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 > Sure.  First thing is the main 'work' is in organizing it all while
 > accepting what level of time folks have to donate to it.  Most of ours 
were
 > done via 'NextDoor' (a social networking site, limited mostly to within 5-
10
 > miles of you).  It's interesting because it really does create a 
'community
 > effect'.

 > What you do is catch wind of someone who needs help, then if they are
 > willing to accept it, let others know what piece of the project needs help
 > and see what comes back.  Critical is scoping it small enough to be in the
 > realm of the 'possible'.  You also have to control your frustration when
 > someone who didn't keep up with the thread, makes the 700'th suggestion 
for
 > some charity that's already been contacted (grin).  With Charlie, we just
 > started with 'get the man heat'.

 > That was the most critical portion.  The next step was to  find someone 
who
 > could repair a stove pipe for a large indoor wood burning stove.  I told
 > folks at the start, this would be on a shoe string budget but we just 
needed
 > to pay a handyman with a skill set close enough to get the new one he
 > already had, in place.  He'd have helpers.  We dug in youtube for how to 
do
 > it and a nice young man said he'd do it for 100$ plus parts.  He was just
 > starting out in the Handyman business so we all knew he was going well 
under
 > the 'going rate' but it would help another and hopefully get his name out
 > there (It worked, he did beautifully and folks started calling him with
 > jobs).  We started with a goal of 2,000.

 > At this stage, we needed about 200$ (Labor and parts), backpay a 900$ 10
 > year old electrical bill that for whatever reason, they would not waive,
 > 500$ for critical structural repairs, and 500$ worth of materials to get
 > just enough electricity rolling for 4 outlets.

 > Then I called for a working party to help clear stuff.  We had some 15
 > people (some kids but old enough to be helpful).  It took 2 days.  
Charlie's
 > not actually a hoader, he was just overwhelmed with donated 'stuff'.  
Would
 > have made a hell of a yardsale but it was bitter cold with off and on snow
 > so instead, we told folks that we set the best by the 3 donated dumpsters
 > but come get whatever they wanted.  Smile, folks knew what was up from
 > NextDoor posts and suddenly folks who 'took free stuff' started donating 
the
 > value they could afford to his go fund me account.  Yup, ammassed much 
more
 > so we up-ticked the project and had the whole house rewired, literally.
 > Every single wire was ripped out and replaced, mostly with donated
 > parts/wire, donated time from a local company that is highly respected as 
a
 > class A electrical.  (Smile, they do a worthy chairity a year and his was
 > it, not even tax deductable).

 > Then ceilings started to fall in (Drywall with older type nails, not 
current
 > spec screws).  We thought the livingroom would be first but instead it was
 > the 2nd bedroom, then 3rd bedroom and finally his master bedroom.
 > Livingroom held on for another 6 months.  One of the local charitys 
donated
 > 1,200 square feet of drywall.

 > A lot of the work was done during the nominal 'dead time' for these
 > handymen.

 > In the end, I literally do not know how many people were involved but it 
was
 > estimated, 500 or so was probably right, even if just with money or 
helping
 > find resources.  Grin, even got him a stove (he was using propane), a hot
 > water heater (can you imamgine 10 years without a hot bath in winter?) and
 > an extremely efficient mini-fridge.

 > Tip?  For this type, be kind and patient as folks seek to 'donate' all 
sorts
 > of stuff that can't be used like electric heaters or cooking related 
things
 > like blenders that he's never going to make enough money to afford the
 > electrical costs to use them.

 > Also, at the start ask folks who are referring to various charitys, that
 > they call them first to see if they are even still in business or are
 > limited in some way (like, only members of this specific church are
 > eligible).

 > It is a lot of work, but it's a really good feeling to get engaged and DO
 > something for others.

Thank you!
Sounds good! I'm already on Nextdoor for my local area. . .

Your friend,

<+]:{)}
Cyberpope, Bishop of ROM
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