RAOK: Random Acts of Kindness
CLICK HERE: THE SPIRIT OF RAOK (WORTH the wait for download)
11/11/2005
ANJIE is a Social Worker by trade, and although she has "retired" from being a gov't worker she continues to be an advocate for helping those in need. Here is our page dedicated to helping others while helping yourself!
***celebrate RAOK anytime you can!!!!!!!!!
I get the best feeling when I give someone a free coupon in the grocery store,
pay someone's toll behind me or just give someone an unexpected hand. My
DH and Kelly also do RAOK very frequently and many people also do RAOK for me as
well. Here are some ideas to get you started!!!!
The Official Save the Children Site
WHAT IS RAOK?
RAOK are simple or complex gestures of goodwill and happiness that one gives or participates in to make another happy. the act is RANDOM in that the recipient is a stranger, therefore making this unsuspecting person happier for a moment in time or a lifetime..... ya neva know......
Random acts of kindness (not sure how this is supposed to be pronounced)....... but I like to think of it as "ARE ALL OK?" we know that answer is NO and doing a RAOK makes an impact, I promise!
RAOK is NOT just a kind act to someone YOU KNOW it is Random in that the person is NOT EXPECTING kindness from a STRANGER, in our world, we have become to expect acts of kindness that have strings attached, only from friends, neighbors and family.... RAOK are sometimes done anonymously, but other times you may just make a friend!
SUGGESTIONS on WHO you could offer a RAOK to:
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another customer in line at the grocery store, dept store or restaurant
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your mailman, hair dresser, etc (people who give you services)
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EBAY packages: add a gift or a thank you
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military
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BOOKS: read below under links
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your local area residents may NEED your unwanteds (read below under links)
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FELLOW FREELANCERS: join our forum, we have a RAOK area there!
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When I was a single parent, living in subsidized housing project with a two year old, I didn't have the money to have much of a Christmas and certainly no money to "decorate". This was before I taught myself to be a freelancer! I was only 21 and this probably motivated me as much as anything to FIND A WAY to live lavishly on a frugal budget! I was working at a Portrait Studio and of course we were SWAMPED because it was the SEASON to get family photos, first christmas photos etc...........and working long hours. I came home from picking up my daughter from the babysitters house, tired and not really a "happy" person. I walked thru the hall and noticed that EVERYONE had put their decorations out while I was gone! Lights , wreathes, doormats etc.........which was beautiful but reminded me that I couldn't do this at the same time. When I got to my door there was a handmade wreath on my door, no note, no nothing.......but was made of cellophane and candy ..........then I noticed EVERYONES door had a handmade wreath of some sort on it......ALL DIFFERENT KINDS............A SANTA had made sure that our 8 doors.........in the projects looked BEAUTIFUL !!!!!!!!!!!!!
I will always remember this very kind gesture.........no thanks were needed for this person, was done anonomously and I know the JOY that it brought to me and I only hope that the joy this SANTA got in doing it surpassed mine, because I know they are an ANGEL that deserves it!
I told myself then that if I ever got out of my situation EVERY CHRISTMAS I would work to make sure at least one person had a MERRIER CHRISTMAS because of me..........ya know..........the PASS IT ON theory.........it works! :)
SOME RECENT RAOKS that happened to ME!
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a NON member of Freelancebyu sent me a $10 donation via paypal, stating she wanted to help someone who helped others..... RAOK sent me her mystery shopping check $ towards my daughter's tuition! I was very touched and surprised about this wonderful and thoughtful RAOK
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I took one of Kelly's friends to breakfast one morning, thinking I was going to do something NICE for someone else!.... much to my surprise at the register a gentleman in line took my bill from my hand and said "have a nice day" I was STUNNED, and said "HUH" (charming isn't it?) and he said, I have your check, I will be awhile so go on now, have a great day! WOW I was shocked in disbelief!
SOME RECENT and RECURRING ROAK that I participate(d) in:
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Military: via snail mail, email and in the grocery store uniformed military (paid for their groceries)
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Locally: Freecycling also sharing herbs, veggies etc with freecyclers that come by and neighbors too
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Coupons: share coupons in grocery stores to people, on products and in drop off bins
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Dept. Store: mother w/ children in store having to put items back due to lack of money (was short $15) I told her leave them, and paid the difference (she was putting back things for HERSELF (personal health & beauty items)
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YARDSALE: day after yard sale left many FREE items in the yard gave away TONS of stuff was FUN!
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BOX MAN: bottled water, soda, hotdog, etc........ at least 2x a year
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Post Office: I ALWAYS get free magazines and leave many of them w/o my address on them of course in the post office on the counter for someone else to enjoy
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School Supplies: sent a bag of school supplies to local school (get them free after rebate) for someone who may not can afford supplies for their child
FREELANCEBYU SUCCESSES!
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Freelancebyu POSTCARD to soldier drive was a SUCCESS, captain Karl Leonard presented many to his platoon at "muster" in CUBA these postcards and postage were FREE VIA AMAZING MAIL
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SUPPORTING OUR TROOPS OVERSEAS: Military Troops in AFGHANISTAN sent Toiletries and pick me ups...........freelancer, DIANE & others Hi Angie! I just wanted to drop you a line and THANK YOU so much for your help. The boxes have started coming to our deployed location and we are so excited! The girls and I sit together and go through the goodies (toiletries) and decide what we need and what the fellas would enjoy. We want to thank everyone for supporting us!!!!!!! I will be sending out thank you cards to the individuals who sent, but I wanted to publicly thank as well. We are very grateful for everyone's kindness. We don't feel like were out here so alone! Also thanks for the kids letters, drawings, and pictures! We will write them ALL back! You are a blessing Angie! Military Freelancer Diane-- SEE PICTURE HERE
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SUPPORTING EACH OTHER: Many freelancers support each other thru the Secret program, FRIENDSHIP, RAOK, sharing coupons, gifts & love when someone needs it! Read the newsletter for many examples of the warmth and giving that we have right here at freelancebyu the CREAM OF THE CROP! Here is but just one example of our successful support CLICK HERE
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Annual Adoption of family for holidays, and many other donations to various non profit organizations as the need arises including: battered women shelters, american red cross, united way, good will, salvation army, D.S.S., wildlife preservation and rescue, 9-11 fund and others OPERATION SANTA was a huge success!
INFO ABOUT OPERATION SANTA 2002 ABOUT OPERATION SANTA 2003RESULTS OF OPERATION SANTA 2002 lettersRESULTS OF OPERATION SANTA 2003 letters
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THANK YOUR BOXMAN: at least 2x a year we sponsor a THANK YOUR BOXMAN (mailman/ups) day! Freelancers leave "goodies" in the mailbox to thank the person that fills their mailboxes! Bottled Water, GC, thank you cards etc.
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FREELANCER, MOTHERHEN aka LOUISE passes out candycanes each year during the Christmas holidays! She buys a basket of small candy canes and wishes RANDOM shoppers a MERRY CHRISTMAS with a SWEET! Louise encourages other freelancers to do the same!
HELP FREELANCERS:
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freelancer, Lorrie requests you to visit her site, her son DAWSON has a terminal illness and she is raising money in a variety of ways to find a CURE for his disease, hopefully before it is too late. Please give Lorrie your patronage, she isn't asking for donations just your support and your patronage thru the different avenues she is developing for profit including ebay listings if you would like to make a make a donation in Dawson's name HERE . They will let me know someone has made a donation for him. It doesn't have to be much...just the fact that someone would care at all for a child she doesn't even know is really very touching
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STAY AT HOME or WORK AT HOME MOMS make ends meet thru EBAY.........check out our EBAYING FREELANCERS and SUPPORT their efforts!
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BE AN OPERATION SANTA ELF! details will be in the newsletter
LINKS:
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BOOKS JUST WANT TO BE FREE: love this site and the concept! great idea for your books that have been read! GIVE them to a stranger and maybe make a new friend!
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Modest Needs a site to REQUEST or GIVE help to those with modest need
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ADOPT A SOLDIER this is a great idea for our soldiers in Afghanistan............and with 9-11 quickly approaching quite appropriate............you write letters and send home made goodies to a soldier and make a new friend............I will share with you that one of the BEST things my middle daughter did was this type of thing during the GULF WAR.............she had a very positive experience (at age 10) corresponding with him, sending him freebies and such that I rec'd...........and also he sent her a SAUDI dollar and a snickers wrapper (different language) and post cards that she continues to cherish..............just a thought it really didn't cost me much being a FREELANCER from way back but it was a PRICELESS experience! :)
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VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME volunteers of America website.......plenty of opportunity
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VOLUNTEER SOLUTIONS........connecting people with opportunity
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SHARE PROGRAM: check your local phone book for opportunities.....you get FOOD for very FRUGAL prices for volunteering a few hours of time, you CHOOSE the organization you would like to volunteer for. You can volunteer ANYWHERE in your community as long as you are not paid......schools, churches etc.
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FREECYCLE: GIVE YOUR UNWANTEDS to those that WANT them in your local area! I just started a (click this link to join) POWHATAN CHAPTER that you may be interested in if you are LOCAL! If you are not local GO HERE ....... if you don't find your town listed start your own FREECYCLE GROUP! we want new members whose favorite four letter word is F*R*E*E! this is a GRASSROOTS movement to keep items OUT OF THE DUMP and into the hands of those that can use your discarded items! You can request items too! EVERYTHING from PARTS for items to PETS to BEDS what you have someone else can use!
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FREELANCER, TONYA shares these RAOK SITES on our FORUM
http://www.actsofkindness.org/
http://theraokgroup.com/
This is a transcript of the Oprah Winfrey show on RAOK: http://www.intouchmag.com/oprah.html
http://www.kindnessinc.org/directory.htm -
JOIN ME! thanx freelancer, TONYA for sharing this with us!
JOIN ME SITE " a bit of info about the RAOK MOVEMENT""The very moment I instructed my joinees to take to the streets and carry out Random Acts of Kindness for the benefit of strangers, in fact, they took to their task with determination and gusto. All over the country, little things were happening... little moments of joy in towns and cities across the land. Little events that were brightening up people's lives, even if it was only for a few seconds. Pints were being bought for strangers. Shopping was being carried. Cups of tea paid for. Boxes of chocolates handed out in the streets. Flowers deposited at old people's homes. Cakes left on doorsteps. Sure, none of these events was world-changing, but they were... well... life-affirming, somehow. Strangers being nice to strangers. For no reason whatsoever. And it continues to this very day. "
HELPING THE EASY WAY
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redeem coupons that also contribute to various charities
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boxtops and labels save them for schools (campells, GM cereal etc)
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EETANDERN enter codes and designate school for recieving points for equipment
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UKROPS golden gift program (rec'ts for charitable donations)
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BUY raffle tickets and fundraising items to support local teams & schools
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DONATE your FREEBIES that you don't need or use or give to someone you know can use them........ OR FREECYCLE THEM!
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SHARE A SMILE or a HUG........this is the easiest and warmest way to "make someone's day"
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SEND AN ECARD telling someone you appreciate them!
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oh yea..............use FREELANCEBYU links for shopping to support our site and efforts! :)
CLICK for HUMANITY: all you do is CLICK for a donation to be made
sign up at WARMBLANKETS.ORG plenty of opportunities for you to help!!!!!!! NEWSLETTER, PRAYER, VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES and more
WEBMASTERS: join the WEBRING to get in on RAOK!!!!!!!!!!!