Can anything or anyone good come out of Buffalo? Be honest, you’ve heard the question asked. Perhaps you’ve even voiced it yourself. We watched the movie Evan Almighty. In the movie, the main character, Evan Baxter, plays a Channel 7 newsman in Buffalo, NY, who is elected to Congress. His campaign promise is to “Change the World.” By the end of the movie, God (played by Morgan Freeman) tells Evan that the way to change the world is by doing one act of random kindness at a time.
Which brings us to the following question : Could your acts, ideas, thoughts, suggestions, actually make a difference in our city? The readers of Buffalo Rising appear to be a unique crowd. You all read the magazine, interact with the website, all the while wanting to see Buffalo rise from its long slumber. On the whole, we are doers, wanting to see the impact of our acts of random kindness.
Let us introduce you to just a handful of the difference-makers who are choosing simple acts of random kindness that make a difference in their neighborhood and our city.
Pastor Darius Pridgeon, True Bethel Baptist Church: Last Christmas, Pastor Pridgeon wanted to encourage his parishioners to make their shopping dollars count among city merchants. He rented a bus, traded his clergy robes for a bus driver’s hat, and personally drove True Bethel Baptist holiday shoppers to merchants on Elmwood Avenue to spend their money at local businesses. The owners of these small stores selling unique items, mostly unavailable at the big box retailers, were shocked to see a bus pull up, unload, and fill their stores to capacity. http://www.truebethel.org
Addison Henderson: Addison grew up in Buffalo, and experienced a painful personal tragedy that changed the course of his life. Addison’s best friend was violently murdered in 2001. The outcome of this scenario is all too often an escalation of violence, where the best friend kills to avenge, and street war breaks out. However, astonishingly different choices were made this time. Addison, a friend of the victim; and Korey Green, a friend of the murderer, forged an unlikely partnership to film a documentary titled The Forgotten City. It is raw, hard hitting, shakes up the status quo, and encourages change for Buffalo and all inner cities. The Forgotten City was featured at the Starz Denver Film Festival, the American Black Film Festival, and The New York International Independent Film and Video Festival, where it won Best Urban Documentary. http://www.knucklecityfilms.com/index.html
Ron and Peg Calandra, Hearts for the Homeless:
You may remember the famous commercial for a particular hair replacement system that said “I’m not just the president, I’m also a client.” That would sum up the passion that Ron Calandra has for Hearts for the Homeless. Ron is not just the executive director, he was also a client.
In1973, Ron was 10 years old. His mom was unemployed and addicted to drugs. She was unable to find another job, and they lost their apartment. There was no one around to help, so Ron’s mother rented a truck and moved the family (Ron, an older brother, and herself) into it. That’s right, the moving truck became their home. From this young age, Ron knew what it was like to be homeless.
This is the compassion that Ron now brings to Hearts for the Homeless as they feed, clothe, and provide basic necessities for over 16,000 men, women, and children each year. This includes a mobile soup kitchen, after-school programs, and a thrift shop in Riverside. 890 Tonawanda St, 877.3536
www.heartsforthehomeless.org
Hopefully, reading this makes you feel good about our city. Good people are doing good things in Buffalo, making a difference. How about you? How about your act of random kindness?
If you know someone who is making a difference, thank them. Some of our citizens have been serving for years, and sometimes a weariness sets in. Your words of encouragement may revitalize them. In fact, at this season of Thanksgiving, you may want to go back and thank someone from your past who made a difference in your life through an act of random kindness–a parent, a school teacher, a neighbor, a Scout leader, etc.
Want to make a difference yourself? You can join the Act of Random Kindness club today. There are no membership fees and no rigorous application processes. Start where you are, use what you have, and do what you can do.
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