I've been a bit busy behind the scenes. As a lot of you know I started a Facebook page in July, and its steadily growing and up to 333 likes as of this morning! The best part isn't the number of 'followers' but its the comments - I love reading about what people do, their ideas and views and get some feedback on what I'm doing too. You can see the FB page HERE.
In April of this year, I was invited by a friend to join her Social Change group. We are 8 women from all walks of life, all ages, different backgrounds and experiences. We had one thing in common - we live in a fantastic country and yet we see homeless people on the streets asking for money. We have a generous welfare system, and a social housing scheme - but its a problem that is getting worse. We asked ourselves, what happens to homeless women? Why are they invisible?
Our journey of discernment began. We volunteered at shelters, we met with social housing providers, shelter managers, social workers, hospital and prison management, a prostitutes collective, and began to see a pattern. Women were not being catered for by any of the existing schemes. Discernment was about what we wanted to provide as well as what we didn't want.
We researched about which world wide programs were having success, we had guest speakers at our meetings and began to get a clear picture about what we needed to do. What was already available wasn't working for the women who needed help.
Providence has stepped in this week. We have been gifted a building in the city center. Its old and run down, and needs a lot of work to bring it to the standard we want to provide more than just shelter to women in need. As well as the building, we meet next week to find out if we can access a new pool of grants to renovate the building. We aim to have 6 self-contained apartments providing full social services for women to stay in for up to two years (plus two offices & bedrooms for staff) We are just shocked with this, as finding a building was our major issue getting our project off the ground.
On Friday, I began the process of registering us as a Charitable Trust. I was asked on the phone for the address of our 'offices' - "offices?" "yes, where you work from, where your organization is based" - lol, the answer is "Anna's living room!!"
It's all go! As well as this all going on and building momentum, we have a few personal issues going on causing huge stress. If I'm not here as much as I have been, we are okay, just getting our heads down and working everything through.
I'd just like to finish with - I'm an ordinary person, no special talents - really... if I can do this, anyone can. You can be the change in the world, in our own way, look for the opportunity and just do it.
In April of this year, I was invited by a friend to join her Social Change group. We are 8 women from all walks of life, all ages, different backgrounds and experiences. We had one thing in common - we live in a fantastic country and yet we see homeless people on the streets asking for money. We have a generous welfare system, and a social housing scheme - but its a problem that is getting worse. We asked ourselves, what happens to homeless women? Why are they invisible?
Our journey of discernment began. We volunteered at shelters, we met with social housing providers, shelter managers, social workers, hospital and prison management, a prostitutes collective, and began to see a pattern. Women were not being catered for by any of the existing schemes. Discernment was about what we wanted to provide as well as what we didn't want.We researched about which world wide programs were having success, we had guest speakers at our meetings and began to get a clear picture about what we needed to do. What was already available wasn't working for the women who needed help.
Providence has stepped in this week. We have been gifted a building in the city center. Its old and run down, and needs a lot of work to bring it to the standard we want to provide more than just shelter to women in need. As well as the building, we meet next week to find out if we can access a new pool of grants to renovate the building. We aim to have 6 self-contained apartments providing full social services for women to stay in for up to two years (plus two offices & bedrooms for staff) We are just shocked with this, as finding a building was our major issue getting our project off the ground.
On Friday, I began the process of registering us as a Charitable Trust. I was asked on the phone for the address of our 'offices' - "offices?" "yes, where you work from, where your organization is based" - lol, the answer is "Anna's living room!!"
It's all go! As well as this all going on and building momentum, we have a few personal issues going on causing huge stress. If I'm not here as much as I have been, we are okay, just getting our heads down and working everything through.
I'd just like to finish with - I'm an ordinary person, no special talents - really... if I can do this, anyone can. You can be the change in the world, in our own way, look for the opportunity and just do it.
2771 Reads
- Posted by KiwiCat
- Nov 28, 2016
- Comments (12)
Readers Comments
AndiCas wrote: That's incredible news. What a tremendous step forward for your project. And, I'd like to add, you're far from ordinary :)
Novice50 wrote: You may be an ordinary person, but your dedication and work and passion to help are extraordinary. Thank you for sharing your work here - it's natural that you will take off and continue to work in other directions with your message of kindness and peace and compassion. Blessings on your journey, and thank you for sharing this powerful message.
Alisamom wrote: Wow, Ally, just wow, you will do so much good for so many women and children! You're a fantastic hero
patjos wrote: It's tremendous how Love moves us and then moves withus! Well done, you are a shining Light!
mindyjourney wrote: you are an amazing "ordinary" person, my friend :)))). thank you for going with the Universal flow and being open to the evolving you <3...what a great program! Blessing to you in ALL of your kindness endeavors! We are here to support and encourage <3.
laughingsoul wrote: Wow! How amazingly beautiful wonderful human beings! "we live in a fantastic country and why are we seeing homeless people on the streets asking for money? " All great things starts from questions, hat off to you and your team, hope more and more people will start to realize that we need to wonder and look for other answers than those specially designed to make us follow previous patterns or just shrug our shoulders and think "it cannot be helped". Cheers for the all your efforts, what a joyful honour is to be able to write to the simple human who is changing the world with the simple yet tremendous power of united heart with mind. Thank you! Congratulations dear friend, while I am only dreaming it you are doing it. Wish you good health, power and energy to keep paving this wonderfully new path, called "Anna's living room".
dotmatrix wrote: Kiwi what incredible work. I lived in a DV shelter and I can tell you that volunteers were the difference -- just the thought that someone really cared. Then when we got safe, i volunteered too. What you and your friends are doing is beautiful. So inspired by you.. ♡. Dot
mish wrote: No words....except WOW!!!!!!!
leoladyc728 wrote: I so agree with Mindy. What an amazing project to be involved in. Good luck with it all.
janfour wrote: this made my day - thanks for all you do
