....my daughter told us years later that was the pimp calling us to get our address so he could force her and show her how easy it was to do as he wishes.....a client saw her recoding the plates and crying....he went to the cops who came right away and picked her up....it was not the end of our various nightmares with her but at least this time she was rescued

I was up to no good in Vancouver, and saw an asshole beating the shit out of a very young girl.....he was pimping out a teen as I learned later when I drove her home to her parents.
They all appreciated me bringing her to safety but we're very concerned about him showing up......." It'll be the asshole wearing an arm cast and talking out the side of his face ....if he does ever grow the balls to show up here" I said
When he was down and almost out ......I said something to him he would never forget.....I was told years later the young girl is married and has kids.
Sometimes a Gaurdian angel , has a few battle scars ,a leather face,and doesn't have an English accent.....

 

[Officeguy]

That is so sad.
Pimps are really scum. They are just fucking scum.
I have a friend whose daughter got turned out by a native street gang a couple of years ago. How it happened nobody knows. She was from a nice family in a nice neighbourhood. Everything seemed fine, she was in university, then she just got into meth and lost it.

She met her "freinds" at the stardust rink in surrey back in 1995.........it happened very fast

 

[westwoody]

One memory I will never forget.
In the seventies I saw a girl beaten right in front of the courthouse on Georgia. Saturday night. Plain sight in front a bunch of onlookers.
She was blonde and wearing a white dress. It was raining and she had an umbrella.
The pimp broke it over her head.
She fell to the ground and he kicked her, she was crying and crying.
I felt sick but couldn't move.
Finally a couple of others stepped in and I jumped on him too.
I'm shaking as I write this.That is how mad I was, forty years later still grinding my teeth.

You can turn and look away,or you can do something.
Do something, anything, but don't do nothing.
Drop the dime on them if you don't want to confront them.

 

[jamesdean]

I work out of town for weeks on end, so it difficult to volunteer for anything that has a regular schedule. When home, I go to the gym everyday. I noticed some of my elderly neighbours having groceries delivered and waiting for the bus. I made a point of intoducing myself and now, whenever I am back in town, I tell my new friends JD's taxi is back in operation. I drop them off at the grocery store, take them to doctors appts, whatever they need. Took a while to get through some trust issues and language..but it is worth it.


It feels good to be helpful and nice to meet the neighbours

 

[giaebonyprincess]

As for giving back, well I commit countless hours of my own time to locating missing people (and other things I'm not prepared to discuss publicly). I've found a few too.

Wow that's great

 

[FreeG]

I'm quite humbled by all of the above.

Should ever someone speak ill of SPs and their clients, perhaps they should be forwarded to this thread.

 

[Officeguy]

today my daughter is doing very well, the baby she had at 15 saved her life we feel,my daughter went to a school in surrey with a teen mothers program,she graduated and has worked as a single mom and never relying on us for money, that baby she had is 18 now and is living with us and just had twins......her mom my daugher has a good career going and is a wonderful person......

 

[Officeguy]

I have been on both sides of the coin , Grew up dirty poor with a single mom , worked my ass off since I was 13 and I have had great times and sucess in my life and never forgot where I came from , I can say with all honesty my motto has always been and will always be to give and help whomever crosses my path in Life in need .

Every lady I have talked to is amazing in their own rights......I see clients also with hearts......this is a great thread......

 

[sybian]

wow so many KIND and Brave hearts !!! All of oyur storie have really had an impact on my heart today .

Iam especially glad Officeguy that your daughter found her way back home safe

to all of YOU !!! the world is so much better a place when we stand up for each other and look out for our neighbor ...even if it is just the person next to us at that moment .

I have been on both sides of the coin , Grew up dirty poor with a single mom , worked my ass off since I was 13 and I have had great times and sucess in my life and never forgot where I came from , I can say with all honesty my motto has always been and will always be to give and help whomever crosses my path in Life in need .

Sometimes.......to call yourself simply a human being.....you just cannot turn your back and walk away.

 

[rxwca]

I admire and envy the hearts that you guys and ladies have.

 

[vhyvhy]

Such a heart warming thread!

 

[JonnyBoi]

Haven't had anything like that.. Though I volunteer (with work) and along with giving monetary contributions, the best bit is we just spend time and chat with the elderly and the terminally ill. Sometimes, people just wish to be heard and have their stories told and retold (they're often surprised when you remember them).

About a few years ago; when I was in Vancouver for a work project (6 years perhaps??) I saw this tiny, TINY chihuahua crossing kingsway. I, of course, stopped my car but then I saw this girl (in her 20's) trying desperately to run after it. She (for reasons beyond my imagination) had pumps that were way too high for running. But she looked exasperated and I don't even want to think what would happen if the dog has gotten in front of another car. So I smash the hazard light, took off my jacket and sprinted for a block, block and half into a multi-family complex that the dog has ran into (I think I spooked it). Dogs, no matter how tiny, can really run!

Anyways, I returned the dog. She was almost in tears saying thank you. I could barely breathe and I just nodded and limped back to my car.


Thaaaats the most interesting thing I've done here in Vancouver I think..