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Hey out there. This page is set up to make an attempt at doing something with this world we live in.
Have you ever volunteered? What about during the last 12 months? I think the secret to life is love. Helping your neighbor. Doing the right thing when no one is watching. Thinking of others at all times.
The problems I've run into with getting myself to volunteer are common. I don't have the time to make any long term commitment. I definitely don't have any money for dues. Many times, I don't even have transportation to get there. I don't think that should get me off the hook though. I still have the desire to help. I can get disillusioned sometimes, but I try to look past that. Why help the homeless when they don't even try to get to a shelter? Why try and help alcoholics when they just go out and drink again? Why teach children when they just grow up and forget? I think the answer to this is actually quite simple. No matter how angry you get, you still know you are doing the right thing.
I've digressed a bit, but I want it to be that way. I just want to talk. Say how I feel. Examine things a little deeper.
I have a basic theory. The secret to changing the world is through our children. 150 years from now, everyone alive on this planet will be dead. Other than history books, the population will never truly know our thoughts. We look back on polio, slavery, the inquisition, genocide, and every other thing the inhabitants of this planet have been involved in and wonder how we could have been so stupid.
We need to teach our children the right things. The problem is, everyone has a different idea of what the right things are. You might think that YooHoo is a great chocolate drink, and I might think it is a tool of Satan. Regardless, I think we can agree that all children deserve to be loved right from the get go. Here's the thing. They aren't.
There are abandoned babied, crack babies, beaten babies, yelled at babies, sexually abused babies, malnourished and starving kids, diseased kids and more. What in the hell is the world thinking? Why do we continue to let this happen? Better yet, what can we do about it? There are many problems in the world today that need our attention, but I think we would be most intelligent if we loved our kids. Maybe they might love us back in return when they could put us in a home instead.
Back to the point, volunteering. There are many ways we can help kids. Donations of time is the most important. Then comes food, money, shelter, and clothing. I am going to post opportunities on this page for us. Opportunities to help in a real way. I way that you can get immediate results in the form of a smile. I need your help to get me motivated, and I hope that I get some of you off your butt for a few hours a year as well. Send me your comments, suggestions, ideas, and what you want to do. Tell me what you think. Let's talk, and in between we can hear some great music and somewhere down the road, bring the two together.
I'm waiting to hear from you.
Greg
Phone: (703) 425-3410
Email: fullsteamahead@hotmail.com
Go ahead and get started! Here are some local volunteer projects that could use your help:
Alexandria Community Shelter
2355-B Mill Rd., Alexandria 703/329-2050Alternative House
2136 Gallows Rd., Suite E, Dunn Loring 703/698-7062AMEN (Arlingtonians Ministering to Emergency Needs)
PO Box 7429, Arlington 703/558-0035Arlington Food Assistance Center
2708 S. Nelson St., Arlington 703/845-8486Arlington-Alexandria Coalition for the Homeless
3103 N. Ninth Rd., Arlington 703/525-7177ASK Inc. (Abused Survivors Know)
P.O. Box 10756, Burke 703/281-7468Camp Fire Boys and Girls, Potomac Area Council
P.O. Box 7598, Arlington 703/569-1686Carpenter's Shelter
802 N. Henry St., Alexandria 703/683-7383Children's Hospital Regional
Outpatient Center of Northern Virginia
3022 Williams Dr., Fairfax 703/573-9383D.C. Department of Corrections,
Office of Religious and Volunteer Services
8501 Silverbrook Rd., Lorton 703/643-0137Domestic Violence Program, Alexandria Office on Women
110 N. Royal St., Room 201, Alexandria 703/838-4911Fair Housing Center of Northern Virginia
9401 Lee Highway, Suite 420, Fairfax 703/273-9715Fairfax ReLeaf
P.O. Box 6141, McLean 703/324-1409Falls Church-McLean Children's Center
2036 Westmoreland St., Falls Church 703/534-4907Family Respite Center
2036 Westmoreland St., Falls Church 703/532-8899Genealogy Library
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Hamilton 540/338-9526Good Shepherd Housing & Family Services
6301 Richmond Highway, Alexandria 703/768-9404Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia
4451 First Pl. South, Arlington 703/521-9890Inova Hospital for Children
3300 Gallows Rd., Falls Church 703/204-3366Lamb Center
9766 Lee Highway, 2nd Floor, Fairfax 703/691-3178Literacy Council of Northern Virginia
2855 Annandale Rd., Falls Church 703/237-0866March of Dimes
2700 S. Quincy St., Suite 220, Arlington 703/824-0111Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority
Potomac Overlook Regional Park, Arlington 703/528-5406NOVAM (Northern Virginia AIDS Ministry)
413 Duke St., Alexandria 703/739-2437Orphan Foundation of America
2565 John Milton Dr., Suite 126, Herndon 703/716-4122Rapid Action Food Team
2210 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria 703/683-4761Residential Youth Services
2701 Cameron Mills Rd., Alexandria 703/207-9044Shelter House
3080 Patrick Henry Dr., Falls Church 703/536-2155Whitman-Walker Clinic of Northern Virginia
5232 Lee Hwy., Arlington 703/237-4900Women's Home
P.O. Box 1342, Arlington 703/237-2822
Helping Assault Victims
The Fairfax County Victim Assistance Network (VAN), a program of the Fairfax/Falls Church Community Services Board, provides assistance to victims of domestic abuse and/or sexual assault. Bilingual volunteers in particular are needed to provide services to people who are Asian or Hispanic, or who are hearing impaired. Volunteers accompany clients to court when necessary, translate, or answer a telephone help line. Volunteers work at least four hours a week on weekdays, for at least one year. For more information, call 703-360-7273.
AIDS Community Organization
Heaven In View Inc., in Alexandria, educates the public about AIDS and provides supportive services to patients with AIDS, including people who are incarcerated or newly released, drug abusers, prostitutes, and the homeless. Volunteers are needed to organize fund-raisers and to help with grant-proposal writing fro the organization. Lawyers, accountants, and typists who can donate one or two hours a week are also needed. It's at 2280 Bulgard St., Alexandria. For more information, call 703-979-0060.
Telephone Pals
PhoneFriend is a telephone support service for Washington area children who are at home without adult supervision. Volunteers are needed to answer a variety of calls from children who are lonely or scared, need help with homework assignment, or who may want to discuss a fight they have had with a friend. PhoneFriend operates from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays. Volunteers are trained in listening skills and child development issues. For more information, call 202-223-0020.
Volunteer to Help the Homeless
Charlie's Place, formerly the Homeless Breakfast Program of St. Margaret's Church, needs volunteers with cars to deliver once per week baked goods to homeless shelters and soup kitchens in NW DC. Contact Bruce McBarnette (703) 404-8429, email: mcbarnet@gwu.edu, or by snail mail: Bruce McBarnette, 248 Willow Terrace, Sterling, VA 20164
Charity Event Updates
For charity event updates check this web site: http://members.tripod.com/testhelp/charityevents.