Dear Family, Friends, and Fellow Good Starters,
After a multi day battle, my heart has won the internal war of thoughts with my head. A couple of days ago, I found myself in the privileged position of having a good job offer on the table at home with family and friends while people down south are in the middle of the worst disaster in the history of the US, and Irma is heading towards Florida.
My Taurus head, the part of me that loves money, comfort, security, and life according to plan was fighting for me to take the job and settle in to what the world has come to expect of me, the Old American Dream. It works for some people, but since my time in post-Katrina New Orleans and the Philippines, my life is the size of a backpack, full of dreams and with a network of disaster knowledge. With that great freedom and knowledge comes great responsibility to do better. We can strive to create a more compassionate world if we find it within ourselves to go beyond the status quo and start to put our hearts where our money has always been.
So my head is taking the back seat and my heart will test drive this idea down towards Houston with the biggest vehicle(s) we can get our hands on. The plan is to take all the people, supplies and loving support of family, friends and strangers we can muster, then stop in major hubs along the way to pick up more creating a snowballing chain of supply. On the way we will talk with local agencies to find a place for all of our people and any goods we received. With any luck we will coordinate with the existing efforts to boost those around us by listening, planting some seeds of good, and growing a bigger vision as a nonprofit Uber for disaster response (even though we will be learning on the go like everyone else).
I'm sure this sounds crazy but I hope the this will resonate with some of you. Why? Because to hell with the "real world" as it is. It's time to take action, leap into the abyss and trust this will work out for the the greater good. With any luck your contribution will help spark something, even help some people along the way. All that's left to do is be vulnerable, is spread the sails of our soul and trust each other to be the headwind in the right direction. I hope you are coming along for the ride.
Much Love,
Ryan and The Disaster Hearts Team
P.S.
-Anyone in the Cleveland Area who wishes to contribute supplies directly please contact me at [email protected] According to local sources, the best current supplies are canned goods such as veggies and proteins, nutrient rich dry good foods, formula, diapers, household items such as towels, paper towels, cleaning supplies bug spray .Once we are up and running a map will be forthcoming with pick ups spots along the route.
-Also for anyone who has skills as a web guru, social or graphic mediates, or anything else for that matter and wants to pitch in, please reach out.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-tascar-b094592b/
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