Can I Help You Across the Street, Old Lady
We’re not great local citizens. We want to be better about that.
We can tell you about the root causes of poverty in Zambia, but we can’t give you the scoop on, say, the recent spike in violence in our Seattle hood. To be clear, I don’t think there’s been an increase in violence, but – if there was – we’d probably be clueless. Not cool.
One of our goals, in honor of 5 years of our NVR lifestyle, is to be more mindful of what it means to be a good local citizen. So, we want to escalate our involvement and talk about it more here. Besides, Seattle’s a fantastic home-base; it’s about time that we gave it more blog love (even though we’re not often here).
At least we’re off to a strong start in chipping away at that goal. A couple of weeks ago, we wrote all about our inspiring visit to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Visitor Center. At the end of that post, we promised to return to the center in order to hand deliver readers/friends “make the world a better place” pledges.
It’s done!
We wrote up a bunch of cards (thank you to all contibutors) and made our way back to the foundation. After jotting down a couple last minute pledges, we got them all up on the Share Your Cause tree. We’re confident that every card we added will serve as inspiration to other visitors.
All that card hanging took a lot of energy, so it was time for lunch. Okay… we’re food obsessed, so it was time for lunch. In the spirit of continuing the “better citizen” theme of the day, we knew exactly where we wanted to go… FareStart.
FareStart describes their business as ”a culinary job training and placement program for homeless and disadvantaged individuals.” They are currently celebrating 20 years of making Seattle a better place. Here’s their mission:
FareStart provides a community that transforms lives by empowering homeless and disadvantaged men, women, and families to achieve self-sufficiency through life skills, job training and employment in the food service industry.
FareStart’s comfortable yet design savvy restaurant, at 7th and Virginia in downtown Seattle, serves a delicious variety of lunch items every weekday. We especially love the vegetable polenta, but they also serve common lunchtime favorites. Check out that burger.
All proceeds go right back into funding FareStart programs, and – better yet – the restaurant itself serves as a perfect training ground for the program’s students. FareStart’s premiere event is their weekly Guest Chef Night. Most Thursday evenings, Seattle’s top chefs work with the program’s students to serve a sensational dinner. It’s Seattle’s best meal deal, for sure.
There you have it – the makings of a pretty perfect give back-y day in Seattle: Gates Foundation to blow your mind, and then FareStart to talk about it over tasty food.
Do it! Better yet, let us know when you’re in town, and we’ll tag along. That is if we aren’t busy getting cats out of trees and helping elderly people cross busy streets.
We’re heading to the Guiding Lights Conference this weekend. It’s all about “living like a citizen.” We need all the help we can get, so we’ll take it all in and pass along the good stuff to you.
Here’s to you and your good local citizening! Though a challenge to measure, have confidence in the fact that even the littlest things you do can have an enormous impact on an ever-long chain of people. Even holding the door for someone is huge.
If you do something simple, like holding the door, or giving up your seat and they react, consider simply saying: pay it forward.
A woman was standing on the bus recently (it was an hour journey with only one stop) so I offered her my seat. She said I got there first so it was mine, but I insisted. Not because she was a woman and she was old but rather because I could. It cost me nothing and I’m sure worked all day. I asked her to just pay it forward. Now every time someone does something thoughtful for me, I consider that it might be my own good deed coming full circle. Now if someone tells me to pay it forward…woo!…then I’d really know.
Sorry for the LOOONG comment boys, just seemed to fit well, and wanted to help you remember that no act is too small. I’m sure you impact Seattle in a huge way!
Oh, and we must go to that restaurant. It looks and sounds soooo good!!!
Brock, I have not thought of actually telling someone to “pay it forward.” Great idea. And, yes, even those little actions (giving up a seat / holding a door) are huge. That’s what we want to be better about recognizing.
Now… get your reservations lined up for Seattle so that we can escort you to these places (and hold doors for you!). What are you waiting for?
You guys are the best!! You actually went back and I saw my name peeking through. Thank you!! You are right the cards will serve as inspiration and motivation to all it’s visitors. I just found this website:
http://www.moreloveletters.com
You write love letters to people around the world, some people you send them to, others you just leave in random places. But I love the concept so I became a love writer. I can’t wait to spread the love. It’s these little steps that will bring peace. Thanks for being a part of the movement.
Very cool… will go check that out now.
Yes, your card made it on the Share Your Cause tree. Actually, it’s probably been taken by another visitor and is likely serving as inspiration.
Beautiful piece!
Think globally, act locally.
Now if everyone could be more like this!
We’re gonna try to be role models for it
What a great business idea! Impressive that FareStart has been running this program for 20 years.
And it really is a great restaurant w/ fantastic food. Don’t be fooled by the words “training program.” Quality does NOT suffer. At all. An we take our food seriously.
What a wonderful post, truly heart warming. Be the best local citizen, all the best:)
Wish you have a lovely week ahead:)
You too, Arti – good to see you here!
It’s great to see you taking action to become better citizens and seeing what’s available in your local community. Everyone can make a difference even with very small steps.
Yep… we’re committed to being better.
Another inspiring post…Seriously. each time I do some tiny little nice thing, you guys pop into my mind. Have a great week!
Really, Nancy? That’s about the nicest thing you could say.
I know I’m supposed to be commenting on the top part, which is so inspiring and makes me want to make more pledges for tiny changes that can be so important… But it’s lunchtime, and as always your amazing food shots have made me starving!!
Even we – the photogs – had second looks at those food pictures.
Card hanging took up your energy?! Get yourself to a gym guys haha! No, just kidding – I assume you do some kind of exercise anyway otherwise with all the scrumptious looking food you talk about on your blog, you wouldn’t be able to fit both of you into your photo.
Or maybe you just have good metabolisms. Jealous.
I know what you mean about wanting to be a better local citizen though – I think a lot of people get so concerned with problems in other countries (nothing wrong with that at all, btw) that they neglect to look around and see the things on their doorstep that they can help make a difference in.
Yes we do *a lot* of kinds of exercise
We love food too much to not exercise. Plus, your body is your vessel; it’s pretty important to take care of it. But…. that’s a different post.
Yes, we’re trying to balance out our love of world issues with our love of what’s going on in our own backyard. This is the year!
Fare Start sounds really awesome.
I was in Seattle a few weeks ago, too bad I missed it. I loved that city though, would definitely visit again
Too bad you missed it (and too bad we missed you in Seattle!). Next time.
Sounds awesome guys! I love Seattle, have some great friends out there. P.S. I like your new photo at the top of your site!
Yes, we just did that photo mash up. Glad you like it, Ali.
That’s our card!!
Sooo…. guess what? Kali and I *might* be heading to Seattle this summer! It’s still up in the air, but we’ve been talking lately about creating sort of a homebase, and Seattle is at the top of our short list. At the very least, we’ll probably try it out for a few months to see if it feels right. =)
Cocktails in the city!
Yes, that’s your card!
Wow – what news
I think we must Skype at some point soon so that we can start in on the “move to Seattle” hard sell.
Insightful. The world is always RIGHT THERE and we are always RIGHT IN IT.
There isn’t anything more worthwhile or real hiding ELSEWHERE!
Beautiful, Robin.
You guys are awesome! I’m going to be living in a new city soon and look forward to finding ways to be a good citizen there.
We’re eager to see where you land.