January, 2013
The Washington Initiative (WAI) gained a new member – Chris Rogers, aka “Lux”.
Needle Pickup: Found 61 in one week.
February, 2013 Met with Public Safety Officers from the North and East Precincts.
Needle Pickup: Found 98 in one week.
March, 2013 Needle Pickup: 52 found in one week.
April, 2013
The WAI started campaigning for free children’s self-defense classes.
May, 2013
Temper earned her Community Emergency Response Team (C.E.R.T.) certification.
Temper spoke at Social Outreach Seattle’s Anti-Violence and Crime March & Rally, where the WAI also provided route security.
Collegiate safety flyers distributed on Cap. Hill, and emailed to over 20 local colleges/community colleges.
June, 2013
Provided security for the Seattle PRIDE parade.
Public safety patrols on Cap. Hill in response to anti-gay hate crimes.
The WAI runs a successful bake sale in Westlake Park, with all proceeds going towards the “Taking Initiative: Nation of Heroes” documentary.
We start plans for The HIVE.
July, 2013
Attended Project HOPE in San Diego, California.
Public safety patrols on Cap. Hill in response to anti-gay hate crimes.
August, 2013
Public safety patrols on Cap. Hill in response to anti-gay hate crimes.
September, 2013
The WAI taught a free self-defense class with The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence at R-Place nightclub.
Temper spoke with POW! (Proud Out & Wonderful!), a group of LGBTQ & Ally teens, about eating healthy on a budget.
We promoted FEMA’s National Preparedness Month by offering tips and posting flyers around Seattle.
October, 2013
The WAI taught free self-defense classes for Seattle Counseling Services.
November, 2013
Chris obtained his C.E.R.T. certification.
Fall S.I.G.N.s of HOPE event, with six new volunteers.
December, 2013
Winter S.I.G.N.s of HOPE event, with two new volunteers.
Created a WAI – Volunteers group on Facebook, to encourage more creative, original ways to help the Greater Seattle area.
The UKI London had a slow start trying to find what worked best in London UK, but after trying (and still trying) the main focus has become homeless outreach and crime prevention patrols around the city.
We have had very successful homemade food/survival baggies that helped some of the homeless get fresh food and other items they needed and now later this month we will be doing our first winter warm clothing handout with jackets, sweaters, trousers and blankets that were donated by local charity shops.
We also have recruited our first full member to the team who has helped on many activities such as the poppy appeal to raise money for UK soldiers.
It has been less than a year and we have helped so many lives but this is only the start, we plan to step into high gear in the new year and work helping many other causes like the other Initiative branches have done and are continuing doing.
Everybody have a safe and happy holidays. Let’s welcome the new year on a good note.
So far we have collected about 200 pairs of socks ((thank you generous freaks of the RLSH community and others). I have found my first few needles and hope to have a weekly route mapped out in a few more weeks or months ((the hardest part of the job for me is getting the route straightish)) have done some handouts on Beale Street and will have much more to report in the coming year.
* Provided approximately 100 hours of volunteer service to WDBX as a volunteer DJ focusing on environmental news and local community events. This included some on-air fundraising which probably raised about $100 to $200. [It’s hard to be sure because people don’t pledge for specific shows anymore.]
* Participated in the Keep Carbondale Beautiful annual clean-up event and cleaned up several bags of trash at two different locations in Carbondale.
* Provided at least 300 hours of volunteer service to Gaia House Interfaith Center to help keep the center open and available to the public for events of an environmental, social justice, and spiritual nature. [The exact amount is hard to quantify. They can only afford to pay about quarter time currently and I work over half time. One of my main goals for 2014 is to increase the budget!]
* Promoted and marched in the Take Back The Night march, a march to promote safety and empowerment for women and raise awareness about domestic violence and sexual assault.
* Recruited a new member, Tabitha Tripp aka Woodland Warrior. Her focus is stopping fracking in Illinois due to the threat it poses to public health and safety. She helped organize a Frack Free Fest and is currently hard at work mobilizing people in Southern Illinois to participate in the public comment period on the proposed rules for fracking. I also work on this issue to a lesser degree, so it’s currently the only issue that we both work on together.
* Promoted and participated in the food drive associated with Carbondale in Thanksgiving, an annual interfaith Thanksgiving celebration. The event raised several hundred dollars and several large boxes worth of food, all of which was contributed to the Good Samaritan food pantry and homeless shelter. [I never did receive exact totals but should look into that…]
* Promoted and participated in the Super Typhoon Haiyan Bake Sale which raised over $100 for typhoon relief.
January 2013 – Met Temper and John (Washington Initiative) in Seattle for the first time!
March 2013 – Brady Chin joined our branch.
May 2013 – Free self defense class/fundraiser
July 2013 – Locust, Kuroshi, Friction and Sakura joined HOPE in San Diego.
August 2013 – Seraph and Kuroshi patrolled Hollywood with the XJL.
September 2013 – Seraph joined our branch. S.I.G.N.s of HOPE summer outreach on Skid Row with the CAI down to help us
October 2013 – NorCal Warrior Dash with other heroes, and started recruiting.
November 2013 – S.I.G.N.s of HOPE fall outreach with members of the XJL to help us.
December 2013 – Seraph did a handout and patrol with the XJL in San Diego. Donated to One Warm Coat and helped with Adopt A Family.
* ILI provided approximately 100 hours of volunteer service to WDBX as a volunteer DJ focusing on environmental news and local community events. This included some on-air fundraising which probably raised about $100 to $200. [It’s hard to be sure because people don’t pledge for specific shows anymore.]
* ILI participated in the Keep Carbondale Beautiful annual clean-up event and cleaned up several bags of trash at two different locations in Carbondale.
* ILI provided at least 300 hours of volunteer service to Gaia House Interfaith Center to help keep the center open and available to the public for events of an environmental, social justice, and spiritual nature. [The exact amount is hard to quantify. They can only afford to pay about quarter time currently and I work over half time. One of my main goals for 2014 is to increase the budget!]
* ILI promoted and marched in the Take Back The Night march, a march to promote safety and empowerment for women and raise awareness about domestic violence and sexual assault.
* ILI recruited a new member, Tabitha Tripp aka Woodland Warrior. Her focus is stopping fracking in Illinois due to the threat it poses to public health and safety. She helped organize a Frack Free Fest and is currently hard at work mobilizing people in Southern Illinois to participate in the public comment period on the proposed rules for fracking. I also work on this issue to a lesser degree, so it’s currently the only issue that we both work on together.
* ILI promoted and participated in the food drive associated with Carbondale in Thanksgiving, an annual interfaith Thanksgiving celebration. The event raised several hundred dollars and several large boxes worth of food, all of which was contributed to the Good Samaritan food pantry and homeless shelter. [I never did receive exact totals but should look into that…]
* ILI promoted and participated in the Super Typhoon Haiyan Bake Sale which raised over $100 for typhoon relief.
Why a “Year In Review”? Three reasons: to show potential recruits and the curious exactly what we do; to celebrate the hard work and accomplishments of our teammates; to inspire anyone who’s wanting to help their communities with very little or no money, and with or without a team.
JANUARY
Started a fundraiser to help a local musician pay for an MRI and medical bills, goal raised.
Weekend outreach/needle patrol; started our needle pickup numbers at zero, gave out food and toiletries.
Worked with local PD for anti-car theft patrols and pamphlet handout.
Offered to help RazorHawk with HOPE 2013 – started the Help and HOPE planning page.
Handout of gloves, scarves, blankets and coats, 100 sandwiches, 100 water bottles, and 100 pairs of socks. The socks were from Olde School’s yearly sock drive.
Joined the city of San Francisco to support BATKID.
Working with our partners, the Legacy Initiative, we formed an outreach-specific team and added 3 new members: Hawt Flash, the Marine, and MHN. We held our Fall SIGNs of Hope street boutique (240 burritos, water, granola, toiletries, and clothing and shoes on hanging racks).
November TRIBE radio shows:
SIGNs of Heroes with Travis, Tedd and Dark Guardian
The CAI finishes the year with over 2,500 needles picked up off the streets of San Francisco (bringing our 2-year total to over 4,100), and 37,039 TRIBE radio listens.
Some of our goals for 2014 include celebrating TRIBE radio’s successful first year, sending all our late backer gifts (we appreciate all our supporters who read our updates on the fundraising sites. We thank you for your continued patience!) by the end of January, finishing and distributing our documentary, and continuing to grow and achieve even more goal- oriented tasks to help our communities. The CAI is proud to have one of the largest, longest-running teams (with all but two of its original members still active <the other two are on reserve status>). If you’d like help in starting your own altruistic work/group/event, please contact us at: calinitiative@gmail.com
Happy New Year!! May it be prosperous, productive and peaceful. Get Busy!
