A family's journey as they travel the USA to help others
Stephanie's sister, brother-in-law, and two nephews live about two hours from Asheville. Today, they met us for a fun-filled day of hanging out together and sightseeing. We met at 11:30am for a picnic. The Appalachian Mountains are beautiful this time of year - perfect for being outdoors. Stephanie and I brought simple fixings for all of us to eat - strawberries, melon, honey-roasted turkey, … [Read more...]
We spent a couple of hours today at the Veterans Restoration Quarters (another ministry of ABCCM). It is an old Super 8 Hotel that has been converted into a place where United States Veteran men can find hope and empowerment to leave behind homelessness and addictions. VRQ not only offers meals and a place to sleep for up to two years - they provide case management, counseling, mentoring, a … [Read more...]
Today we visited the Crisis Center, which is operated by The Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry. ABCCM has five different departments (Crisis, Jail, Shelter, Veteran, and Medical). The Crisis Center exists for those who need immediate assistance. People come to the center whenever they lack food or clothing or if they need money for an unpaid bill. One … [Read more...]
Today, we met with Robin Myer (Executive Director) at the Big Brothers Big Sisters offices in Asheville. BBBS matches adult mentors with kids who need a caring role model in their lives. It is a process based on personality, hobbies, and experiences. I really like this one-on-one model. BBBS' goal is for the mentor and child to form long-term relationships - establishing a positive role … [Read more...]
Today we volunteered at MANNA FoodBank - an organization that collects, stores, warehouses and distributes food to accredited non-profits throughout 16 counties in Western North Carolina. They ship out over 8 million pounds each year. Their operation was clean and organized...a feat that not all non-profits have mastered. After a tour of their two warehouses, our family joined a group of … [Read more...]
Today, we are launching igive - a place to share how YOU give. The GiveEveryDay movement is much more than just what my family and I do each day. It is your story too. Each week I will give a prize to 1 person who shares how they gave. This is an opportunity for me to give back to you every week. Feel free to enter every day! One winner will be picked each Saturday. This week the … [Read more...]
***We have committed to give our family rest each Sunday. Read more here. … [Read more...]
We have passed through 9 states so far. Tennessee has been one of our favorites. The terrain is beautiful - green rolling hills, towering trees, and creeks full of fish. Last week we stayed at Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park in Nashville. Jellystone campgrounds tend to be family-friendly with lots of activities and fun play areas for kids. Our favorite thing about this Jellystone, however, was … [Read more...]
Fame has many friends. The sports team that wins the championship suddenly gains a new and much larger fan base. The musician that scores a record deal receives instant adoration. The entrepreneur who strikes gold is sought out for publicity and partnerships. But every star must start somewhere. Every successful person has champions and encouragers who were there from day one - true … [Read more...]
Our oldest daughter decided that she should give her bicycle to another kid that will use it more often then she does. We took the bike to a Goodwill donations center today along with a large bag of other donations. What do you know about Goodwill? We hope to learn more at their corporate headquarters when we get to Maryland. … [Read more...]
We volunteered today at the Crisis Pregnancy Center here in Bristol. The center is a safe place for pregnant women to get educational materials, support throughout their pregnancy, and even clothes for their new baby (0-4T) - all for free. The four of us sorted through boxes of clothing donations. We separated items by size, gender, and season. Our oldest daughter was a pro at putting everything … [Read more...]
Back in February we gave loans to 5 entrepreneurs through Kiva. Kiva is a microfinance website that makes it easy to lend small amounts of money to people with low-income around the world. Some of those loans have now been partly repaid. As funds are repaid, they go back into your Kiva account. From there, you can either withdraw them to Paypal or use them to lend to … [Read more...]
We pulled into a Walmart parking lot this afternoon in Knoxville, TN. Tomorrow we are headed to Bristol. I backed our fifth wheel in on the far side of the parking lot in the midst of 9 semi-trucks and 6 other RVers. After setting up the fifth wheel, I noticed a man standing on a ladder next to a small motorhome. I could tell he wanted to ask a question. "Could you steady this ladder while I … [Read more...]
This evening we celebrated Passover with a group of about 100 people here in Nashville. Passover commemorates the story of the Exodus when God brought the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. It is a celebration to remember and be thankful. Some of our friends from Nashville led the evening. They invited us to join them and help with a few things. I operated the computer for the projector … [Read more...]
***We have committed to give our family rest each Sunday. Read more here. … [Read more...]
Up until now, we have only volunteered with, toured, and interviewed non-profit organizations. We have learned from people who are serving children, the elderly, the hungry, and even prisoners. We have asked questions about funding and management. … [Read More...]
This afternoon, while Stephanie and the girls read books at the Williamsburg Library, I gave my time to the staff at Colonial CASA. They had asked ahead of time if I would help with social media so it made more sense for the girls to stay behind on … [Read More...]
