Make a Difference One Person At A Time

Monday, November 27th, 2006


I received an email from Dr. Rhonda Hackett (below), author of ” Making a Difference”. I thought the email and the idea included might spark some everyday action from readers.



Hi there - just came across your site and was delighted to see a reference
to my book “Making a Difference: Changing the World One Penny and One Minute
at a Time.” Thought I’d share some details about a project I started back in
Sept. I used a local garage sale type website, a free service to list items
that have been lying around our house and garage not being used a taking up
space. With the several hundred dollars I was able to raise I decided to
attach $1 bills to a 4×6 self-printed postcard that suggests people use the
dollar to make a difference in someone’s life (I include a few examples of
things that can be bought and where they can be donated) and ask the
recipient to share the idea with someone else. While standing in line at the
post office, grocery store, visiting local coffee shops, etc I randomly walk
up to people and give them the money. They are at first perplexed, quickly
agree to use the money to make a difference and then usually ask me a lot of
questions about who I am. I have chosen not to share details of my name, etc
when I do this as I want people to focus on the task at hand and not the
‘intrigue’ of who I am…anyway, thus far I have distributed hundreds of
dollar bills and I believe many of them have gone on to make a true
difference! Thanks for all you do!!!! Rhonda

Where Do I Go From Here?

Wednesday, August 23rd, 2006
In previous blogs I described a sophisticated process of finding action that is immeadiate, relevant and concrete and how to use your passion and skills to help you find an appropriate action. But where do I begin looking? Back in the first blog and podcast, I said I would be featuring some opportunities, organizations and grassroots groups that are making a difference. In each blog and cast, I will provide you with some good actions/organizations and some not so good actions/organizations. I am also going to talk about something in the news, review a book or interview one of our Everyday Action Hero nominees.

You are able to examine and intepret this blog with relative ease because somewhere in the past you learned to read. Not everyone had that opportunity or the opportunity came at the wrong time. Research shows that learning to read at an early age is fundamental to success in school and life. If you can read, then you can help teach someone. You could offer your services at a school or youth group but they likely are more interested in a consistent approach offered by an organization. ” Calgary Reads” is an example of a small organization ( budget <$150,000) that reaches young readers in Grades one and two. Last year a total of 296 tutors worked with 504 students in 49 schools in every quadrant of Calgary. Calgary Reads has developed two half day training sessions and ask that you tutor at least twice a week for sixteen weeks. If the issue is that some children are having difficulty reading, then an immeadiate, releveant and concrete action is to help them learn to read better. Calgary Reads says that you are ” giving the child the gift of reading”. If lteracy is an area where you feel passionate then look for an existing progarm or group in your community. Some links from Canadian cities are at the end of this blog.

I would recommend that you pick up a copy of “Making a Difference: Changing the World One Penny and One Minute at a Time” by Dr. Rhonda Hackett. Check your public library for a copy of this 150 page how-to guide. Rhonda has found a way to inspire us to turn our intentions of helping into a realized goal while benefiting others. There is a focus throughout on donating financial resources but they steps she outlines work equally well for donating your time and skills. You can find more information about Dr. Hackett’s organization Nivek on their website.

If you have any comments, concerns, flames or flowers you can leave comments here or email optimistic.bob@gmail.com Let me know what you are thinking and what you might like to see covered.