Trains and Charities Across America

Jonathan's Place

2010-03-12T16:54:00.001-08:00

There are few places and few people that exceed my high expectations, Jonathan's Place and the staff who work there definitely fall into the small group that are far better than I could have ever imagined. For the Last 15 years Jonathan's place has been taking in Dallas's youngest victims of abuse and giving them a safe, nurturing environment to grow in. Today my friend Mark and I were lucky enough to visit one of the best run and generous places in America.

The first thing I noticed as I arrived at the campus was its open and safe feel. The buildings and recreation equipment could have belonged at any of the finest summer camps or private schools. The staff were not only receptive but were caring. The only tragedy of a place such as Jonathan's is that children need a safe place to escape some of the domestic nightmares in their life.

A brief history of Jonathan's place.

Lisa Matthews was raising her two sons when she decided to become a foster parent. The first child that she cared for was an infant less than one week who was born to a drug addicted mother who was unable to care for the child. The birth certificate for the child was left blank and Lisa decided to name the child Jonathan. A very brief time later a local Dallas couple adopted Jonathan and the idea was born to create a place for the children who are trapped between broken homes and the foster system. Jonathan's place has grown tremendously in the past 15 years and has placed scores of children in need into loving adoptive families. Jonathan's place opened its doors in January of 1995 as the first licenced foster group home in Texas for drug addicted babies and small children. Currently the group now serves a shelter that provides specialized services and 24 hour residential care for abused and neglected children and is the only licenced emergency shelter in Dallas that serves children in crises under the age of 10. The group now offers a comprehensive training program for would be foster and adoptive parents.

All of that said the most important thing that I want to stress is that Jonathan's House is an amazing place. The charity stands as a testament to the amazing ability of ordinary people changing the world. The state of Texas gives a small per diem for each child taken in but close to 70% of the funding for Jonathan's Place comes through donations.

I will continue this series on Jonathan's Place this week but for now I will tell you what we can do to make it an even better place.

1. Just Donate to help them cover their costs Link

2. Send Art supplies, Clothes, Toys, Gift Cards and many of the day to day items these kids need link

3. Tell your friends and family about this place and see how much we can help

I have been in talks with some local art stores here and my friend Kari Ferrell who writes for Animal New York and it looks like we can get some art supplies to Jonathan's House this week but they need more help than we can offer.

Plus my big goal before leaving Texas is to get the place something better than a Gamecube. The charity takes children up to 17 and I do not know many teenagers that still play Gamecube.

There is a moment trapped between gra...

2010-03-11T16:13:00.001-08:00

There is a moment trapped between grand ideas and small actions, where the dreams that were nothing more than a fanciful wish, suddenly become aparant. For me, for this journey it was the second I was staring down the large empty traincar, knowing that the shame of quitting my dream and abandoning my greatest desires would be a greater pain than stepping forward.

The dare is one of the strongest inventions of man. The pain from losing a a dare is nothing but pride, but the greatest strides of man have begun with a dream and, of course, a friend to dare them along. when one dares himself, the consequences of failure are bleak. One either has the choice to remain in his station or return to a life that is a memory of limitations.

Yes, there have been many moments on this journey so far that I have wished that I could have never imagined leaving a comfortable life to try to change the world for better. Maybe the ultimate truth in this matter is that I left anfullfilling life to save myself.

Tommorow I will meet a man who gives himself every day to save kids who are battered and abandoned. As I sit here in a bar in Dallas trying to think of pertinant questions for the man II will meet tommorow the only words I can think of is "Thank You".

There are heros we just have to find them

The time has come the approaching mid...

2010-03-08T22:54:00.001-08:00

The time has come, the approaching middle age man said,
to talk of charity and adventure (and many many missteps)
of why you think you can do this way underfunded
and why tuxedo'd kittens can sing

Well the journey starts tomorrow.
Everything to be coordinated will happen from the train.
It is late and tough to blog but I have unicorned butterflies in my stomach thinking about
Can I set out on the road in America and make the world better
Maybe
For this life I think maybe is good enough
and as I like to say
Good enough is good enough
Tomorrow an expose on what I am packing with unexciting pictures

One man trying to change the world one bit at a time

The Start of Something Big

2010-03-03T12:17:00.001-08:00

The A-team, Kung Fu, Renegade and Quantum Leap all have the same basic premise. A man or team with a mysterious or criminal past goes from life to life, city to city, helping those who are unable to help themselves. I fully understand why people do not put on capes and fight crime like Batman (death, dismemberment, jail), but I am curious why no one I know has yet to form their own A-Team or start wandering the country like David Caradine in Kung Fu. It would be relatively easy and not be too expensive of a journey to take (if you don't buy a black A Team van or a Renegade Harley). If you were helping someone solve their problems, asking them for a couch to sleep on and maybe a sandwich would not be rude and would be to be a more than fair trade for services rendered. The only logistic really hampering this quest is transportation.

My idea is as follows. I have recently quit my job flying for the Army and have nothing but time to kill. If I take two thousand dollars from my meager savings and buy a forty five day rail pass for Amtrack I can live as a charitable gypsy. With nothing more than a few dollars a day I will travel from city to city helping the less fortunate in a totally kick ass A-Team manner. Each town will be at most a five day excursion and at the least a two day trip. Before I get to the city I will choose a charity and hopefully find someone to host me for the time I am there. If I can not find a couch to crash on then I will find a floor or a street corner to call home.

Why am I doing this? Because the world needs a Lorenzo Llamas without a trench coat. Also there are so many local groups fighting an uphill battle trying to make their homes better that could use the publicity and a helping hand.

Dallas will be first because I know there is a couch for me to sleep on there and also Dallas has a strong yet struggling charitable community (Charity Navigator). Also there is a great place in Dallas called Jonathan's Place (link) that helps children who have been abused have a safe and enjoyable place to call home for a while. I am more than excited to see what we can do as a community to make this already amazing place even better.

The things I hope we can do for Jonathan's Place
1. There are a ton of bikes there. A coordination of local bike shops and mechanics (used to be one) to tune and fix all the bikes as well as provide plenty of tools and tubes so they can stay in good shape.
2. Musical Playground Equipment. This is a great way for the younger kids to play outside and a fun way to be introduced to music. Example
3. Some good video games for the older kids. That's what they want and that's what we can give them.

For now until the trip begins (Approximately the second week of March) anyone can help by going to Jonathan's Needs List and donating now.