A Lemon's Manifesto

As the year draws to a close, I wanted to share some thoughts for a future we can all believe in... The following words are mine, and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs of anyone else - but, my guess is that we're not all that different.

I believe…

I believe we borrow the earth from our children; we do not inherit it from our ancestors. As such, I believe that our role – in our short time here – is to make the world a better place.

I believe in the ripple effect. If we focus positive energy in our own lives, neighbourhoods, social circles, and workplaces, that energy will ripple outwards. I also believe in the butterfly effect – the theory that a single flap of a butterfly’s wings can impact the winds worlds away. Small positive actions every day can create large-scale positive changes in the world – tomorrow, and for years to come.

I believe that everyone is accountable for their actions. There are enough guideposts in this world, whether in public, in one’s mind and heart, or in one’s immediate environment, to separate the good from the bad.

I believe that right and wrong are subjective – that good and bad are not. Good and bad are guided by morals. Being good means not hurting others – physically, emotionally or mentally. And no excuse can be made for not understanding when you are hurt, or when you hurt someone. Right or wrong are directed by societal law, and therefore change based on history, culture, religion or geographic location. This means that, depending on your timestamp in history and your location in the world, right and wrong can change… but, good and bad never will.

I believe that everyone is a role model. I believe that celebrities - musicians, singers, actors, athletes, politicians, and everyone in the public light ARE role models! Children (those we borrow the earth from) are watching, learning, growing and repeating. Role models who choose bad actions, independent of their inner emotions towards those actions (such as guilt) are demonstrating that bad is OK. And, it is not. Children cannot see what you feel, and rarely understand consequence. They are seeing the stardom and fame upon you. Act (don’t react) accordingly.

I believe that those who shape the environment influence perceptions and paradigms. If you are in marketing, in public relations, in communications, in any position where your output is visible – you have a role to play. Every news report, every billboard, every message influences people. Create a better world.

I believe that justice, in terms of protecting the good from the bad, trumps mercy – as hard as that may be. And, I do not claim any ability to make this happen, though I’ve never been in the position to choose.

I believe that all human beings are created equal – with 78 organs, 206 bones, flesh, blood, a heart and a brain. I believe that perceptions are shaped by others, and that it is often within these perceptions that hatred is born. I believe that hatred is the root of bad.

I believe that sometimes, symbols are created to cover up “bad”, but that the symbols unto themselves are “good”. And, I believe that sometimes, humanity needs these symbols. I believe that if humanity – unanimously – finds strength in these symbols, and what they stand for, the world can be a better place, and the “bad” will be removed.

Finally, I believe that we are each, individually responsible for a better planet, a better world and a better future for our children.

What do you believe?

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade...

Don River Trails - A home for the homeless

I just had a colleague of mine in my office, and we were both chatting about a shared passion for trail riding. Yup - hopping onto a pretty darn cool 2-wheel, human powered trail/mountain bike and tearing the terrain up!

He mentioned that one of Toronto's neatest spots would be the Don River trails - an urban oasis for hikers and mountain bikers. What he also mentioned is that, if you go at certain times of the day - dusk, really - you will see that the Don River trails also host some of Toronto's homeless.

These people live under the bridges, on the trails, by the river. Some take their daily baths in the river, some start fires and cook what they found (or fished) during the day. And, though to us, it sounds like a summertime camping perfect picture, it is not for these people... it is their life.

It reminded me that, the summer is an easy time for us to help out... We may feel - perhaps - more guilty or more touched by the plight of the homeless in the winter. Of course, the cold - the biting Canadian cold - will do that to your psyche. But, in the summer - we have a bigger window for opportunity.

When I was lifeguarding (years ago), one of the important things to remember about triage was that you should help those people who had injuries which were quick to resolve so that you could make the biggest impact in the shortest amount of time.

So, in the summer... since you're likely to be out on these trails (or any trails) anyways, why not pack an extra sandwich, or loaf of bread? I still firmly believe that the solution to homelessness and poverty overall is to provide education and hope - but, it's hard to learn on an empty stomach, and harder to have the will to learn when you're daily fight is to get food.

So, if you're on the Don River trails this summer... can you make a difference?

Spritzer: Share your passion!

So, as is usual when I am looking for a specific highlight for the Lemontree, I tend to do a little research. I completely realize that, on some level, the notion of research for a blog defeats the spontaneity of the tool, but I like to back up my opinions... Today is no different! In keeping with my previous post on the Olympics, and my desire to showcase Vancouver – and the Tale of Two Cities – I chose to take a look through the various events going on in Vancouver. My goal was to highlight events specifically focused on raising awareness around the issue of, of course, poverty. Now – hold the phone!

Feel free to use my

Google Search: Summer events, Vancouver, BC. Over 28 million results... Crazy! So, I started looking through them: arts, sports, music, charities, environmental issues – you name it, there’s an event for it. I suppose that’s not really a surprise – apparently, every day is a day for something. (Apparently today, May 1, is May Day – celebrating the “real labour day” in many parts of the world.) But, back to the events... here’s what got me thinking. None of them (well, maybe some) are incredibly expensive to get into, and many are free!

I started thinking about various previous posts. I believe, and it has been demonstrated, that when you find your passion – you learn about it, and learn how to apply it, you have a chance to make a difference in your own life, and maybe even in someone else’s. Yes; this blog is about poverty, and shedding some light on it. It’s also about sharing my views on how we can try and stop the bleeding, particularly in North America. We live in a place so rich in opportunity; built on the notion of “dreams”, “free society” and “opportunity”. Do I sound like a broken record yet? Share it!! I believe we need to provide everyone with equal opportunity to explore what they are passionate about and give them hope & a chance to develop that passion into something they can make a living out of.

So, this summer – let’s call this a Spritzer of hope... If you are going to a festival, event or other shindig. If you cross paths with someone less fortunate than you who might demonstrate some sort of interest in whatever “thing” you are going to see/watch/do. Maybe, just maybe, there’s some way you can share the opportunity, share a little hope...

"Tweet" to end global poverty?

When I began writing this blog, one of my premises was that "I would be remiss in not taking advantage of a global online community of conversation." So - this post is specifically about that... the online conversation!

Here's an incredibly novel way to use Twitter: if you are on Twitter, you should totally check out: http://twitter.com/endpovertynow. For the first time ever, there is a "tweet-a-thon"; oh yeah - you heard (read) that right! If you add the tag: #apowerfulnoise to the end of your tweets (only until tomorrow, March 5), NCM Fathom will donate $0.50 to CARE Globally to give hope and opportunity to women and girls living in poverty.

If you're not on Twitter - check this Website out for more details: http://apowerfulnoise.fathomevents.com/tweet-a-thon. A cool concept - the Lemon Tree may just need to borrow that someday! (Theodore Levitt, an icon in the field of Marketing, would call that: Innovative Imitation!)

In the mean time, the posts in the month of February have been entertaining (to me - and I hope to you too) in the sense that I've had a fantastic opportunity to showcase some really interesting "conductors and connectors" all working toward an end to poverty in North America; all providing hope and opportunity to so many people who need it...

As for the last 2 posts, specific to education: post-secondary, in particular have focused on Canada. I will come back to that issue, as it is one incredibly near and dear to my heart! So, keep voting - still 1 day to go.

Feature Conductor: Big Brothers & Big Sisters

I’ve spent a significant amount of time in the first series of posts setting the stage for why this blog, and being aware of this issue is important. I’d like to spend some time in the next few posts highlighting some real success stories, and offering some options to those of you interested in contributing to the solution.

Feature: Big Brothers & Big Sisters (BBBS)

BBBS America and BBBS Canada have been around for over a century! In 1904, a New York City clerk named Ernest Coulter saw the need for adult mentors to help young boys stay out of trouble; he started recruiting volunteers. At around the same time, a group called Ladies of Charity began a similar program for young girls. Since then, the BBBS movement has grown to include all 50 states, and 12 countries around the world.

In Canada, for over 80 years, the BBBS program commits to young people that they will provide them with the highest quality, volunteer-based mentoring programs.

Here are some interesting facts that intimately link the successes of BBBS to the purpose of the Lemontree (Source – Project Impact, Social Planning Council of Hamilton and District of Hamilton, 2004):

• The BBBS Littles* go on to graduate from high school at a rate of 20% higher than the national average;


• 78% of the BBBS Littles who come from social assistance background no longer rely on this kind of income; and


• A disproportionately high number of Littles graduate from college and/or university compared to others in their age group

* A Little is a young person who has a Big Brother or Big Sister.

The BBBS programs clearly provide hope through rich mentoring relationships for all children who need it. In addition, these volunteer mentors offer encouragement, advice and additional learning. It is a truly fantastic program, and one I would qualify as a connector. Take another look at that second bullet point: a very real impact on the future of poverty in Canada; and no doubt in the US.

If you are interested, the BBBS movement is always looking for volunteers and donations... And, if you’d like to inject a little fun – here’s something you can do with your own Littles:

From now until the end of May, right across Canada, the various BBBS agencies are putting on the

Bowl for Kids’ Sake event. Create a team, set up an event, go out and bowl – and just have some fun for a great cause! If you want to bring the fam, look for the Family Day events. I, for one, will be checking out the event listings and heading out to at least one...

Are you ready for some football? Kurt Warner's comeback from abuse & poverty

Today marks the 43rd time that 2 teams from the NFL meet up to take (American) football’s biggest prize: the Super Bowl. As millions of people, world-wide watch the game (and the pre/post game activity), probably half will cheer for the Pittsburgh Steelers and half, for the Arizona Cardinals. Whoever you cheer for, know this: many of the players that we are watching today have come up from nothing but a dream...

Throughout this blog, I’ve talked about poverty and its direct link with lack of education. I’ve shown how people growing up in poverty have a lesser desire or ability for desire toward education; and I’ve also shown how those who’ve had little education or lack of opportunity to education, have often ended up living in poverty.

Merriam Webster’s dictionary defines poverty as the state of one who lacks a usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions. According to our societal beliefs, poverty is the lack of the basic necessities of life: food, shelter and clothing. I’d like to argue (I know – those of you who know me are simply shocked) that the definition of poverty should be extended beyond the tangible and include a definition describing lack of hope, opportunity and ability to seize chances.

Malcolm Gladwell, in his book

Outliers, argues that society may have its “heroes” concept a little backwards. Many of our real life “heroes” are those who’ve overcome insurmountable odds to achieve a dream, a fantasy that many of us have imagined, if only once in our lives. But according to Mr. Gladwell, where we may be mistaken is that these heroes have been given opportunity: they’ve been in the right place at the right time; and that’s not something we are all blessed with. Maybe these heroes had one coach, one mentor, one teacher who saw the potential and gave them their big break... Or, maybe they were born on the right date to make the cut off for the team. Mr. Gladwell does acknowledge though that sometimes, these heroes really broke all the moulds to make their own destiny. And so, I’d like to introduce you to Kurt Warner – the Arizona Cardinals’ 37-year old quarterback...

Kurt Warner grew up with his mother, Sue and brother, Matt in northern Iowa... When his parents divorced, Kurt blamed his mom and in order to hurt her, he would hurt himself – often holding his breath until he would pass out. Sue remarried in 1981 to a man who was abusive to the kids and to her. Choosing her children over her new husband, Sue divorced and the three-some lived in poverty – struggling to keep the lights on!

Kurt turned to sports – football, in particular. He worked his way through flag football leagues, and when he got to 7th grade, he told his mother he would be a wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys. He was heartbroken when his coach told him he was over the weight limit for his dream position, so he played the offensive line – and hated it. Rather than quitting, he stuck it out and learned – hoping for his big break.

After a great high school career, Kurt waited for scholarships – they never came. He lowered his sights and accepted a partial scholarship at Northern Iowa University – but was only back up until his senior year. He wasn’t invited to NFL try-outs...

In his last year of college, he met his future wife, Brenda – an ex-marine who grew up in an abusive household and who had a previously abusive marriage. She had 2 children – one of whom had brain damage from being dropped on his head when he was younger. Choosing to focus on his love and new family, Kurt moved back to Iowa to live with Brenda and her parents. In order to help with the bills, Kurt worked at the local Hy-Vee grocery store stocking shelves for $5.50 an hour.

Kurt’s football career was brought back to life with the Iowa Barnstormers, an Arena Football League team asked him to play for them in 1994. His AFL career was marked with brilliance until 1996 – before the season started a tornado ripped through Waterloo, Iowa and killed Brenda’s parents. Kurt’s ’96 season was a fog – and he was benched after 5 straight losses.

Now, let’s fast-forward Kurt’s career through a resuscitation of his AFL career, a stint in Amsterdam with NFL Europe and a plethora of teams as starter and back up QB: Warner is in his 3rd Super Bowl appearance today as the Cardinals’ starting QB. (FYI – Kurt got the starting position only after the number 1 QB, Matt Leinart, got injured.)

No matter how hard Kurt Warner had to work to achieve his dreams – he never gave up hope. Despite his hardships, Kurt was always wealthy with hope. And, he always promised to give back. Warner’s foundation:

the First things first foundation shares experiences and provides opportunities to encourage everyone that all things are possible when you put first things first.

On behalf of Lemonheads – we wish Warner the best for Super Bowl XLIII... If it were up to me, we’d make Kurt an honorary Lemonhead!

Now – to go back to Malcolm Gladwell’s concept of heroes being blessed by opportunity... Since not everyone is blessed with these opportunities, I encourage you to always share opportunities.

Be the change you want to see in the world.

Mahatma Ghandi

Job loss - The future of poverty

Hooo-eeee! Any of you guys picked up a newspaper today?

• Canada’s jobless rate is up to 6.6% - a loss of 34,400 jobs in December alone!
• US experiences worst “job year” since 1945 (unemployment rate: 7.2%) – a loss of 524,000 in December alone (1.9 million in the last 4 months of 08).

Take another look at yesterday’s post: Poverty solutions. In that 3rd paragraph, I dared suggest how close we all were to living in poverty. I think you might agree – the numbers that came out this morning just reinforced that reality.

Since the millennium, world-wide groups have banded together begging governments to invest in ending poverty. We’ve seen some changes, but not very many. In fact, my hometown, Toronto, or rather its region, the GTA, has officially been dubbed: Ontario’s Child Poverty Capital. Now that is a legacy to behold! Take a look at a recent report released by the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto: Greater Trouble in the Greater GTA.

One of the numbers that blows me away in this report (and many of its facts are just shameful) is that a single parent with 2 children who makes less than $23,380 a year is considered to be living in poverty. Um… Is anyone reading this familiar with the cost of living in the GTA? That amount of money wouldn’t sustain a single parent of 2 cats! Absolutely sick. Whoever chose that number to be the one we should go with might want to attempt living on that income him/herself. What about the person making $25,000 or even $30,000 for that matter?

In every report, on every Website and in every article – when poverty is referred to, one of the recommendations is to invest in education – education for children, and for their parents. We know that jobs requiring a higher education tend to pay more, hence lifting the “owner of that job” out of the risk of poverty. What we should also consider is that someone who has broad education may be more versatile in times like the ones we are experiencing these days.

OK – so, we can’t change the recession. (Where is “I dream of Genie” when you need her. C’mon, just blink your eyes once!) But what if we said: Now is the time to invest in education. Now is the time to lift people out of their poverty. Now is the time to give people hope for a brighter future. Now is the time, and education is the way!

We have to make a change!

____

Take a look at Marty’s comment in the previous post… There’s a lot of truth there: enjoy those institutions of arts and culture; we can learn a lot. Many, in fact, give back to the community and support the causes we refer to in this blog.

Housepaint, for example, is an exhibit currently on at the ROM (click on Exhibitions & Galleries). Housepaint brings together exceptional “street artists” to showcase and commemorate homelessness and represents it through graffiti, or street art. An “out of the box” exhibit for the ROM, to be sure, but one that is so important and draws together the value of arts to the cause of poverty.

What I’d like to add to Marty’s comment is that the learning doesn’t only come from “arts and culture”. It comes from people’s talents and passions. Everyone has talent and passion: for some it’s the arts, for some sports, for some it could be cooking. The point is, we need to encourage people who are living in poverty – heck, we need to encourage each other – to find those niches of passion and lose themselves in the learning and the hope that comes from it.

Learning expands our ability to hope; hope gives us direction; direction gives us purpose; and purpose can pull us out of our darkest hours…

Sometimes hope is in the journey;
The destination never comes.
It’s not about left or right;
It’s not about right or wrong.

Sometimes hope is in the movement;
The destination doesn’t matter.
It’s not about where you land;
It’s that you bothered.

Sometimes hope is all we have;
The destination is a dream.
It’s about when you’re awake,
And a safe place for you to sleep.

Sometimes hope is the answer;
The destination is the guide.
It’s about making the right choice;
It’s about taking the ride.

Sometimes hope…

- Judi Samuels
January 9, 2009

Do you have a Lemon Tree or a Christmas Tree?

And so this is Christmas, and what have we done?

It’s Christmas – well, 22 hours to Christmas – and most of us are sitting safe at home, wondering what’s in the boxes wrapped under the tree. What’s on your mind right now? (I realize that’s a stupid question since you’re reading this…)

Over 13 million children in the US and another million and a half children in Canada are wondering why they don’t even have a Christmas tree; or, if they do, they wonder if Santa will even come by… (Numbers from www.freethechildren.com and The National Center for Children in Poverty) To quote Billy, the lonely boy in The Polar Express – “Christmas just doesn’t work out (for some people)…”

For Nichole’s family, Christmas was not always as glamorous as what you and I might recall. To begin, Nichole’s mom relied on receiving a Welfare check on time to ensure that the children (3 of them) would get gifts. There was a Christmas tree, there were some decorations. The gifts usually consisted of clothing: jogging pants, sweatshirts – that’s what was needed. To create an appearance of “more gifts”, jogging suits and outfits were separated and each piece was wrapped separately. Christmas was one of only 2 times of the year when new clothes were a possibility; the other time being the beginning of the school year.

One year, Nichole’s mom even had to go to the County Welfare office to pick up a box of food… Food stamps only last so long; and you can be certain that providing a good Christmas meal for your family might just tap out the stamps!

What do you think about or wish for “When Christmas comes to town”?

Now, this post isn’t meant to make you sad, or make you feel guilty. You shouldn’t… I believe that you get what you get because you’ve worked hard for it. It’s not always everything you’ve ever wanted – but, we should be grateful. That’s what this post is for… to highlight that we are likely doing OK in the great scheme of things. And, if we’re not OK today, chances are we are blessed with the ability to hope that things will get better.

Enjoy your Christmas, your Hannukah - or whichever holiday you are celebrating. Appreciate every moment you have with friends and family. And, when you have a chance – share the joy. Magic happens when we Believe.

A different kind of "Butterfly Garden"

When Nichole was in grade 9, she had severe back problems. She missed more school then she was allowed to but received doctor’s notes for justification. In some US states, students need to receive up to 4 “credits” between grades 7 and 9 to be granted entry into high school and begin grade 10. Nichole received 3.5 credits…

After a few months in grade 10, Nichole was called into the high school counsellor’s office. This counsellor informed Nichole that she was revoking her 3.5 credits since she had missed too many school days in grade 9. Nichole argued that the doctor’s notes were provided. The doctor’s notes were not on file and Nichole’s mother hadn’t kept them in a safe place. According to the counsellor, if Nichole wanted to stay in school, she had to prove the reason behind the absences.

Nichole was faced with peer pressures and influences. Some days, she wouldn’t go to school because there were no clean clothes. Some days, she went to school to be picked on because of tattered clothing or out-of-style clothes. Nichole was too embarrassed to bring any friends home for fear of finding her mother drunk. Food was scarce, and certainly wasn’t healthy.

When she realized that there was no way to recover the missing doctor’s notes; Nichole dropped out of high school… With what surrounded her, and the challenges she faced just to be in school, she didn't see a good ending to staying (or trying to stay) in school.

There are days now, when Nichole’s nephews are given permission to stay home because their mother (Penny) is too tired to get up and get them ready. What will happen to them when it is time for them to go to high school?

I'd like to introduce you to Sandra McBrayer . In 1987, Ms. McBrayer founded and developed the first successful school in the United States for homeless and unattended youth, serving as head teacher for the Homeless Outreach School (now known as Monarch High School) in San Diego until 1996.

You need to check out the Monarch School; the evolution of the school Sandra McBrayer founded. Please go through this Website and get to know the school. Monarch School provides the basics, the education and the programs. Their program recognizes all the issues that people who are homeless or living in poverty face, including abuse, hunger, and no place to take a simple shower. Their program provides equal education to their students; many of whom graduate and get scholarships to continue their studies. Their programs also provide assistance after graduation, and provide additional "normal events" such as birthday parties or graduation ceremonies. Kids are allowed to be kids...

Monarch School is the only one of its kind in North America… Their mantra: to restore hope and unleash dreams. This is one idea I would love to see expanded more broadly throughout. Imagine the impact of such a school in the Bronx, or in the “Jane and Finch” neighbourhood of Toronto.

I say it’s time to create a new version of “Butterfly Gardens”…

Lemony Lessons: Climbing the pyramid

Many of you are probably familiar with the Chinese proverb: Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, and you feed him for life. One of my favourite business/self-help writers/speakers, Stephen Covey takes it a step further and suggests that if we create a generation of teachers of fishing, we will lift all of society. And, I believe that!

I also believe that many of the existing government programs that support those who live in poverty do so by “giving fish”. These programs deal with the symptoms: hunger and homelessness (among others). Don’t get me wrong, of course we need to deal with these symptoms otherwise we’d be faced with not only people in poverty but people who are dying from starvation and exposure to the elements (which I recognize happens in many other countries). Now, I’m not a psychologist and I don’t pretend to be, but I will wager that those who live at the poverty level are likely, psychologically speaking, at the bottom end of

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

And I believe that with all good intentions, those government programs I am referring to were built – at least in part – to respond to those “deficiency needs” shown at the bottom of the pyramid.

I’d like to “throw something out there”… Might it be possible to work through the pyramid rather than step by step? (Yup; I sure did just question Mr. Maslow, the Father of Modern Management Psychology.) Here’s what I’m thinking: Instead of these government programs focusing solely on giving the physiological needs to those living in poverty, why wouldn’t we expand the focus into teaching how to get those needs on their own? That way, people can become self-sufficient rather than continually relying on others.

I can appreciate that some of these programs might already exist but I would question their accessibility. And I can appreciate that some people might question the time required and cost involved in “hand-holding” some of the people to access these teaching/learning programs if we want to move them from dependency to self-sufficiency. But, if we spend the extra effort now to make a real difference, we might actually be able to reduce the problem significantly. Who knows? Maybe one day we can actually eliminate poverty – like so many governments, world-wide, have committed to doing!

I believe that if we could build a culture where teaching and learning combine to drive people to self-sufficiency, we will see a world where the intensity of poverty begins to lighten. I believe that the teachers, who are likely higher (psychologically speaking) on the Pyramid will find themselves “self-actualizing” and that the learners will find themselves striving for higher levels with each new lesson they can take away. We could actually expand hope.

I remember being a kid and learning to ride my bike. I don’t think there was anything more exciting than showing everyone that I could do it on my own! The sense of pride that I actually learned to do something by myself was amazing. It was that feeling – remembering that feeling – that made me want to learn the next thing. What I’m driving at is that if we can learn one thing and feel good about it, we’ll likely want to learn one more… This new cycle continues until learning becomes a habit. And from the lessons come growth, self-sufficiency, pride and self-respect.

Once Upon Chris Gardner's Lemon Tree

“Born February 9, 1954 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Christopher Paul Gardner's childhood was marked by poverty, domestic violence, alcoholism, sexual abuse and family illiteracy. Gardner published his autobiography out of a desire to shed light on these universal issues and show they do not have to define you. Gardner never knew his father, and lived with his beloved mother, Bettye Jean Triplett (nee Gardner), when not in foster homes. Gardner is indebted to Bettye Jean for his success as she provided him with strong "spiritual genetics" and taught him that in spite of where he came from, he could chart another path and attain whatever goals he set for himself.” (http://www.chrisgardnermedia.com/main/biography.htm)

If this passage about Chris Gardner’s life doesn’t ring a bell for you, maybe clicking here will jar your memory.

Chris Gardner’s secret weapon for survival: his mind! Even at a young age, Chris knew how to read and realized that this unto itself would provide hope for him. His ability to expand his hope through learning is inspirational. His sacrifice, even beyond the pain he was already experiencing, for the chance to improve his life and his son’s life is one that many of us might not have the strength to make.

As if that weren’t enough, what else makes Chris Gardner special? Chris has taken his lessons and recognizes that without the help he did get, the teachers he did have, he may not have succeeded. He is now “forwarding” the favour by:

• Sitting on the Board of the National Fatherhood Initiative;
• Sitting on the Board of the National Education Foundation and sponsoring 2 awards;
• Sitting on the Board of the International Rescue Committee;
• Remaining committed to the Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco;
• And helping to fund low-income housing project and employment opportunities for Tenderloin (a notoriously poor area of SF).

See Chris on 20/20:
• Part 1
• Part 2

What’s my point?
My point is that when people have the hope to pull themselves out of poverty, can find the right teachers so they can learn what is required to stand on their own feet, and then expand their hope to reach incredible heights, they give back. It’s like the concept of the stone in the water and the ripple it creates.

I believe that each of us have the opportunity to be the “stone”. Help people find their hope; help people learn; and watch them make a difference. If you can teach - and make it a habit to teach - you’ll keep creating ripples. This does not cost money, takes less time than you think, and makes a world of difference!

A little clarity to the Lemon Tree

First, I want to apologize for the late post… I will try to get them up by 7pm EST every day – 1 a day – until more are required. Tonight, I ran a into a delay in line doing the groceries - sorry... And now, back to the blog.

Now, before we move into the “ideas gallery” of this blog, I want to just clarify a few things:

• This blog is a series of ideas that have been percolating in my head for a long time now; and I’m choosing to share them via the blog. Maybe I’m biased – I’m sure many of you are shocked – but I think some of these ideas may have some merit.

• By using the words learn and education, I am not referring to anyone needing a post-secondary education of any sort. In fact, I know of many people who are not living in poverty at all, and who do not have a high school diploma. I am also well aware that there are very highly educated people living at, and under, the level of poverty.

In all cases, I am referring to the simple thirst for knowledge and desire to learn something; maybe even learn something new. Hey – we all had to learn to tie our shoes at one point, right?

• I acknowledge that some of the ideas that will be posted may already be “out there”. If you’ve heard of them, please share where and how they work? I will also be sharing many examples. Maybe it’s not a question of something new, but rather of importing something that works.

• I also acknowledge that there are some elements: images or references, which I will use throughout the blog that are proprietary to other entities. For example: though my profile image may portray Mr. Lemonhead, I clearly am not him. With this bullet point, I would like to refer you to the Lemonhead candy website. They are one of my favourites and one reason for the “lemonhead” reference throughout the blog. The other reason is the fact that we are talking about a Lemon Tree!

In any other situation where references or images will be posted, I will be sure to reference the source and also attempt to advise the entities involved.

• THE IMPORTANT STUFF:
The point of this blog is to make us aware of the link between poverty and lack of education, to highlight the chance that we have to expand hope through teaching, and hopefully to find a way for all of us to take action!

You are all invited to participate in this conversation… Ideas have to start somewhere, and then they need to grow. Like I said: who knows where this can lead?

Next stop: “Once Upon a Lemon Tree”

I hope the Lemon Seed can grow

…The first thing you need to know about learning to identify opportunities is that the secret lies in hope.

I was once told that there are rich people and poor people in the world – but not in terms of financials (although yes, that way too). Rather, we can measure someone’s wealth in terms of hope. There is nothing sadder than a person “poor of hope”. But, if you take a look at this interview with Frank O’Dea, co-founder of Second Cup, you’ll see that it is a possible theory that everyone has some hope. The success lies in the ability to expand our own horizon of hope.

Pay close attention to the section time stamped 1:35

So, if one day, someone hopes for 99¢ - that’s what they work toward. Then, the next day, maybe they’ll hope for $1.50 and work toward that. Who knows where the next bit of hope can lead! Heck – you’ve heard of the guy who traded one red paper clip up to a house, right? Now, that’s some serious horizon expanding hope!

What does all this have to do with the Lemon Tree idea? Well – I guess I have 3 hopes – aka: 3 objectives. (Nah – I don’t have a business background, lol.) There is a short-term, a medium-term, and a long-term “hope”.

Short-term
Get people talking! Poverty, though not the cause of every social symptom, is the springboard from which a lot of people jump into an empty pool. If you can imagine that – it hurts. So, let’s all start by being aware.

Medium-term
Get people teaching! Since everyone needs to learn something, then everyone should teach something. Nope – I’m not suggesting that we all need a Master’s degree or a PhD but think back to your lemon stand. Someone taught you something, and you probably made a little cash. So, teach someone something… Pay it forward!

Long-term
Get people creating! If we’re all teaching, then we’re creating learners. But how can we create the biggest impact? In the long-term, I hope we can create places where the people who need it can come and learn. Not just “programs that are available to you”, but learning experiences that are accessible, motivating and maybe even hope expanding.

Can we save the world? I hope! (…but, probably not in one sitting.)

The Lemon Seed

I think I would be remiss if I didn’t join in the world of endless information, endless communications and endless ideas. You see (for those who don’t know me), I’m one of those people who can take an 8-hour day and turn it into a thousand different ideas. Maybe some are good, maybe some are bad – but the melon is always thinking! And, it is always thinking about something in particular: the link between poverty and lack of education.

I’m hoping that by shining some light onto people’s stories: experiences, successes and fears; and by providing some insight into some ideas I’ve come to dream of, there may be someone out there who can help with making some of these ideas and hopes come to life.

First, let me give you some background on the “Once upon a Lemon Tree” concept. You’ve heard of the expression: “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade”? Well – that’s where this idea was born. Fact is, in today’s climate, there are probably a lot of people who feel like they’ve been given the whole damn lemon tree!

Second, let me show you how the “lemon tree” has anything to do with the link between “poverty and lack of education”. Many of you might remember your first job setting up a lemonade stand on your street and selling a glass for 10¢ on a hot summer day. But, how did you make the lemonade? If your mom or dad hadn’t showed you and your friends how to make the stuff, you’d have had nothing but the lemons and sugar! So, you had to learn. That’s the point… if you learn something you can probably make some money off of it.

Third, let me demonstrate the missing link – and hence, some of the stories and ideas I will present in future posts. Just because you learned something doesn’t mean you can make money, but it is a mandatory pre-requisite. The missing link to the “lemon tree” is to find the opportunity. But, then again – I suppose you could learn to identify opportunities…