Being published for the first time

If you get a chance, please contact Food on Foot at www.foodonfoot.org and ask them to send you their newsletter, Foot Notes.Volume 4, Issue 4, August 2011.  Something I wrote was published.  If you are too lazy or do not have the time, I have taken the liberty to reprint the article here.

SILVANA SHARES

As Food on Foot's Program Director, I recently received a rare email from one of our Work for Food participants.  Each week, I counsel them on an individual basis, work with the crews that pick up trash on Mondays, teach them computer skills, and supervise as they read to the elderly on Wednesdays.  I help guide them in a positive direction with words of encouragement and am truly rewarded when they graduate into a full time job, becoming tax payers instead of tax burdens.  John Thomas has been a proud     member of the WFF crew for 7 weeks.

Dear Silvana~


Although my mind tells me not to send you this email, I have decided to listen to my heart.  Uncertain as to whether you have heard about the results but I won the first prize today.  It has been a long time since I have won first prize in anything.  Thank you and Food on Foot for giving me hope, a new lease on life and a desire to get back into the game again.  For several reasons, I seem to have lost my way on the journey called life.  You will never know the joy and and elation that filled my heart today when Jay announced my name.


No longer do I consider myself a loser.  From now on, I want to be a winner!  Without question or doubt, today was the best day of 2011 for me!  Random acts of kindness has completely reshaped the way I look at life.  Jay and Food on Foot has helped me realize that I need to earn a living and that I was wrong for expecting to be fed by a silver spoon.  There is dignity and self respect in picking up garbage to make the world a better place to live.  You, Liz and Thuong (Sunday Program Managers) pour your hearts and souls into helping us get back on our feet.  I now am an ambassador for Food on Foot.  Everything I do directly reflects on the organization.  My hope, goal and intention is to continue to live life in an effort that my actions will make you proud and bring praises to Food on Foot.


Absolutely elated,


John Thomas