June Summer Event Recap:

This year's event was a smashing success. We grew our outreach from 400 survival backpacks delivered in 2007 to 500 backpacks delivered this summer 2008. We also had almost double the number of volunteers growing from 60 to 100 people involved in assembling and delivering our kits around Los Angeles.

We focus our summer event on helping homeless children and families and therefore work closely with our partner organizations including: The Downtown Women's Shelter, Ocean Park Community Center (OPCC), My Friend's Place and the San Fernando Valley Rescue Mission. This year OPCC is the new partner we have added to the family and they have made the TGS summer event an integral part of their summer curriculum . It was great to visit with all our partners and connect with them again this summer - everyone is always delighted to see our volunteers arrive with all the goodies in our kits and we always look forward to the quality interactions and experiences we share meeting and helping these children and families.

We will continue to expand our summer event and look forward to next year's event growing in number of volunteers and kits delivered. See below for some testimonials and photos from this summer.

Testimonials:

"My name is Julie Hartz and I am a teacher at Los Osos High School in Rancho Cucamonga, CA. A group of students and I organized a club at school which benefits this incredible organization. We attended the December event, our first-ever TGS event, and we all walked away better people who are more connected to the world around us. As a teacher and mother, it has been an incredible experience to not only watch my students work their tails off for a purpose bigger than themselves, but to see them touch and interact with those who will benefit as a result of their compassion and commitment. TGS is a hands-on community service opportunity for all students everywhere. My dream is to see TGS develop a chapter on every school campus across southern California. If you are a teacher, student, parent or administrator and would like information as to how we successfully developed TGS at our school, email me at tycam72@msn.com"

" ..My 13 yr. old son and I had the most amazing experience at the Christmas event. We unloaded trucks , packed the bags and hit the streets. The first gentleman we approached who looked very much in need , turned us down and said there were others down the street who needed it more. This was a story we heard several times that day, along with guiding us to others in need "just down the block" or "sitting on the corner".My son and I came away with the realization that not only are these folks just like us but many are kinder to those around them than some of our more affluent friends. A real eyeopener. The sad story however was a lovely lady who has been sitting on a bus bench at PCH and Sunset for over a month reading her Bible. We attempted to gift her with our bag and blanket and she refused us saying she was just waiting for her ride and couldn't take all our stuff. That was her reality and how she survives on the street, she is still sitting there, wish we could have helped her."

"Hi I'm Francine and I am a current student at Los Osos High School. I've always wanted to get out and go do something good for my community but I never knew how. The year, when my former spanish teacher, Mrs. Hartz, told me about The Giving Spirit I joined in a heartbeat. This is exactly how I wanted to give back to my community. I've grown up in an affluent community and I never thought about how serious the homeless situation was until I participated in the L.A. event in December. At first I was afraid and then I realized that the homeless are human beings, human beings just as much as you and me. It was depressing to realize that there were so many people with absolutely nothing and we weren't even seeing the majority of them. Our day was long and demanding but totally worth it. One woman was so grateful for the duffel bag and blanket we gave her that she began to cry. The TGS event in L.A. was a life changing experience, I can't even describe the feeling. I hope that more people join this cause. We are all so priviledged and I know we can all give something, even if its just a smile or a "hello"."

Photos:

For more pictures take a look at pictures our volunteers have taken over the years. Feel free to upload your own pictures and share your experiences with us. Click here to see photos on flickr.

The Giving Spirit, Spring 2009 - (5/29/2009) The Giving Spirit event of spring 2009

The Giving Spririt Fall 2008 - (12/16/2008) Photos from the fall event

The Giving Spirit Summer 2008 - (6/07/2008)

The Giving Spirit Fall 2007 - (12/16/2007) Pictures from our fall 2007 event

The Giving Spirit Summer 2006 - (5/19/2007) Here are some highlights from our summer outreach event.

TGS Helping People - (5/17/2007) Here are some great random shots of the TGS experience!

The Giving Spirit Fall 2006 - (12/17/2006) Here are some pictures from our annual winter event.

Hear from some volunteers about their experiences with The Giving Spirit

     Tom Bagamane, Founder - The Giving Spirit                  Kathy - Volunteer

          Andre - Volunteer                                                   Clarence- Volunteer

                     Arturo - Volunteer                                       Summer 2007 Valley Shelter

Fall 2007 - A family living on the street in Downtown