I have been homeless I’ve been hungry many years ago when I was living in
many years ago when I was living in
many years ago when I was living in Israel I was homeless for about three
Israel I was homeless for about three
Israel I was homeless for about three months not the kind of homeless where
months not the kind of homeless where
months not the kind of homeless where you live in a cardboard box on the
you live in a cardboard box on the
you live in a cardboard box on the street another kind of insidious form of
street another kind of insidious form of
street another kind of insidious form of homelessness a very common form of
homelessness a very common form of
homelessness a very common form of homelessness the kind of homelessness
homelessness the kind of homelessness
homelessness the kind of homelessness where you couch-surf or you hope someone
where you couch-surf or you hope someone
where you couch-surf or you hope someone takes you home from the bar or you hope
takes you home from the bar or you hope
takes you home from the bar or you hope that you can break in somewhere or sneak
that you can break in somewhere or sneak
that you can break in somewhere or sneak in somewhere I said I was hungry I
in somewhere I said I was hungry I
in somewhere I said I was hungry I didn’t know where my next meal is coming
didn’t know where my next meal is coming
didn’t know where my next meal is coming from and so I became intimately familiar
from and so I became intimately familiar
from and so I became intimately familiar with food insecurity or the anxiety that
with food insecurity or the anxiety that
with food insecurity or the anxiety that comes from not knowing where your next
comes from not knowing where your next
comes from not knowing where your next meal is going to come from when I was a
meal is going to come from when I was a
meal is going to come from when I was a case manager a lot of my colleagues and
case manager a lot of my colleagues and
case manager a lot of my colleagues and I were experiencing problems connecting
I were experiencing problems connecting
I were experiencing problems connecting our clients to local food pantries and
our clients to local food pantries and
our clients to local food pantries and it wasn’t the pantries fault the pantry
it wasn’t the pantries fault the pantry
it wasn’t the pantries fault the pantry is when they connect to food banks which
is when they connect to food banks which
is when they connect to food banks which are higher than food pantries all of a
are higher than food pantries all of a
are higher than food pantries all of a sudden have to follow a lot of rules
sudden have to follow a lot of rules
sudden have to follow a lot of rules imposed on them by the USDA by the FDA
imposed on them by the USDA by the FDA
imposed on them by the USDA by the FDA by federal regulation state regulations
by federal regulation state regulations
by federal regulation state regulations local regulations and so all of a sudden
local regulations and so all of a sudden
local regulations and so all of a sudden what should be a very simple basic maybe
what should be a very simple basic maybe
what should be a very simple basic maybe radical concept feed the hungry becomes
radical concept feed the hungry becomes
radical concept feed the hungry becomes incredibly complicated folks need ID
incredibly complicated folks need ID
incredibly complicated folks need ID they need documentation they have to be
they need documentation they have to be
they need documentation they have to be from in-state they have to be within
from in-state they have to be within
from in-state they have to be within their county a certain distance from
their county a certain distance from
their county a certain distance from their homes they can only go on certain
their homes they can only go on certain
their homes they can only go on certain days of the week maybe it’s not open on
days of the week maybe it’s not open on
days of the week maybe it’s not open on weekends maybe they have three jobs and
weekends maybe they have three jobs and
weekends maybe they have three jobs and they’re just not being paid enough and I
they’re just not being paid enough and I
they’re just not being paid enough and I started to think about my own struggles
started to think about my own struggles
started to think about my own struggles when I was homeless trying to get food
when I was homeless trying to get food
when I was homeless trying to get food and work within the system and make sure
and work within the system and make sure
and work within the system and make sure that I had the right amount of paperwork
that I had the right amount of paperwork
that I had the right amount of paperwork and I expanded my thought process to
and I expanded my thought process to
and I expanded my thought process to think about those who were disabled or
think about those who were disabled or
think about those who were disabled or are disabled or those who might have
are disabled or those who might have
are disabled or those who might have three children or those who are elderly
three children or those who are elderly
three children or those who are elderly or may not have an easy route to get
or may not have an easy route to get
or may not have an easy route to get from their house to the food pantry
from their house to the food pantry
from their house to the food pantry because maybe while it’s really close if
because maybe while it’s really close if
because maybe while it’s really close if you have a car it might be an eight-hour
you have a car it might be an eight-hour
you have a car it might be an eight-hour bus drive and what if you have two kids
bus drive and what if you have two kids
bus drive and what if you have two kids you have to take along those are two
you have to take along those are two
you have to take along those are two extra bus fares
extra bus fares
extra bus fares and I thought about how poor I’ve been
and I thought about how poor I’ve been
and I thought about how poor I’ve been and sometimes I’m still that poor and I
and sometimes I’m still that poor and I
and sometimes I’m still that poor and I don’t have that kind of bus fare and
don’t have that kind of bus fare and
don’t have that kind of bus fare and being a postmodern solutions focused
being a postmodern solutions focused
being a postmodern solutions focused soon to be graduate master social worker
soon to be graduate master social worker
soon to be graduate master social worker I wanted to do something about it so I
I wanted to do something about it so I
I wanted to do something about it so I thought okay well my gonna write my
thought okay well my gonna write my
thought okay well my gonna write my senator who didn’t really seem pragmatic
senator who didn’t really seem pragmatic
senator who didn’t really seem pragmatic didn’t really seem like was gonna do a
didn’t really seem like was gonna do a
didn’t really seem like was gonna do a lot thought about a Facebook poll and
lot thought about a Facebook poll and
lot thought about a Facebook poll and probably also not something that’s gonna
probably also not something that’s gonna
probably also not something that’s gonna change the world
change the world
change the world overnight or provide solutions for my
overnight or provide solutions for my
overnight or provide solutions for my clients and I thought back to my
clients and I thought back to my
clients and I thought back to my training and I determined that the only
training and I determined that the only
training and I determined that the only way I was going to change someone else’s
way I was going to change someone else’s
way I was going to change someone else’s behavior was by changing my own and so
behavior was by changing my own and so
behavior was by changing my own and so with some friends we decided to open our
with some friends we decided to open our
with some friends we decided to open our own food pantry and not connect to local
own food pantry and not connect to local
own food pantry and not connect to local food banks and I’m very thankful that
food banks and I’m very thankful that
food banks and I’m very thankful that all of the initial food gnomes are here
all of the initial food gnomes are here
all of the initial food gnomes are here in the audience tonight so for those of
in the audience tonight so for those of
in the audience tonight so for those of you who don’t know food gnomes is
you who don’t know food gnomes is
you who don’t know food gnomes is Western New York’s one question asked
Western New York’s one question asked
Western New York’s one question asked mobile food pantry and our only question
mobile food pantry and our only question
mobile food pantry and our only question is are you hungry and if the answer is
is are you hungry and if the answer is
is are you hungry and if the answer is yes we feed you it’s a very radical
yes we feed you it’s a very radical
yes we feed you it’s a very radical concept what makes us very special
concept what makes us very special
concept what makes us very special though is we don’t have a bank account
though is we don’t have a bank account
though is we don’t have a bank account we don’t accept any kind of financial
we don’t accept any kind of financial
we don’t accept any kind of financial contributions and what happened was is
contributions and what happened was is
contributions and what happened was is we had this idea okay I pitched it to my
we had this idea okay I pitched it to my
we had this idea okay I pitched it to my friends all right let’s make a mobile
friends all right let’s make a mobile
friends all right let’s make a mobile food pantry we’re gonna do this on my
food pantry we’re gonna do this on my
food pantry we’re gonna do this on my own all right let’s go do this and all
own all right let’s go do this and all
own all right let’s go do this and all right you have an idea and then I
right you have an idea and then I
right you have an idea and then I realized that I have no money graduate
realized that I have no money graduate
realized that I have no money graduate student what are we gonna how we’re
student what are we gonna how we’re
student what are we gonna how we’re going to start a 501c3 unfortunately the
going to start a 501c3 unfortunately the
going to start a 501c3 unfortunately the answer came to us from our friends at
answer came to us from our friends at
answer came to us from our friends at the IRS because they can’t be friendly
the IRS because they can’t be friendly
the IRS because they can’t be friendly and it turns out that if you’re not
and it turns out that if you’re not
and it turns out that if you’re not bringing in more than five thousand
bringing in more than five thousand
bringing in more than five thousand dollars you’re an unincorporated
dollars you’re an unincorporated
dollars you’re an unincorporated not-for-profit and you don’t have to
not-for-profit and you don’t have to
not-for-profit and you don’t have to file paperwork and I said great we’re
file paperwork and I said great we’re
file paperwork and I said great we’re not raising any money so we don’t go
not raising any money so we don’t go
not raising any money so we don’t go file any paperwork but we could be a
file any paperwork but we could be a
file any paperwork but we could be a thing and that’s wonderful and so all
thing and that’s wonderful and so all
thing and that’s wonderful and so all the sudden we had volunteers we had a
the sudden we had volunteers we had a
the sudden we had volunteers we had a some kind of business structure that the
some kind of business structure that the
some kind of business structure that the IRS said was cool and then we went out
IRS said was cool and then we went out
IRS said was cool and then we went out to the community and we found this
to the community and we found this
to the community and we found this incredible church to house our food
incredible church to house our food
incredible church to house our food pantry for free and we found two other
pantry for free and we found two other
pantry for free and we found two other people in West Seneca who donated their
people in West Seneca who donated their
people in West Seneca who donated their basement so all of a sudden we had
basement so all of a sudden we had
basement so all of a sudden we had volunteers we had a location we had an
volunteers we had a location we had an
volunteers we had a location we had an idea we had a concept we had a business
idea we had a concept we had a business
idea we had a concept we had a business forum
forum
forum and then I realized that I had no idea
and then I realized that I had no idea
and then I realized that I had no idea how to run a food pantry at all slightly
how to run a food pantry at all slightly
how to run a food pantry at all slightly problematic
problematic
problematic fortunately the UB School of Social Work
fortunately the UB School of Social Work
fortunately the UB School of Social Work provided the answer at the UB School of
provided the answer at the UB School of
provided the answer at the UB School of Social Work to my understanding it’s the
Social Work to my understanding it’s the
Social Work to my understanding it’s the only school in the United States perhaps
only school in the United States perhaps
only school in the United States perhaps the entire world where we have a
the entire world where we have a
the entire world where we have a trauma-informed human rights perspective
trauma-informed human rights perspective
trauma-informed human rights perspective built into every single course in our
built into every single course in our
built into every single course in our program and that’s really special so a
program and that’s really special so a
program and that’s really special so a trauma-informed approach means that we
trauma-informed approach means that we
trauma-informed approach means that we recognize the inherent inequalities that
recognize the inherent inequalities that
recognize the inherent inequalities that exist when clients are trying to
exist when clients are trying to
exist when clients are trying to interact with the social services
interact with the social services
interact with the social services systems and we try to mitigate them what
systems and we try to mitigate them what
systems and we try to mitigate them what it also means is we recognize that when
it also means is we recognize that when
it also means is we recognize that when clients are seeking services or they’re
clients are seeking services or they’re
clients are seeking services or they’re coming to us for help
coming to us for help
coming to us for help they generally have experienced some
they generally have experienced some
they generally have experienced some kind of trauma in their life whether it
kind of trauma in their life whether it
kind of trauma in their life whether it was like my trauma where I was homeless
was like my trauma where I was homeless
was like my trauma where I was homeless and had food insecurity or if it’s a
and had food insecurity or if it’s a
and had food insecurity or if it’s a domestic violence survivor who had to
domestic violence survivor who had to
domestic violence survivor who had to flee their abuser and maybe they weren’t
flee their abuser and maybe they weren’t
flee their abuser and maybe they weren’t able to grab snacks and all of a sudden
able to grab snacks and all of a sudden
able to grab snacks and all of a sudden they’re trying to figure out what
they’re trying to figure out what
they’re trying to figure out what they’re going to do next and they have
they’re going to do next and they have
they’re going to do next and they have children to feed and they may need some
children to feed and they may need some
children to feed and they may need some formula or whatever traumas might have
formula or whatever traumas might have
formula or whatever traumas might have gone on in someone’s life and so we
gone on in someone’s life and so we
gone on in someone’s life and so we recognize that anyone who might need
recognize that anyone who might need
recognize that anyone who might need services has probably been through
services has probably been through
services has probably been through something and we have a lot of fund a
something and we have a lot of fund a
something and we have a lot of fund a tional principles that help us
tional principles that help us
tional principles that help us understand our clients but probably one
understand our clients but probably one
understand our clients but probably one of the most important things is that we
of the most important things is that we
of the most important things is that we recognize that our clients are the
recognize that our clients are the
recognize that our clients are the experts on themselves and their own
experts on themselves and their own
experts on themselves and their own lives so I realize that while I may not
lives so I realize that while I may not
lives so I realize that while I may not know how to run a food pantry let alone
know how to run a food pantry let alone
know how to run a food pantry let alone a mobile one my clients the clients that
a mobile one my clients the clients that
a mobile one my clients the clients that we wanted to serve probably had a really
we wanted to serve probably had a really
we wanted to serve probably had a really good idea of how they wanted a mobile
good idea of how they wanted a mobile
good idea of how they wanted a mobile food pantry run they probably had a very
food pantry run they probably had a very
food pantry run they probably had a very good idea of how they wanted to be
good idea of how they wanted to be
good idea of how they wanted to be treated they probably had a great idea
treated they probably had a great idea
treated they probably had a great idea of what they wanted to see in a mobile
of what they wanted to see in a mobile
of what they wanted to see in a mobile food pantry and so we collaborated with
food pantry and so we collaborated with
food pantry and so we collaborated with them we asked them hey what do you want
them we asked them hey what do you want
them we asked them hey what do you want and they told us and we’ve changed our
and they told us and we’ve changed our
and they told us and we’ve changed our model 15 20 25 times based on that kind
model 15 20 25 times based on that kind
model 15 20 25 times based on that kind of feedback now does it mean that we’ve
of feedback now does it mean that we’ve
of feedback now does it mean that we’ve gotten every single thing right poor
gotten every single thing right poor
gotten every single thing right poor absolutely not we have made tons of
absolutely not we have made tons of
absolutely not we have made tons of mistakes and we’ve learned from them but
mistakes and we’ve learned from them but
mistakes and we’ve learned from them but they’ve been incredible learning
they’ve been incredible learning
they’ve been incredible learning experiences and part of our food gnome
experiences and part of our food gnome
experiences and part of our food gnome philosophy is we do the best we can and
philosophy is we do the best we can and
philosophy is we do the best we can and that’s really important because if we
that’s really important because if we
that’s really important because if we took this all-or-nothing
took this all-or-nothing
took this all-or-nothing and we said okay we’re only going to go
and we said okay we’re only going to go
and we said okay we’re only going to go out once everything’s perfect we’d feed
out once everything’s perfect we’d feed
out once everything’s perfect we’d feed no one on any given weekend when we go
no one on any given weekend when we go
no one on any given weekend when we go out into the community we can feed
out into the community we can feed
out into the community we can feed upwards of 50 to 60 families with no
upwards of 50 to 60 families with no
upwards of 50 to 60 families with no financial contributions based entirely
financial contributions based entirely
financial contributions based entirely on donations with the model that we’ve
on donations with the model that we’ve
on donations with the model that we’ve created but some weekends we may only be
created but some weekends we may only be
created but some weekends we may only be able to feed five families and we don’t
able to feed five families and we don’t
able to feed five families and we don’t view that as a loss because we’ve fed
view that as a loss because we’ve fed
view that as a loss because we’ve fed five families who otherwise might not
five families who otherwise might not
five families who otherwise might not have been fed if we took this
have been fed if we took this
have been fed if we took this all-or-nothing black-or-white
all-or-nothing black-or-white
all-or-nothing black-or-white approach and so we like to learn from
approach and so we like to learn from
approach and so we like to learn from our clients we have to learn from these
our clients we have to learn from these
our clients we have to learn from these experiences because all or nothing is
experiences because all or nothing is
experiences because all or nothing is the killer of great ideas and incredible
the killer of great ideas and incredible
the killer of great ideas and incredible dreams and we were trying to come up
dreams and we were trying to come up
dreams and we were trying to come up with our general philosophy I look back
with our general philosophy I look back
with our general philosophy I look back to my own faith I’m Jewish I exist to
to my own faith I’m Jewish I exist to
to my own faith I’m Jewish I exist to live in the Jewish community here in
live in the Jewish community here in
live in the Jewish community here in Buffalo and my faith has a principle
Buffalo and my faith has a principle
Buffalo and my faith has a principle called tikkun olam and takuna along with
called tikkun olam and takuna along with
called tikkun olam and takuna along with repairing of the world and that doesn’t
repairing of the world and that doesn’t
repairing of the world and that doesn’t mean that you do it with one grandiose
mean that you do it with one grandiose
mean that you do it with one grandiose act in your life or with billions of
act in your life or with billions of
act in your life or with billions of dollars
dollars
dollars what tikkun olam means is that you
what tikkun olam means is that you
what tikkun olam means is that you conduct millions if not billions of
conduct millions if not billions of
conduct millions if not billions of individual micro acts every single day
individual micro acts every single day
individual micro acts every single day of your life in the hopes that you leave
of your life in the hopes that you leave
of your life in the hopes that you leave whatever place you’re in slightly better
whatever place you’re in slightly better
whatever place you’re in slightly better than when you found it right now I’m
than when you found it right now I’m
than when you found it right now I’m finishing my clinical field placement at
finishing my clinical field placement at
finishing my clinical field placement at Buffalo State College Counseling Center
Buffalo State College Counseling Center
Buffalo State College Counseling Center and before I close tonight I want to
and before I close tonight I want to
and before I close tonight I want to share with you something that I learned
share with you something that I learned
share with you something that I learned there my mentors there have been
there my mentors there have been
there my mentors there have been incredible and one of the things that
incredible and one of the things that
incredible and one of the things that they’ve taught me is to never let a
they’ve taught me is to never let a
they’ve taught me is to never let a client leave without having something
client leave without having something
client leave without having something tangible in their hands so tonight here
tangible in their hands so tonight here
tangible in their hands so tonight here at TEDx Buffalo we’re launching
at TEDx Buffalo we’re launching
at TEDx Buffalo we’re launching something an international initiative so
something an international initiative so
something an international initiative so we’d like you to leave with something
we’d like you to leave with something
we’d like you to leave with something tangible first we’re providing you with
tangible first we’re providing you with
tangible first we’re providing you with something called gnomes net org so we’re
something called gnomes net org so we’re
something called gnomes net org so we’re inviting you to become your own gnome to
inviting you to become your own gnome to
inviting you to become your own gnome to start your own gnome cell nationally
start your own gnome cell nationally
start your own gnome cell nationally internationally locally and we’re
internationally locally and we’re
internationally locally and we’re providing with our entire training
providing with our entire training
providing with our entire training manual we’re also providing with an
manual we’re also providing with an
manual we’re also providing with an opportunity connect with the gnomes
opportunity connect with the gnomes
opportunity connect with the gnomes throughout the United States and
throughout the United States and
throughout the United States and throughout the world for those who are
throughout the world for those who are
throughout the world for those who are here in Buffalo we’re also providing you
here in Buffalo we’re also providing you
here in Buffalo we’re also providing you with something special gnomes guide org
with something special gnomes guide org
with something special gnomes guide org currently at 61 pages it contains almost
currently at 61 pages it contains almost
currently at 61 pages it contains almost every single social service provider and
every single social service provider and
every single social service provider and program
program
program in western New York so whether you’re a
in western New York so whether you’re a
in western New York so whether you’re a doctor a nurse a community health worker
doctor a nurse a community health worker
doctor a nurse a community health worker a frontline worker or someone who just
a frontline worker or someone who just
a frontline worker or someone who just has a friend in need whether it’s
has a friend in need whether it’s
has a friend in need whether it’s looking for a clothing closet job
looking for a clothing closet job
looking for a clothing closet job resources a domestic violence shelter or
resources a domestic violence shelter or
resources a domestic violence shelter or counseling you’ll be able to find it
counseling you’ll be able to find it
counseling you’ll be able to find it there and what’s special is that you
there and what’s special is that you
there and what’s special is that you yourselves can update it in real time
yourselves can update it in real time
yourselves can update it in real time and you don’t need any help from us you
and you don’t need any help from us you
and you don’t need any help from us you don’t need to create a login all you
don’t need to create a login all you
don’t need to create a login all you have to do is tap it with your phone and
have to do is tap it with your phone and
have to do is tap it with your phone and our team of editors will check whatever
our team of editors will check whatever
our team of editors will check whatever you’re sending to us and within 24 hours
you’re sending to us and within 24 hours
you’re sending to us and within 24 hours it will go live
it will go live
it will go live so in closing whether you’re gnome cell
so in closing whether you’re gnome cell
so in closing whether you’re gnome cell is giving out glasses helping repair
is giving out glasses helping repair
is giving out glasses helping repair clothing connecting lonely people with
clothing connecting lonely people with
clothing connecting lonely people with new friends whether you’re a gnome cell
new friends whether you’re a gnome cell
new friends whether you’re a gnome cell is providing food or something totally
is providing food or something totally
is providing food or something totally creative that none of us have ever
creative that none of us have ever
creative that none of us have ever thought of yet I invite you to be
thought of yet I invite you to be
thought of yet I invite you to be gnome-like
gnome-like
gnome-like to be positively mischievious I invite
to be positively mischievious I invite
to be positively mischievious I invite you to tear down walls and to build
you to tear down walls and to build
you to tear down walls and to build longer tables and to go out and to
longer tables and to go out and to
longer tables and to go out and to change the world
change the world
change the world Buffalo thank you so much it has been an
Buffalo thank you so much it has been an
Buffalo thank you so much it has been an honor and a pleasure good night
”
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