Lend A Hand

This month I talked about getting involved and getting others involved. It is the everyday little positive actions we take that make the biggest differences in the world. A letter, an email, a petition or a group meeting with like minded citizens can all change the world and make it a better place to live.

Next month we’ll be narrowing out focus to the topic of environment. I’ll be discussing some frightening statistics, some books and websites that will give you more information and most importantly what we can all do to help the environment, save the planet and protect the world we live in.

Comments(0)

CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates. These advocates are assigned to a child currently caught in the child welfare system.

Children caught in the system are often moved from place to place, questioned by many different police officers, judges, doctors, and social workers. As you can imagine this can be a terrifying and insecure time for the child.

CASA volunteers are typically assigned only one child at a time and will stay with that child until the child is in a safe, permanent home. Your only job is to care for the child and stand up for the child’s rights when needed.

Currently there are nearly 60,000 CASA volunteers while there are nearly half a million children in the child welfare system. Obviously there is a great need for more volunteers. In order to become a CASA volunteer you will have to attend 30 hours of training after passing a background test. Most advocates spend about 10 hours a month working on their case.

To learn more about CASA and how you can help: www.nationalcasa.org

Comments(0)

Once upon a time neighborhoods were tiny communities where most everyone know everyone and there was always a helping hand available. Today too many neighbors are merely civil giving maybe a smile and nod if they see each other. Consequently we have lost a coherence, traded security and belonging for privacy.

Back in the day, neighbors watched out for each other and theirs. If a neighbor had seen me as a child playing in the street, she would’ve sent me home. If my mother had ever seen a neighbor’s yard being vandalized she would have taken notice and reported the incident to the neighbor or the authorities. Today most people just mind their own business and refuse to get involved.

I long for the days where neighbors were more like extended family. Believe it or not there are steps you can take to bring your neighborhood closer and build a friendlier community.

1. Start a Neighborhood Committee- Pass around flyers (you can leave them inside storm doors) inviting neighbors to a neighborhood meeting to discuss future improvements to the neighborhood. Don’t forget to serve refreshments. Once you have people gathered you can talk about forming groups to deal with specific purposes such as a neighborhood watch, welcome wagon, neighborhood newsletter, etc.
2. Throw a block party – A block party is a get-together of several neighbors in one area. Everyone brings some food, some drinks (non-alcoholic of course) and some good cheer. You can set up a Mp3 player and some speakers to provide music as well.
3. Do some landscaping- Every street has an area that could use a few flowers. Perhaps a church, school, or community center could use a little landscaping. Gather together a group of neighbors and spend the day raking, mowing, pruning and planting to beautify your neighborhood.
4. Start a neighborhood newsletter- Keep your neighbors informed about events and going on with a simple newsletter. You can include upcoming events, births, school events, special accomplishments of fellow neighbors, church events, etc. You can even have kids from the neighborhood draw pictures or comics and include a pecial section for them.
5. Start A Neighborhood Tag- Begin a game of “tag” by leaving a platter of goodies and a note on a neighbor’s steps. The note should state that you are grateful for your neighbor and that they have been ‘tagged’ and must continue by leaving a small gift of gratitude and a copy of the note. The goal here is for neighbors to show gratitude and kindness towards each other. Eventually everyone in the neighborhood should be the recipient of a “tag”.

Comments(0)

Every act of kindness that is performed by one person and felt by at least one other changes the world forever. There is power in good deeds and it is a power that all of, from the very poor to the very rich share.

Together We Can Change The World is an organization dedicated to teaching people that they are special and can make a real difference. This list is adapted from a FREE book that they offer on their website:http://www.togetherwecanchangetheworld.com/

1. Pick some flowers from your garden and bring them to a neighbor or friend who could use some cheering up.
2. If you possess some professional skill, offer it for free to someone who needs it. Free housecleaning, free meal at your restaurant, etc.
3. Use your lunch time to pick up trash. You can even ask some coworkers to help out.
4. Send a thank you card or note to the local police or fire station
5. Take a tomato plant in a planter to a person who would like one. Be sure to put it in a sunny spot and assist with watering if necessary
6. Pay a toll or tab for the person behind you. Ask the cashier to ask them to pay it forward to someone else.
7. Buy a few canned or boxed goods during your next shopping trip and drop them at the local homeless shelter or food bank.
8. Look for ways to make people feel special. Smile and compliment others that cross your path today.
9. Offer to weatherize someone’s house for the winter
10. Secure the doormats of an elderly person’s home so they do not slip.
11. Get a group of people together and donate blood.
12. Take and donate your old magazines to a shelter or medical office.
13. If your hair is long or you are willing to grow it long, you can donate the cut hair to Locks of Love. For more info go to www.locksoflove.org

This list is a great place to get started. For more ideas of ways you can change the world, visit www.togetherwecanchangetheworld.com

Comments(0)

I tend to avoid the celebrity gossip stories. I don’t read people and I don’t watch TMZ. I have less than no concern about Brad and Angelina’s twins or Tom Cruise’s latest appearance on Oprah.

While I will occasionally watch soap operas, I watch them for the laugh factor. The ridiculousness of the plots are hilarious.

I do watch CNN and the morning news shows. I read news on the Internet and in newspapers. Unfortunately now that I am more interested and involved in political news I see a frightening similarity to the soaps, nighttime dramas, and celeb gossip that I find so distasteful.

My interest in politicians is limited mostly to their positions on the issues that are important to me and their character in general. While I don’t find it acceptable if a politician does something illegal or immoral, I do not think every little move they make and every move everyone they associate with makes should be put under a microscope.

We all have black sheep in the family, we all have dopey friends that we’re embarrassed by, we all have people in our lives who we highly respect but who we disagree with on a major issue. This should not reflect on our ability to hold a political office.

And once you have made a big deal out of someone’s petty flaws, like Clinton did with Obama, how do you then go back and give support without seeming like a hypocrite? Hillary did most of McCain’s work for him. The fact that McCain gained his party’s support so much sooner than the Democratic nominee is going to be a major advantage for him.

Remember the cop from that old television show that would say “Just the facts, Ma’am”…well

“Just the issues, Please”

Comments(0)

I know, I know, you’re sick to death of hearing about the mortgage crisis and what can be done to help it. Should the government help out? Should the people who got themselves into this mess be left to sink or swim on their own? What about the poor people who bought houses in the same neighborhoods and are now dealing with sinking property values as their neighbors are all foreclosed upon?

Their is some, but not much, debate for most people as to how and why the “Mortgage Crisis” happened. Just about everyone involved made mistakes – some knew they were making them and some were completely ignorant despite what the critics say. In the end, property values couldn’t continue to rise and loans taken out with the hope of refinancing later on expected equity couldn’t possible work.

Peopl were dumb – I won’t deny that. Lenders were vicious and purposedly put people into situations that they couldn’t handle. Loans were sold at lightening speed like some sort of financial institution game of hot potato. Now the big lenders and the big spenders are left hold the bag full of holes. And the question is being thrown about – Who’s the real victim of the mortgage crisis?

I don’t think it matters. We’re all being effected whether we own one of these bad mortgages or not. Odds are we know someone in trouble. I’ve already mentioned property values going down whether your neighbors are in forclosure but certainly moe severely if they are. The government will have to end up doing something and even if it doesn’t directly use our tax dollars, it is taking up our representatives time which costs up something somewhere down the line.

Who’s the real victim? America is.

Comments(0)

“Those who do not study history are doomed to repeat it.” – George Santayana

Ever since I began to notice things in America going to hell in a hand basket, I have been devouring U.S. history books as fast as possible, in particular the era of The Great Depression. I have seen some frightening similarities. Despite some deliberate differences, I believe our country may be heading for the worst time both economically and socially, that it has ever seen.

Main factors leading up to the Great Depression are considered to be the greatly unequal distribution of wealth (built up during the roaring 20s and the Coolidge Prosperity), and extensive speculation on the part of investors in the stock market.

Big Business has taken a very powerful hold of our nation through the ineffeciency of our government. CEO are making approximately 400% more than the average worker while their stock holders continue to lose money. The Oil Companies are recording record profits and, due to speculators and panic over natural disaster like hurricanes, our gas prices continue to rise to a level that the average working person can not afford. Many people who couldn’t really afford to on their own merit invested in real estate during the boom from 1999-2004. Others were lured into home ownership but easy to obtain mortgages, many of which were eventually foreclosed upon.

Companies have been outsourcing our manufacturing jobs slowly for years but thanks to the prevalence of computers across the globe, even our skills jobs are being lost to other countries. Factories can’t afford to make things in this country because the competition with other companies who have cheap foreign labor in other nations can sell their finished products in this country for so cheap. Apparently none of these outsourcing monsters have stopped to think what will happen when fewer and fewer Americans have jobs to earn money to buy those consumer goods made by people willing and able to work for pennies an hour.

When I watch the unemployment rate rise, the education level of our youth fall, the food and energy shortages (and water is soon to follow), the health care cost fly off the charts so that people can’t afford to get sick or take a day out of work (something quite popular during the days of the Great Depression), you can see why I believe we are heading into rough waters – in fact, the roughest waters possible.

Financial “experts” are saying that we aren’t in an “official recession” due to GDP growth or the tiny bump of a rise in consumer sales. I say these experts are obviously not living in the real world where people are choosing between food and medication. Where we were once living from paycheck to paycheck and not are living with the knowledge that every month something will have to go unpaid. We are calling our mortgage companies, utilities companies and medical professionals to set up payment plans because we can’t afford to pay the whole bill at once. We are baking our own bread and using baking soda and vinegar to clean rather than expensive brand-name (or even cheaper store-brand) cleaning products.

We are looking for second jobs, part-time jobs, freelance jobs, work-from-home jobs, and side jobs just to make ends meet. We are going without so we can get through to next month. Meanwhile, the jobs are leaving, the taxes are rising, the health care costs are impossible, and food and gas are running a race for which can squash us first.

My advice to you: Study history because I believe we are about to be doomed.

Comments(0)

null

War On The Middle Class by Lou Dobbs of CNN fame is one of the most comprehensive books on the problems facing the working and middle class people of the United States.

The topics discussed include economy, illegal immigration, the mainstream media spin on current news, government involvement with Big Business, and how Big Business is working hard to push the middle class into extinction.

If you enjoy the independent-minded spin that Lou Dobbs puts on his broadcating, you will love this book. It is honest, frank and fresh with an entire chapter dedicated to action steps the average citizen can take to fight against the decay of America.

Comments(0)

Hello, welcome to the intro post of Lend A Hand.

The purpose of this blog is to talk about the politics and issues that are really affecting the people living in America. As well as offer some information about how you can make a difference and get involved.

Who am I?

I am a basic, simple, honest to goodness “Average Jane”. I have no background in politics or economy. I don’t have a journalist degree or any special connections that make me privy to anything anyone else couldn’t discover.

So why listen to me?

Because I’ve been there. I’ve been poor and upper middle class and most places in between. I’ve been a single parent and part of a married couple. I’ve worked for other people and I’ve worked for myself. I’ve rented apartments and currently pay a mortgage on my own home. I’ve considered myself a Republican, a Democrat and nothing at all. I’ve thought of myself as a conservative, a liberal and somewhere in the middle.

Most importantly, I think I understand what is bothering people in America today. I see and feel their frustration and desperation. I know there are many people out there who feel lost and have just about given up. Many feel the government has stopped listening and that nothing can be done. This is not a new occurrence, it has happened before.

Many times in history, Americans have felt ignored, unrepresented and trod on. Either as a nation or as a member of a minority group, we have had to fight for nearly every right we have. We have come so far (and we have slipped back a bit) that it must be acknowledged that it can be done.

Along the side of this blog you will find links to pages outline what I consider my “Civic To-Do” list. Things, some simple and some involved, that every one living in America can and should do to improve the quality of our nation and citizenship.

What Can You Expect From This Blog?

Lend A Hand will be a running dialogue of the things going on in America; the unjust, the frightening, the encouraging, and the unbelievable. If it affects the middle, working or lower class, we will be talking about it in plain English and with common sense. Not only we will discuss but we will offer practical steps you can take to change things.

It Is Time To Take Back Our Country – Of The People, By The People, And For The People!

Comments(1)