A little story...

This story is not about Michelle and I (Seth). It is not meant to be a self-congratulatory anecdote. It is meant to illustrate how easy it is to not help someone in need. How easy it is to ignore those around us.

Last night, Michelle and I ran up to Safeway to get some items for dinner. We were both hungry and tired from the day and we were being pretty grumpy. The store was very busy and noisy, which didn't help our mood at all. After waiting in line for what seemed like 20 minutes, we finally checked out and left through the big double doors.

As we exited the building, our arms were overloaded with bags of groceries and 3 cases of soda. We hadn't grabbed a cart when we went in, so we just decided to lug the groceries out to the car. On our way out, we were approached by 2 disheveled looking women. The younger (teenager) of the two women asked us if we had a quarter. Michelle and I both said "no, sorry. We don't have any change". We then proceeded to the car.

As we approached the car, Michelle asked me if I heard what the young woman said after we walked away. I said no, I hadn't. Apparently, when we said "no" and walked away, the young girl had said "Oh no, mom. What do we do now"? We both felt a large pang of guilt. At the car, Michelle dug through her purse to get some change. We turned around in time to see 2 men, giving them some change. We looked at each other, wondering what to do next, and slowly climbed into the car. As we drove towards home, Michelle started to cry. I asked her what was wrong, and she stated that we were very callous to just say no and walk away from the women. After talking about it for another minute or so, we turned the car around and headed back to see if we could help in any way.

We pulled up to the store again and found the women at a telephone booth, trying to place a call. We slowly walked up to them and said "excuse me". They turned around, we noticed that they weren't disheveled at all. In fact, it was just an awkward teenager and her mom. They looked completely "normal". In our grumpy mood and our haste to get home, we had seen something that wasn't really there at all. We saw what we expected to see from a couple of people begging money outside a store. I believe it was Henry David Thoreau who said, "We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake..." No words have ever been more true.

As we approached, they turned to greet us. Michelle held out a handful of change to the mom. She graciously took the gift and said, very genuinely, "thank you"! We then asked her if there was anything that we could do to help them. She said "we were just evicted a couple of days ago, and we are trying to call someone who can wire us some money". Michelle and I both started crying. We told her how sorry we were for walking by. How sorry we were that we didn't stop and offer help before. We gave them our phone number and told then to call for any reason. We told her that we had some extra food they could have, a computer and phone that they could use, or just a place to rest if they needed it. We told them again how very sorry we were and how sorry we were that they were in such an awful situation.

As we drove back home, still crying, Michelle reminded me that we had an extra Rose City Resource Guide (www.rosecityresource.org) at home. It's a great little booklet of community and city resources for those in need. They work in conjunction with 211.org. As soon as we got home, I rushed in and grabbed one of the booklets. We then went back to the store and gave them the guide. Once again, they thanked us and gave us very warm and bright smiles.

This young family will probably never call. We will probably never see them again. Hopefully, they got some money together and are on their way to a safe place. The point is not that we helped them, it's that they helped us. This young mother and daughter have changed our lives. It opened our eyes. Eyes that had begun to close without either of us noticing. As Michelle so eloquently stated "Everyone (meaning us) needs a good kick in the teeth sometimes". I couldn't agree more.

As we returned home, we cried in silence. We were thinking about how cold and callous we were during our first encounter with these lost souls. About how we were not practicing what we preach. We tell everyone we know to stop and help those in need. We tell people to stop making excuses and to just lend a hand. And yet here we were, willing to walk right by someone that had asked us for a measly quarter.

Asked for a little help.

Asked for a little hope.

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.

Trying to change the way we think

One of the first things that we talked about when we started this group earlier this year was attempting to change they way we all look at different situations and how we view this world. Not only would we be able to help others in need with things like home repair, but maybe also help people see this new world in a new light.

If we could all just slow our pace down a little and take time to notice our neighbors around us, we think this could be a much better place to live. We have really tried to change the way we think. Noticing the homeless person that needs some food, a neighbor that needs a hand with some yard work or even a complete stranger that just looks like they could use a kind word. Before we started this group, we never saw these things. We were too caught up in out own lives to even notice those around us. Now, after working on it, we seem to have a completely new set of eyeballs. They see things that they never saw before. We are paying attention.

There is no feeling in the world like being able to help someone that needs it. Whether it's something big or just a little gesture, it all makes you feel connected.

It's so easy to pass by someone and not even give them a second glance. Next time you see someone who looks like they could use a hand, please stop and take just a minute or two to offer your help. It's a very scary thing to do for a lot of people (including Michelle and I). To step out of your "comfort zone" and go up to a complete stranger and offer help. Sometimes we still have to physically stop walking, turn around and go back to the person.

Here's a few actual excuses that we (Michelle and Seth) have used in the past:

"Oh, we're really busy" or "we need to get to the next place we're going"
"They probably don't need help"
"They look too upset to talk to right now"
"I'm sure someone is coming to help them"
"They have probably already called someone"
"We shouldn't get involved"
"It looks too personal"
"I can't help them" or "I wouldn't know how to help"
"I don't want to embarrass them" or "I don't want to be embarrassed"

There are many, many other excuses that we have used in the past not to help someone. Usually, it all stems from fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of doing or saying something wrong. The only fear that we should really have is the fear of walking away from someone that needs help.

Any electricians have time?

We have had 2 requests this week for electricians for 2 separate projects. Unlike normal, these are paying jobs and we would love to be able to help some folks out and put a couple of people to work.

If yo have the time and knowledge, we would love to hear from you! Please just email us at wevegottimetohelp@q.com to let us know that you can lend a hand.

Also, we just received a request from someone that needs help putting up a small fence (roughly 15ft) between their home and their neighbor. They have offered a small payment to anyone that can help out. Got time?

Thanks for all you do,
Seth and Michelle

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

Michelle's Mother

Just a quick note to let everyone know what has been going on in our lives outside of our normal routines such as they may be!! My mother has been sick quite a bit lately and was finally diagnosed with Acute Myelomonocytic Leukemia. We have been spending quite a bit of time at the hospital and trying to keep all of her friends and family up to date on her condition and treatment. She is just finishing up her first round of chemo today and has handled it really well. She doesn't like the hospital food so we, by which I mean Seth and my wonderful aunt Kay Wheeler have been taking turns cooking meals for her and will continue to do so as long as the hospital will let her have them and she still has an appetite. She is expecting to be in the hospital for another 2-4 weeks then returning later for another round of chemo. An unexpected consequence of this situation is that I set up another blog that Seth has to maintain when I am unavailable. Sorry sweetie. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

If you would like to personally send her your prayers you can visit her CarePages Blog at https://www.carepages.com/carepages/MargenaKing

I would also like to apologize as I will not be able to involved as much with WGTTH as I would like to be at this time.
Michelle

Update on OPB's Think Out Loud

Because of the President's address to the country on Tuesday, the OPB radio show (talked about below) will be on this Monday the 21st at 9am. Please listen in if you have the time.

Take care and keep paying it forward!

OPB's Think Out Loud - Tuesday Sept. 15th at 9am

After posting a few days ago about what has been going on with Michelle and I over the last few months, and my (Seth) struggles with alcoholism and depression, we have received such wonderful support and amazingly kind words from friends and strangers alike. Thank you to everyone who wrote us and we are still going strong.

The reason for this post is that we were contacted by Sarah Rothenflutch, from OPB's "Think Out Loud" (www.opb.org/thinkoutloud) radio program. She wanted to see how WGTTH was going and to see if we wanted to be on the program again, this time talking a lot more about long-term unemployment and the toll that it takes on people and households.

We agreed to be on and it will air at 9am this coming Tuesday. You can listen online or at 91.5 FM. We are encouraging everyone to listen. Not because we will be on the show, but because there are so many of us in the same boat and there is strength in numbers.

If you know someone who is un/under employed and they are battling with depression or substance abuse, or if they just aren't sure how to deal with their struggles, please have them listen so maybe they will understand that they are not alone. We are all in this together and we will be here to support anyone who is going through rough times.

Thank you again to everyone and we hope to see out out and about in the neighborhood.

As always, please feel free to write us with any questions or comments.

Take care,
Seth and Michelle

Starting Fresh

Welcome to everyone stopping by. We hope that you are here because you have a willingness and a need to try and make our communities better places to live.

I (Seth) have to apologize for not keeping this movement rolling forward. We were going so strong for so long and then, for myriad reasons, I settled into a pretty nasty bout of depression and, honestly, my alcoholism took over.

I have struggled with alcoholism for many, many years now. My propensity for drinking, coupled with the fact that I have been unable to find a job for 9 months, sent me spiraling downward. I lost the ability to act on anything. It was a major struggle just to get out of bed in the morning.

I, with a world of help from Michelle (thank you, sweetheart), am starting to turn things around now. Between medication and counseling, I am feeling great and getting stronger everyday. I am ready to restart this movement and get things rolling again.

Again, I apologize if I let anyone down. I hope that I can start to make a difference again.

Over the next few days, we will be updating our project list and will also be sending out emails to our volunteers (read: neighbors) so that we can get moving on some projects. Please let us know if you can help or if you know of any projects that we could get involved with.

I struggled with whether or not to talk about my problems on here. I thought about it for some time. I finally decided to, partially, in hopes that it may help someone else if they are going down a similar road. None of us are immune to having problems and it's good to remind yourself of that every now and then. We are all human and very prone to not always making the right decisions.

Please feel free to write us at wevegottimetohelp@q.com with any questions you have or to sign up for our email updates. We will be sending out some emails in the next few days describing some new projects and updates on others.

Thank you to everyone who has continued to help their neighbors and have done all they can to help their communities.

Take care and we hope to see you all soon!

Seth and Michelle

Meet and Greet today Cancelled

Seth woke up with a fever and not feeling well so we are cancelling the meet and greet scheduled for today. When Seth is feeling better we will reschedule.
Thanks to everyone for all you do to make this world better one neighbor at a time.

Water Needed Everywhere

It has been record setting temperatures in the Portland area this week. We are looking at today possibly being the 4th day in a row with over 100 degrees. It was 111 on our back porch yesterday afternoon. This is so unusual for this area and people are unprepared for this type of weather. It has been over 90 for going on two weeks. Quite a few of the local cities and counties has opened up cooling centers for everyone. One local news station has provided a list here.

Seth and I have been handing out water to everyone we see on the street. There have been people waiting for the bus, people who wave signs advertising a business, homeless people with no place to go to cool off, the list goes on with the common theme of these people can't get out of the heat. Everyone needs water. We have been using empty milk gallons, 1 and 2 ltr pop bottles, and purchased a few cases of bottled water. We froze some and just refrigerated others. I keep a cooler in my car for anyone I see on my way to/from work. Seth has been walking around the neighborhood a few times a day. Anything helps.

Please, if you can, help anyone you see. Water is relatively inexpensive.

If you have to be out & about yourself could you take an extra water bottle or two? Help an elderly neighbor unload groceries to get out of the sun quicker? Maybe you see someone who has a hanging flower basket that needs a bit of water. When the temps are 77 at 6:30 am and still over 95 degrees at 10pm it is hard to get out and tend to the yard. The animals are suffering too. We have had both squirrels and birds just sitting in the yard panting. Maybe you have a pie pan to fill with water and put in the shade. Any thought you have could help.
We all pulled together for that extreme snow storm in December. Remember that? What I wouldn't give to go back to that!!! We can do it with the hot weather as well. If you have any other great ideas or things you are doing please post a comment to let everyone know.
Take care and try to stay cool.
Seth and Michelle

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

Waterfront Blues Festival 2009 (it was hot)

Yesterday, a large group of volunteers, both from Providence Health Plans and We've Got Time to Help, headed down to the waterfront to help out with the opening day of the Blues Festival. There were 12 of us total and we had an awesome time!

The suggested donation for entry was $10 and 2 cans of food. The Oregon Food Bank is going to be the recipient of all the good will. I can't tell you how many pallets of food and how much money was taken in yesterday, but it was a lot! Quite a few people donated much more than the suggested amounts, both food and money. It was great to see so many people giving so much!

The Festival is still going on today, tomorrow and Sunday, so if you like great music, good food and tasty beer, head on down to the waterfront and don't forget to bring some food for the food bank!

It was the hottest day of the year, but luckily, most of it was spent underneath one of the tents. It was still HOT, though. Here are a few photos from the day.

The main gate where our group was stationed.


Terrance was the life of the party and we couldn't have been happier to have him with us!


Here is David (left) taping up one of the thousands of boxes of donated food, Michele (a newcomer to WGGTH, on the phone) with a people counter in her hand, and Terrance peaking out from behind another volunteer from different group (notice, Terrance is still smiling!).

This photo is of Susan (far left) taking the donation money from visitors, unidentified Hat Man, Charity and Lucas, Jake, and Shanna. Jake was from another group but he was a big help to everyone.

These smiling faces are Donna and her daughter, Katie.

Here is (our) Michelle taking a bag of donated goods to the tent. As she would like me to remind everyone, it was 95 degrees and she had been on the job for a few hours at this point. I still think she is beautiful!

Here is Sam at the benefactor tent. She had an awesome view and she was close to the music, so Sam was one happy woman!

Thank you to everyone who showed up yesterday! It was a great time for a great cause! Hope to see you all soon!

p.s. Did we mention it was hot??

Seth and Michelle (glad to be locked in one small room of the house with a window AC unit)

Gorge Falls Fest

Every year, the weekend after Father's Day, Multnomah Falls puts on an event called the Gorge Falls Fest. Aaron P., the on site manager for the Forest Service and one of WGTTH's first volunteers, was kind enough to offer us a booth at the event.

Michelle and I were there both Saturday and Sunday from 9am until close. One other volunteer, Mel, came up for a couple of hours on Saturday afternoon.

It was a busy weekend with thousands of people coming to the Falls. We talked with hundreds of people that were interested in what WGTTH is about. We handed out a lot of fliers and information about our group. We also handed out tons of the Portland Upside's newest issue.

People were really receptive and gave us a lot of positive feedback. Information about WGTTH is going everywhere from Florida to Italy! How cool is that? Others said that they have heard about us and were interested in becoming a volunteer.

Hopefully, we made a positive difference in some lives. Maybe some of these people will go back home and become even better neighbors than they are right now!

We are already looking forward to next year's event!

Waterfront Blues Festival

Today, a group of us are going down to volunteer at the front gate at the Blues Festival on the waterfront. Any and everyone is more than welcome to come down and say hi and listen to some great music. We have enough volunteers but we would love see anyone who wants to come down.

We will be there from 3:30-6:30pm tonight and we are really looking forward to it!

On a side note, we apologize profusely for not posting very much as of late. We have been busier than we ever thought possible and we never seem to have enough time to post on the blog.

So, here are a few updates.

We still would love to have some people take over as "project managers" for a project or two. If you would be willing to just be the contact person/scheduler for any project you like, just email us and we will give you all the info you need. Thanks in advance!

This last weekend, we were at Multnomah Falls for their annual Gorge Falls fest event. A big thank you to Aaron Pedersen, the on site manager for the Forest Service at the falls, for helping us get in the event and for getting us some much needed coffee! Thanks Aaron!! It was a great turn out and we talked with hundreds of people during the 2 day event. Also, a big thank you to Mel, who volunteered his Saturday afternoon at the booth. Hopefully, we reached some people and they will go back to their home state and start paying it forward a little!

We still have plenty of projects available for those who want to help. We will be sending a more complete update to everyone in the next day or two and get this blog caught up to where it should be.

Thank you again to everyone who has been out there "neighboring" and keep up the awesome work!!

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!

Why We Do This and Who We Are

We feel that it's probably time to reiterate why we started this community organization and to try and spread our message of hope and community once again.


We started this group, originally, to give every unemployed person a chance to get out into their communities and help their neighbors to try and gain some of the self-respect and self-worth that has been taken from them since losing their job. We know from first hand experience how devastating losing your job can be.


These rough economic times are not just hard on the people that lose their job. It's also hard on the community. Imagine, you lose your job and now there is little or no money coming into the household. Now imagine, your roof starts leaking or your sink backs up. Now, not only do you have a potential emergency on your hands, but you have no money to hire someone to fix it. That's why our mission was to offer anyone help, of any kind. From fixing a broken fence to putting on a new roof. From replacing an outlet to helping with yard work. Whatever the task, we wanted to assist anyone who asked for help.



Everyone, every single person out there, needs some help sometimes. Sometimes you need a lot of help, but, sometimes you just need a hand pulling yourself up. We want to be a group that people can turn to when the feel out of hope or when they feel that there is no one out there that is willing or able to help them.



We want to change the way people think about giving their time to help someone else. We don't want people to see it as "volunteering". Instead, we wish people would try to see it as "Neighboring". When you help a friend or a neighbor out, you don't say "I'm going next door to volunteer by mowing Joe's yard". What you say is "I'm going next door to help Joe out with his yard". You don't "volunteer" your time to help family, friends or neighbors. "Volunteering" your time takes the human element completely out of what you are doing. You are a human being lending a hand out to another human being that needs some help. It's that simple.



It may sound kind of corny, but when you go out and give someone a little bit of your time, you are helping yourself far more than you are helping them. Both of us can tell you from personal experience that after getting back from a project, even if we are tired and sore, that our self-worth is through the roof. We get home, look at each other, and say "we just helped someone through a rough spot in their lives. How cool is that"? There are no words to describe how good we feel inside.



The reported unemployment rate in Oregon is reported at 12.1 percent. But keep in mind, this figure does not include people whose unemployment has run out, who aren't eligible, who never applied, or their application for benefits is delayed. We think that the actual rate is somewhere around the 20 percent mark. 1 out of every 5 people is unemployed. Incredible.



Oregon's population is about 3,800,000 people. Imagine if even half of the unemployed people in this state offered to volunteer 1 hour, once a week. That would be 1,900,000 hours of neighbors helping neighbors every, single week. Can you imagine the good that could be done with that? What tasks could be accomplished? There are only 8,760 hours in a year. That's over 216 years worth of community work that could get done in a week's time. It almost doesn't even compute.



Please come with us on this journey. This journey to change how people see their communities and how they view one another. This is an incredible time to be alive. We have so much power to change not only the lives of others, but our own, as well. There are so many people in need right now and there are so many people that could help them. All you have to do is reach out once. We promise that after helping someone, you will start to notice that you feel better and that you are starting to see that we are all just neighbors. All across your community, your city or town, your state, your country, and your world. We are all just neighbors.



Take care and we hope to hear from a lot of you,

Seth and Michelle

Can you hear us now?

We sent out an update to all of the good neighbors that have asked to be on volunteer list last week. We have had a few people tell us they don't get any emails from We've Got Time to Help. WGTTH sends out email updates every week or so. In the last update email we asked people to respond if they were receiving our emails. We received about 15 responses. We have a lot more than 15 on our good neighbor email list. A lot more. So we are wondering if people who have requested to get updates are not getting them.
For example, Michelle does not get all the update emails at her work. She gets the emails going to the group but does not get any direct emails from WGTTH or any replies to all. She has questioned the IS guys at her company but they have no idea why she will get a few but not all. Michelle is not the only one. That concerns us as you have specifically requested to get our emails but we are not sure you are receiving them.

If you have requested to receive emails from us but did not receive one dated May 31st please email or call us at 503-953-6018 immediately!!

The next 2 projects!

This Thursday (the 28th) and Friday (the 29th) there are two bigger project going on that we need a lot of help with. First, Thursday is the Extreme Yard Makeover in SE Portland. We will be out there starting at 10am and going until the late afternoon. We have all the materials we need at the site, but we need people, people, people!

The project after that is the next day, Friday, and we will be help a woman in need move from Vancouver to NE Portland. She is renting a large U-Haul, but she definitely could use some help with loading and unloading the truck. It would be great to get 5 or 6 people for the move. The more people we get, the quicker it will go.

Please feel free to call us at 503-953-6018 or email us at wevegottimetohelp@q.com to sign up for one (or both) of these projects! Thank you!!

Extreme Yard Makeover on Thursday

Well, the 4th (and final?) installment of the Extreme Yard Makeover is happening this Thursday the 14th. Here is just one of the before and after photos from the work done so far.

Front yard before...


...and after.


Pretty dramatic change, huh? That being said, there is still some work to be done. Here's a list of what needs to happen before we can complete this project:

Concrete pieces laid down for a pathway (we have the concrete pieces)
Small concrete wall erected for the herb garden (we have the concrete pieces)
Arbor built for the backyard (we have the lumber for it)
White picket fence scraped and painted (we have the paint and brushes)
White picket fence reinforced
White picket fence gate re-hung
Gravel laid down in between the concrete pieces for the walkway (we still need the gravel)

Like we said, there still some work to do but we should be able to get a lot of it finished on Thursday. There are no special skills needed for this project, just a willingness to get your hands a little dirty!

So please, if you have some time to give on Thursday to help out a neighbor, come on down and lend a hand. Email us at wevegottimetohelp@q.com for the address if you can make it!

Busy, busy, busy

There are a lot of events and projects coming up this month, so please take a few minutes to look at everything that is going on. We will get right to it!

1) The Portland Upside debuts this Friday, May 8th. The creators of the newspaper, Rob and Sara, are looking for some help distributing the 10,000 printed copies all around town. If you can take a few copies to your local neighborhood hangout, or you are willing to drive around town and drop off a lot of copies to different places, that would be great. Just email Michelle and I or contact the Portland Upside directly at portland.upside@gmail.com

2) There is an East Portland Neighborhood Association Annual Clean-up event this Saturday, May 9th, going from 9am-1pm. The event is happening in the Albertson's parking lot on NE 122nd and Halsey. They need some volunteers to help with the event and it's also a great way to get rid of anything just lying around your house. They are accepting: Yard Debris; Wood; Metal; Bicycles. It is $10 per car load and $20 per truck load. Proceeds will be put right back into the local neighborhoods. Let us know if you can make it!

3) Another May 9th project is being put together by F.I.D.O. (Friends Involved in Dog Outreach). They are a wonderful organization who help not only Clackamas County residents, but anyone in the Portland Metro area. They are looking for volunteers to join them at the new shelter for a "Landscape Beautification Party"! Rain or shine, from 10 am until ??
Diana Hallmark is offering sneak preview tours of the new facility as well as hot dogs, hamburgers (and veggie burgers), soda and water. They will be planting and digging and generally playing in the mud, so bring gloves, shovels and other tools as appropriate (knee pads?). Please dress for the weather and plan to have a fun day working and getting to know more about FIDO & meeting other volunteers.

They have several other projects they would like to complete, if they can get enough volunteers.
Also, if you have a wheel barrow that you can bring, that would be great. They hope to be moving gravel and creating a pathway or two. Just let us know if you can make it. It really is a terrific cause!

4) Also on Saturday, May 9th there is a benefit auction for Rose Haven, a women's and children's shelter. They need 2-3 volunteers to help with the event on Saturday night, between 4pm - 10:00pm. There will be food for the volunteers as well as raffle prizes, and everyone will get to enjoy the entertainment as well. Please contact Ellen at 503 784-6192 if you can help!

5) One of our volunteers is the lead singer in a band called The Augmentors. She and her band are having their first Portland show on Sunday, May 10th starting at 9pm. The venue is the Mississippi Pizza Pub at 3552 N. Mississippi. We would love to get a big group of us down there to see her show and to support her. It should be a lot of fun! Think you can make it?

6) On Wednesday, May 20th, we will be hosting our next Meet and Greet here at our home. We would love for everyone to be able to attend. The meet and greet will be from 11am-3pm. Just let us know if you can make it! Let's make this the best meet and greet yet!

7) We have had a few professionals donate some services to our volunteers. First is Ario with Unbound Bodywork and Massage. He has offered to give 2 or 3 free massages, per week, to We've Got Time to Help volunteers that go out on any projects! How cool is that? You can contact him directly and let him know that you would like to set up an appointment. His contact info is: Phone: 503 841 2556 and email: ariolynch@gmail.com

Also, Peter Chee of Peter Chee Photography, has offered to take photos/head shots of any of our volunteers who need them for job hunting or attaching to resumes (again, for free). You can email Peter at peter@petercheephotography.com to set up a time to have your photo(s) taken. Anything to help in these slow economic times!

We also have a licenced counselor who is willing to speak with people that need someone to talk to. Please email Jennifer at jenniferblakecounseling@gmail.com and let her know what you need. What a tremendous and generous offer from Jennifer.

8) We have added a few new projects and we could sure use quite a few volunteers for a whole host of Projects coming up. You can take a look at the Project Page to see if there is something that you can help with. There is everything from gardening to construction to driving. Please see if you have a few extra hours in your week to help out some of these wonderful people!

We've had a few Projects sitting on the table for a while and Michelle and I have been trying to get to them all, but we need some help. Just email us at wevegottimetohelp@q.com to let us know what you can help with.

And last, but certainly not anywhere near least, we are going to start a Monthly Volunteer Day where will be going to one of our volunteers homes and giving them a hand with anything they need help with. We have our first nominee for May (we are keeping it a secret, though) and we will be sending out information as the day draws closer. So neighbors, start thinking about what you would like or need to get done around your home and let us know. This will be a small way to give back to all of you that have donated your time, energy and ideas to those in need!

Thank you to all!

Contact us for any reason at wevegottimetohelp@q.com

More Amazing People! Deb and Jeff

We received a call from a woman who had been following our blog for a while. Deb and her husband, Jeff, were in the process of moving and had some extra things they no longer needed. Instead of donating them to a local charity where they could receive a tax write off they offered them to us to help with projects. They believed in what we are doing and wanted to help us continue the good work. Jeff even dropped the items off at our house. They donated painting supplies, yard tools and other miscellaneous construction items that will definitely make continuing to do what we do easier in the future.

A heartfelt THANK YOU to Deb and Jeff!! We were overwhelmed with your generosity and it just shows us time and time again, how many good people there are in the world.
Thank you so much and we wish you the best on your next stage in life.

1,000,000 kind acts

1 Million Kind Acts - Let's change the world!

There are all sorts of kind acts that we can do for each other. Our newest project is to complete 1,000,000 kind acts throughout the remainder of the year. Please email your stories (and photos, if you have them) of nice things being done for those who need it. We can all make this world a better place if we just give a little of ourselves. Each and every one of us has the opportunity to make someone’s life better. Let’s take that opportunity and make the most of it.

For instance, you can:

1. Help a neighbor carry in their groceries from the car
2. Lend a neighbor a hand with a project (such as fencing or roofing)
3. Smile at a stranger
4. Stop to see if someone needs help if they are broken down by the side of the road
5. Bring you neighbor (whom you know or don’t know) a pie or cake
6. Mow your neighbor’s lawn
7. Help your neighbor push their car out of the snow
8. Let someone stay with you while they get their finances in order
9. Help someone with their homework
10. Compliment someone on their dress or suit
11. Make, and hand out, some sandwiches (peanut butter or baloney) to homeless people in your area
12. Offer your professional services for free to someone who needs it
13. Pay for the groceries for the person in front of you
14. Pay for the coffee for the person in line behind you
15. Free your neighborhood of garbage by doing a (group?) trash pick up
16. Combine you and your neighbor’s resources and do something for another neighbor in need
17. Greet every new neighbor that moves onto your block with a smile and a handshake
18. Volunteer your time to help anyone in need
19. Understand that we are all human and we all make mistakes
20. Let a car cut in front of you without getting upset

These are just 20 of the examples we thought of. Please email us at wevegottimetohelp@q.com and tell us your stories. We will post every story on our website so that we can give new ideas to people and, maybe, just maybe, make this world a better place. We would love 1 million stories by the end of the year. Do you think it can be done? Please let us know what you are doing or have done, for your neighbors, friends and family. Take care.

Busy week starting tomorrow 4/28!

Good morning to all!

This is going to be a really busy week and we could sure use some help. We have quite a few projects going on and we would love to get them all completed! We still need some neighbors to sign up for these projects and can't do all of this alone.

The first project we have going on is Project #24 that involves sheet rocking, mudding and taping and painting a small bedroom and bathroom This project is scheduled to happen on Wednesday the 29th. The next is Project #27 that is basically patching a few small holes and painting an office and hallway for a battered women's and children's shelter We are scheduled to be there on Thursday the 30th. The next on the list is to finish is Project #19. We still need to rototill, build a garden, lay a brick pathway, haul some debris away and to build an arbor. We are looking at going out all day Friday the 1st of May. Also on tap for this week is just the moving of some large potted plants, from inner SE to N Portland. Anyone with a truck or small pickup could get this one done.

If you can lend a hand with any of these projects, please email us at wevegottimetohelp@q.com and let us know which project(s) you are going to help with. Thank you!

We also have a lot of other projects coming up and we need more help! If anyone has some time to give to your neighbors in need, we would really love to hear from you. Thank you all for everything that you have been doing for our communities and keep up the great work!!

We've Got Time to Help is asking for help

It's ironic, I suppose, that Michelle and I (Seth) have been avoiding, at all costs, asking directly for help for us. We tell people to call or write us if they need help. We extoll the virtues of asking for help and counting on us and all of our neighbors to help meet your needs. We firmly believe that everyone should feel comfortable in asking for help from neighbors, both known and unknown. And yet, we put it off asking for help for a million reasons. Fear. Doubt. Frustration. I guess it's time that we practice what we preach. We have a link of the sidebar that says that if you would like to donate items, please contact us, but we haven't ever created a post about it.

Please understand and believe us when we say any donations we get will go directly to We've Got Time to Help projects and we are not asking for personal gain. That is not who we are or what we are about.

So, here's the deal. We need lots of tools, equipment and other various items, so that we can continue to help everyone that asks. We were hoping not to do this but the times we are living in make it necessary. Michelle and I (Seth) are asking for donations of any kind and we have put up a "wish list" for our community organization.

Everyday, we are getting more and more requests for help, and we find ourselves in need of items that Michelle and I can no longer afford to purchase or rent on our own.

Some of the items on our wish list are big items. We understand. But, it can't hurt to ask. Maybe someone doesn't have a need for it anymore and wants for the item to go to good use. We have been able to do so much good already, and we will continue to do so even if we don't get a single donation. We will always do whatever we can to help others in need.

Also, please know that we have done (and will continue to do) everything we can to raise money. Odd jobs, sold personal items on craigslist, selling homemade bird food, and we use any extra income (from Michelle's job) for We've Got Time to Help. We are trying our very best.

Here is our wish list:

Painting supplies - Paint Brushes, Rollers, scrapers, tape, etc.
Yard/Garden tools - Gloves, shovels, rakes, hoes, trowels, pruners/loppers, etc.
Drywall tools - Mesh tape dispensers, joint knives, taping knives, trowels, etc.
Plumbing tools -Wrenches, auger/snake, pipe cutter, etc.
General/Power tools- drills, hand saws, hammers, sockets and wrenches, clamps, tool box, etc.
UPDATE 5/26: We had a wonderful woman donate some garden tools and a 16' aluminum ladder! Tall (16 or more foot) ladders

Supplies/materials that we could use:

Lumber - 1x4, 2x4, 2x6, 2x8, etc. - We could also use fencing material and hardware
Roofing - we have a couple of smaller roofing jobs, but we cannot afford to purchase the materials
Ready-mix concrete and mortar
Hardware - All types of screws, nails, nuts and bolts, etc.
Joint compounds (mud) and tape, caulking, etc.

Here come the really big items:

Pickup Truck - When we started this, we didn't know that we would have a need for one so quickly. We thought that we could wait for a year or two, but we underestimated how many people were hurting out there.

(UPDATE) 5/26: We now have the rights for wevegottimetohelp.com and .org. We will be working on it for a few weeks and hopefully have it up and running sometime in June.
Website - A website would be so much more user friendly than the blog. We could put so much more information on it and be able to help that many more people.

Laptop - When we are out on projects, we are not near our home computer and there have been too many times that we have missed an emergency email or we need to find information for a project or we need to post a quick call for help.

Major tools - Lawn mowers, weed eaters, chainsaw, edgers, trimmers, air compressor, nail guns, power saws, etc.

If we could get some of these items, we would be in such better shape. We don't want anyone to feel obligated to donate items. We just thought that maybe there were some unused items out there that could be put to some great use. Basically, we need just about anything you can think of as our project list is extremely varied (and continues to grow).

Thank you so much to those who have already donated items and money. You are truly wonderful and giving. Normally, we would go without rather than to ask for such grand items. But in this case, if we can get the items we need, we could literally help hundreds and (and eventually) thousands more. If you can donate, please contact us at wevegottimetohelp@q.com and let us know!

Thank you again to everyone who has donated time, energy and goods to help those in need.

The Extended Neighbor Network

From dictionary.com the definition of Neighbor:

1. a person who lives near another.
2. a person or thing that is near another.
3. one's fellow human being: to be generous toward one's less fortunate neighbors.
4. a person who shows kindliness or helpfulness toward his or her fellow humans: to be a neighbor to someone in distress.

From the first days of We've Got Time to Help Michelle and I have said, as loud and as clear as possible, that we will gather volunteers from all the different communities in Portland to help those in need. No matter what the need, if we gather enough volunteers, we can accomplish anything.

Great concept, wrong wording.

To get "volunteers" to help others is an antiquated way of thinking. Gathering "volunteers" was the old way of doing business. We were caught up in old habits. We now see the error of our ways.

Instead, (see numbers 3 and 4 above) we are all, and always have been, neighbors. It doesn't get any more clear or all-encompassing than "one's fellow human being". We feel ashamed for not seeing it before.

So, from now on, We've Got time to Help does not have "volunteers" that will help others in need. We have neighbors that are willing to cross the street or cross the river to help a fellow human being in need. We are all neighbors on this big, round rock and if we could all start to look at it that way, we think it might be just a little bit easier to help one another out in times of need.

We will now call We've Got Time to Help's group of "volunteers" (including ourselves) neighbors in the Extended Neighbor Network. How cool does that sound? We think that, if we can all look at it like we are just neighbors helping neighbors, not only will this be easier for people to offer assistance, but it might make it easier for one of our neighbors in need to reach out for help.

We're not helping a complete stranger, we're just helping a neighbor out that we haven't had the pleasure to meet yet. We're not volunteering, we are just giving a neighbor a hand.

Extreme Yard Makeover update

Well, yesterday was PHENOMENAL! We had over a dozen volunteers show up and take time to help someone they don't even know. It literally gave us chills. Things are changing. There is a new type of thinking and a new type of community emerging from these dark times. It is tremendous to see that change and lucky enough to be a part of it.

A huge thank you to all of the wonderful volunteers yesterday: Aaron, Mel, Meri, Mary, Brooke (and Captain Jack), Kelli, Abby, Julie, Dwane, Cindi, Lucas, Ryan, Louanne and Seth. Absolutely incredible!

It was a great day and we got so much work done. There is still more work to do and, hopefully, we can get some more people out there within the next week or so. We still need to rototill, lay bricks down around the flower beds and build an arbor for the large grapevine in the back. If there is anyone that would like to volunteer to build the arbor, that would be great!

Seth and Trevor are going over to the project this afternoon with a truck and a trailer to haul all of the debris away to the dump. Let's get another group together next week and finish this project up! Who's coming with us?

Here are some photos from yesterday. We will be taking more and posting them soon. Thanks again to everyone yesterday. You are all tremendous human beings!


4 trees had to come out along the back fence.


Cleanup after the trees came down.


Weeding, weeding, weeding!


This area of the yard...before


...after.


Digging out a new herb garden!

Overgrown rose bush...before

...after.

Some of the 12,000,000 bricks that needed to be separated into various piles.

Just a couple of the yard debris piles.

We can't thank you enough for all of your hard work!

Got Time to Change a Life?

We've Got Time to Help. We've Got Time to Help strengthen communities. We've Got Time to Help each other. We've Got Time to Help pay it forward. We've Got Time to Help others stand strong when they are at their weakest. We've Got Time to Help shine light even on the darkest of days. We've Got Time to Help total strangers. We've Got Time to Help change the way communities think. We've Got Time to Help promote social responsibility. We've Got Time to Help show our neighbors that we care. We've Got Time to Help change the world.

These are just a few of the phrases that we have used over the last couple of months. They are but a few of the reasons why we started We've Got Time to Help.

This is the first major call that we have made for volunteers. We have many, many projects and we could use some more volunteers to help us get them done. We get calls for help almost every day and only a portion of the projects actually make it to the blog. A lot of them are taken care of almost immediately.

Our next big project is, what we affectionately call, The Extreme Yard Makeover. We could definitely use some more people on this one. This is a great chance for everyone to get out and help a deserving family while meeting others in your community who are as committed as you are to Paying it Forward. Please give us a call at 503-953-6018 or email wevegottimetohelp@q.com to find out more details.

You don't need any specific skills, just a willingness to get your hands dirty. Even if you can only spare an hour or two, it would be such a big help. It will be a lot of work but it will also be a lot of fun, and even more importantly...it will be worth it.

Believe me, we understand that it's hard. It's hard to volunteer to help someone with their yard when you don't have time to tend to your own. It's hard to help a total stranger when you have a world of troubles on your mind. It's hard to step out of your comfort zone and meet with a group of strangers. Please know that we completely understand.

We come home almost every day tired, sore and wondering if we are in over our heads. Then, we get up the next day and do it all again. If it wasn't worth it, we wouldn't do it. But we get up every day, with smiles on our faces (and Ibuprofen in hand), with a strong feeling of community, and the knowledge that we have, even in some small way, made a difference in someone's life.

Let me tell you, my friends, it doesn't get any better than that.

OPB and Community Involvement

We were contacted last week by Sarah Rothenfluch from Oregon Public Broadcasting's show, Think Out Loud. This is such a great opportunity for us to get the word out about what we do and how we can help people. The show will run from 9am-10am on Monday. Please, spread the word and let anyone in your community know that we are here to help them in any way we can. Sarah's approach to this story is fitting the pieces of our community into a larger social puzzle.

She will also be interviewing a prior customer of Modern Color (the small business that we helped close their doors) and how he had to reduce his advertising budget which directly affected Modern Color; how Desi Miller and crew turned Modern Color into Moso Graphics; how Michelle and I (Seth) turned unemployment into a positive experience and how a laid-off heavy equipment operator used F.I.D.O. (Friends Involved in Dog Outreach) to help him provide food for his animal allowing him to keep his pets instead of having to turn them over to a shelter. If you have time please listen to this informative community driven program.

Springboard Social Innovation Forum

On Wednesday, Michelle and I (Seth) attended the Springboard Social Innovation Forum that is held monthly at the Urban Grind Coffee House It was a tremendous gathering of groups and individuals that are doing what they can to make all of our communities better places to live, work and play. A Springboard's website motto: "Get enraged. Get engaged. Get busy." How cool of a motto is that?!?!?

From the Springboard website:
"The Springboard Social Innovation Forum offers a monthly event designed to support those interested in creating a better future. Our focus is to help practitioners or potential pratictioners of social projects push beyond discussion and debate into action. Each Forum will inspire and teach with ideas, powerful role models, and stories. Speakers, content experts, panels, and workshops will help you improve your strategies for planning and launching effective social ventures. The Forum will create a context to connect, learn, and take action around ideas that lead to tangible change—all in a venue designed for building community."

The speakers that night were Randy White from Bright Neighbor; Samantha Mafchir from MicroMentor; Skip Newberry from Portland Is Better Together and Amy Pearl from The ChangeXchange.

The first speaker was Randy White from Bright Neighbor. He was intelligent, energetic, and informative. When you go to the Portland Bright Neighbor site, you will need to creat a log-in, but please believe us when we tell you...it's worth it!

From Bright Neighbor's Portland website:
"Bright Neighbor is a Portland community system that helps Portlanders discover our neighbors, coordinate community projects and groups, share stuff, lend and track things, sell and barter stuff, network better, save money, learn new things like growing and preserving food, finding people that live near you with similar interests, ride-share, and much more."

We consider ourselves very like-minded with Bright Neighbor. We aspire to be a lot like Bright Neighbor when we grow up. The are a tremendous group of people and Randy White is a great community leader. Please check them out!

There were so many great ideas and people that there isn't enough space to write about it all here. Please check out the different links and find your path! We will add more about the other groups that spoke at this event and other groups that we learned about while attending the forum, in the near future so check back often!!

Bark Dust, Weeds and Stones- Oh My!!

This should have been posted about a week ago. Jen and Aric are tremendously generous people.

We received a call a couple of weeks ago from a woman who needed help. She indicated she had Multiple Sclerosis and had recently fallen. She had purchased some bark dust and was now unable to spread the bark dust around her flower beds. We sent out an email to our volunteers.

Jen and Aric responded with what seemed to be the speed of light. We had not even had a chance to post about it yet and they had already been out and taken care of this woman. Besides helping spread the bark dust they ended up pulling weeds, raking, and putting in a stone walkway so she could use her walker between rows of plants.

Thanks to both of you, Jen and Aric, for always offering to go above and beyond what is asked or expected!!

Below are some photos showing what a great job they did!!

Moving last Saturday

Well, our moving project went off really well on Saturday the 4th. We moved a wonderful woman from inner SE Portland out to Gresham. We had 5 volunteers for the move. Thank you so much to Igor, Mel, Trevor, Michelle and Seth.

So, even though we had 4 cars and 1 truck to pack up, we ended up making 2 trips. It went smoothly, though. This lovely woman was very thankful and we couldn't be happier to have helped!

Thank you again to everyone. You are changing people's lives and giving them renewed hope in humanity!

Here are a few photos of the move and we wish you all the best.

Here is Igor's vehicle, crammed to the hilt with boxes and bags.

Mel, helping load up the vehicles.

Trevor, Igor (in the background) and Seth getting the door for Trevor.

Another one of the cars getting stuffed with items.

Igor (left) and Seth (right) finishing up with the first load.

And because Michelle was doing all the picture taking, as well as helping move, and I wasn't thoughtful enough to snap some of her, I am posting a photo of her from December of last year. Yes, she is wearing antlers.

The Portland Upside

We had a wonderful conversation today with Rob and Sara, the creators of The Portland Upside. They came over to our home and we had a great talk about their new newspaper. They are a couple who was tired of all the negative news stories from the local and national media. So, instead of sitting by and watching the news, they decided to change it.

Instead of reporting on murder, rape, the economy, etc. etc., they chose to start a new (free) newspaper that reports on the Upside of life in the Portland area. They will be highlighting a lot of local, community based organizations and individuals in their monthly issue.

People or organizations that are choosing to unite communities, instead of divide them, will be discussed. They need all the support that you can give them.

This is truly a wonderful, and long overdue, venture. They are funding this out of their own pocket because they believe in this so much. We have highlighted their website on the left hand side of this blog.

Please check them out and support them any way that you can. They need all sorts of volunteers to help spread the word. They need volunteer writers, web designers, reporters, photographers and editors.

Or maybe, you know a local store or business that would be willing to offer The Portland Upside, free, to their customers; or perhaps a local coffee shop that you frequent would be happy to spread the positive news. No matter what the outlet, we could all use some good new these days.

Business Fair - April 3rd,4th and 5th

As you may or may not know, We've Got Time to Help is going to be at the New Chances Vendor Fair at Jantzen Beach this Friday 5pm-9pm, Saturday from 9am-9pm and on Sunday from 9am-6pm.

We thought this might give us a chance, not only to meet some new volunteers, but to get the word out about our group and what we do. The more people that know about us, the more people we can help. This is a chance for us to not only tell people about what we do, but to try to explain why this world would be a lot better place if we all lived by "Pay It Forward".

Anyway, so if you like, come down and talk to us. We would love to meet some new friends!

See you there!

Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody

This is a little story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody.

There was an important job to be done and Everbody was asked to do it.

But Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.

Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did.

Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody's job.

Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it.

It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

Extreme Yard Makeover

See our project page for the story that started it all at http://moreprojectinfo.blogspot.com/2009/03/project-19-extreme-yard-makeover.html

Well, one of the volunteers, Meri, was gracious enough to go out and survey and assess the yard we are working on. Let me tell you, Meri knows her stuff! Thanks, Meri!

What we need, is to get a big group together for a 2 day yard party, for cleanup and trimming, before we can get started on all of the building and planting. It should be a great time! Lots of fellow volunteers and some good, old fashioned work. We were hoping to schedule it for April 1st and 2nd (next Wed. and Thurs.). The sooner we can get plants/trees/shrubs in the ground, the better.

After the prep work has been done, then we can move onto the really fun stuff...planting! Like we said, this is a big job but it is going to be so worth it and this family is truly deserving!

What we need is a lot of volunteers (we were hoping for at least 12) that can volunteer for at least one of the 2 days (both days would be great!). Trucks would be a great help as we will probably make a yard debris run or two. This will be our first large scale work party and we would love to see everyone out there!

Please give Seth or Michelle a call at 503-953-6018 to sign up for this fun project. Thanks to all in advance!

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.

FIDO - People helping Pets

We have had some donations of dog food, cat food, pet toys and miscellaneous pet supplies. We checked all of our regular contacts and no one had a need for these things so we went searching for someone new to help. We know we can donate them to any of the local shelters but we were more looking to donate them to people so they didn't have to take their pets to a shelter due to financial difficulties. We searched Craigslist this morning and hit the jackpot!!

We found ad for a Dog Food Bank. The program is called FIDO-Friends Involved in Dog Outreach. They work in association with Clackamas County Dog Services and offer a wide array of programs and services. On the 3rd Saturday of each month they have a Dog Food Bank. As they put it on their website, it is one way to help dog owners keep their dogs at home. The program is open to pet owners in need and is not restricted just to people who live in Clackamas county. Their main focus is dogs but they do help people with cats as well. Check out FIDO and see what a great service they offer. They also have a program called AniMeals. This program partners with Clackamas County Meals on Wheels and, once notified of pets in need, will deliver cat or dog food to the seniors receiving meals through the Meals on Wheels program. These are just the kind of causes we believe in! People helping People and Pets!!

The Clackamas County Shelter is also on-site and welcomes donations of food, toys etc.



Seth and I packed up the all the supplies we had gathered and headed out to Oregon City to make a delivery. It just happened to be the 3rd Saturday of the month so we got to see the dog food bank in action. It was a wonderful sight seeing people doing what they could to not have to turn their animals over to a shelter and other volunteers working for the same goal.

The look on the woman's face at the shelter when she saw the huge bag of toys we had collected almost brought tears to our eyes. Her face just lit up with the biggest grin we have seen in a long time. No dog should go without toys especially if they don't even have a home. She was also appreciative of the dog food, cat food and other supplies. We told her who we were and what we do. If we get any other donations of pet related items we will definitely be taking them out to this wonderful place. They have so many good programs out of this one location.



Please keep these people in mind if you have any items that you no longer need or toys your pet no longer plays with.


Also, if you hear of anyone who is thinking about turning their pet into a shelter because they can't afford to keep them any longer, in these hard economic times, please share FIDO with them. Since they only have the dog food bank once a month they can get a month's supply of dog food for up to four dogs. Please check out their site!!

Moving Project on April 4th

Hi all, we just received a call from a woman who needs help moving. She has a 1-bedroom apartment with no appliances. A couch, dresser and bed are the largest items. She is unable to lift the heavy things and asked if we had people with trucks and any others are willing to help.

We are going to be at her apartment at 9am on Saturday the 4th. If we can get a few people on this one, it should be a nice quick move.

Who's Got Time to Move?

Update - Wheelchair Ramp -Off the table for now

We received an email from the original person who contacted us. He indicated that the project is off for now. If circumstances change in the future and they would like our help, we will send out the call for people with Time to Help.

A heartfelt, warm thank you to all of you willing to help with this cause.

You are truly wonderful and we couldn't do what we do without each and every one of you!!

DonorsResource - Della Rae and What She Means to Us

One of the first people who contacted us when we started this movement was Della Rae. She is the Founder/Director of Donorsresource.org. She heard us on KBOO and believed in us and our cause. She contacted us and offered all of her valuable resources. She has educated us on so many things. Who thought being a community organization could be so much work!!

Last week Della Rae was interviewed on KBOO and we just want everyone to know what a great asset she is to all of our communities!!

For anyone who is interested, please listen to the following interview with Della Rae. We would not be where we are without Della Rae and Donorsresource's knowledge. We thank both the person and the organization.
http://kboo.fm/node/12742

And, thanks once again, to Bridget. She volunteers her time in Portland at KBOO and for so many other great causes. Bridget-You do so much for others...What would we do without you??

We thank Della Rae, DonorsResource.org, KBOO and Bridget B for all of the wonderful things you do to bring people together and to bring hope.

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!

Wheelchair ramp

Got time to help a family in need?

We just received an email from a wonderful couple whose close friends are going through some very rough times right now. Here is a recap of their email to us:

The woman just recently had a stroke and the husband has some rather severe heart issues and is on disability. They also have a teenage son. The woman would love to be able to come home to her family, but they have no wheelchair access (ramp) at their home and they might need some minor modifications to the inside so that she will be able to maneuver around.

Some or all of the materials can be purchased by the friends, but they can't afford to hire someone right now. This is exactly why we started We've Got Time to Help!

These are good people, they have worked hard all their lives and now they need a little help from us!

They live just about 5 miles outside Battleground Washington, so we were thinking we could pick a day for a group of us to go up there so that some of us could carpool. We would like to get this done as soon as possible so that she can come home! She will be in the hospital for the next month, so we have some time to get a group and plan together.

Please let us know if you will join us on this most worthwhile cause!

Call or email us is you can help! 503-953-6018 or wevegottimetohelp@q.com

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.