Mannkind Charity

November 15, 2009

Shared Photo-Experience of the Downtown Eastside Vancouver, BC

Hi Friends,

I would like to re-submitt an old-post in a new format, something more engaging & organic!

The post originally contained one very insightful photo-journal of the downtown eastside of Vancouver, BC (DTES); but I want to expand opportunities to experience this area of our city by adding more photo-essays and reports that  I come across while researching the area, and I encourage you to do the same!

So drop by and visit when you like and add material through the comments section– it’ll be kind of like a blog-within-a-blog.

There is really something compelling about these people & places and I feel I am able to develop a better sense of their perspective through the subtle proximity of the pictures and the genuine nature of the reporting.  I look forward to seeing more of the DTES through the pictures, stories, testimonials, etc. that you submit!

For me, these illuminating flashes in dark places help prepare me for my role in the area, especially First United Church; because it’s important to keep in mind, and I can say this now that I have been there more than once, the people we see in line are real— real prostitutes, real pushers, real peddlers, real mothers, real children, real poverty.

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I believe these essays & reports present their stories well and share a surprisingly charming, albeit troubled, slice of the DTES few people ever experience.

I look forward to your comments & questions.


Andrew G


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http://www.sequential-one.com/blog/?p=1795

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http://www.vancouversun.com/life/community+garden+takes+root+Downtown+Eastside/2168688/story.html

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http://thetyee.ca/gallery/2004/06/03/Crucible_of_Poverty/

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http://www.megaphonemagazine.com/content/peoples_history_downtown_eastside.html

September 7, 2009

Blogg’in and Volunteering for Mannkind…

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , — admin @ 11:14 pm

Hi Friends,

It’s great having an opportunity to share time with you and explore issues related to the work of our organization. I am grateful to Dave & James for encouraging me to participate in this blog and I look forward to engaging with you through your comments & questions!

For me, the great thing about volunteering with Mannkind is that I receive a chance to really get involved in the planning & exercise of social and environmental initiatives—for example, two of our programs involve cooking for the homeless in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver (DTES) and planting trees throughout local communities.  From my first day forward, the experience has always been more than simply handing out food and digging holes for shrubs, with Mannkind, I work hand-in-hand with awesome volunteers that consistently encourage & inspire me to be more creative with each event and program advance.

Whether I’m making sandwiches, planting shrubs, painting faces, planning events or blogging—I can do it my way! The effort and enthusiasm I bring is always welcome and reflects in a positive direction.

I believe this charity’s platform provides its human capital (you & me) a meaningful opportunity to work hard and make a difference in the lives of real people here at home and around the world—the timeless, give a man a fish or teach a man to fish, adage roots well here and has potential to flourish with Mannkind.

In order to foster long-term & holistic solutions we need to reach out to the public to involve their insight & capital. Through our voice, the public can begin to experience our vision and hopefully, become interested and involved in sustaining the work we do.

But for now, we can’t wait for others to take notice.  Change takes time.  So in the early stages, the work all begets from you & me.

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”

M.Gandhi

Andrew G

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