Archive for the ‘links’ Category
Posted by padschicago on November 21, 2009
Trying to find motivation for writing this. Right now, oddly enough, it is pain distraction. I’m having some bad renal-related pain on the right side. (It was on the left side in back this morning, but not nearly as bad.) Finally just popped a good, strong pain pill and logged on to WordPress.
I think that pain is what motivates me to writing in my blog the most–whether it be physical pain or emotional pain. There are a lot of times when I would do it more often, in immediate reaction to something, but I don’t have a laptop or netbook computer to capture those moments. So then I text a tweet to my Twitter account from my cell phone instead. Sometimes if I am in a place where I can write privately and have abundant paper with me I will write my thoughts to transcribe later.
Life is like what seems to attract me to blogging: no pain, no gain. It takes some level of effort to succeed and reach goals. When I blog, I gain from readers, and from within my self. In life, I gain by doing things that will lead to taking me out of homelessness. I am trying. And I am doing. I am taking steps to helping myself accomplish that goal. I am trying to make more notes to help me remember things. I am getting mental health care, including counseling and psych medication. I am working with my caseworker regarding psych issues and future housing possibilities. I know that everything is working out. Finally. I am on the right track.
Posted in Health, Personal, links | Tagged: case manager, case worker, caseworker, goals, Health, homeless, homelessness, mental, mental health, motivation, Pads, Pads Chicago, padschicago, pain, poverty, psych, psychiatry, psychology, shelter, shelters, social services, success | Leave a Comment »
Posted by padschicago on November 9, 2009
The From the Heart to the Hip fundraiser for PADS of Elgin last night was a success! Over $1,400 was raised! Woohoo!! There were a lot of raffles with happy winners! I was there and spoke on helping the homeless. I met several current followers and future ones–pleased to meet you!!! As always, I welcome comments in person and any other contact method–email, leave a message on my phone, send a fax, tweet me on Twitter, reply to my blog…
I had a great time last night! The dancers shimmied their way to my heart with their obvious happiness and beautiful dances, and all for a good cause! A table of donated articles of clothing, gloves, toilet paper, and so many other things was stacked full for the Elgin homeless! I met Elgin PADS executive director Dennis Hewitt and he is so nice! I was honestly amazed at the emotion I saw in him as he spoke of the homeless people that Elgin PADS helps! He really got to me with how heartfelt his words and expressions were. He didn’t speak like an “executive director”. He spoke like a person who truly cares about others. God bless him.

Dennis Hewitt, executive director of PADS of Elgin
The fundraiser was sponsored by Serafina with belly dancers from all over the area. They were fantastic! I can’t say who my favorite is because so many performed beautifully–and the outfits–OMG just as awesome! There was someone doing temporary henna tatoos at the show and I got one. The artist did beautifully detailed work! Here’s a picture of the henna tattoo on my hand:

My henna tattoo
I can’t wait to go to another fundraiser event! I plan to be with Black Card Circle on Nov. 19th in Chicago at the Rockit Bar and Grill. Will you join and support their great foundation?!
Posted in Personal, charities, events, links | Tagged: belly dancing, benefits, Black Card Circle, charity, Chicago, Dennis Hewitt, donations, Elgin, events, foundation, fundraiser, homeless, homelessness, Lotay Yang, Pads, Pads Chicago, PADS of Elgin, padschicago, poverty, Rockit Bar and Grill, Serafina, shelter, shelters, volunteering, volunteerism, Zayna | Leave a Comment »
Posted by padschicago on October 21, 2009
Posted in Awards, News, Personal, Website, links | Tagged: homeless, homelessness, Mashable, Open Web Awards, poverty, shelter, shelters, vote, Web | Leave a Comment »
Posted by padschicago on September 22, 2009
People frequently ask me how they can help the homeless. There are millions of ways to help! Here are just a few…
- Post in your church bulletin, on community bulletin boards, on Craigslist, etc, asking for room and board of a homeless person, house or other work in exchange for rent until the person has income.
- Offer resume help. Look it over and give suggestions or help design a new one. Everyone is qualified to do this–it could be your own resume next.
- If you are spiritual, offer to say prayer. Saying prayer on the spot can even do wonders for a person’s attitude!
- Give clothing, shoes, and accessories needed for job interviews.
- Buy the person a phone card to put minutes on their cell phone, if they have one. Offer your own cell phone to make a phone call. Tell the person about GOOG-411–a free phone directory service by Google, by simply calling 1-800-GOOG-411 (1-800-466-4411).
- Help the person set up a free email account online and teach how to use it.
- Help the person sign up and use job sites such as Hot Jobs.
- Assure the person is warm/cool enough during the day and at night according to climate. Long underwear is always a hit in winter months in colder climates!!! Check for a hat, scarf, and gloves. Also wool and warm socks! Hand warmer packets are good, but remind people that they can burn (especially people who have nerve damage). Ask if they have a warm enough sleeping bag and blankets. In warmer months, ask if they would like shorts, or for women perhaps skirts and casual dresses.
- Give camping essentials like a tarp to put on the ground to protect from dirt and moisture; a flashlight; batteries; eating utensil; 1-man tents or a large tarp with pegs to hold in the ground; a mini kerosene cooking stove (there are some that are single-use).
- Give transit tickets for getting to appointments, social services, or soup kitchens.
- Offer help getting laundry done. Give them supplies. Some laundromats offer their own debit card that the machines use instead of coins.
- Offer non-perishable food like peanut butter (tip: Goober’s brand is peanut butter and jelly and needs no refrigeration), granola and cereal bars, canned goods, potato chips and “shoestrings”, juice and milk boxes or small bottles, water bottles, powdered drink mixes, fruit rolls, foil-packaged meat and other food products, kipper snacks, beef jerky. Ask if there is access to a microwave so you may buy microwave-ready foods, including everybody’s favorite, popcorn. Ask about food allergies or dietary restrictions before you buy!
- Ask about health needs. For medication assistance, refer to programs for help and info like PatientAssistance.com, Partnership for Prescription Assistance, Rx Assist, Medicare Pharmaceutical Assistance Program, Rx Hope, National Conference of State Legislatures State Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs. Ask if the person has blood pressure and heart problems if they could use an automatic blood pressure monitor, diabetes supplies, or other health needs. Also think to ask if the person has a special diet or nutrition needs, including vitamins.
- Give store gift cards and certificates. Wal-Mart, Target, Walgreens, and other retail–even mall type stores like Kohls or Penneys would make a nice treat. Grocery, restaurant and coffee shop gift cards are also very good. If the person has a car, or gets rides from someone with a car, offer a gas card.
I hope these suggestions help. I will try to add more from time to time and add these to my site. I will also try to make list of pharmaceutical companies who have prescription assistance programs, as I am also in that need right now! Please feel free to comment to this post, email me, or send me a tweet on Twitter if you have any other suggestions, questions or comments.
Posted in Free Stuff, Health, News, Personal, links | Tagged: assistance, coverage, GOOG-411, Google, Health, healthcare, help, homeless, homelessness, housing, medication, medicine, Pads Chicago, padschicago, pharmaceutical, programs, Rx, social services, teaching, volunteering | 3 Comments »
Posted by padschicago on June 22, 2009
If you are extroverted and live, eat, and dream of Butterfinger candy bars all day and night long, are over-experienced with social media sites, have a camera/video phone, computer and internet, then you may want to consider applying for this Butterfingertastic position! It sounds so awesome! A more than perfect virtual opportunity for anyone!!
Do you feel equally at home on Facebook as you do out on the town? Do you Tweet as much as you talk? Do you shoot mini videos as fast as you can post your pics? Has the line between your offline and online life started to blur to the point you’re in two dimensions at once? If so, then you’re the perfect FUNtern for the Butterfinger FUNternship that lets you earn bucks for your bytes.
Click here to read more and apply for this job with Butterfinger!
Posted in jobs, links | Tagged: Butterfinger, candy, career, careers, Chicago, employment, homeless, homelessness, job, jobs, opportunities, Pads Chicago, padschicago, poverty, shelter, shelters, work | Leave a Comment »