Marketplace story on American Public Media

Here is a link to the show we were a quick guest on concerning unemployment on American Public Media's show, Marketplace:

http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/10/02/mm-discouragedworkers/

Just click on listen to the show button.

Guideposts Article

A few months ago Guideposts Magazine contacted We've Got Time to Help as they wanted to do an article. Seth was interviewed and the article is in the October issue. The interview is now posted on their website. We are unable to get the link to work from our page so please check it out here http://www.guideposts.com/story/jobless-volunteers-tough-times

Welcome to the Sun!

Hello to all! We hope that everyone is doing great and staying nice and cool! It is sweltering here in Portland. Possibly above 100 degrees over the next 4 days. Gross!! We feel like we have moved from NE PDX to the surface of the Sun!

Onto happier things, though.

First of all, we are having our monthly meet and greet at our home on August 5th, from 11am-2pm. We would love for everyone to attend. We know that some of you have jobs and other commitments, but we would love a home full of our neighbors!

Changing gears a bit, Michelle and I went to the store yesterday (Michelle's idea) and purchased 2 cases of bottled water ($6 for both) and a couple of bags of ice. Then, we put a cooler full of the water and ice in the car so that when we see someone walking down the street that could use some help cooling off, we can give them a nice, cold water. We have a lot of homeless and near-homeless people in the city and we're sure they could use some water during these HOT days. Or, if you just see someone that looks overheated, you can hand them something to help cool them down. It's a great gesture and, believe us, makes you feel really good! We have also printed off (from our home computer) a list of cooling centers around the city to hand out to people that could use them.

Next item, we have been really busy lately with a ton of small projects. Lots of little things and quick-fixes. That being said, we have quite a few bigger projects on the table and we could sure use some help. Please email us at wevegottimetohelp@q.com if you have some time to help out a neighbor or two.

Can anyone come up with some other ideas for helping out our fellow neighbors? Ways to help cool them off? Let us know and we can put it into action! For instance, we had an extra air conditioner, and we offered it to our next door neighbors since they didn't have one. Every little bit helps. Let us know what you have been doing to help others in need!


And another big THANK YOU to everyone that has gone out on projects this month! It has been hot, muggy and demanding, but you have stepped up and said "I will help my neighbors, no matter what"! You are all amazing people and wonderful neighbors!!

We hope to see a lot of you at the meet and greet and we wish everyone the best during these hot and trying times. Please remember, every little thing you can do for someone else, makes you feel immensely better about yourself! If we could all be there to help each other, then this would be a pretty cool, little rock that we live on.

Take care and see you soon,

Seth and Michelle

Who has Time to Help This Thursday June 18th??

Does anyone have Time to Help finish a bedroom? We were contacted by a woman who needs help finishing a bedroom. She is pregnant with a due date in two weeks. She and her 1 year old daughter have been sleeping on the couch as bedroom needs work. She has all the supplies but doesn't have the knowledge or ability to finish this room. We will be putting up insulation, sheetrocking, mudding and taping, as well as painting. We will be heading out Thursday morning, June 18th to get started on this project and hopefully have this project completed quickly!!
If you have Time to Help this neighbor please email us at wevegottimetohelp@q.com or call 503-953-6018!

Article about what we do in Chronicle of Philanthropy Magazine

We've Got Time to Help was contacted in February by a reporter for a magazine called The Chronicle of Philanthropy. This is a national bi-weekly magazine covering the nonprofit world. The reporter, Brennan Jensen, ran across our blog while researching a story about laid-off workers and jobless college grads turning to volunteerism. He contacted us to learn more about our efforts in Oregon. Seth did a phone interview with this reporter and it is now published. The article gives lots of examples of how others across the country are working toward a similar goal. It is great to see others similarly getting involved. You can read the article here: http://philanthropy.com/free/articles/v21/i10/10002601.htm

We appreciate Mr Jensen for giving us this opportunity to get the word out about We've Got Time to Help.

Monthly Meet and Greet-March

It is time again for our monthly meet and greet. A time to meet one another, bring in new volunteers, share ideas and discuss how the last month of projects went.

We will be hosting an open house on March 18th from 11am-2pm. We are located in Northeast Portland. If you are interested, please call 503-953-6018 or email us at wevegottimetohelp@q.com for the address. Snacks and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided.

If you would like to attend but do not have transportation, please let us know and we will arrange transportation, if possible. If you know of anyone else that might be interested in attending, please bring them along with you!

All we need you to bring is your ideas on how we can help each of our communities.

Take care and see you soon!

Modern Color

First of all, thank you to all of the volunteers that showed up to help, especially on such short notice. Lynn, Aric and Jenn, Mel, Trevor, Seth and Michelle all showed up to help out a family business tear down their shop. Margena and Rodger from King's Embroidery also donated about a dozen shirts with We've Got Time to Help's new logo embroidered on them. Margena and Rodger worked late into the night on Friday, just to make sure that they could have our shirts ready for us. Thank so much to King's Embroidery!!

We wish we could have been there under different circumstances or for a happier occasion. But, unfortunately, Modern Color was one of the latest casualties in this economic downturn. They are a great group of people who deserved more than to have to shut their doors.

So, the volunteers started showing up around 9am and immediately got to work. Anything from talking loads of trash to the huge dumpster to dismantling equipment. Everyone was a great help! We didn't get all of it done, but we made a big dent. Seth is going back out there Monday, March 2nd (tomorrow), to help out some more. Anyone is more than welcome to give us a call at 503-953-6018 if you'd like to help out this week. There is more moving to be done and more breakdown of equipment that needs to happen. Just give us a call or email if you're interested.

The owners of Modern Color also said that they are going to try and open up a smaller shop ASAP. They are hoping to be operational in their new location within a week or so. Please keep them in mind if you need any signs or banners or you know of someone who could use their service.

Thanks again to everyone for helping out on this! You are much more appreciated than words can say.

Big Project this weekend, Sat the 21st!

UPDATE: If you find yourself with some extra time on your hands today, and you would like to come out and help us, please call 503-953-6018 as we will be on site and not near our email. Thanks to all!

We have had a big call for help from some neighbors who live in Troutdale. They lost 5 sections of fencing, a gate and had a tree fall onto some of the fence.

They are buying all of the materials this week, but they need some good old-fashioned labor. Lots of hands on this project for sure. The more the better, we think. It would be great to get a couple of people who have done some wood working and concrete along for the ride!

We also need a (at least one) person with a chainsaw(s). We need to move some of the tree so that we can fix the fence.

We are hoping that we can get at least 15 people out there this Saturday, come rain or shine!

Who's coming with us? Call Seth at 503-953-6018 for the address and directions.

Also, anyone that can offer rides to a couple of our volunteers, that would be great! We can take a couple, but we don't have a big vehicle. Thanks to all!!

Here's how you can be a part of this...

...just email us or call us (both our phone number and email address are on the right-hand side of this page and also at the bottom of the page). Let us know that you want to help. Let us know that you are ready to go out into our communities with other volunteers and start making a difference in the lives of those who need it. We will not accept payment from the people we help and we do not give money out. Most of us are unemployed and can't afford to give any of our money away. What we do give is time. Time and hard work. Time and dedication. Dedication to ourselves and our neighbors.

You can remain anonymous, or you can have your picture and name on our blog. You can help with every project or just one. You can choose to do physical labor or you could help with office/computer/phone work (we don't do fundraisers). You could volunteer to make food or drinks for project volunteers. We need everyone involved. No job is too small.

As for the projects themselves, again, no project is too small. We have helped people with simple things like fixing a leaky pipe under the kitchen sink or dropping off food to a needy family. We have some bigger projects, too. People who need major electrical and plumbing work done. Painting. Home repairs. Gutters installed. We will always do our best to help those who ask for it.
This is a horrible time economically for a lot of people. Too many people are being left behind while the economy worsens everyday. Jobs are being lost and lives are being harmed. We have all vowed to not let that happen anymore. Not on our watch. We will all do whatever we can, when we can, to make a positive and (hopefully) long lasting effect in people's lives.

Please join us. We (the volunteers) are having a get together this Wednesday the 11th of February and we would love to have as many volunteers come as possible. Most of the people coming are new to We've Got Time to Help and haven't been on a project yet. This will be a chance for most of us to share our ideas and experiences, to brainstorm about how we can best help those in need and to meet each other and see the excitement that we all share.

Not affiliated with any group other than Humanity.

Community Works!!!

Well, we are back from helping deliver furniture and household goods to a family in need. It was great! We had 3 volunteers show up, ready to help in any way they could! Thank you so much to Lynn, Hall and Trevor for all your help! A Big Thank You to all who donated items as well, including Margena, Aelinn, Lynn, Linda, Hall and Trevor!!

Just a few minutes ago, we received an email from the woman who called us for help. I could go on and on about what we did today and why we did it, but I think that I'll just let her letter speak for us all.

To see what started this all, just click on this link http://wevegottimetohelp.blogspot.com/2009/02/call-for-help.html and read the original posting.

Needless to say, this letter quickly brought us to tears. Here's the letter:

"Hi Seth, Michelle, et al.... I want to thank you ALL for the help, hard work, and loading/unloading/moving you did for my friend today!!!! It was amazing! I was overwhelmed with all the items donated including food, clothing, furniture, time, hard labor, vehicles, etc.

Thanks to you who wrestled with not one, but TWO sofa sleepers up a flight of stairs, into an extremely narrow entry and into place inside the apartment! Whew! Only Giving and Generous People could do that! Thanks for getting everything set up, cushions in place, table reassembled, chairs in place, baby clothes, tiny little shoes, and even the food brought in!!!!!! You all were fantastic!

Networking works! Community works! Love for your fellow "man" works! I saw it in action today!

My friend's doctor told her to go home and rest, no delivery today. She has another appointment at the hospital to deliver on Tuesday! The original due date was for Valentine's Day. But the kid wants "out" early I guess.

She got home around noon. She thought she was in the wrong apartment! For the first time since I've known her, she was speechless....and that's no small feat!

Like me, she could not stop saying thank you. The girls pulled her by the arm into their room and said, "Look! Our room is not empty anymore!" She called her mother and told her what happened and her mother told her to call me "MOM". She stated that her daughter has a mom in America now....Mom #2!

Again, thank you all for making this happen for her and her small, but growing family. The girls were delighted! The teenage boy was delighted! She and her SO were delighted! And all of you made it happen for them.

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!!!! YOU ARE AWESOME!

Count me in as a member of your "giving" community. I wanna be like you when I grow up!

Love to you all!
Lynn"


Here's a couple of photos from today. Please join us!!

Michelle, Seth, Trevor and Hall. Thanks, too, to Lynn for taking the photo!

Trunks, hatches and beds were packed full of items!!

Trevor was able to fit 3 couches in his truck alone! Thanks Trevor!!

Tomorrow morning

Well, tomorrow morning (Saturday the 7th) is when we are making a delivery of household items to the family in need. We are very excited. If you plan to join us or you have other items to donate to this family, please let us know. We will be leaving our house (email for address) at about 8:30 am. If you can make it, we would love to have you!

As far as we know, the family is unaware of our efforts.

We have a sofa/love seat, dining table (no chairs, though), a coffee table, a stroller, food and some clothing for the family. All of these items were donated by people who just want to help. You guys and gals are great!

A BIG thank you to all that have donated time and items to this wonderful cause! Please join us.

On the radio this Friday!

Earlier this week, we were contacted by the KBOO radio station (FM 90.7) and asked if we could be interviewed on their Friday Night radio show. Of course, we shouted a resounding “Yes!” What an opportunity to get the word out about We’ve Got Time to Help. The show will start at 6pm on Friday the 6th and will be an interview/call-in lasting an hour.

If you are available, please tune into the show. Or even better, call into the show and ask any questions that you might have. Hopefully, this will garner us new opportunities to get the word out. Thank you to KBOO and to Bridget Sullivan (the Event Producer) for this chance to speak to so many people!

You can find links to the show at http://kboo.fm/node/11938 and at http://kboobreadandroses.blogspot.com/

Please take a few minutes to listen to the show and PLEASE tell us what you think! We would love to hear from you! You can also listen to it here: http://kboo.fm/node/12082

Also, please see the post below for an opportunity to help a family this Saturday! Thank you for your time.

Seth and Michelle

Call for Help!

Update: A big thank you to all who have emailed us with your support! We are delivering some furniture and other items to this family on Saturday morning. Anyone that would like to come along, has any household items or if anyone has another truck, please email us and let us know. We will be leaving our home at about 8:30am. Thanks again!!


We've had our first Call for Help. It's a woman in her 20's and she's got custody of her 3 siblings (2 sisters and 1 brother). She is pregnant and just got laid off. She is in need of anything to do with a home. Household items, furniture, food or clothing. Is there anyone out there that can help? We are not asking for money or for anyone to go out and purchase any items, just asking if you have some extra items around your home that you don't use or need.

If you can help, just let us know. Email us at wevegottimetohelp@q.com

We are a making a delivery on Sat. the 7th of Feb. A friend (of the woman) purchased a couch and love seat for her, and made the request for a truck to deliver the items. But, we would like to do more for her. We are looking for any other items that might be of use. Her baby is due next month and anything that you could contribute would be awesome!

Please email us at wevegottimetohelp@q.com or call us at 503-953-6018.

We've Got Time

Hello to everyone! My name is Seth and my (long time) girlfriend is Michelle. We are a couple in our mid-30s and we live in NE Portland (Gateway Area). So, if you read the sidebar, you kind of get an idea of what we're about. We are not trying to organize the world. We are just trying to help others with nothing expected in return. This alone will give us an overall feeling that we did something that matters. Just getting out of our homes, away from the job searching for as little as an hour or two a week improves our outlook.

The thing that will join us together is desire to help. Nothing is too big or too small.

Why does it take a disaster to draw people out to help? Do we need a snow storm? Do we need a Hurricane Katrina? Why are we not able to do this on a daily or weekly basis? Every possible career path has been affected by the current economic times. There is no profession that has been unscathed. We are doctors, plumbers, electricians, cooks, homemakers, woodworkers, roofers, dentists, students and every other profession that you could fathom.

Let’s get this started. No matter how small it may appear it makes a difference in another person’s life. You do not have to join us in any of our projects or ideas. Thank you for visiting this blog. If you don’t want to join us in our endeavor to make our communities back into Communities this is fine. Maybe you would like to spend your time helping out your neighbor or volunteer at your child’s school. Every thing you do, every little step you take helping others can bring great personal rewards.

You may think you have no skills that would be useful. Bah humbug!! It could be helping the retired neighbor take in their groceries from their car. It could be someone to organize and maintain a phone list of others that are willing to help. Maybe you have a chainsaw in the garage that you can’t personally use but if a tree falls on someone else’s home you can lend it to another who can help cut the tree up. Everything large and small makes a difference. Maybe you speak more than one language and can translate for another who wants to help.

You could be an unemployed roofer or a person who has had their roof replaced in the past and has an extra bundle or two of shingles lying around the house. Put those two together and you just helped someone who had a roof that was leaking. This is a grass roots cause. There will be no monetary payment. Knowing you can and are helping others in your low time will show you that you are worthwhile and do have something to give this world and to your community.

We are just as new to this as some of the people visiting this site. We have done some volunteer work in the past but it was very minimal. We’ve Got Time to Help now, so we are going to give it our best.

Anyone and everyone has something to offer. Race, color, religion, sexual orientation, politics etc. etc. None of that matters here. People helping people is all that matters.

Thanks for stopping by. We are going to host a get together/meet and greet at our home on Wednesday, February 11th, 2009 from 11 am-3pm. All potential volunteers are welcome to stop by, introduce themselves and let us know about any special skills or equipment that you have that we can use to make our community better. You don't need to bring anything (except a positive attitude!) and we will be making lunch for everyone. This will be very informal and will just give us a chance to plan our first "outing".

Please let us know that you stopped by or send us an email at wevegottimetohelp@q.com and let us know if you can make it to the gathering (it would be great to know in advance so we know how much food to make). Thanks again and we hope to see a lot of you on the 11th!