"Thank you each for working as hard as you did
Tuesday you really made a difference!
In fact, I'm curious: what does that mean to you, to
make a difference? For whom/for what did you make a
difference? Give me a couple of examples of making a
difference‚ that happened yesterday. How did they make
you feel?
See yourselves in action in the post below!
See you next month.
Friday, February 15, 2008
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11 comments:
There are endless amounts of ways you can make a difference. To me, making a difference means sharing your joy and/or resources, energy, and time in order to have a positive effect on someone's life (or even just their day). I think one of the most important effects of making a difference in someone's life is that it shows that individual they are valuable. There were a lot of people whose lives we made a difference in yesterday. For example, we made a difference for the workers and regular volunteers at Village Harvest and RAFT. By helping them with their job, we were able to share our time and energy and help them complete their tasks.
Helping others really brings me joy. It is so satisfying to see someone gratefully receiving food from you, or imagining how many people will be so happy to get fresh fruit. Also, I really want to encourage you to take advantage of the opportunities you get to help people. However, there is no reason you have to wait for an opportunity to present itself; instead, you can start something yourself that will make a difference in someone's life. For example, you could get involved with Compassion International or World Vision. These are both organizations that were created to help people who are in desperate need, children especially. I have been blessed enough to meet an individual who is from Uganda and was sponsored through Compassion International. My brother met him in college down south, and he is now a very good family friend. It is amazing talking to him, and it is wonderful to see first hand how sponsoring a less fortunate child in another country has a HUGE impact on that child's life. Because he was sponsored through Compassion International, he was able to regularly attend school and even come to the United States for college. Of course, as high schoolers we naturally tend to lack money. However, this really isn't an obstacle if you are willing to put in some time and energy. Currently, my youth group sponsors two kids from Honduras through World Vision. Between our group, about five of us give $5 a month, and we get the rest of the money through recycling bottles and cans and some money from a donation box we have set up. A World Vision Club was recently started at my school, and we are collecting recycling on our campus and will be setting up donation boxes at our school and around our neighborhood. I guess my point is that you don't have to have excess money to help someone; all you need is some determination and friends to help you. So don't hesitate to make a difference in someone's life; it will always be worth the time and effort you put in.
(sorry that this is about 8 miles long, but there are just so many ways to help our community and other countries!)
To me, making a difference means that you not only help others; but you learning something along the way. Today in society, people see making a difference as buying something with a logo on it saying that "the proceeds go to a cure for aids or cancer or an organization" but really, these are just quick fixes if you look at the fine print, only 8 or so percent of proceeds go to those organizations. People look to make a difference in the quickest way possible with out actually spending time on the matter. If people take five minutes of their time to stop and do something that isnt concerned with themselves thats a difference. To me, yesterday was awesome! Not only did we collect fruit to feed those who cant afford it, I personally grew as a person. While picking fruit, we set a goal to gleam an entire grapefruit tree. And we did! and it felt amazing! That feeling with definatley stay with me longer than the gratitude i get by buying a box with a logo on it saying that it will donate a percentage of it to charity.
Personally, I believe that making a difference is as much a physical test as much as a mental one. You have to have self assurance within yourself to be able to build confidence in something else; be it a single individual or a group of people. You have to dive into something and exert all passion and energy to make something work and succeed. As a team, I feel proud to go to SJLA each month because we are making a difference as a whole. We work together, build friendships and beat down overall stereotypes of the typical lethargic teenager. My teacher's find it really refreshing that we go and help San Jose at such a young age. Many think that the teenagers of our generation are lazy, self-absorbed and utterly uncaring and ignorant of the world around them. That we are veiled from crime and reality. But because of this program, we are breaking every one of these stereotypes and are building up San Jose from within. And yes, maybe we haven't changed the world YET but for most of us, this is only the beginning.
Learning about all the different fruits was not the enjoyment of that tuesday. It was learning that the volunteers at Village Harvest collect and donate at least 4,000 pounds of fruits to the homeless in the bay area. RAFT is awesome. Teachers you guys should take advantage of this place. Enjoy it while you can. This is a really short comment.
Making a difference is affecting someone's life in a way that allows them to do something they weren't able to before. It can be from picking fruit so someone doesn't have to neglect their health, and it can be breaking up puzzles or making activity kits so kids can learn with a environmentally friendly approach.
When many people desire to make a change, and act on it,they can lead to things such as Village Harvest and RAFT, which have made a big impression on the community.
Making a difference can be positive or negative. IT all depends on the action and the intent.
On February 12, I believe that we helped a few people who can not afford what many of us take for granted. In other words, fruit.
I think we often don't think of this people who are in need, and knowing that we indirectly helped those people out that day is a pleasant thought.
Another group of people that are often overlooked are teachers. Most teachers work so hard, so I'm sure they appreciate when they get help. Organizations like RAFT make a positive difference in many teachers lives. It's a shame that more RAFT's do not exist.
To me, making a difference means influencing someone else's life through your own acts of kindness.
For us, our act of kindness was helping a non-profit organization by donating our time to them.
By this, we have helped many others. In simple terms, we have provided food for others less fortunate then ourselves. The food we provided is healthy and provides good nutrition to those who receive little or no proper nutrition in their daily lives.
In a more in-depth understanding of our process, we have given hope to those who need it most. There is a large population of underprivileged people in San Jose and we have help show them that there is indeed an organization who is there to help them in even the worst of times.
Personally, I felt very relaxed and relieved in my services to the community. Picking fruit for a few hours that beautiful morning will live in my memory forever. To be able to get away from the chaos and stress of school and to go pick fruit with close friends was very rewarding. In addition to being able to release stress and relax a little, I also did a great service to the community and helped many people with my time.
Thank you very much for a wonderful day SJLA!
...hehe, that rhymed! :)
-David Hoyt
To me making a difference means affecting someone else's life in a positive way. This can be anything from just smiling at someone to volunteering. I feel that making a positive impact and making a difference not only impacts the people that you are making a difference for, but it impacts yourself. After I make a difference in someone's life I feel that I grow as a person and that it helps me as well. Although the oppurtunities to help someone are not always staring us in the face, I feel that we must go out and grasp the oppurtunities that aren't always the most prominent ones. Hopefully, all of us will make a small difference which will have a large and great impact on our world.
i think that in the society we live in there is so many ways that we can make a difference.i learned that there are tiny tiny things that we can do to make a difference all the way up to changing the world. but just saying hello or smiling at the person walking past you on the street can really make a difference. you never know if that person is feeling alone, or had a bad day but you know that a smile can brighten that day and even if they are having a good day..no such thing as a pointeless smile. we made a difference in multiple levels picking fruit. we made a difference in teh house owners, village harvest, and the lives of the people recieving the fruit. not a single family will know that i picked the fruit from them or that jesse and yeni sorted it for them, all they know is that they are giong to be able to enjoy a fresh fruit and knowing that they will be satisfied also made a difference in me because i feel like i can do something and people will appreciate it. but in all nothing postive goes without making a difference.
To make a difference to me is for me to do something, an act of kindness or a helping hand, that makes a direct impact upon that person in one way or another. Sometimes these acts of kindness show themselves with great distinction, like donating food or money, however the greatest impacts are sometimes made by those acts of kindness that one must look beyond the surface for. For example, this past Christmas, I spent the better past of my morning singing to the veterans in a palo alto hostpital, and singing to them and talking to them had such a huge effect upon them and myself. That day had a huge impact upon myself, something I surely shall not forget.
Thanks, Max
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