Balls for Homeless

As people know I was asking for clothes and things for 3 homeless people who had lost everything over the weekend. The results were fantastic, Help came from everywhere and most of all that were lost were replaced. I have to say there’s nothing worst then being down on your luck and then trying to put together a few things just to live only to lose it all. I keep saying I wish people could come with me to hand things like this out because their smiles and the thank you’s makes my so proud of what I do. Helping people in need.

 

I would like to say a few words about 4 amazing people that went far and beyond anything I asked for.

 

Rachel Turner

Rachel Turner caught a train to the city and handed me lots of beautiful clothes and told me all about how she had just rescued a dog from the pound. Very proud as she showed me pictures as well. An amazing person.

Yvonne Jones through her contacts with the Rotary Club organised Shelter Paks which as you can see with the pictures have a huge amount of goodies and much needed things when being homeless. So I say every time you see a Rotary collections or fundraiser, please remember these Paks and know they do help. But what makes Yvonne so great? Well she picked them up and then drove to the city from Redcliff just to hand these Paks out so people in need could have them. Awesome in my book.

Making a Difference, I have written about before and once again they came and helped when people in need needed them. They asked all their members and collect clothes for three homeless that lost everything. I say “Thank you”

Oddur Thomas Augustsson or “Tom” for short is a very good mate of mine. He’s helped many of times with different things to do with the homeless, also he’s one of my best customers who buys my magazines and Amway products. But this day to help 3 people he’ll never meet he went out and bought clothes and from home got a towel and things as well. The guy is awesome and I’m proud to call him a mate.

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Now I’ve been so excited to share this news, but I couldn’t because I wanted to make sure it was all going together properly first. Christmas BBQ for the Homeless.

 

I am all about showing the homeless that the community is coming together to help with these events. I thought about Christmas and was thinking what a better time to do it. Really Christmas time is about families and friends coming together.

 

How to make it so homeless get the Christmas feeling? We will give the homeless balls. Haha Stop laughing it’s Christmas Balls I’m talking about. I’m thinking we get a art pen and write their name on them and give a ball and a Christmas card. Now I just had a heart felt moment of thinking, if even just one person keeps that ball and looks at it or even hangs it up on Christmas Night then it’ll be worth it to hand them out.

 

So what do we need to put this BBQ event together for maybe 1,000 homeless and people in need?

 

Clothes and lots of them,

Blankets and sleeping bags

Toiletries

Drinks (Bottled water/ soft drinks)

Christmas balls

Christmas cards

A mountain of helpers to hand out flyiers before the event to homeless

A mountain of helpers on the day

Flyiers made up

Beer for Grant for doing great job. Haha

I would put food and insurance but it’s taken care of by Jerome Dalton from Dalton’s Hospitality. (There awesome)

 I will be collecting clothes and things for this event on the 30th of Nov at Queen st outside Post Office Square before 2pm. Or please bring to the event on the day. (Much easier)

Now remember our golden rule, it’s all they can eat and all clothes and everything there is free if they can carry it. We have had such success with these BBQ’S and helped so many people with just clothes and things, for some helping to get on their feet. I must say it makes me proud that people like you make this happen. Let’s band together and show the community coming together.

 

For a more up to dates about this BBQ please go to

https://www.facebook.com/#!/events/493716907326056/ 

Thank you very much for reading my blog and I hope you all have a great day.

SOS Helping 3 homeless

I have an SOS emergency, this is why people follow so please help. Today 3 homeless came to me at different times and told me how they lost all their clothes and bags over the weekend. This struck me as odd because well yes even I lost bags of clothes and in fact everything I own when I was homeless but it was strange that 3 would on the same weekend.  

They weren’t together so I thought some asshole went around collecting for himself/herself or just to throw out as a mean thing to do.

So he’s my SOS, I know there’s nothing like losing everything you have over and over again. So I’m collecting clothes and much needed things for them. I have given a few things I had stored in the city for tonight.

Male Clothes:

Shorts, Shirts and a Jacket, X-Large

Toiletries.

 

2* 1Female Clothes:

Undies size 12.

Shirts, pants and skirts size 12-14

Bra’s 14c

Toiletries for girls

Luggage Bags

 I will say when your homeless and you have only a few things in life, you try hard to protect them well. But when you lose them again and your left with nothing but the clothes on your back then let’s just say it’s not a good feeling. So if you have these sizes or things and you don’t want, then please bring them to me over the next two days at Post Office Square on Queens St, I’m the polite guy selling Big Issue magazines from 6:30-2pm.

I want to make this short and get the message out as soon as possible so I’ll end it here.

Thank you for reading this post and I hope you all have a great day.

Grant the Polite Guy.

                                                 

Dalton Hospitality

One our first blog posts for The Polite Team,

Okay I’m so excited with everything happening over the last 24 hours. But first this is going to be the first joint written post by Bernie the Polite Girl and myself. I would really like to know in the comments if you like it or if better we do our own posts?

You know when you raise your fist in the air because you’re so excited? Well because of my back I raised it to shoulder height. But I raised it about 100 times in the last 24 hours. I even done a lot of “YEAH” at the same time. Okay let me just say I got such great news I’m doing it again now. haha

Yesterday I meet up with Jerome Dalton in the city to talk about Dalton’s Hospitality (https://www.facebook.com/DaltonHospitality?ref=stream) being a major sponsor for our new charity and helping with BBQ’S that we do.

The guy is amazing, Loves what we do and is offering to cook and bring chef’s to come too. But wait it gets better, He’s offering to bring all food, orange juice machines to make fresh orange juice on the day, tables and a whole lot more. But the one thing that has me excited the most is the fact that Dalton’s Hospitality can use their insurance to cover our BBQ’S. Which will save us so much money which we will not need to beg for each time we do a BBQ. AWESOME. Haha

To be honest I feel like it’s Christmas already. Haha

So I’m saying to all, Please, if this guy is going to help us with helping the homeless and people in need, then let’s pump his hospitality business with everything we have. So please go to his web-page and share and promote it with me.

The rest of this post is going to be by Bernie the Polite Girl. Even I want to read this. Haha I hope she don’t make me look bad with using bigger words. haha

Written by Grant the Polite Guy. I hope you all have a great day and thank you very much for reading my blog.

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Bigger words aye… Haha. I don’t think so J Grant has already said it above. Oh, if you could feel the buzz right now! The Polite Team has some wonderful events in the pipeline – watch this space – and it is just so exciting to see things come together more and more. Meeting great people over coffee during their lunch break to brain storm, get ideas and working them out is a privilege. Having the honour of those people selflessly offering their assistance at no cost to help make our events special and memorable for the homeless, is heart-warming. I am seeing the world through rosy-coloured glasses right now because I know there is so much goodness around. Believe me, there is more good happening in the world than the media are letting on.

It is a privilege to be part of the polite Team (thank you, Grant), as I get to see so much of the goodness and to meet so many more people with their hearts in the right place. Take earlier this week. We met with people who work in the CBD and who spent their lunch break discussing ideas with us and developing “where-to-from-here” plans in order to help our next two events materialize and to make them special and memorable for the people they are aimed at. And only yesterday Grant met with Jerome Dalton, Director/Chef at Dalton Hospitality, one of Brisbane’s premier catering companies. Grant wrote about the incredible result of his meeting with Jerome above, so no need for me to repeat it, but boy, what great news it is. I encounter so much goodwill from people it’s like being in love J

For more information about Dalton Hospitality please go to http://daltonhospitality.com.au/  or to the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/DaltonHospitality?fref=ts  Dalton Hospitality is also on Twitter: @Daltoncatering. When you visit these Facebook or Twitter accounts, please say “Hi” from the Polite Team J

I am only a starter in this area of homelessness and, as I said in my Intro, homelessness has not always been on my radar, but I do believe that not in every corner is it the taboo it is in some others: there is a lot of support out there. As Grant often says, people often say to him they want to help but they don’t know how. If you are one of these people, I’d like to say, watch this space J

Written by Bernie the Polite Girl

Bernie The Polite Girl

I have some exciting news. Bernie the Polite Girl and I have started a new blog in a team effort "The Polite Team". Yes that's right now there's a Bernie the Polite Girl.
So now there's going to be more posts, more often. Trust me Bernie is awesome and I'm proud to share a blog with her.
Please go to http://homelesstales.blogspot.com.au/ and check it out.
The next BBQ is being planned. Check out http://homelesstales.blogspot.com.au/ to get more info.
Thank you for reading my blog and I hope you all have a great day.

4 Days 400 at Singles Night

Me and my big mouth. Ha ha. Last night I was talking to a single person and I was hearing how internet dating was bad. Then me and my big mouth saying “I can put a BBQ on in 5 days for the homeless I bet I could put on a singles night for 400 people in 4 days” and joking around.

I got a text this morning saying how it’ll be great on Friday night. I was a bit confessed so I called and was reminded I said this Friday I’m doing a Singles Night. What have I done!

So you guessed it, I kept saying yep and it’ll be great. This was at 6:30am this morning. I hung the phone up and well let me say panic started very quickly. Ha ha.

But I am a person that knows people. By 9:50am I had a venue in the city (The Function Room at The Irish Club) and a D.J/ Event Party Person. This event was going ahead.  I had everything needed except about 400 single people) Haha easy I still have 3 days from now.

I’m meeting tomorrow with event planners to work out what games and fun things to make it easier for people to break the ice and meet other single people. This is going to be a great night.

The club will be keeping the drinks at normal club prices but there is a door charge of $20 which gives a free drink voucher.

Now I wouldn’t be me and do something if it wasn’t going to help others. Yes I do think helping single people to help meet other single people is helping, but I like helping homeless and people in need as well, So on this fun exciting night I’m going to ask a few people if they would like to be auctioned off for a date. Where people can bid for a date for the person on stage.  I’m sure this will be very funny and make the night that much more exciting. The money will go to helping a homeless person or person’s.

Please note that any auctioning will only be with the consent of the person on stage.

400 is not going to be easy but I won’t quit because things got tough. So if your single and between 18 and 65 I want you to come and have a great night, who knows you may meet that special person you could have coffee with as friends or even meet that Mr or Mrs Right. But it’ll be a fun and great night out.

Called “Your Doorway Singles Night”

 Function Room

The Irish Club

175 Elizabeth St. Brisbane City

 

Starting 6:30pm.

I’m really looking forward to this event, mostly because I have never done a event like this and to be honest I’m excited to see how it goes. If your single come and bring friends, if your not single please tell others as 400 is not going to be easy. Haha

Thank you for reading my blog and I hope you all have a great day. I only have 4 days to put this together so please share and tell others.

Grant the Polite Guy.

Two Awesome Ladies.

When I’m out and talking to homeless or people in need I have shared laughter, tears and hugs of gratefulness. So many emotions sometimes when someone wants to sit and talk all about their story. I have often thought if more people could share this they would work as hard as I do to help that many more. I was very inspired when I read two stories that were sent to me within the last 24 hours. I’m going to share them here and maybe you’ll be inspired as I was.

The first one comes from a great person that has helped me many of time with doing things for the homeless and even doing the ‘Pie and Coke’ with me.

Here’s a story by Benedikte Palings

After a coffee with Cornelia I walked to the Valley Station and there was a skinny, elderly Aboriginal guy sitting on the ground asking for money. I asked if I could get him something to eat instead, and he said “Yes please, I’m starving”.He said he couldn’t walk very well because he was nearly blind. I asked what he would like, and he said “something hot”. I asked if he would like a burger, and he did. He also asked for a soft drink. I said I’d get something and I would come back.

I went into the Station hall where there is a KFC, and got him a combo meal. He had not expected I would return, and when I announced myself he said “Awww, you come back”. I put the burger and the chips in his hand, told him what it was. I could see his excitement when he felt the food in his hand. He put it very close to him on the ground. Then I got him the pepsi and two of those little wet towels to clean his hands. OMG Grant, he was so happy. Had one tear rolling down his check and he said “May God bless you, you are my Angel. I love you”.He had me close to tears as well! Just a little meal for under $6 became so much more than that. Such a pity I was wearing a skirt and couldn’t sit on the ground, otherwise I would have done the whole pie n coke thing with him.

It was really, really moving how happy he was, like I had done something HUGE. And if I had not met you Grant this would not have happened. I would have walked pasted him, how sad is that... I was thinking of writing this experience on my wall and encourage others to do the same (buying someone a feed), but not sure if that would be appropriate. What do you think? I would really value your opinion.

But thank you, Best Bud, because you have opened my eyes to something that is truly sad and urgent in our modern society and I am very grateful that you did, because I won’t walk past with blinkers on anymore....

Benedikte is awesome and Ace’s in my book.

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Now I’ll share a story written to me by Deb Boundy who is such an inspiration to most that would know her. She helps a great organization called Making a Difference - Brisbanewhich helps so many people all the time and really does more than I do some days.

Here’s Deb’s story that was written to me.

Morning Grant,

I just wanted to let you know I did something yesterday which made me feel good. There was a homeless man sitting outside a shop in Logan, I said “good afternoon”to him and smiled at him. I went inside the shop, the gentleman looked hungry so I bought him a hot wrap and a iced coffee Breaka. Just thought I’d let you know. Was due to meeting you that did this, in previous times I would have smiled and said afternoon but not bought anything. Thank you Grant.

They don’t come nicer then these two ladies. There awesome and I’m proud to just know them and the fact their doing the same as me and helping wherever they can for people in need and homeless.

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Now I do have some very good news. I went to the specialist on Friday morning and over the last 6 weeks my red cell count has come downward and the treatment is working well, now I’m doing the treatment for another 6 weeks and then look at the results again. I knew I would get through this, I wasn’t going to quit or give up. Haha. I’m not out of the woods yet but it’s a positive turn. I wanted to thank all those that sent emails and things.

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More good news to come. The donation button has collected a total of $618 (Mostly thanks to Sally Piracha) towards building that coffee cart which will help people in need by giving experience and a job.

I’d like to thank you all for reading my blog and I hope you all have a great day. This post may inspire others to help others in need so please share using the buttons below.

Grant the Polite Guy.

It's a short ride but a long journey to get back

Walking through the mall today a young guy stopped me and was shaking my hand saying how much he enjoyed my stories on my blog. He even mentioned in front of others about my date and the she that turned out to be a he. Most of them had a great laugh. Now I can take a joke and now I even think of the funny side of it.

My smile disappeared quickly when this young guy about 17 years old was saying how much fun living on the streets would be. The worst part was he was trying to convince others not to go home and as he put it “live life and have a ball.”

I almost rolled one of my magazines up and hit him in the head a lot. Instead I started saying “There's nothing good or fun about living on the streets. For every story I write that's funny, there's 40 that I could write that's not funny at all. Most of them are things most people don't want to know about”

They didn't listen nor care I just got them being dumb. I know they read my blog so this is mostly for them. Please don't let kids read any more, also I'm sorry if this is not what I normally would have with funny stories, but I can't have kids thinking it's cool to sleep on the streets.

There are people that live on the streets mostly because something very bad has happen to them and they chose to, some it's a way of life. There's people who are just really down on there luck and there's no escape.

Know this, living on the streets is NOT cool. People get raped and bashed and lot's of things that are not fun. Some people will take advantage of you and sometimes really hurt you. At night there's no electric blanket to stay warm or walls and a door to close to feel safe. Always having to watch or hide your stuff so no-one else takes it. If you don't work then there's no cardboards to get food from. Really it don't matter where you sleep there's nothing that I know of that's as comfortable as a bed at night.

Be smart and stay home. If there's a reason you are leaving besides to be cool and hang with friends then you'll find there's places that can help. Because I really feel “it's a short ride to get there but a long journey to get back.” If any of you want help or advice I'll always be there to talk to.

I really am sorry this post is not a happy one to read. But the fact is I'd quit doing this blog if I thought I was showing kids that living on the street was fun or cool when really it's not. I just look at the good things in life and that's what I show here.

Thank you all for reading my posts and I hope you all have a good day. If you like my writing please feel free to make a donation on the donation button on the top left of the screen. Please know all donations received until it's paid for will be buying a coffee cart that will help homeless people and people in need to get a headstart in life with work and training. Thank you again. Grant the Polite Guy.