THE MOVERS AND SHAKERS

CHOOSE TO CARE(CTC)strives to provide a brand new pair of shoes for the youth in need.  They have made it their business.  But that's not the only thing that they are drawn to.  At each of our local shoe distribution event, we invite the families of the youth we serve to join us in healthy eating.  Of course if we want the families to eat more nutritious foods , we must also introduce them to dishes that are tasty.  Our recipes call for a medley of fruits and vegetables, herbs and spices and other ingredients on hand, nothing wasted.
We encourage going green and give ideas that will help us to save the earth.  No one leaves our events without participating in an exercise session, plastered with fun.

To make this happen, a group of volunteers jump in to help deliver these activities.  They are known as Nutritionists And Friends In Action (NAFIA).  To become a member, the individual agrees to abide by the following:

• Willing to work with the youth
• Bring ideas, share and learn from each other
• Truly believe in creating a fun-filled learning environment
• Support CHOOSE TO CARE's Mission
• Will venture out, offering other skills they may have(graphic designer, photography, recipe testing, accounting,etc)
• meeting will take place on a time and frequency convenient to members

CTC will post a series of blogs, featuring each member and the gift they bring in those amazing "packages" that every recipient will treasure dearly.

Thanks a million for all your support!

MEET THE FOUNDER OF CHOOSE TO CARE

Paulette Sinclair-Weir says:

"I am seeking, I am striving,
I am in it with all my heart"
Vincent Van Gogh

It has been 10 years since I had the nerve to think that I could make a difference.  While on a trip in a distant land, I came up on kids playing barefooted where broken glass laid like a carpet on the dirt road.  With mouth agape, a feeling of despair overtook me and later on I began to notice so many kids with callous heels, wearing flip flops with half the rubber worn away.
"Kids without shoes will not go to school"
"Shoes with holes and broken down heels, will bring shame to the owner"
With those two thoughts I entered the unknown, actually it was a plunge, nothing could stop me until I got this ambitious project off the ground.  It did not matter that there were mounds of paperwork to complete to make this official, to keep in steps with governing laws of charitable organizations.

Will power magically propels and I did not fret that there were only few coins in the till,  I would not allow anything to deter me.  I wanted to give a brand new pair of shoes to the child in need.  We have purchased shoes for kids living as far as Haiti and Jamaica; nothing beats the polished look of a kid in school uniform and wearing a pair of clean looking shoes that fits right.  We are grooming the next Pele,Messi and Ronaldo, famous soccer stars, through our sponsorship of soccer teams in Colombia, Haiti and South Africa.  The kids in Zambia had a smile on their faces, as they stepped out with confidence, with their new shoes on.  There are children in The Gambia, waiting for the arrival of their new footwear, which are on the way.

Here at home we "travel" from State to State, through Donors Choose, an online charity organization that allows teachers to submit projects for classrooms in America; hoping to be funded by individual donors, so that their students may have amazing experiences.  So cruising through, I read the plea in some of the teacher's notes, as they seek donations.

• "Just a flip flop away from happiness"
• My students need new shoes to fit their feet, so they will be comfortable at school"
• Running towards a better future"
• Making future soccer stars"
• "Get a kid hooked on running"

Who wouldn't want to help the boys who wear cleats with holes in them or the girls who come to PE wearing boots because that's all they have. I also want to add that at each of our shoe distribution event that we throw locally, in our boroughs, we have added two platforms.  We are sharing ways to a healthy lifestyle and we are pushing to gain the attention of the children and their parents with ways to help us save the environment.

My gratitude to our supporters who have continued to help us make an impact, this could not happen without you. Cheers to wonderful thoughts!

"From a little spark may  burst a mighty flame"

Dante

HELLO CONTENTMENT

We sat on the deck in a high rise apartment and stared into a man made lake.  From where we were, we could see pedestrians going about their daily chores.  The scenery provided a tranquil setting for our conversation.

 We chatted about anything and everything that came to mind.  We laughed, we screamed with excitement when one of us found the right words to give life to our story.

We stopped a moment for hot and spicy chai and between bites of sweets and sips of that delicious beverage our souls warmed up even more.  We tapped our feet, shook our heads, beat on our legs and doubled up in excitement, because our story telling brought out the happiness in us.

We lingered, refilled our cups with piping hot chai, eager to continue down HAPPY ROAD, as if we did not have a care in the world.  It was late evening before we became conscious that dusk had fallen.  We jumped, in a hurry to get going, in disbelief that we had allowed time to slip by without us noticing.  But our thoughts meshed and we immediately sat back down fully contented. We knew it was important to let the joy and high spirits take root before we returned to a hurried life.

Aware of the simple and splendid time we experienced, just talking and living in the moment, we smiled broadly as we calmly rose to bid farewell and promised to do this again.  This was the ultimate tea drinking experience that had awoken our mind, body and spirit.

Life is beautiful!

(From :The jump for joy series)
psw

CAGED - DEMORALIZED - PEEVED

                                      He is calling her name
                                      How should she respond?
                                      Are you ready to close the gap? She screamed.
                                      The time is drawing nearer, he shouted back.
                                       But when will that happen, mystery man?
                                       How much longer will she be at the Waiting Post?


                                         Her soul has grown cold
                                         Her heart has hardened
                                         Her body creaks with aches and pains
                                         Eyes that once sparkle, have grown dull.
                                         She no longer smiles, She wears a sullen scowl.
                                         She kept hoping to catch a glimpse of you
                                         But now she holds her head to the ground
                                         Hoping she never sets sight of you.
                                       

                                             

                                           She is done pining over you
                                           Long gone is the hope
                                           That you will be together.
                                           She has grown tired and weary.
                                           You must go your separate ways.
                                           Let her learn to live once more.
                                           Let her heal.

                                         

                                           psw(From the Series: That Forbidden Fruit)

BEWILDERMENT

                                        Yesterday his words were like honey
                                         Sweet words spewed from his mouth.
                                         He knows when to pitch them, to the
                                         Girl who basks in these sweet nothings.
                                         Her eyes sparkle,
                                         A wider smile you have never seen.
                                         He cocked his head and put his chest out,
                                         So proud of his handiwork.

                                         "I have given her true love,
                                          Like she has never seen before."



                                          Today the story is different.
                                           He speaks in a sober tone.
                                           A change has come over him.
                                           His language has grown sour,
                                           His frowning face is filled with doubts.
                                           There is a Waiting Post, set up for her.
                                           How long will she remain there, no one knows.
                                           He has not bring to light, that he will
                                           Only return to fetch her
                                           When his Master Plans fall apart.
                                            Dark clouds have set in!
                                           Empty promises are consuming their lives.


                                         

                                          Her inner voice is speaking.
                                          Two different versions have appeared
                                          Which one will she cling to?
                                           The one that has placed a dagger in her soul?
                                           Has she chosen the obsessed being
                                           That resides in her mind?
                                           These see-saw emotions
                                            And forlorn experiences,
                                            Have weighed her down,
                                            What a baggage he wields!
                                            Step away from this confusion, Dear Child.
                                            Make adjustments for this bitter taste.





                                             Be kind to yourself
                                             Embrace this defeat
                                             Move on and cherish the wisdom gain
                                             Be guided by that voice,
                                             That will lead you down freedom way.

psw(From The Series:That Forbidden Fruit)
                                       

R E S C U E D AND R E V I V E D

So our intention for our April's7th meet-up was to "Go Further With Food"  capitalizing on the Academy Of Nutrition and Dietetics, National Nutrition Month 2018, theme.  At Choose To Care, the organization that provides a brand new pair of shoes for the child in need, we are in the mood to celebrate the skin and the stems of fruits and vegetables, usually referred to as SCRAPS. We wanted to showcase that by using these parts of food that are discarded, such as beet stems, broccoli florets and others, we can make edible, delicious dishes and even a tasty dressing. A Member of our Nutritionist And Friends In Action(NAFIA) presented the idea of using the skin of the pineapple to make a salad dressing. And she went to work!

As we gathered, we greeted the community and asked the children and their family to join us in moving to the beat; besides making our limbs nimble, the laughter that comes with our less than perfect steps always bring laughter from deep down that oftentimes bring joy of tears and excitement  so vital to the soul.

We are also serious about saving the planet and do our best to make a difference in our communities. We have invited the children and their families to join us in this effort. This time we made tags and invited them to choose one, which they will try to carry out.
Sayings such as:

• I will not keep the pipe running while brushing my teeth-do not want to waste water
• I will make less copies - less trees will be cut down
• I will carry a cloth bag for my grocery - less plastic will find its way in the soil
• I will use a smaller plate for meals - to avoid food waste
• Stop sucking through the straw - the plastic makes it way to the ocean and kill sea life.
• I want to keep my neighborhood clean - find a bin for my thrash
• I will talk about saving the earth to 1-2 persons
• I will ask 1-2 persons to spread the words to others about saving the earth

With earth day around the corner, our hope is that we will join the fight and do our part, nothing is ever too small.  Go to earthly.org to check out the deeds performed around the nation that add up to win-win situations.

We sat down to a delicious bowl of salad with dressing made from the lowly pineapple skins, combined with pieces of apples, peaches and covered with water for a three week period. A tasty boost to the greens and chickpeas, that made us crave another bowl before the event's ending.

Here's my ode to the skin of the pineapple, rescued and revived, of course the dual message is to extend kindness and a helping hand to those in need.

                                        Sweet Tasting Flesh

                                        Juice running down

                                        The sides of their mouth

                                        They took what they wanted

                                        And your skin?  for the garbage,they exclaimed!

                                        But you were RESCUED 

                                        From that dark pit, where you were placed to rot

                                        Someone had an idea

                                       You can still be of use

                                        It took a little work, here and there

                                        Patience, Caring, Watching over you
                                        Was the process

                                        And look at you now, REVIVED

                                        Your story has been told

                                        You are given another chance to be whole again
                                        (psw)

ONE LOVE!

         

             

2017 Annual Report

FOUNDERS NOTE:  The year 2017 found us actively trying to find innovative ways to bring to light the things we believe are important, such as nutrition and health and environmental issues.  We are constantly thinking of better ways to be stronger in our communities and globally.  For that reason we have added a GOING GREEN platform to our shoe distribution events.  It is so importance to us that we utilize all and control waste.  This has become such a crisis in the US and worldwide.

CHOOSE TO CARE'S MISSION:  We have proudly continued our mission to provide a brand new pair of properly fitted shoes for the children and young adults in need, here at home and abroad.

EVENTS:  For the year 2017 we held 3 shoe distribution events in the months of April, August and December.  We also sponsored 2 schools in the State of Texas, through Donors Choose, Teachers Ask; the organization that helps teachers to gain supplies for their classrooms in impoverished areas throughout the US. In these schools the boys needed running shoes and basketball shoes.

SHINING OUR LIGHT:  We have continued our collaboration with the Nutrition and Friends In Action group(NAFIA). These amazing volunteers assist in the planning of the events, from purchasing the shoes, labeling them for the right child, participating in the topics for the day,preparing the healthy dish that we gladly serve to seal our message of healthy choices, transporting everything to the venue and so much more. We also have on our team, two honorary members who contribute in their own special way; donating to our fundraising and another who puts together our videos from our events to help us tell our stories. We value this wonderful team!

MONEY RAISED:  Through Macy's Shop For A Cause, a yearly event that allows charities to apply   and if accepted, participate in their fundraising.  This year for the first time, this was an on-line event and it created a buzz and competition.  Choose To Care was also a winner of $500.00, a special prize offered through Crowd Rise Funding, the organization that handled the event for Macy's. Thanks to our friends also, for their support and belief in us.  Our website, choosetocaresite.org shows our full IMPACT - our financial report.

WHAT's IN STORE?:  For 2018 we want to propel ahead, finding creative ways to  work with our communities to stem the waste that we see everywhere.  There is such an urgency that we are starting from the ground up, with the young kids and the their families that we serve.  On our mind also is the desire to expand our reach, particular when a disaster occurs.  For now, a most grateful thank you, for whichever way you contributed to keep us going.


"Tell me and I forget,
Teach me and I may remember,
Involve me and I learn."

Benjamin Franklin