Week 9

This past week was Easter weekend and my friends and family just ate a ton. We had to wake up early at around 6 o'clock am and the parks were already filled up! We were at the park most of the day and it was a lot of fun. So this week I didn't really donate like the ways I've done before. I helped my dad get all the chairs out of the garage and the grill from the backyard. Then we went to a rental store to rent some tables for all the guests. I also helped my mom with all the preparation of the food. I helped her with seasoning the meat and making the guacamole. This week I didn't really donate, unless donating also counted giving food to others then yes. If i couldn't donate this week, i decided to be a good host and donate my time to help make all the preparations for Easter. My family didn't bring all the food, my sister and my brother in law brought all the chips and the soda and all the utensils while my aunt and uncle brought even more meat. Again like I said we had a lot of food and a lot of fun. We did have a lot of extra food and we've been giving some to neighbors who unfortunately could not have an Easter. Donating comes in all sorts of ways not just clothes. Donating food is like giving people care. The people giving them the food obviously care for them.    

Week 8

This week I took out all the pants from closet and started to try them on. I have a total of 14 pairs of pants and 12 pairs of pants fit me which means I'm giving away two pairs of pants. When my brothers pants don't fit them anymore I'm the one that receives them all. Once they don't fit me anymore, we separate them from the clothes that does fit me and give it away. One of the pairs of pants is a black pair of Levi's and the other pair is a dark blue pair of American Eagle's. These pairs of pants at least cost me $80 all together and someone is going to receive them for free. Donating not only makes the people who are receiving the clothes happy but also makes you feel good about yourself; it raises self morale. Donating clothes is way better than just keeping your closet filled with clothes that don't fit and are just going to collect dust. Clothes is expensive especially well know brands like Nike, Adidas, Puma, Vans, Tapout ,etc. Some families depend on the financial help of others to get by especially when parents have to support their children. I get it. My parents didn't necessarily have no problems with me. I would get sick as a child a lot and my parents would have to pay medical clinics and doctors and i was a growing child, i needed new clothes. It would be nice if people got help from others.

Week 2- Droughts

The drought situation in the Central part of California is a a dire situation. California's central valley is usually covered in lush green vegetation this time of the year but due to the state's worst drought in decades have reduced the landscape to a harsh wasteland. I believe currently that President Barrack Obama was to visit California to see the drought for himself. A parched California could push food prices up dramatically. California is the largest food producer in the United States which also is the largest food exporter in the world. The state water department has turned off the water to farmers with their irrigated land. It is predicted that within the next two to four months small rural communities with populations of 40,000 will run out of water completely. The true question is what we will do to help. First, you could save water. The California Department of Transportation is using more than 700 electronic highway signs to raise awareness of how the drought is really severe. The governor of California has proposed $687 million to help with the drought. Here's where the people, us, come into play. We can help solve this problem. We could donate money, or water to help with the drought. We can also help save water. Taking shorter showers, not washing clothes so often or even limit flushing the toilet would do us good.  

Week 1- The New Year

It's a new year filled with whole new opportunities for us to succeed this year. Some of us have gotten off to a good start to this year, but to some people there is mostly no change. Unlike some places like California, It is really cold in the east and northern states. I live in California so I don't know how it feels to be cold. I think it's cold when it's 48 degrees out in the morning, but in states like Minnesota where it's like below 10 degrees. In these times of winter, it is important to give to others. If you have family of friends in far away places like in the eastern states of the United States where it is really cold, you should send some blankets or something to help them out during the winter. Like i said, i live in California and i don't know how it feels to be cold  so i know I'll send things to my uncle in North Carolina. If i lived in a place where snow and rain and cold winds were very common, i would like to receive blankets or clothes so then i know people are looking out for me who actually care for me. Family and friends are important of course. It's a new year and what a great way to start it then to give a call to your parents, son, daughter, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, cousin or friend that lives far away to check up on how they're doing.

Week 8- The Giving

Christmas Is almost here and I again encourage people to donate to the less fortunate. As some may think, Christmas Is the greatest holiday of them all, but to others It Isn't. Some receive presents, some give presents, but others watch people give and receive because they can't participate In either due to their lack of funds. Christmas Is for those whom are generous enough to give presents to others without expecting anything In return, but what about those who can't afford anything to give? When I was younger, all I thought about when It was Christmas was receiving presents. Now I think about all of those who can't celebrate Christmas. Let me tell you, during Christmas, there are some many places you can donate items to. First of all, you can ask around your neighborhood. Schools always take toys to give to the less fortunate. Churches of course take toys for kids. Since It's almost Christmas, these Items can Include toys of mostly any kind, Christmas decorations Including ornaments, trees, snowmen, candy canes, etc. This week, I've been putting up decorations for Christmas. We have like four candy canes that say "Feliz Navidad" In our front lawn, 3 light up Christmas trees also In the front lawn and a pair of Inflatable snowmen on our roof. We had ornaments left over so we gave them to neighbors who didn't have any. I helped our other neighbors put up their Christmas decorations since their elderly now and well can't exactly climb up on a ladder. The past Sunday In church, the Father said they were accepting toy donations so the next day, I brought my old toys and gave them to the church. Since It's almost Christmas, I again encourage everyone to get In that giving mood. The Salvation Army also accepts money donations, they're usually outside supermarkets with buckets for donations. Once again, get In that generous giving mood and don't be a Scrooge and donate.

Week 7- The Collection

I've been doing a lot of work this week. Well I shouldn't take all the credit. I had help from my mom and dad. Right now, present day, In my living room, there is a big bag filled with clothes ready to be donated. A complete abundance of clothing! My dad and I have been collecting clothes for the past week to donate to my aunt and cousins in Mexico. I don't know If you all heard about the floods in parts of Mexico. It was on the news about a month or two ago about small towns In Mexico near rivers that were suffering floods. I didn't think it was a big deal until I saw the images on the news and knew I underestimated the floods. Families with small children were forced to leave their homes behind and get to safety. Bridges were destroyed, communications between towns were lost. Animals were lost. Bodies ran along the river. Not a pretty sight. When we got the news, we knew we had to do something to help. My aunt Isaura  Is a very humble person. She is a single mother with three kids. She has struggled raising them. She looks old for her age because she's had a rough life. We will try to help her in anyway necessary. We will donate more than enough clothes so that they can recover. If there are three things that are necessary for all people, they are food, shelter and clothes. The only problem I'm thinking of is that if we're going to donate all the clothes to my aunt, or are we going to donate some clothes to my aunt and the rest somewhere else. Anyhow, I feel happy that I can once again donate to help people. Like I've said, I do this to help people and to show people how easy it is to help people.

Week 6- Where and How To Donate?

So far throughout my 20 percent project on donating clothes to the less fortunate, I've mainly been gathering clothes and that's pretty much it. The only question I've been asking myself is"How and where am I going to get clothes to donate?" The question I haven't been asking myself is "Where or how am I going to donate?!" I just have one part of the donation process down but there are much more aspects to it. What am I going to do after I get a sufficient amount of clothes to donate? Where am I going to take the clothes to donate? Is there more than one place to donate? Is there anything else I should know after or before donating clothes? I started to ask myself all these questions. I started to worry but I think I know all about the donation process now. If any of my readers are wondering how to donate I'm always glad to help. First In the donating process, you'll need some clothes to donate. Donating clothes is an efficient way to get rid of overgrown clothes, or just to much clothes and don't have enough room for It. Then, you'll need to find somewhere to donate them to. Some places can Include Goodwill, Salvation Army, homeless shelters, vintage boutiques, thrift shops, church or other religious organizations such as synagogues and mosques, or you can even ask around your neighborhood for people who can use some clothes. When donating clothes, you should always make sure to wash the clothing first so that the person receiving the clothes gets them In good condition. Some organizations like Goodwill take more than just clothes. They take furniture, appliances and electronics. When donating clothes to Goodwill or any place, ask for that kinds of donating programs they have. Some places sell the donated clothes to people, but if it is not sold, then they take it to homeless shelters or homes for the needy. If my readers are thinking of donating clothes or anything that could be of some use to others and , donate. Do research, go to Goodwill, the Salvation Army or anywhere to ask for info about donating.