This summer we have:

• distributed 20 cases of water (almost 500 bottles)
• distributed 75 care kits
• distributed 100+ pairs of socks
• purchased medication for 6 individuals
• purchased school supplies for a family with three children
• purchased clothing for a homeless individual
• worked with several agencies in town to coordinate services for individuals in need

The 10/20 Project has a “think small” mentality.  A small contribution makes a positive impact in the lives of those who have immediate needs.   We encourage everyone to contribute at least 20 minutes of time to your favorite non-profit.   By focusing on small acts of support The 10/20 Project continues to meet immediate needs and bridge resources in the lives of individuals who are hungry, homeless, disabled, or have other immediate needs.

Thank you for your support and for helping us spread the word about The 10/20 Project.

Thank you, Jonathan.  Your kindness and generous spirit will help many people who don’t have a home, a bed, or a regular place to take a shower.  Always remember that one simple act of kindness can positively impact your community and offer someone the gift of hope.

Although Ron and I are mentioned, I want to be clear that this letter is not about Ron and I.  This letter is about anyone who has contributed and supported The 10/20 Project.   I share with you these treasured words:

“My name is Rickey and I am simply writing to say thanks to Ron and Karin and to all of those who have contributed to The 10/20 Project.  As a homeless person, your care for people and caring about people has encouraged me and given me strength.  I no longer feel that all is lost.  I feel as though there is a whole new world out there and it is simply time for me to start a new beginning.  The 10/20 Project has given me a new outlook on life, but they have also given me basic needs to maintain my personal hygiene, take care of my cleanliness and wash my clothes.  To all of the people with The 10/20 Project thank you for your love and support.”  -R.W.W.

The Blind Side has a scene where Sandra Bullock is out lunching with some of her girlfriends.  One of them says, “You’re changing that boy’s life.”  To which Sandra replies, “No, he is changing mine.”   Well, Rickey, you have changed mine.   As a wise man recently said to me, “It is never about us.  It is always about our service to others.”  Your service, your support, your contributions have made a difference in the life of Rickey and countless others.

]]> http://www.tendollarsandtwentyminutes.org/?feed=rss2&p=802 0 http://www.tendollarsandtwentyminutes.org/?p=777 http://www.tendollarsandtwentyminutes.org/?p=777#comments Sun, 04 Jul 2010 15:22:23 +0000 admin http://www.tendollarsandtwentyminutes.org/?p=777 A couple of weeks ago, on a hot summer day, Ron and I went to distribute water to those on the street.  We asked our homeless friend, Rickey if he’d like to go with us.  We loaded a large ice chest with a couple of cases of water and headed to a downtown laundry mat to pick up our friend.

The sun was hot, the air was humid.  A typical August day in Arkansas, only it wasn’t August it was June.  The heat index was over 100 degrees and it was only noon.  We picked up Rickey and started off on our afternoon journey.   The first woman we saw captivated my attention.  We’ve all seen the scene.  We’ve seen it in movies.  We’ve seen it on tv.  We’ve seen it first-hand.   It is the picture that comes to mind when we think of someone homeless.   A woman was looking through a trashcan, presumably for food.  I know this happens everyday.  We all know it.  We may choose not to see it or not to do anything about it or more often, we (or I at least) feel as though we cannot fix the situation.  We cannot begin to provide the magnitude of resources that one person needs.  But, as we approached her and she turned toward us, Rickey got out of the car and gently approached her.  He handed her a $10 bill and two bottles of water.  He was courteous to her.  She was appreciative.  I observed and felt a bit uncomfortable that I was riding around in an air conditioned toyota and she was looking through a public trashcan for food or whatever.   She smiled, waved, and said “God bless you.”  Rickey got in the car and our journey continued.

It is somewhat incomprehensible to me that in America we have people digging through trashcans.  The communication between Rickey and the woman was kind spirited and gentle.   I later commented to Ron that our world would be a better place if  we all treated one another with the gentleness and kindness displayed between Rickey and the woman.

The 10/20 Project is not a political or religious based organization.  We meet small, immediate needs of those in need.     On this 2010 Independence Day, I am reminded that although we are independent, we are dependent upon others.   The mission of  The 10/20 Project is not to change the world, but by meeting small, immediate needs we do make a positive difference in the lives of individuals.  Consider donating your time and talent somewhere this weekend.  Or, make a donation to The 10/20 Project.  Or, share a bottle of water with someone in need.  It isn’t about them, it is about you.  And when you share what you have it is a win-win for everyone.

Thanks to all who share in The 10/20 Project.

This new site is a coordination effort from individuals with a tapestry of talents.  They live all over the country and have caught the vision of the 10/20 project.  A very special thank you to Megan Weatherford who designed our new site.  Grab a cup of coffee and check out the talents of these generous individuals.

Web design- Megan Weatherford, Little Rock, AR.  http://meganweatherford.com/

Web hosting- George Joyce, Bridgeton, NJ.  http://www.joycemedia.com/

Logo design- Branden Sharp and Susan Norman, Fort Smith, AR

SEO and Social Media- Daniel Morrison, Deerfield Beach, FL

A wealth of resources and knowledge- Peter Stuckey, Little Rock, AR

Right now, your donations provide medication, assist with housing and transportation needs, employment needs, water for the homeless, and other small immediate needs.  Thanks for your support and come back and visit soon.

Because of your support and encouragement we continued the spirit of $10/20 and were able to meet immediate needs, well…immediately.  When talking about our project I often tell people, “we receive so much more than we have ever given.” Your donations of coats kept people warm last winter.  Your donations of cash have bought clothing, paid small utility bills and “finished up” rent and mortgage payments,  bought life-saving medication, bottled water, and food.   Because of these small acts of kindness people have had appropriate clothing for job interviews, they’ve been able to keep their families in their homes, have received life-saving (yes, really) medications.  These are the things that are seen.   What you don’t see are the smiles of humanity as someone receives a warm coat or a bottle of water,  or the tears of gratitude when a young father knows his wife and small children will be able to meet the rent and not be in a shelter.  These are the real people who have had their lives impacted because of a small act of kindness.  The contributions you have made to $10/20 have probably been forgotten by you, but the gift of your generosity lingers in the spirit of the person who received it.

And now, you can deduct that small (or large) gift of kindness from your taxes.  Could it get any better?

The $10/20 Project is alive because of your support and encouragement.  We are here because you are here.   Sincerely, we thank you.

• We are officially a 501(c)(3) which means you will receive a tax-receipt for your donation.
• Our comfort (hygiene) kits have been well received.  We have received positive feedback and will continue to provide these kits and bottled water to those in need.
• We had our first board meeting meeting last night.  Our board members are excited about how people can take a small donation and make a big difference.  A special thanks to Ricky, our homeless friend.  He has agreed to serve on our board as a homeless liaison.
• We have a new website in development and we can’t wait to share it with you.  Hopefully we’ll be ready in the next couple of weeks.

Here is what we need:

• Toiletries for our comfort kits.  We need small bottles of shampoo, conditioner, soap, deodorant, small boxes of laundry detergent, and small tubes of toothpaste.  We are also collecting small cosmetic bags–the kind you receive as part of the “free gift.”  We are using these to make up comfort kits for women and children.
• Cash donations.  Cash donations will be used to purchase small combs, bug repellent, bottled water, wash-clothes, feminine products and items to finish out comfort kits.

Stay tuned…I’ll keep everyone posted.

So, last Friday four of my co-workers, my niece, and I gathered during our lunch hour.  We sorted out all the donated items, set up an assembly line, and assembled our first hygiene kits.  And, it took the six of us 20 minutes to assemble the kits.  We loaded them into the car and they were ready to go.

Twenty minutes of our time will help meet some of the most basic needs (which so many of us take for granted) of individuals in need.

This afternoon Ron and I stocked his trunk with water and hygiene kits for those who live on the street, in shelters, or who have need.

Thanks to all who contributed:   Rob, Christy, Liz, Jamie, Zeb, Peter, Chris, Megan, Andrea, Gloria, and Carlia.

We’ll keep you posted!

The 20 minutes part of The $10/20 Project originally stemmed from a conversation Ron and I had one night while out to dinner with friends.  We were discussing the economy, and how a man had walked into his place of employment one morning and walked out 20 minutes later with all of his belongings in a box.  He had worked for the company for years, and his family depended on not only his income, but the insurance benefits.   How life can change significantly in just 20 short minutes.  The conversation continued, and we discussed the positive possibilities of what a person can DO in 20 minutes.  Just as $10 can meet an immediate need, 20 minutes can positively impact the life of an individual or group.

In the past 11 months, we’ve had many friends, family members, and readers tell us where or how they’ve contributed their talents and at least 20 minutes of time to make a positive contribution.   Here are just a few of the ’20 minute’ contributions we’ve heard about:

• One Saturday morning, a woman brought coffee and tea to a local oncology waiting room for family members of their loved one who was receiving treatment.
• A nine-year old boy encouraged his family to clean out their closets and send us winter coats they no longer needed, so “someone else can be warm.”
• A woman organized and distributed information for one street in her neighborhood and collected money for the local March of Dimes.
• Faculty members from a Theatre Department from a University went to a local homeless shelter and taught the children residents various dance steps, dances, and puppet skits.
• One Mom cleans out baby clothes regularly now and donates them to a shelter for women and children.
• A father stopped on his way home from work to serve dinner at homeless shelter.
• One young couple collected greeting cards from their co-workers and sent over 200 card fronts to St. Jude’s Childrens Hospital to be used in a summer camp for children.
• Many of you have sent us coats, monetary donations, travel-sized toiletry items for our hygiene kits, etc.

So, contribute 20 minutes (or more!) to someone who needs it today.  Your small donation of time makes a big difference to the person on the receiving end.  And if you’re so inclined, let us know where or how or to whom you contributed your time and talent.

Because of our mission and philosophy on meeting immediate needs, we were recently approached by a local agency to help meet the needs of a local homeless man.  James has a long history of homelessness and is scheduled to have surgery on his aorta valve in early May.  His condition was diagnosed earlier this year when he sought medical treatment for frostbite, and later gangrene on his foot.  He has been working with local agencies to ensure he has the proper identification, and can show that he has the resources necessary to care for himself both before and after the procedure.

Because of your donations, The $10/20 Project is able to contribute $100 to assist with his immediate needs.  Ron will work with City Connections and the LR Day Resource Center to ensure James has a positive plan for aftercare.

You continue to donate, and we continue to use your contributions to meet small, immediate needs.  We may not be changing the whole world, but we are helping individuals, one at a time.  Thank you for your contributions and your support.