boundaries

3 Steps to Creating Digital Boundaries

by with No Comment blog

We have an internet that has every bit of the worlds existing information and digital devices that remind, remember and tell us where to go, you would think that we’d all be leading this simpler life and we’d spend our free energy accessing the endless knowledge online to educate ourselves into a super-mind status.  Instead, you might find yourself busier than ever and the only thing you seem to find online is hours and hours of cat videos, food porn, and other irrelevant information that does nothing but eat away the free time you gained from living in the this digital future we dreamed about as kids.

Dawn_brancheau

Working Alongside the Dawn Brancheau Foundation at Matthew’s Hope

by with No Comment blog

Serving Food at Matthew’s Hope

Whenever we serve at Matthew’s Hope we get a chance to meet people who are volunteering their time as well as some of the homeless that are working to earn points while going through the rehabilitation program. Today was no different, but it was definitely unique.

Our group served food in 2 different locations today. One at the garden where a large group of high school students from Tampa came to Matthew’s Hope to spend their spring break doing whatever was needed to help out.

The second location was at the transitional housing area where people were working to prepare the homes for use. There, an organization known as The Dawn Brancheau Foundation had donated and was installing a playground for the area.

Meet the Crew from The Dawn Brancheau Foundation

Dawn’s foundation is the organization started by the family of Dawn Brancheau, the SeaWorld trainer who tragically lost her life on February 24, 2010.

Our family’s move to Florida was during the time Dawn lost her life, and I remember the sadness I felt when I heard the story. SeaWorld had always been my favorite theme park growing up and still is to this day.

I had the chance to meet Dawn’s sister, Debbie, and Dawns best friend Lindsey while we were there. Within minutes of meeting them, our group found an immediate connection (like the 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon) and everyone’s world immediately shrank.

House Warming at Matthew’s Hope

by with No Comment blog

Matthew’s Hope Opens their Transition Homes

After months of rehabbing homes, Matthew’s Hope held a house warming event for two homes out of the 6 that were completed. The homes will serve as transition homes for the people who have been going through the program and are ready to make the next transition. Matthew’s Hope works with the homeless in the Winter Garden, FL area. People in the program go through rehabilitation and these homes are for those that have reached the point in the program where they are ready to begin transition, back on their feet.  Serving those that have worked hard to rehab these homes and to see the amazing work that has been done has been a true blessing.

bags-of-donations

Carloads of Donations

by with No Comment blog

2 Carloads of Donations

As Amy and I arrived to start loading the cars with the donations, I was blown away at the generosity from the 1st grade parents.  Purple bags covered a quarter of Amy’s classroom and as we loaded up the cars we knew it was going to take more than our jeep to haul the goods.