Volunteers of the Week

Food on Foot is an opportunity to return the goodwill I've been blessed with so far in
my life.

What I like about Food on Foot is the esteem building construct of the Work for Food program. I like that its goal is to get the homeless off the street and living a productive, self sufficient life.

I've been to two Sunday serverings and for some reason it's Ms. Escobar,
when she walks up to receive her "pay" for the day's work, i can't contain
myself. One time she had a safari hat on. She seems so sweet, confident, and proud.
Yet after the ceremony she'll going to sleep in a park. It doesn't make sense to me.

-Marc

FOF has provided a great opportunity for me to give back to the community. I have always felt very blessed and FOF has given me the chance to share my blessings with others. Volunteering has definitely put more meaning in my life and hopefully has put more meaning in others. It is the little things we do in life that sometimes make the biggest difference in others.

The philosophy and foundation FOF provides is priceless. FOF just does not provide food and clothes but a way for life off of the street. J has a way of showing the light at the end of the tunnel. He has turned the unattainable into the attainable for many people who may have given up on life. Sometimes we forget how blessed we really are and take for granted the simple necessities, but the simple necessities are far more then what many people have on a day to day basis.

Every feeding I have attended has been a different experience, but it always nice to hear the success stories. The success stories is what makes this program so amazing and worth every minute put into it. I encourage everyone to give it a shot!! If you can not donate your time your donation I assure you will go to good hands and make a difference in someone's life!!

-Denise

Food on Foot is the best charitable organization I have ever come across.
I must say, I am truly inspired. I found Food on Foot via the internet. Signed up for a Sunday, not knowing at all what to expect, only knowing I would be “feeding the homeless”. Let me tell you, Food on Foot is much more that. For the workers in the program it’s opportunity to turn their lives around and the small part that I play is very gratifying.
Knowing that they have a place to come to get support, to get food and clothing must be a shining light, in what I am sure for some, are dark times. We all take for granted the “things” we have, and to be able to see a smile when I give someone an apple, or a milk really makes me think about that next apple I take a bite out of or the next glass of milk I drink, I could do that anytime, they can’t.


My most memorable experience so far, was when my son and I handed out the awards to the workers. It was an honor to shake their hands and look them in the eyes and tell them good job. To see their excitement and sense of accomplishment touched my heart and I will never forget it.


One of my main reasons that I wanted to find a place to give back was for my kids. I want to teach them compassion and tolerance and I think the best way to that, is to do something. Two my kids whom I’ve brought, (still have one more to bring) ask me questions days after they have been at a feeding. My daughter recently told me she wants to go again. It is sinking in with them.

-Steve

A BIG thank you to Joanne Jackman and her group from the Living in the Light Ministry for sponsoring our Sunday December 10th serving.

A BIG thank you to Jim Henderson and his crew from Amoeba Records for sponsoring Sunday's Hollywood serving.

Food on Foot gives my children and I a glimpse into how a strong commitment can impact people's lives for the better. A little effort from a lot of people goes a long, long way: it's inspiring for children to grow up with that notion. It helps teach my children the difference between walking the walk and talking the talk. We were celebrating endlessly (yes, the kids too!) the sea change in government last week and I realized that I had expectations of government that I was not actively implementing myself. Somehow giving money to outstretched hands in the streets, even as often as we do, feels shallow and insubstantial. So we found you!


What we link most about Food on Foot is the sense of community that is fostered with the people that return every week to work cleaning the streets for reward. The sense of empowerment and pride I felt coming from them - that they were people working together towards making a change in their lives. Not feeling overwhelmed with hopelessness, which I imagine could be hard place to return from, to say the least.

This was a learning experience for Stella, Claude and myself. On a personal level it felt so good watching my kids smiling at and connecting with people of all ages, races, ethnicities and sexual orientation. For two kids growing up in the privileged bubble that westside LA can be, it was great for them to remember that we are all only disconnected through circumstance and nothing else. Also, I was deeply moved by Candy and the idea of her working so hard to stay vital and alive at her age. She is an inspiration. And a great check point for perspective.


-Rebecca, Claude and Stella

Food on Foot is a place I go to give back. It is a place to give without expecting to get something in return. However, I do get something in return. It's incredibly rewarding to see someone light up because food on foot helped them get a job or to see the appreciation on their faces for clothing that I laid out only minutes ago. Food on foot is a place to be selfless; it's a place to be reminded that deep down we're all the same; it's a place that makes me feel alive.



They're are many things I like and respect about Food on Foot. Mostly I like how organized it is. It is run like a business and because of this, there are real results.



One of the women in the rewards program got offered a job working with Food on Foot during the awards ceremony... When she heard the news she jumped up and down squealing with delight. It gave me goosebumps and reinforced how amazing this charity is.


-Whitney

Food on Foot makes a difference. We are all asked throughout our day to contribute to this cause or that charity and when it resonates or when we feel guilty enough we dig into our wallets or write a check. It feels good to do that but our real contribution was only two dimensional. The third and most valuable dimension of giving is the giving of one's time. Sure, Food on Foot needs and enjoys cash contributions, but what makes Food on Foot different is that it gives those who have enjoyed more "luck" a chance to share their time with those who have not had that break. It gives both groups some perspective. While I am sure that most of us have the "there but by the grace of God go I" feeling hopefully the people in line, that we share some time with, look and say "I want to be the one handing out the granola bar rather than the one taking it". The day to day existence that many of them have cannot be filled with a lot of "hello's" and smiles and compassion. The time we spend together hopefully creates some light in their day because certainly it does in mine.
Foot on Foot does not enable. I am not sure you can actually help someone by enabling their weakness. Food on Foot allows one who wants to stand, work and be counted upon the chance to do so, it gives them the chance, sometimes over and over again, to start with the slate cleaned. Who knows why someone decides that this is the time, now I am going to show up, I am going to be counted on, I am going to count on myself. Food on Foot does not judge, it does however expect and when those expectations are met it creates opportunity rather than enabling dependence.


We have brought our kids many times and watching them interact with the kids in line (especially on Christmas) was very gratifying. Maybe, just maybe, they take a moment and think about the things in their life that they take for granted. When we are young (and unfortunately when we are not as young) it is so easy to become self focused, to become wrapped up in the daily grind of our lives we fail to have any real field of vision. The chance to give back and expand our own horizon has to be good for them.
I live in both New York and Los Angeles and I am blessed to have 5 healthy children, an amazing woman in my life and the best dog ever. I came to Food on Foot this time on the day before my Birthday as a present to myself because it makes me feel good, makes me feel better about how I use my "fortune", makes me appreciate, makes me really share and allows me to both bring and wear a smile.

-Neil

Food on Foot is that program that we have all have been asking for every time we see homeless. We hand a buck out with mixed feelings to the homeless guy and wonder: 1.) Is this going to go toward food, or something that will push the person deeper into the pit? 2.) This guy is able enough to find a way to support himself; why doesn't he find some way to help himself?



Food on Foot is that way. It finds those with the desire and helps provide a path back. It is important to help and it is wonderful to have confidence in a program that you know is making a difference. We like the fact that it helps people feel good about themselves, both the people that it feeds and those who contribute to the feeding. We like the fact that it helps people help
themselves.



Every time I see kids go through the line I wonder what the future holds. We have to have a program available for their parents to get them off the street and into school. We have to make sure that programs are available to help them when they need it.


-Thomas Graham

A BIG Thank You to Gloria Calderon Kellett and the cast of the play Skirts & Flirts whose performance this past week at the National Comedy Theatre raised over $4000 for our Work for Food program.

Food on Foot means more to me then just offering my time to a
worthy cause. It feeds a much larger, global necessity which is to
break done the barriers between us all. People living on the streets
are no different to us. We share the same feelings, and we desire
the same things. Love is love, fear is fear, anger is anger, and
happiness is happiness. Those core emotions don't differ if you
have a roof over your head or not. But no person should be
homeless, or hungry. This project gives hope, breaks done those
barriers, and brings us all together.

When I was leaving the other day, driving off in my car, I stopped at
the entrance to congratulate one of the participants. We had a
small chat, me in my car, him on the street...We spoke as if there
was a bond between us now from what we had just shared that
day. Me handing out the food coupon to him for his achievements.
Acknowledgement. A simple form of friendship.

JR Bourne

Food on Foot is a wonderful program that my husband and I became familiar with in December 2005. Because of my previous experience volunteering with homeless shelters, I felt especially attracted to the Food on Foot program because the program is not based on giving "hand outs" but rather "giving a hand up" to the men and women who participate.


December 2005 was also a very difficult time for my husband and I because we were mourning the loss of our son who was to have been born the same week we volunteered. We both needed to have some purpose during this hard time and helping others has always been my way of coping with difficult times in my life.

What I like most about Food on Foot is that you can actually see the difference you are making in some peoples lives. You see it in their smiles, you see it in their better self-confidence and you see how grateful they are that there are people who care about them.

On a Sunday back in July, on a day that I think was the hottest day of the month, I was handing out banana's in the food line when I was stunned to see a 3 month old baby being pushed in a stroller in the line in front of me. Most people know that there are homeless men and women living on the street everyday but it never occurred to me that there are also babies and children living on the street. This child looked dehydrated, drenched in her own sweat and miserable. I stopped cold and couldn't move as she passed by me. It took time for me to regain my composure and to continue passing out the fruit and it took hours for me to stop crying once I got in my car to drive home.. The vision of that little girl has stayed with me ever since and will always stay with me and this is why I will continue to volunteer.

-Lisa

Looking around at the state of things, I think many of us want to help out, but we feel so overwhelmed by the number and size of problems that we don't even know where to start! With Food on Foot, your efforts and their results are very real and tangible, and that's a great feeling. Also, going to Food on Foot reminds me of how lucky many of us are. It's easy to get wrapped up in our (comparatively small) problems and forget that, if you have a roof over your head, running water, and three meals a day, you're already miles ahead of millions of people -- including many who live in the richest, most powerful nation in the world.

What I like about Food on Foot is it's just a well-run, no-nonsense organization. I think the Work for Food program is a fantastic idea! It's great to find an organization that's actively trying to help people by giving them the tools so they can help themselves.

I remember one time a friend commented that some of the people at the feedings didn't seem homeless. It was explained to us that many of those who attend have a home, but live at, or below, the poverty line, and that they need places like Food on Foot to make ends meet, which was quite an eye-opening bit of information. Also, watching the Work for Food crew get their coupons and bus tokens at the end of each feeding is absolutely priceless! To see the satisfaction in their faces and they way they carry themselves with pride after being remunerated for a day's work -- there is nothing quite like watching someone reclaim their dignity.

-Mario

There is a huge hole in our society that is allowing people to slip through the cracks and wind up on the streets. It's horrific to think that in the richest nation in the world, there is little support for addressing the problem and helping individuals who need help badly. Food on Foot not only is a great organization in terms of what it does for LA's homeless, but it's also a model for helping people across the country.

You can't force someone to get off the streets if they don't really want to, but so many people do want to but just don't see how or have much hope. Food on Foot provides leverage and support for individuals to help themselves, which really is the right approach.

I was touched by hearing Douglass' story of going from well-adjusted straight A student / athlete to winding up on the street for so many years. At the same time it saddened me because it took so much effort for him to get back on his feet, and I wonder what the chances are for those who are less capable and have less of a positive experience base. The problem is much larger than one organization or approach can handle, and we need as a society to become committed to solving it.

-Rafe & Laura

Food On Foot means to me being able to give back to people who are less fortunate. It is very gratifying to see these people that come to Food on Foot for help to turn their lives around and be productive and if I can help them achieve that with giving my time every Sunday then it is well worth it.



What I like most about Food On Foot is the way everything is so well organized. It is truly amazing to see what has been accomplished! I also like to talk to the people even if it is only to say hello or to ask them how they are and to see them smile.


At the last feeding I attended I was able to participate in the awards ceremony and to see how happy the winners were - that made me happy because sometimes we forget how lucky we are and that we take things for granted.


-Joan

Food on Foot is an organization I believe in because
it provides opportunity and encouragement for people
who want to integrate back into society. By providing
jobs, direction, and incentives for success, Food on
Foot is able to locate and aid those who are truly
ready to get off the streets. I also appreciate the
efficiency with which the organization is run, and
know that every dollar I invest provides maximum
benefit for the people of Hollywood.

-Maria

FOF is a great opportunity to learn from those a little less fortunate. We all have a little "junk in the trunk" and it's inspiring to see folks like Douglas and Charles work their way back into being a productive member of society. Every time I hear their stories of success it is motivating to work on my life issues.



I like volunteering for FOF because it not only helps to feed the homeless but it also provides them the opportunity to work toward the goal of getting off of the street. When you volunteer on Sunday you can really see how much the worker crew and the homeless appreciate the efforts of FOF and the volunteers. There are lots of smiles and thank yous as they progress through the line. I especially enjoy the award ceremony for the FOF worker program after the feeding. It's fun to watch the excitement of the workers being recognized for their efforts during the week.


My most memorable day with FOF was my first, Thanksgiving 2003. I was impressed with the program and enjoyed the experience of helping others. I'm ashamed to say that I'm not a regular volunteer but my goal is to help out more. We get busy in our own lives and forget that others need our help, if for only a couple of hours on a Sunday. I would encourage anyone reading through this website to read through what other volunteers have wrote about their experiences. It's an amazing organization ... take a minute to sign-up on a Sunday afternoon. It's an experience you'll never forget and hopefully you will return to help whenever you can.


-Tammy

We were introduced to FOF by Ruth and started our first feeding on Thanksgiving a few years ago. FOF's unique approach to reintroducing the homeless back into the work force is what intrigued us from the beginning. Every time we attend, it is so heartwarming to hear the stories of those that have successfully gotten off the street. We are happy to help and give back to the community, but in reality it's those people who's lives are turned around because of FOF that give us inspiration and remind us how quickly unfortunate events can change a person's life.

Food on Foot means a well-designed organization that effectively targets the roots of homelessness. To make a medical analogy, it provides a cure rather than treating the symptoms by working with the homeless to develop their confidence and work ethic so that they may continue to grow well after they leave the program. I love giving my time to a cause like eradicating homelessness and I seek an organization where my help can contribute to something greater and longer-lasting that just my moments of assistance.
Food on Foot is the perfect organization for that goal.

I am most impressed with its design and I most enjoy meeting people: both volunteers and those we serve. I'm looking forward to getting to know people better on both sides of the service line and developing friendships.

Looking around the introduction circle at the last serving, I noticed the seven or eight kids that had come to help out. Some were with their parents. Some apparently had come with their friends (and their friends' parents). I loved how the parents had taken steps to teach the value of service to their children (possibly the most under-taught value) and how those kids apparently had gone out and spread that value to their friends.
It made me feel very good about the next generation.

-Tillman

A BIG Thank You to Carter Bays ($84 club member) and the crew from the "How I met your mother" television show that sponsored the Sunday August 20th Hollywood serving.

The Food on Foot organization is an example of the generosity and selflessness of people at their best. That it is sustained not thru government subsidies, but thru volunteer work and donations from private citizens and local businesses is inspirational. The work for food program is successful and should be used as a model throughout the country.

I enjoy meeting people from all walks of life that show up to volunteer. For me, I’ve been so fortunate in my life that I felt the desire to give something back to others- It’s a great feeling!

My fondest memory from my first volunteer Sunday was the smiles I got from the children as I handed them their meals- It doesn’t get any better than that!

-Andrew Blustain

Food on Foot means ending homelessness, not only by providing food and a place to sleep but also by providing job opportunities, clothing,
transportation and most importantly confidence. All of these things keep individuals from becoming homeless again. Volunteering shows me how doing such a tiny thing can make great things happen!

What I like most about Food on Foot is that it holds everyone responsible; you must put something in it to get something out of it.

My husband and I attended the Christmas 2005 feeding where several people where honored for their work during the year: Mr. Fairbanks was given the gift of unlimited rent and another individual was given airfare and hotel accommodations to visit his family that he hadn't seen in years! The joy in their eyes was uplifting!

-Jamie

Food On Foot represents hard work and responsibility and, that it will always be rewarded. No matter if you are a volunteer or someone who is trying to get off the streets I feel the organization expects your very best. There were countless examples shown to me from the volunteers focused in setting things up right, to the workers coming back from a day of hard work. I don't feel anyone walks away without feeling a sense of accomplishment.


What impresses me the most is the "Work for Food" program. Again, it teaches a very basic principal that if you try your best you will be rewarded. This alone cam bring someones self confidence up and show them they can make a positive difference in themselves as well as their surroundings.


I had the privilege of giving out a treat to the people standing in line for food. While walking through the line I was surprised how courteous people were. Many people introduced themselves and asked how I was doing before I could even get out a word. I realized when I put a name with a face, it's impossible for me not to care.

-Kevin

Food on Foot means giving back to others in need. There are many support groups in our community, but I am very grateful to have found Food on Foot, which provides a true opportunity with real results. I look forward to being an honorable volunteer as long as I am able.

I like meeting other volunteers, with the same desire to serve and assist. It is really neat to interact with those in need and those that work hard to help Food on Foot clean the community.

While volunteering it was nice talking to one of the oldest member of the community and hearing tales of his interesting life. It was also nice how my daughter was selected to help in the presentation of awards to the Food on Foot workers.

-Melvin

Food on Foot has given me an opportunity to serve in the community. When I am serving others, I am at my best. We have enough resources on this earth so that nobody should ever go hungry. Food on Foot understands this and for that I respect the program entirely.

What I love most about Food on Foot is that if the homeless work they are rewarded. There is structure in the program that prepares the homeless for the real business world. It sets them up to succeed!

The last feeding I attended was special. I looked every homeless person in the eye and asked, “How are you?” I waited for each reply and by looking into their eyes I felt a connection. I understood that I am no different from them—

-Erin

A Big Thank you to the team from BLT & Associates who sponsored the July 9th serving in Hollywood

It means a lot to me that there are organizations like Food on Foot. It's more than just a charity, it's an opportunity for homeless people to get out of the horrible situation that sometimes befalls unlucky souls. It saddens me that there has to be organizations like this that even exist. In a country that spends more on coffee at Starbucks in one day then what they give to their fellow human in a whole year, it is disgusting. Altruism is a word that every one should learn and practice.


I like Food on Foot because the homeless people have a chance to correct the mistakes they have made. They have the ability to achieve success with Food on Foot. With their success they can inspire others who witness their progress.

The best moment I can remember in the short time I have been coming, is when all the volunteers were sorting out the donated clothes. I stepped back for a moment and saw people from all walks of life working together for a common cause - helping their fellow man. There were people of every race of working and smiling the whole time because they knew they were doing something selfless. That was a nice experience.


-Justin