They walk among us - as do you

Four years we started a charity, the Here for Good Foundation with the clear purpose of creating a way for SA folks to help the locals - sort of like a 'peer to peer ' charity idea without the corporate fluff in between..

I am super proud of the way our organisation have helped many charity causes over the years with my only personal insistence being 'it needed to be local'. We rattled the tin at our free seminar series, #60MOC, and then redistributed funds to worthy causes - just like so many small businesses do in Adelaide. It was okay and we did it because it is something we have always believed in - to be a part of the solution and show good character.

We counted dirty money, grasped with thank you emails and even responded to the sometime deeply unhealthy skepticism that comes when you put yourself out there and try to change the status quo. We got trolled by those who thrive in the 'current state' - even if it is ugly and a few wear suits to work. I still shake my head at some of those people ... SA really needs to stamp that crap out BTW.

But when we made the decision to 'get serious' about being socially connected and create a separate entity, little did we know the work and joy it would bring when you develop clear purpose. There is no doubt creating a registered charity is a little crazy, but after lots of paperwork, cash and designing a vision, The Here for Good Foundation, was born.

It has been up and down, but for the grace of Tiah Brooks and Rupesh Batra, along with some awesome interns and magical crazy supporters, inch by inch we pushed this idea to where it is today.

December 3rd 2020

And today is important - in two days time on the International Day of the Volunteer, that little foundation will distribute thousands of dollars to SA volunteers who are working in domestic violence. Not coins, but thousands of dollars...

We have also heard from amazing people who nominated these champs and then had the added joy of hearing from the stars themselves. I tell you what, if you need to understand 'purpose at work' then listen to a volunteer.

The #huntforahero awards (spontaneously named by Claire Pullan as we walked down Gawler Place one night) will release online the names of six incredible locals who are, well, .... just bloody inspiring! Getting up in the middle of the night, helping families when everything else is broken and often just being there for strangers. Most of us are just too selfish to this and can't stretch ourselves there - but thank goodness these kind folk do.

Through the hard work of everyone in the Foundation we have collected sponsorship dollars and with support from a load of local businesses and people we have kept doing what we're passionate about.

Thank you to Discovery Parks, SWEAT, the MCBI Team, the 60MOCHers and our Gold Sponsor Hillross for helping us to create an awards package that is pretty darn amazing.

But it is the whole 'bigger' picture that makes it perfect now - from the lit up board on the top of SA Power Network (thanks to Michelle Peterson), to the Bunnings BBQ (Thanks Andy Watson, Jonathan Teubner and Rupesh for sausage cooking..) to the generous support of the MCBI #60MOChers and deep patience as we tried to figure out tax receipts with Xero .... ;)

You all have your finger prints on this!

And now we prepare for a big 2020 - we're already getting inquiries and our amazing and professional Board are showing how top teams really work. Planning, support and enthusiasm dominate the meetings - nothing else. Decent people who just getting stuff done and creating joy along the way.

This article has no real meaning other than a rambling message among some weird stuff I find on Linked In about all sorts of cringing stuff we all do from Monday to Friday.

But I guess from a rough linkage point of view ....

If you have an idea to help then just do it. Don't wait and get cynical with shitty people - instead share an umbrella, smile at a stranger, turn up, say thanks to the bus driver and firmly shut people down when they gossip about 'do-gooders' creeps in ... change the subject if need be or walk away and send a message you're better than that - because most of us.

Don't wait for 'the government' to do something (we assign too much authority to them as it is!) and just use your own time like it is the most precious resource you will ever have.

Because it is .....

Follow us online and watch the awards on Facebook this Thursday

Become a sponsor - yes, we're rattling the tin for 2020 ... :) www.hfgf.org.au