Okay just above is a picture of Steve and Jeanette in the Big Issue vests and my mate Jason in the middle.
Now when I do my 'Pie & Coke' thing to be honest it's more of a walk around and start talking to homeless and asking them if I can buy them a meal and sit with them and enjoy there company. They feel important just because I'm asking to join them. Some a lot longer but most after a few times I'm chatting as friends and even mates. I do have a saying and it goes over well “Mate you know I'm doing this because when you get yourself together and be famous, your buying me lunch” I always say it with a laugh and then I look at them beam a smile. There's always a smile back.
Jason called me and we hadn't meet but he wanted to come and do my 'Pie & Coke' thing with me. Of course I agreed and arranged to meet up. We went around buying food and drinks for homeless when we meet up with Steve and Jeanette.
Now I'm always saying uplifting things but I never push it because maybe the person is not ready, trust me I know this more then anyone. But sometimes I get that one that wants to talk more about improving everything and getting on his/her feet again. I must say the feeling I get right at that moment is, well very hard to write but I could walk on air with excitement.
Steve started talking about not doing the Big Issue for ever and getting on his feet. I listened to his story and before leaving I had walked away and called the guy who gave me a chance with Buffed (shining shoes) I got Steve an interview and a really great chance at a job in January. I said I would help him and his partner (Jeanette) with anything and everything he needed as long as he wanted it.
Steve and Jeanette have a unit or room somewhere and just really hit hard times and from what I heard it's been a long time since either of them had a break and had work. I asked what they would like for Christmas and Steve beamed saying “having confidence in me was enough” but then said he'd need shoes for the interview to go with his suit which he had from the past “size 10 black shoes” umm anyone want to buy a nice pair of black shoes size 10 and come with me to hand them to him? 0412 190 011 is my number and I'll only want the one pair, so the first to call I will take if any.
I ran into Steve the next day and he was all excited about working and shining shoes that he told me he called his mum and told her he was getting back on his feet real soon. Oh he's ready to get back on his feet.
Needless to say Jason had a great time and felt he did something great that day. Because I was unable to make it he started without me and helped a lot of people doing the 'Pie and Coke' thing on his own on Christmas Day. Aces in my book. A really top guy and single. Ha ha
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Now I have a mate (Iain) who in a big way is successful in life and yet we have worked together on a number of times helping and doing great things for people in need. The guy is always surprising me with different ideas and ways to help more.
A few weeks ago he called and asked if I was doing something for Christmas? I said I'd be doing my 'Pie and Coke thing' after Christmas morning and Jasmine opened her presents. A few days later he calls and says all the fruit and veg are taken care of.
Jerome and Louis from
Sourced Grocer at
11 Florence St Teneriffe
offered to donate food for the homeless and people in need on Christmas Day.
I got a call saying they were going to drop the food off at my house on Christmas Eve. A van came up the driveway and I meet the guy and was very impressed as he opened the back door of the van. “here you go mate you can help the homeless more now” Boxes and boxes of fruit and veg just waiting for me to pick up. Right away I'm thinking what a jackpot and it's going to help so many on Christmas. Like there were very type of fruit you could think of and all of it was grade 1 stuff. Fresh as fresh gets.
Just then two more vans came up the driveway. I must say my excitement dropped a little as the thought of where was all this going to go in our little unit. 60-80 big boxes at least, I wasn't going to not take it because I know the need out there. Let me say there was boxes stacked in the lounge room, kitchen and then out the front just inside the gate with just leaving enough room for a walkway to get through.
The guys left and I looked at my wife and I think we were thinking the same thing. It was Christmas Eve and the unit looked like a bomb hit it. With boxes everywhere even in front of our Christmas tree for Jasmine and it was about 7pm by then.
Now I have helped a lot of people over time, I just don't write about them here. So we came up with a plan. I'll call homeless services/lodges/homeless soup kitchens and those I have helped and get them to come over and get fruit and veg. Now a lot didn't answer there phone mostly because it was Christmas Eve. But within an hour there would have been 40 people at least here and 3 cars running food to those that didn't have a car but still wanted help.
Ha ha everyone had a job to do. My parents and Cheryl were bagging food and handing it out while Jasmine my 8 year old was wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and every once in a while rushing to her room to get a small toy for kids that came. What a great kid.
By 11pm half the food was handed out or in 3 cars full of food heading out for people and my family was tired from rushing everything. But the one thing I was proud of, was each of us were beaming with pride in just knowing we had done something good on Christmas Eve.
At 5:05am Jasmine came running through saying “Santa Santa came” yep it was time to open the presents.
About 8am we all started loading up the 3 cars again and was heading out to give more fruit and veg out. We went to a lot of people and lodges reminding people that fruit goes off so please only take what they'll eat within 3-4 days. I think it was about 2pm when the last lot was leaving our unit. My parents had helped all night and all day. I must say I was tired and really didn't care where the last few boxes went because we had helped so many people already. My parents asked if they could take what's left to hand out on the way home.
My mum called and was beaming with joy, they went to a old retirement village and was handing food to people that had nothing and most with no family. The old people there were grateful for the food but also grateful they were visited by someone on Christmas day.
All that help couldn't have happened if it won't for
Sourced Grocer
11 Florence St, Teneriffe
So please if your ever in the are drop buy and thank them.
Now Vanessa has done so much good helping people and even coming to our BBQ event and helping out. But the best part is I think of her as a mate because of the friendship we have and her attitude towards life. Never give up and if you are knocked down then get up and fight back.
Vanessa came see me through the week and beaming with a smile as she told me she had nominated me for Australian of the Year Awards 2012. Wow what an honour!
I didn't win or even become a finalist but the joy was Vanessa thought enough of me to nominate me and that makes me a winner anyway.
But the fact is there's so many great people out there helping others and you never hear about them mostly because there like me, not doing it for the awards but doing it because it's right. In saying that it's a great feeling when people notice the good your doing.
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26th of February at Musgrave Park near the city we are having another one of our BBQ'S for the homeless. Mates helping Mates BBQ. These BBQ events help so many people and we need all the help we can get. Needed for this event is:
Bread
Meat
Marquee's
Chairs
Tables
People to help cook and things
Toiletries
Any and all clothes you never what to see again.
If you can help with any of these please contact myself or Alicia
Me
0412 190 011
grantthepoliteguy@gmail.com
Alicia
mateshelpingmates.blogspot.com
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Happy New Year and to all my readers I hope you have a great year ahead of you.
Thank you for reading my blog and I hope you have a great day.
Grant the Polite Guy.
P.S I'm doing my shoe shine with Buffed at 259 Queens St City and here some pictures. Come check it out I do a great job with shoes.
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