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We've Got Time To Help
Today's show about people who have been unemployed for a long period of time — for some approaching the maximum 99 weeks — made us remember Seth Reams who we've had on our show in the past.
Two years ago he lost his job as a concierege at a downtown condo. The sudden unemployment left him depressed and discouraged — to the point that his girlfriend Michelle couldn't take it anymore. She told him to buck up and put his time to good effort. And thus We've Got Time to Help was born.
We've Got Time to Help is an all-volunteer effort matching the skills of unemployed people with unemployed people who need help. Here's how it's described on their website:
We are an ever growing group of (mostly) unemployed people that have found some extra time on our hands. We have vowed to use a little of that time to strengthen our communities and reconnect with our neighbors.
We do this by volunteering our time doing “immediate community service”. In other words, we don’t volunteer with the big non-profit organizations but rather stay in our own areas and try to help those in need near us. Whether it’s Mrs. Brown down the street with a roof that needs repairs or Mr. Smith across town that needs a wheelchair ramp built. Or, it could be as simple as helping an elderly or disabled person with some quick lawn care. There is no need too small or too grand. It doesn’t matter who asks us for help or what they need help with. We have all needed a hand up once in a while and we try to be there for others when a need arises.
We do not charge a dime for our services. The only payment that we ask for is for the person we help to pay it forward when the time comes. When they get back on their feet we simply ask that they help another.
We've Got Time to Help continued along fairly well here in Portland. And then Arianna Huffington of the Huffington Post got wind of the effort. She wrote about it online and then included the story in her new book. And suddenly it took off! Now there are chapters opening in state's across the country. And people from Portland to Poland are looking for ways to get involved. Seth explains:
Almost two years ago we started We’ve Got Time to Help and saying to each other, “I sure hope we can help a few people”. After a few months and many projects, our sentences became “I hope that we can help more people. I hope that maybe we can even open another WGTTH chapter in Oregon”. After many more months and many more projects we would say “I hope we can open chapters in other states”!
Now, thanks to the hard work of thousands of volunteers all over the country and all of the help from the Huffington Post, we now say “How long before we can open that chapter in Ireland”? Or, “What’s the timeline on the New York chapter”? You see, because hope is gone. We no longer hope that we can help people; we know we can. We no longer hope that we can open new chapters in new cities; we know we can. We no longer hope that we can change the world…well, you get the idea.
As We've Got Time to Help continues to grow, Seth and Michelle are also busy with another venture. They've begun their own business selling bird food. The company's called NePo Suet Company.
