Every month, the Project 7 team participates in a 7 Day Chapter. For those of you that are not familiar with 7 Day, we basically give up one day out of the month and volunteer in the community. Last December we had the opportunity to spend a day at Someone Cares Soup Kitchen in Costa Mesa. Some of us got to serve, while the others washed dishes or did whatever else needed to be done in the kitchen.
Carrie and I (Atila) were on dish washing/drying duty. Through this opportunity, we were able to work along side of the other volunteers and employees in the kitchen. We asked them about their stories. Some were inspiring. We truly admire the passion and hardwork that the Someone Cares Soup Kitchen volunteers/employees put into their work. Every day, they provide warm meals for the hungry in Costa Mesa. They love people and they show it through their actions.
Project 7 exists to give back. The whole point of our existence as a company is to serve and help. But for us to be able to volunteer a day out of the month, and step out of our office and physically serve the people in our community allows us to remember why we do the things that we do. Looking someone in the eyes while you serve them is a completely different experience than reading about it online or seeing pictures of it.
We are thankful for the hardworking nonprofit organizations in our community. Chances are, there is one in your neighborhood. Get involved by donating your time. Let us help you start a 7 Day Chapter. Donate one day out of the month to a cause that you care about and experience the joy of serving.
One of my favorite things that we do here at Project 7 is we try to get out of the office once a month and find a place in our community to serve. We call it 7 Day. Yesterday was the official first 7 Day since we moved our offices out to Orange County, California.
We traveled up to Orange {the city within the county} to spend some time loving on the third through fifth graders at Project HOPE School. If you have never heard of Project HOPE {Homeless Outreach Program in Education}, it is country-run school designed to help children without permanent homes transition into the mainstream educational system that was started in 1989 after a local schoolteacher began teaching hotel kids, street kids, and park kids out of the back of her car. {Over 22,000 children in Orange County are homeless.}
The kids are amazing. We had an incredible time playing with them and hearing their stories.
We even did an arts and crafts project to get them in the spirit of Thanksgiving. We helped the students make turkeys and each feather included something they were thankful for. Even though many of them were homeless they found a lot to be thankful for...teachers, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, hamburgers, school, weekends, friends.
This turkey was of one of my favorites.
A couple of hours given to a great cause. It really is so simple to volunteer and impact the communities in which we live.
Interested in learning more?
Go here to learn more about how you can start a 7 Day chapter in your area.
Go here to learn more about how you can serve the needs of Project HOPE school.
On March 8, Project 7 spent the afternoon with a very special group of people at
Mission Arlington for our monthly "7 Day" volunteer event. Mission Arlington is located in Arlington, Texas, a city which gets much more publicity and fame as being "home of the Dallas Cowboys" rather than a city that provides a tremendous service to their community through the help of Mission Arlington.
Mission Arlington just celebrated its 25th year of service, which speaks volumes for its dedication to helping others. As they spoke to us with their warm smiles and provided us with the details of our task that day, they made a statement that really resonated with us. That statement was "we believe that God is up to something big in the world and more people than ever before are seeing the need and responding to His call to ³take church to the people.²
This means they don't sit and wait for people to come to them. They go and seek and bring the word of God to others. They prepare supplies for those in need and take them where they are needed and they do an outstanding job not only providing resources for the community, but also by providing continued support to help better the lives of so many in need.
As we sorted through donated clothing to prepare boxes to be taken out to those in need, we observed the large amount of donated items, which is a very positive thing to see. However, the need for volunteers to help them continue running efficiently is greatly needed. Donated items are what allows them to continue this wonderful cause through resources, but it's just as important to help them sort, organize and distribute.
Please visit
www.missionarlington.org/contact/volunteers and volunteer today! And if you're just itching to visit Cowboy stadium, it's right up the street from Mission Arlington.
[caption id="attachment_2285" align="aligncenter" width="224" caption="Tillie Burgin, Founder of Mission Arlington and Tyler Merrick, Project 7 Founder"]
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In January, Project 7 visited our friends at
Mercy Street for our monthly “7 Day” volunteer event. Located in West Dallas,
Mercy Street provides an array of educational, recreational and ministry programs to the community. For our visit, the P7 team was given the opportunity to mentor students in an after-school program held at a nearby elementary school. It was fun to be back in a school setting around so many kids and teachers.
We were each assigned to specific groups. Oddly, my classroom had only one student, the teacher and her two grandsons. This made for an interesting tutoring session where the boys and I shared our love for Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, talked about sports, and discussed the importance of being kind to one another.
The best part about this not-so-typical set-up was that it led to an awesome opportunity to spend quality time with the teacher. She shared about her experiences from her 20+ years of teaching and her passion for education and the students. It was obvious her excitement for empowering her students with real-life skills and it was an honor to spend time with such an amazing individual.
Teachers need just as much encouragement and support as kids. The role that they play in the lives of their students is significant and they need to be reminded that their work is appreciated. The next time you bump into a teacher or educator tell them “thank you,” give them a high-five, a hug…something! They deserve it!
Do you remember a time when a teacher made an impact in your life? Share with us…
I mean…
who doesn’t like garage sales? Sorting through various items in search of the perfect find. Hoping to discover something unique and priceless. Except THIS garage sale was quite different…
The garage sale was free and the attendees were not necessarily participating in a “leisurely” event. Refugees from around the globe that have been resettled in the Fort Worth area were selecting items that they needed for their homes and families.
This past Tuesday, Project 7 teamed with
Catholic Charities of Fort Worth for our monthly 7 Day event and helped put on a “Free” Garage Sale for Refugees. It was humbling, yet inspiring, meeting individuals from all over the world that were forced to flee their home countries due to persecution and/or war. Something I still can’t wrap my mind around.
As I was helping a Vietnamese man carry his new treasures to his apartment, I tried to imagine what my life would look like if I didn’t have the freedom that the United States offers. I can’t fully grasp the thought of being forced to escape my country in search of safety. Leaving my family and personal belongings behind only to live in a tent in a foreign land, hoping to one day be granted asylum is so far from reality for me…for most of us.
The 7 Day event was great and not one person walked away empty handed. Not even the kids. But I am confident the garage sale had more of an impact on our lives than theirs. Learning what life looks like once a refugee steps foot on American soil made us realize the basic things and knowledge we take for granted each day. It also reminded us how easy it is to get involved, lend a hand and love our neighbors.
Catholic Charities is a top-notch organization that provides so many services to communities nationwide. I encourage you all to get involved and lend a hand in one of their many programs.
Be looking for the video highlighting the fun we had and the amazing people we met during the course of the day! We'll post it soon!
