{"id":112,"date":"2015-06-08T17:19:46","date_gmt":"2015-06-08T22:19:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gilcanrun.com\/?p=112"},"modified":"2015-06-08T17:19:46","modified_gmt":"2015-06-08T22:19:46","slug":"no-running-this-week-marathon-saturday-but-great-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.gilcanrun.com\/?p=112","title":{"rendered":"No running this week, Marathon Saturday, but GREAT news!"},"content":{"rendered":"

It has been 329 days since a fire tore through my home, destroyed most of my stuff and left me adrift in a hotel, before landing me in this awful rental house. But today was a major milestone in reconstruction, SHEET ROCK!
\n\"20150608_163311\"<\/a> \"20150608_163118\"<\/a> \"20150608_163110\"<\/a>
\nThis is the best looking thing I’ve seen all day!
\nSo, two days after the fire, I had been inundated with people asking me what they could do to help. After thinking it over, I decided I didn’t need help, insurance had stuff handled (and I was right!). So I figured, if folks were in a giving mood, they should give to those who truly need, the homeless, or anyone who is in need. I went on the bookfaces and I wrote the following:<\/p>\n

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Christopher A. Gilbert<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n
July 17, 2014<\/abbr><\/a><\/span> \u00b7<\/p>\n
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Hi everyone!<\/p>\n

So listen, you all obviously know my house was destroyed in a fire. I am so grateful for all the wonderful and caring people in my life, friends, family who have, without hesitation offered help and support in this difficult time. It\u2019s amazing and humbling and I cannot thank all of you enough.<\/p>\n

Without exception, everyone has asked \u201cWhat can I do to help?\u201d in some form or another. The fact is, while physically things are broken and destroyed (or just reek of smoke); the insurance company is taking care of all that. They will buy us new things. New clothes, new TVs, new computers, new beds, everything will be replaced or repaired. I get to live in a hotel until they find us a house to rent while ours gets rebuilt. It\u2019s all good, it\u2019s all taken care of. As far as emotionally, well it all is what it is. It sucks, but when do things not suck really? But it all got me thinking.<\/p>\n

There are millions of people in this world who are not as fortunate as I am. They are sick, they are incapacitated, they are somehow not able to be housed. You may see them every day, you may think whatever you may want to think about them. I just think it\u2019s terrible. So I want everyone who wants to help, to help them. The quick and easy way is, I did some research and found the National Alliance to End Homelessness. Over 90% of their budget is spent on their actual programs to prevent and end homelessness. Less than 10% is spent paying administrative costs and advertising. They took in a little over $3,000,000 last year. They get a Four Star rating from Charity Navigator and an A+ from Charity Watch.
\nYou can find their website here: http:\/\/www.endhomelessness.org\/<\/a> and read up about them from Charity Navigator here:http:\/\/www.charitynavigator.org\/index.cfm\u2026<\/a><\/p>\n

So if you want to, and you are able to, please send them a donation and if you want to donate in someone\u2019s name, you can donate in the memory of Alfred Curci. Grandpa may be gone for a decade, but that was his house, he and his brothers-in-law built it, cared for it and remodeled it. His work kept me from being homeless for all these years.<\/p>\n

If you can\u2019t give money or don\u2019t want to, perhaps time is what you have to give. Volunteer at your local soup kitchen or Habitat for Humanity. Find your local soup kitchen at a site like: http:\/\/www.foodpantries.org\/<\/a> orhttps:\/\/www.dosomething.org\/<\/a> and the link to volunteer for habitat is:http:\/\/www.habitat.org\/getinv\/volunteer_programs.aspx<\/a><\/p>\n

Ok, so you have no money and you have no time, you can still do something. I want all my friends and family, all you completely great people in my life to do one simple thing. When you see a homeless person on the street, don\u2019t judge them. Keep in mind, our system requires poverty. Even if we all were hard-working, well-adjusted, intelligent, nose-to-the-grindstone people, we would still need someone to flip burgers, take orders, work a cash register. The fact is, we don\u2019t all \u201cfit-in\u201d and some of us are very sick, or very disabled in ways that may not be clear or visible. Yes, there will always be people who try to take advantage and \u201cmake money\u201d pan-handling. Offer to buy them a meal, whatever, just don\u2019t judge them. Don\u2019t think you know better than them, or you know their story, or you know why they\u2019re there. Because without the faculties you have, you could very easily be right where they are.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m lucky, I have insurance, I can hold a job, I can function in polite society. I don\u2019t have to worry about too much beyond that. But there are profoundly troubled people out there, just trying to survive, and they need our help! Let\u2019s take all this great energy, and let\u2019s help them. Because just like I love each and every one of you, I love each and every one of them too. They are all my brothers and sisters, we are all one human family and I want them to be as OK as they can be too. With all our resources, with all our heart and determination, there is no reason for people to live out in the streets. There is no reason for people to live hand to mouth. Unless that is what they are truly happy doing.<\/p>\n

So that is what everyone can do, help my brothers and sisters, help your brothers and sisters who are out there without any hope, without any help, without anybody. If you can\u2019t help them, please don\u2019t hurt them, don\u2019t judge them. Smile and wave and let them know they are still people and they still matter. Remember to keep the \u202a#\u200e<\/span>PMA\u202c<\/span><\/a>!<\/p>\n

Thank you everyone!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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