Here is What They Do: Abundant Water Video

Abundant Water is HERE, in Lao PDR

Sunny Forsyth wanted to do something to make a difference, so he did.  An engineer and social entrepreneur based in Canberra, Australia, he started Abundant Water, which facilitates the transfer of the technology of ceramic water filters to village potters in Laos PDR.  A year ago, with seed funding from Canberra Rotary, he began working with Nou Kham, a Lao potter, to develop clay pot water filters which filter out pathogens to provide clean drinking water for people in this area.  Together, in this short time, they have not only adapted Lao pottery traditions to ceramic water filters, but have established a training facility where they are training potters to manufacture the filters themselves.  This enables them to return to their villages as micro-financed water-filter businesses.  Since Sunny is currently in Lao PDR, I spoke with Barbara Forsyth, one of the founders of Abundant Water (and Sunny's mom!), about how Abundant Water is making a HUGE difference.
  

Love and Water- What prompted Sunny to start Abundant Water?

Barbara Forsyth- Four years ago my son had a comfortable position as an engineer in the Public Service.  Life was very comfortable, but he felt as if something was missing.  He applied for the AYAD (Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development) program and spent a year working for an anti human trafficking organization in Laos.  The most satisfying part of that year was when he was personally and directly responsible for removing four women from sex slavery, finding them jobs, and setting them up for a new life.  This project was an overwhelming success and immensely satisfying, and he wanted to do more.  He talked to development veterans and the successful ones all shared the same wisdom- they said do small projects, think long term, focus on building relationships and work from understanding.  At that time he had formed a relationship with a remarkable Lao community in need of better water, and after many meetings had developed a deep mutual respect.  He and some friends formed a partnership with a local Lao NGO and approached the Australian Embassy for funds to build a small biogas methane digester to provide cooking gas for their hospital.  Working side by side with the local community project was a success.   After sharing his story with friends and strangers he noticed a very common response: everyone wants to make a difference. Many, many people wanted to be involved in the project, in some way or other. They all wanted to experience the satisfaction of directly helping someone who really needs it.  With nothing more than seed funding and volunteer pledges he returned to Laos to commence the pilot project.  Over the course of the year we have shown that a reliable filter can consistently be produced.  We now have volunteers contributing from every continent.  Now that we have shown that Lao potters can produce these filters it is time to get them out into the field and teaching Lao villagers to make and use their own. This is where the real benefit will be realized.

L&W- What would you say is the main driving force behind Abundant Water?


BF- I think that WHAT is the important word there.  For myself it is both the pressing need of the water situation and satisfying the inbuilt 'need' to do something good that I can be proud of.  So trying to address the needs of the critical water situation, step by step moving towards this concrete goal, is a way of making a contribution to society and fulfilling the personal need to make a difference.  Once people realize they have something to contribute and can connect it to contributing to the greater cause then they feel motivated.

L&W- What exactly does Abundant Water provide as an organization (the nuts and bolts of the organization)?

BF- Abundant Water provides an open source community that is facilitating training in water filter production so the end product is: filters, and more training.  The holy grail would be a filter training that is self replicating and perpetuating.

L&W- What is the most moving moment you've had so far with Abundant Water?

SF- For me, the success of our first fund-raising effort, the excellent attendance and generosity of those who attended, despite the fact that we are rank amateurs, was very moving.  For Sunny, in response to technical advice, Noukham (Abundant Water's pioneer potter) started to use a steel grate in the firing of the ceramic water filters.  When she saw this was successful, she introduced this technique into the production of the pots she makes for her livelihood.  This increased the quality and profitability of her pots.  At that point he started to realize how easy technology transfer could be if the motivations were already there anyway.  And for my husband, Stuart, the rate at which Abundant Water is developing in Lao PDR is very moving. An example of this is that Doug, a long time resident of Vientiane, has made his compound available for a training center.

L&W- What kind of awareness have you been able to raise through Social Media for Abundant Water?

BF- Quite a bit.  A few examples are the June 2009 Twitter Challenge Top10Causes, which @abundantwater reached third place (http://twitter.com/Top10Causes); in August 2009 Allianz Knowledge, which is a division of Allianz Insurance Group and focuses on Climate Change, Energy, Microfinance, Demographic Change, and Safety and Health, included Abundant Water in a media feature entitled "10 Ways to Address Water Scarcity" ( http://knowledge.allianz.com/en/media/galleries/water_supply_solutions.html); in September 2009 the Abundant Water Video is posted on The Water Channel 

L&W- What is the one message you would like young people to understand about Abundant Water?

BF- Sunny says that getting young people to believe they have something to contribute to the world and not to feel overwhelmed or hopeless but motivated to do something they feel moved to do is essential. I think that everyone wants to do something to make a difference but they usually talk themselves out of it. 

L&W- I think Abundant Water is an inspiration for people to take action.  Thanks so much.

Visit Abundant Water's site here: http://www.abundantwater.org/abundant/ 
Join the Facebook Fan Page here
Follow Abundant Water on Twitter here

Watch the Abundant Water Video here

Illustration Mundo: Amazing Site to Check Out For All Artists and Designers

To all artists and designers, if you haven't checked out Illustraion Mundo yet, now is the time!  This is an amazing online community for artists to showcase work and share with other artists from all over the world.  What we like best about it is how elegantly organized it is, which makes it very easy to navigate and to interact with others on.  Let us know what you think, and look for our interview with Nate, the creator of the site, coming up soon!


http://www.illustrationmundo.com/wp/

SMILE TRAIN!

Ten years ago Brian Mullaney decided to help some children in need of plastic surgery with the resources he had available to him.  Suddenly, he had created a new model for helping children with cleft lips and palates around the world, called Smile Train, which has now operated successfully on over 500,000 children.  His organization now saves lives on a daily basis by offering free surgeries to children who need it.  Last year, Megan Mylan shot a documentary about Smile Train's incredible work in India, called "Smile Pinki," which won the Academy Award.  I spoke with Alexis Thomas, head of Public Relations for Smile Train, to learn more about this truly moving organization.

Love and Water- Tell us how Smile Train came into existence.

Smile Train- Our president, Brian Mullaney, was riding the subway about ten years ago and saw a child with a huge mole on his face.  He was working for an ad agency at the time that represented a number of plastic surgeons.  He had the idea that maybe he could have one of the plastic surgeons he knew help this child by removing the mole.  He knew a number of them donated their time pro bono, so he began facilitating help to some children that way.  He eventually partnered with other organizations that helped children who needed surgeries on cleft lips and palates, and went on a Missionary trip to Vietnam as a result.  He met a child there- they called him "soccer boy"- who had a cleft lip.  Brian got to be good friends with the boy while he was there, but by the time he was getting ready to leave the little boy still had not received his surgery.  The Mission could only perform 150 surgeries out of the 600 children who needed them, and the little boy did not make the list.  Brian then decided he wanted to create a new model that was able to train local surgeons to perform this kind of surgery, and that's how Smile Train came about.

L&W- Can you talk about how the process of Smile Train works?

AT- A lot of countries have doctors who aren't able to perform surgery on a cleft lip or palate because they have either not been educated as part of their medical program, or the country lacks funding to teach them.  So Smile Train identifies surgeons worldwide and funds them to give them the training they need to learn this procedure.  We do the same for surgeons who aren't trained in plastic surgery, because the surgery is such a simple procedure that they can learn in no time how to do it, and then we have a bigger team of surgeons to work with.  This way, we have doctors working every day of the year performing surgeries for free to children whose families can't afford to have their cleft lip or palate fixed.

L&W- Can you explain what a cleft lip or palate is?

AT- It's a medical problem that occurs in pregnancy between the sixth and twelfth weeks of carrying the child.  We're not entirely sure what causes it, and there is a lot of research going on right now to find out more about it, but we believe it is a combination of genetics and malnutrition, among other things, that causes the top lip and/or palate to not fuse together.  It's so problematic for kids in developing countries because they can't get the nutrition they need- especially when they have a cleft palate- because they can't form a suction with their mouths.  A lot of people think it's just a cosmetic problem, but it goes much deeper than that.  Also, the cosmetic aspect is a problem as well, because kids are ostracized by others, including family members, and many can't go to school because they can't function properly. 

L&W- You were telling me about the Academy Award-Winning documentary made about Smile Train called "Smile Pinki," directed by Megan Mylan.  I've watched it and it's INCREDIBLY moving!  How can others see it?

AT- We give the DVD out for free for educational purposes, so if anyone wants it they can contact me and I'll send them one.

L&W- That's fantastic.  I'm sure you've had many, but what is one of the most moving experiences you've had so far with Smile Train?

AT- We recently found out that a soldier in Iraq, LT. Chuck Duggan, was patrolling his area right before Christmas and saw a young child with a cleft lip named Abdullah.  He contacted a number of organizations to try to get him help and ended up finding Smile Train.  Here is the original email he sent us:

Hello. My name is 2LT CHARLES DUGGAN. I am currently deployed to Baghdad Iraq. I am in command of a line unit here, and I deal with the local Populous on a daily basis.  I feel very strongly about what it is that my men and I do here.  I really want to make this area stable, and I do my part.  In my area of operations there is a child that has a cleft palate.  I see many small children that are being raised in poverty, however this one in particular has a problem in addition to living in these austere conditions.  If I could improve this one child's situation, I will feel as though I am succeeding at doing what I came here to do. I was wondering if you can help. I have pictures of the living conditions.  He is about 3 years old.  I know his father, and can go visit him later on this week.  Thank you for your time: LT CHUCK DUGGAN.

We put him in touch with one of our partner doctors in Iraq named Dr. Ahmed Nawres, and the child got surgery two days later.  Here is what Lt. Duggan wrote after Abduallah's surgery:

This is why I came to Iraq....
Abdullah's father called me just yesterday, and said that there were not enough words in any language to express how happy he is feeling right now.  He says that Abdullah gets very excited and jumps up and down when he sees an American Convoy drive by.  I'm very happy to do such a simple act, on my part.  I plan on visiting Abdullah, and his family in the near future in order to check on his progress, and ensure all is well.  I have to thank all of you who strive so hard to do this type of work, including Dr. Nawres.  This is a success story that I will cherish for my entire life. 
-LT.  CHUCK DUGGAN.

 

It's such a sweet story coming out of Iraq that touched me.  It's one of my favorites so far. 

L&W- That's one of the most touching stories I've heard so far.  On that note, is there anything else we should know about Smile Train?

AT- I think the beauty of what Smile Train does is that for such a small amount of money we're able to help so many children lead better lives.  On average, each surgery costs around $250.00.  So for that amount of money you know exactly what's happening.  It's a very tangible reward, because it changes children's lives. 

Visit Smile Train here: http://www.smiletrain.org/site/PageServer
Follow Smile Train on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/Smiletrain
Join their Facebook Fan Page here: Smile Train

Meet Cindy Papale, Breast Cancer Survivor and Author of "The Empty Cup Runneth Over"

Cindy Papale is a breast cancer survivor, board member of the Kristy Lasch Miracle Foundation and author of the bestselling book, "The Empty Cup Runneth Over."  She has the kind of energy that is intoxicating, which is probably how she has inspired countless women to educate themselves on breast cancer and breast health.  Her website is chalk-full of information and inspiration from every angle, and she is just getting started.  She has a second book and a movie in the works, all in the name of sharing her own story with others in order to educate and empower everyone about how to overcome breast cancer. 

Love and Water- Can you talk about how you decided to write "The Empty Cup Runneth Over?"

Cindy Papale- The Empty Cup Runneth Over was actually written from my heart after I finished lecturing at high schools and colleges.  The second year into lecturing one young girl came up to me after a talk and said she loved my talk and that she had taped it for her mother, and she suggested I write a book.  It had crossed my mind, but I wasn't sure how to put it together.  After thinking about it I decided a book was necessary for the students I was speaking to in order to further educate them.  The books I found on the market were, I felt, either too clinical or didn't provide enough information, and I was moved by how passionate that young girl was to learn more.  So I started to collaborate with physicians I knew almost immediately at the University of Miami Mount Sinai Hospital.  I asked them to help me write informative but easy to read chapters for high school and college students.  Almost all of them said yes.  I wanted to break it down into categories, because there are many different stages of breast cancer, starting with stage 0 and moving into stages 1 through 4.  There is also a type that is not staged, called IBC, or Inflammatory Breast Cancer, which is very aggressive.  Chemo therapy is the first form of treatment for it, and not many people know about it.  So I wanted to cover that as well.  In fact, on my website there is a link to a woman's story of Inflammatory Breast Cancer.

L&W- How did you feel after writing the book?  What kind of response have you had?

CP- I'm very pleased with the book, and it actually made the top-ten bestseller list with the publishing company.  It was a real accomplishment for me.  Many people purchased it over the holidays, which is such a wonderful feeling, because it's a wonderful gift to give to someone.  My website gets around 85,000 hits a month, which is a tribute to the message I worked to get across in the book.  I'm so moved by the people who contact me and tell me how much they learned by reading it.  One woman sent me a picture of herself on the beach reading it, and I posted that on my website.  I'm very moved by the connections I've made with people. 

L&W- What is the most moving experience you've had so far with writing the book?

CP- The most moving experience overall has been knowing that I've touched people's lives.  People reaching out to me, telling me how much they've enjoyed my book and how it has helped them.  One woman told me that she got a mammogram after reading the book and was diagnosed with cancer, so she felt the book actually saved her life.  That touched me deeply.  I sat back and I thought that if I could touch one life, I would have felt accomplished, but now I've touched so many. 

L&W- How has surviving breast cancer impacted your life today?

CP- I believe everything in life happens for a reason, and we can choose to look at the positive lesson at hand or choose to see the negative.  Surviving breast cancer has changed my whole way of life.  My twenty year marriage ended, which was extremely devastating to me.  I was faced being single again, with breast cancer, wondering if a man would love me again.  In fact my last chapter in the book is titled, "Will Someone Still Love Me After Breast Cancer?"  I was just finishing my book when my divorce took place.  But I'm happy to say that my life has been consumed with so many blessings as a result.  My time is filled with writing my books and helping to educate people, and they in turn have helped me get back on my feet and feel like myself again.  Having had breast cancer is a gift without the bow- what I mean by that is the not-so-good part of the gift is that I lost my breasts, but the good part is being able to give back to others as an advocate.  And getting brand new breasts in whatever size I wanted!  But giving back is what is so wonderful for me.  It's still scary, but I'm taking each challenge as it comes. 

L&W- What advice would you give to someone who has just been diagnosed with breast cancer?

CP- The advice I'd like to give to diagnosed breast cancer survivors is to be up front and let people know.  Being diagnosed with breast cancer is not a death sentence.  Losing a breast can be devastating, but one must always move forward and surround yourself with positive, loving people.  You can choose your friends but you can't choose your family, and there are always certain family members who can put a damper on things, but I disregard what they say, and my family of friends makes that extremely easy for me to do.  My biggest support system was my friends and my co-workers.  They were amazing, and made me feel everyday like I was going to make it.  That was invaluable to me.

L&W- How did you feel when you found out you had breast cancer?

CP- Well, I worked for a breast surgeon for 11 years, and both of my aunts had breast cancer, so I was already well educated on the topic.  90% of women do not have a history of it in their families, so that's important to know and why women should be getting mammograms on a regular basis.  When I heard for the first time that I was positive for breast cancer, my first thought was not whether I was going to die, but how bad do I have it.  I had no complications with my surgeries, other than the emotional aspects involved, and I just took it all one day at a time.  It's so important to find a support system that helps you stay grounded, and that's exactly what I had. 

L&W- What kind of breast reconstruction did you choose?  Can you talk about the options available?

CP- Sure- I waited five years before having breast reconstruction.  I was afraid to go back under anesthesia, and of my body rejecting the implant.  I chose saline implants, but you can also get silicone, and they have a new silicone implant that is supposed to be really amazing.  I want to clarify that there is a difference between breast reconstruction and implants.  Reconstruction involves reconstituting the breast, including the nipple.  Implants are inserts that fit under the muscle and give you your shape back.  The day I got my mojo back was the day they took the bandages off and I saw the curves back on my body!  I started to cry and couldn't wait to go shopping.  My outlook on life changed, and I didn't look at things the same way.  I think it's important to take your time and really decide what is best for you and your body.  And trust yourself and your instincts on the matter. 

L&W- Can you talk about the non-profit organization that you are a board member of?

CP- I'm a board member to the Kristy Lasch Miracle Foundation, which helps women under the age of 30 with medical expenses who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.  Kristy was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 22 and lost her battle at age 26.  I read about her foundation in an article and made a point to contact Kristy's friend, Laura.  Through that I was introduced to Kristy's parents.  They told me they had found Kristy's journal in a box, and I asked them if I could include her journal in my book, and they said yes.  As a result of our wonderful meeting and collaboration, I became a board member to the foundation.  It has been a privelege and an honor to serve this foundation, and they are growing little by little each year.  It's a wonderful service they provide to young women.  Nothing could be more valuable.

Visit Cindy's website and learn more about everything she does.  And take a look at her Ribbon in the Sky items on Cafe Press.  15% of the profits go to the Kristy Lasch Miracle Foundation.

Visit Cindy's website here: http://www.theemptycuprunnethover.com/main2/index.php
Follow Cindy on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/#/cindypapale
Follow Cindy on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/CindyPapale

Meet Tammy Pendleton of Many Hearts, Many Causes!

Tammy Pendleton has been volunteering for a number of charities for years, and has been deeply touched by the people she has met who have worked with her on countless causes.  She decided to do something to bring all of those people together in order to strengthen their efforts and make more of a difference.  So she started Many Hearts, Many Causes, an incredible community dedicated to working together to help foster change together.  As a result, they have been able to do incredible things in a very short time, and they're just getting started!  Here is what Tammy had to say about Many Hearts, Many Causes, and how you can get involved. 

Love and Water- What prompted you to start MHMC?

Tammy Pendleton- This past November I envisioned Many Hearts Many Causes (MHMC) upon reflection of the inspirational work of an extraordinary group of individuals whom I have had the pleasure to support and collaborate with on various fundraising campaigns and charitable efforts over the past years. This remarkable group of individuals have tirelessly crusaded on behalf of countless thousands around the world. Their efforts have changed the lives and touched the hearts of many.  I thought’ “What if we were to team up to become one voice, one force, one heart, and together, channel all this energy, passion and love for helping others into a coordinated effort.” With this effort, we could endeavor to reach out to many as a group and continue to raise awareness and funding on an even larger scale. We could aid one cause at a time once a month.

L&W- What would you say is the main driving force behind MHMC?

TP- The love and dedication felt in all the hearts of our members. MHMC members have demonstrated their steadfast willingness to reach out to those in need in countless ways, hour after hour day after day, cause after cause, tweet after retweet. Our members’ unending acts of generosity and kindness are blessings to those who are in need around the world and that is the heart, soul and driving force behind MHMC. You need only to read the efforts of the individuals on our 2009 Highlights page http://newenglanderprops.webs.com/2009charityhighlights.htm to get a glimpse into the driving force and dedicated compassion of our members, of whom I am so proud to say you are one.

L&W- That is so wonderful.  What gives you the most satisfaction in leading your organization?

TP- Leading this amazing group of individuals who believe as I do that together we can do great things for those in great need. This is accomplished through our monthly contributions, auctions, and campaigns that spread hope and healing through awareness and fundraising. And as a result of our efforts, perhaps a child may live to see another day and than another and another, or a mother/father will be able to give their thirsty child a drink of water and have medicines to see their children grow and be free of endless suffering, or a lonely orphan may be given hope and love, or a child suffering with a terminal illness will, for a while, feel the joys of childhood.  By supporting the wonderful efforts of the organizations set in place to reach out to those mentioned above, we know that it will be more than just a hope but a realization that things can and will be better for those in need.  Every single one of our members have already achieved reaching out in the ways mentioned above. Through MHMC, we can now combine our efforts and support one another in hopes of reaching an even greater number in the coming years.

L&W- What is the most moving moment you've had so far with MHMC?

TP- The most moving moment came in the first hours of the news of the Haiti quake. Every single one of the Many Hearts members snapped into action the very moment word broke about the devastation. There have been countless thousands of round-the-clock efforts by our members spreading news and awareness on this crisis while providing donations to Save The Children and many other organizations who the members have each individually chosen to provide assistance to in various ways. The outpouring of love is something that I shall never forgot.

L&W- You have really been using social media to your advantage.  What kind of awareness have you been able to raise through Social Media for MHMC?

TP- First and foremost, the awareness that yes, a few can have an enormous impact on the lives of many! This was demonstrated within the first few weeks of the formation of MHMC.  That through Social Media, one heart can touch another to inspire yet another, and set in motion an entire universal movement of caring individuals who want to use their talents to be the driving force behind change. When the online publication, The Daily Tell (http://www.thedailytell.com/), learned of our efforts by reading our Twitter postings, it featured our efforts among the many inspiring stories that “chronicle the philanthropy work of many caring people and organizations striving to make this world a better place, one person at a time."  I realize the powerful role social networking can play in changing the face of fundraising and how we can reach out - whether a huge corporation or a concerned individual citizen of the world.  Each one of us are vital in playing a crucial role in making this world a better place.  This is our time to stand up and get involved.  Social networking has made it possible for us to do just that.

 

L&W- What do you think about Love and Water International's online community raising awareness and money for charities one drop at a time?

TP- I am deeply moved by your Love and Water community whose spirit echoes so much of what is in my own heart and the hearts of so many around the world today. Your gallant efforts and innovative creativity is a shining example of how to take compassion and caring to an exciting level of proactive philanthropy. Your efforts are very much in tune with and touch a chord with the amazing world of Social Networking. Your T-shirt design contest is going to have an enormous impact both through the generous donations and the immeasurable awareness.  I am so very honored to have you as a dedicated member of our MHMC.  Your company captures the very spirit of MHMC. Your work will continue to touch the lives of many in a major way, of that I am certain, and will encourage countless others to join your spirit of caring and philanthropy.  Your efforts will leave a lasting impact upon many, both young and old, from varied walks of life around the world.  I am so very excited and look forward to supporting your efforts in anyway that I can.

L&W- I feel that same about MHMC, and am very happy to let others know about your work as well.  On that note, what is the one message you would like young people to understand about MHMC?

TP- The message that together we can make a difference in the lives of many by supporting the efforts of those organizations who are impacting the lives of others throughout the world.  Together our individual contributions can grow into a substantially larger amount of much needed funding for the charitable organizations who are first on the scene and often times the only ray of hope for many in need.  It is imperative that we not wait until disaster has struck to reach out in numbers, in a show of support. We can and will provide support year round so when the alarm bells of disaster ring out and the heroic efforts of the humanitarian organizations are once again called upon to respond, the much needed resources and financial support will already be in place. We believe THOUSANDS of dollars can be raised YEAR round, and not just in the darkest hours when disaster first strikes.  I would like to invite all who are reading this article to join us and together we can touch the life of many and provide a tremendous amount of support to those causes that are near and dear to us all.

Join Many Hearts, Many Causes here: http://newenglanderprops.webs.com/manyheartsmanycauses.htm
Follow MHMC on Twitter: @ManyHManyC

Listen to Love and Water on the Spirit Jump podcast!

Listen the Spirit Jump podcast as Meaghan Edelstein interviews Alexis Fedor about Love and Water and learn everything you've been wanting to know about the company! 

http://www.justin.tv/clip/f751ea88cc4fbb5a

Thank you again, Meaghan and Bryan! 

Love and Water on Spirit Jump Podcast Tonight!

Tune in to Justin TV tonight at 8:15 EST to hear Meaghan Edelstein from Spirit Jump interviewing Alexis Fedor from Love and Water!  Lots of information about the upcoming Love and Water website, where the design competitions will begin!  We look forward to hearing your comments.  Feel free to join the chat room as well!

www.justin.tv/spiritjump

Helping Haiti

Today's post is dedicated to ways to help Haiti.  Follow the links below, and if you have other links that lead to ways to help, please post them under "comments" and we will get them up as well.

Concern Worldwide: http://www.concernusa.org/Public/News.aspx?Id=790
Partners in Health (via Charity Water): https://donate.pih.org/page/contribute/haiti_earthquake?source=charitywater
Alyssa Milano's Corporate Tweet Challenge: Huffington Post
DEC Haiti Earthquake Appeal: http://www.dec.org.uk/
Doctors Without Borders: https://msf.donorportal.ca/MSFEN/Donation/DonationDetails.aspx?L=en-CA&G=21&F=545&T=GENER
Plant with Purpose: http://www.plantwithpurpose.org/page/19/caribbean.html
Bill Clinton's Foundation: https://re.clintonfoundation.org/SSLPage.aspx?pid=3882&gclid=CPPthbD9q58CFcx25QodWyPT0g

Meet artist and coach, Janice Hoffmann of Success is Sweetest- she will WOW you!

Janice Hoffmann is an artist and a coach who has the ability to ignite the fire within her clients and help them identify, create and accomplish what they want.  In fact, she is the main reason Love and Water is evolving into what it is today.  Last August we sat down for a talk in Bryant Park, and I told her I was thinking of starting a t-shirt company that gives back to charities.  When we left each other, I had my vision for Love and Water.  And we did it over a couple of glasses of wine and a few crab cakes!  If you want to experience a truly AMAZING artistic talent, who collaborates with each of her clients to help them create incredibly fulfilling life projects, read on.  You will LOVE this woman's work, I promise you that.

Love and Water- Tell us about Success is Sweetest!

Janice Hoffman- It's a coaching boutique that is now 11 years old located in New York City, although I coach more and more people around the country.  So many of my clients have moved out to LA, and I work on the phone with my coach, so I'm completely comfortable coaching over the phone.  I work almost primarily with actors because that's the industry that I came from, and slowly but surely began working with small business owners as well.  So it's primarily small business owners and actors, and almost all women.

L&W- Really?  Why do you think that is?

JH- Well, I do work with some men, but the majority of my clients are women.  I think women like partnership; they like collaboration.  We get a lot out of sitting for an hour and really working through a process.  Women are very process-sensitive, I feel, and it serves us well to collaborate. 

L&W- I nkow you are always working on projects yourself.  What project are you personally working on right now that is serving your coaching?

JH- I'm really interested right now in "cool hunting."  What that means mainly is searching out people who have very little resources but are making really big things happen.  I don't know if you saw the article in the New York Times about the kids in Detroit who are around 22 years old, and have moved there and are renting out spaces for very little money to start movie theaters and book stores and creperies.  That, to me, is true inspiration.  Most people move to New York or Chicago and say, "what can this city do for me?"  And Detroit is a city that says, "what can you do for us?"  And these kids understood that as an opportunity, not something to run away from.  They're starting something from almost nothing, and that is where the gold is.  It's a "cool hunting" find.

L&W- So how do you incorporate that into your coaching?

JH- First, it's a source of energy.  It's a model that provides another kind of structural resource.  I use it as an example of a major "Wow" project, which is a huge part of my coaching process- helping my students develop "Wow" projects to complete.  What do I personally do with that story today?  Nothing, except talk about it and Tweet about it, and cut out the article and keep it in my folder.  But eventually, maybe I go there and I talk to those people and I ask them how to turn around a neighborhood.  That's so interesting to me, because it's thinking outside the box.  It's a HUGE "Wow" project, and it's deeply innovative and humane, and will serve to inspire others who are less fortunate to think in new and exciting ways. 

L&W- As a coach, you actually help people become trailblazers in their own lives.  Can you talk about your way of bringing out the fire in order to help a person accomplish his or her dreams?

JH- My feeling is that we don't need a lot of mediocrity or business as usual.  What I'm helping people do is think outside the box and create what they want out of life.  I want to foster innovation, creativity; to deliver the message that resources are plentiful, and are not just composed of money.  I like to look at what a resource is, and come up with as many as we can think of together that aren't the norm.  And that gets people excited and stirs a creative fire that enables them to inevitably accomplish things they may never have thought of before.  The beauty of the owner of the creperie in Detroit is that she's making the crepes, and loving it!  I love sweat equity.  I love the idea of reinventing the structure of business in order to fulfill dreams and inspire others.  It's the same for actors and artists- when artists separate themselves from the group and do something truly meaningful and personally exciting to them, amazing things start to happen.  When someone hires me as a coach, that's what they get, because that's what I'm doing in my own life.  Taking raw materials and turning them into something that is meaningful and amazing to me. 

L&W- How did you come up with the name "Success is Sweetest?"

JH- Well, there is a reference to an Emily Dickenson poem, but I don't remember exactly what moved me to call it that in the beginning.  But now, it's a point of view.  I'm really a cheerleader for success, and success means something different to everyone.  It can be spiritual, financial, a business endeavor, a personal relationship.  It can be anything that someone hasn't been able to accomplish on their own.  So when we can define someone's definition of success, and then come up with ways to achieve that, it's just awesome.  It's sweet!  Sometimes the smallest successes are the sweetest, and those sometimes can mean more to me than to my client, because I know what they're going for and I can see what a huge impact this one small step is going to have in the long run.  That's part of what makes my job so incredibly fulfilling. 

L&W- What is one thing you want people to understand about your way of coaching?

JH- I definitely am a project coach, and I help each of my clients construct a "Wow" project for themselves that takes them to a new place.  I like end results.  I like evidence along the way.  I want people to have evidence of their results, and I want them to create a project that challenges them outside their comfort zone and makes them and everyone around them go "Wow!".  I want them to be able to say at any given time, "I'm up to something.  This is what I'm up to..."  If it's a good project, then they can say that and brag about it.  And if they can brag about it then we're starting to win.  We're edging toward their success.  You will definitely need other people to help you along the way, which is part of working on a "Wow" project- learning how to get what you need from others who are willing to help you.  That is very empowering in and of itself, because whether you realize it or not it makes you accountable to others in a way you may not have been before, and it makes you look at who you are and what you want in life in a brand new way.  That's what I love helping people to do.

Visit Janice and Success is Sweetest and check out her amazingly inventive coaching packages (including coaching in a box!), her SmArt Workshops, and her annual Success Grant opportunity that gives artists a chance to win a grant that lets them work on their project for a whole year! : http://www.successissweetest.com/coaching.html

Follow Janice on Twitter here: a_sweetlife

Interview with Jeffery Brooks, founder of the Life through Art Foundation

Jeffery Brooks grew up in a children's theater, and when it came time for him to give back he ended up, to his surprise, starting his own non-profit organization that works just as hard to help underprivileged kids seize the same opportunities and achieve the same goals.  The Life Through Art Foundation helps kids realize there is art around and within them, and the possibilities are endless.

Love and Water- How did you start the Life Through Art Foundation?

Jeffery Brooks- I grew up in a children's theater non-profit organization called the Metropolitan Educational Theatre, and Alex H. Urban was the person who influenced me the most.  He had a gift of teaching children theater and was adamant about education.  It taught me focus and discipline and helped me find a passion for what I loved.  When it came to me finding a way to pay that back, I started by helping one young girl who was completely passionate about theater, and it snowballed from there as I found more ways to help others do the same. 

L&W- What has happened since you started in 2003.

JB- We sent one girl to the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, and part of the challenge with that was trying to find a non-profit organization that could help me with that.  So when we founded our own we decided that non-profits could interact more with one another by working together.  What we started to do in that way was sending our kids on field trip performances to see performances and to museums, and work out a deal to send then at a fraction of the cost of what it would normally cost, and then raise money for transportation there and back.  That way the money was going to another non-profit at the same time as it was helping the kids.  We started Art in Public Places to remind people that art exists everywhere, so we were able to go into parks in Los Angeles and have people participate in projects with their families, which was wonderful.  The other wonderful accident that happened was that we were introduced to an organization called Inner City Arts.  We sent teachers into their program to learn how to bring art into the classroom, which we knew would have a really long term affect.  So we continue to do that, sponsoring between eight and ten teachers every year. 

L&W- What gives you the most satisfaction in leading Life Through Art?

JB- The fun part is just seeing how much art really influences kids.  As I work with the kids, seeing them paint for the first time or learning a skill that excites them and that I know they will benefit from in the years to come, that's a great feeling.  In 2006 we did World Without Art Day, which was designed to try to show what the word would be like without art.  And it was a wonderful exploration of how much art is around us everyday.  Everywhere we look there is art- from the color of our cars to the clothes we wear to the signs we see.  It was really wonderful to see the kids' reactions.

L&W- What is the most moving experience you've had so far with Life Through Art?

JB- 99th Street School, where we are every Thursday working with kids on art projects.  My wife was helping one day and there was this little kid who was sitting there with his paints and his paper and he wasn't doing anything.  And my wife asked him what was wrong and he said, "I don't know how to do this."  So she started to help him, and she told him that he could just paint from his heart, and he started to get some of his work onto the paper.  At the end of the day we went around the room and asked the kids what they learned that day, if there was one thing they learned.  And that same kid stood up and said, "I learned that I can paint from my heart."  These are mostly underpriveleged kids who don't always have a chance to hone in on their artistic abilities.  It was definitely a moving experience and one that makes me work harder for the organization on a daily basis. 

L&W- What are some of the ways that people can help support Life Through Art?

JB- One of the things that we find is that the gifts are quick and simple.  We get a lot of letters saying thank you to us for the opportunities we've given the kids we work with to move forward.  I think that anyone can help people discover art.  Monetary contributions are obviously great, but to also volunteer to help in other ways can be deeply gratifying.  We've had people help us with our website, help us with programs for the kids, and with anything else we may need to keep the organization running.  A financial contribution is not the only way to help, and something as simple as coming to a school with us for one day and working with some kids not only helps us tremendously but also can leave an impact on the volunteer that is hard to put into words.  We love to collaborate with artists as well as teachers, and we welcome all ideas.

Visit Life Through Art here: http://ltaf.org/site/

Meet the founder of Spirit Jump, Meaghan Edelstein, and really feel the INSPIRATION!!!

Want to start the year off feeling amazing? Become a Spirit Jumper!!! Meaghan Edelstein survived cervical cancer and founded Spirit Jump as a result of her journey to recovery. I was able to talk with her about her finding new meaning in her life from becoming a lawyer to helping hundreds of cancer patients. And she's just getting started...

Love and Water- How did you come up with the idea for Spirit Jump?

Meaghan Edelstein- I was diagnosed with 3B cervical cancer in February of 2007. I thought I was going to die, and was going through major treatments. One of my first feelings wasn't fear of dying; it was that I was going to be forgotten and left behind. I started getting some cards, and I remember distinctly thinking that it was great but it was going to wear off in a month. I was a novelty, the sick person, and my friends and family were going to forget about me soon. But nobody forgot. I don't know that one day went by where I didn't get something- a gift or a card or a visit. It was really amazing, and it got to the point where that was the one thing I looked forward to every day. I survived against all odds, and I started looking at what happened to me and how I could find a reason in it to do something positive. I wasn't looking to start a non-profit, I just wanted to doing something helpful. So I started a blog called "I Kicked Cancer's Ass." I blogged about cervical cancer, because I couldn't find anyone around my age with such an advanced case when I was going through my treatments, so I didn't have anyone to reach out to about their experience. I blogged everyday and used the words "cervical cancer" in every post so that people could find me if they Googled "cervical cancer." And I created a community as a result. I started realizing that everyone felt as lonely as I did, but that not everyone was lucky enough to receive the amount of cards and gifts that I did. It occurred to me that people would really appreciate those. So I started Spirit Jump as a blog, in order to connect people. And it snowballed from there.

L&W- So when did Spirit Jump become a non-profit?

ME- Well I finished law school and passed the bar, and then I had my rib and kidney taken out this past March. While I was recovering I was receiving so many requests from people that it occurred to me that I needed to make Spirit Jump a non-profit. This is why I got cancer, in order to bring these people together. So we are currently in the process of making that happen.

L&W- And anyone can become a Spirit Jumper, right?

ME- Yes, it's really interesting the way it worked out, because I didn't start as a non-profit. So the great thing about Spirit Jump is that it can run without a budget. The way it works is that anyone can sign up to become a Spirit Jumper, and when we get requests from patients that they need a jump, we send our Jumpers those requests, and they can send cards and small gifts. I have a small staff- myself, my friend Dominique and my boyfriend Bryan. And none of us gets paid. We're working to get funding in the year 2010, but the great thing is that even if we didn't Spirit Jump could still run. My main focus is the people battling cancer, so it will always be my priority to help them directly. That is what sets us apart from other organizations- our directly helping each patient who reaches out to us.

L&W- What is one of the most moving experiences you've had so far with Spirit Jump?

ME- This woman was in the hospital while her husband was getting Chemo, and she saw our article in Cure Magazine while she was in the waiting room. And when the doctor came out he said that her husband's chemo wasn't working and that it was time to call in hospice. So she signed her husband up for Spirit Jump. And even though he only had a little bit of time left, she would see him looking out the window everyday. When she asked him what he was looking at, he said he was looking for the mailman. And she asked why he wanted the mailman, and he said he was waiting for his Spirit Jumps. That's how I felt when I was in his position. People wonder why, when you may only have a few weeks left to live, you would be interested in such a little thing. You're still a human being, and you can still look forward to getting a card in the mail. The little things become so important.

L&W- So the Jumpers can send anything?

ME- Yes, in fact you can see pictures of what people have sent on our site. People have put their talents to use and made gifts that are wonderful, or bought little things that really brighten a person's day. We did an interview on CBS with a little boy with cancer named CJ. He had received a lot of gifts big and small, and when he was asked which gift he liked the most he said it was a homemade card he received from another little boy. And he explained that it was so special to him because he couldn't go to school and play with other kids, and it was a way for him to have a relationship with another child. So it never has to be a big gift in order for it to touch a person very deeply.

L&W- How many followers do you have now?

ME- We have over 1000 followers, and we welcome anyone who wants to sign up. I just want people to understand that it is that easy. When you become a Spirit Jumper, you can send as many cards as you want. You can send one card or you can send one hundred, it's entirely up to you. It's a great first charity for kids because they can get credit for volunteering through Spirit Jump. And coming up in April, we are doing Cards for Cancer Day, where we will have people all over the world delivering cards to different cancer centers. So there are a lot of great ways that kids and families can get involved.

L&W- That's really great, I am so deeply touched by this cause and am THRILLED to become a Spirit Jumper.

ME- Me too!

Become a Spirit Jumper here! http://www.spiritjump.org/
Follow Spirit Jump on Twitter here: @spiritjump

Meet Matt Hoverman Award Winning Writer/Director/Actor and founder of the INCREDIBLE Create Your Own Solo Show Workshops!

Love and Water is a huge proponent of creating work that is both self-fulfilling and beneficial to others, which is why I wanted to share the work of Matt Hoverman.  Matt Hoverman is THE teacher to study with if you want to create your own solo show.  An award winning actor and playwright, he won the 2006 New York City Fringe Best Playwriting Award, was a finalist for the Actors Theater of Louisville Heideman Award and co-wrote "The Audience," which was nominated for three Drama Desk Awards.  In his spare time, he teaches hundreds of students how to create a solo show, and his students have had almost as many success stories as a result.  Why create your own solo show?  Read my interview with him to find out.

Love and Water- I hear your classes are busier than ever right now!

Matt Hoverman- Well, usually my classes are somewhat cyclical.  I'm sure you can remember from doing your solo show that it's often a scary thing.  There are certain times of the year when people make resolutions, as in December and January, that I find more students in my classes.  But I think in addition to that, since I've been teaching the class for nine years now, there has been enough buzz about it from people who have really benefited from it that I actually have to turn people away.  I think that has to do with an increased interest in actors taking control of their careers.  Earlier last year, as the economy began its downturn, I thought initially that I wouldn't have as many students.  But what has happened, as there are less opportunities in the theater, actors are taking their careers into their own hands more and more, and creating a solo show is an excellent way to do that.

L&W- Can you talk about how the class is structured?

MH- There are two Levels. In Level 1 – a four–week intro class, students are exposed to a variety of different types of solo shows and ways of creating them by completing a number of short written and improv exercises. In the first two sessions, we focus on autobiographical storytelling and in the last two weeks, we focus on creating character monologues. In Level 2 – a seven-week workshop, each student takes an idea from Level 1 and fashions it into a 20-minute solo show that they perform in the last class session in a theatre, in front of an audience of invited guests. Level 2 is more of a workshop than Level 2, in that instead of responding to specific assignments, each student is developing their own piece.

L&W-How did you get started teaching your class?

MH- I started the class in 2001, after I had been teaching acting classes for quite a while.  I always loved teaching, but the part I liked best about working with actors was when I was able to get them to tell their own stories.  I had moved to New York shortly before then and was doing my own solo show work at the time.  I started looking for a class to take for myself, and couldn't find one.  I've always been someone who learns by teaching, so I started teaching a class on creating a solo show.  It was really a platform to explore the pitfalls and challenges of putting together a successful solo show.

L&W- You have had so many success stories from your students who have taken your class.  Can you talk about some of those?

MH- Well you had your show accepted into the Midtown Theater Festival last year, as did a number of other students, and that's a great way to get your work seen by the industry.  There are so many great, wonderful stories of students who are brave enough to share their stories and reap amazing rewards as a result.  One of my students was getting married, and her wedding planner suggested she participate in this documentary called "Manhattan Brides."  So she did, and when it was all said and done she got an e-mail saying they had changed the project to a reality show and were going to call it "Bridezillas."  What she thought was going to be a lovely interpretation of her wedding turned out to be this monstrous version of her that they had altered completely.  She was publicly humiliated, and was really hurt, but decided to turn it into a solo show.  She won Best Solo Show in the Fringe Festival in '05 and got represented by a great agent, and she now has a film deal to turn it into a screen play.  There are so many success stories, and a lot of times it's that the performer just feels absolutely centered and fulfilled.

L&W- But you don't have to be an actor to take the class, right?

MH- Not at all.  A lot of the people who take the class are actors.  Some of them are young and looking to discover their own unique voice.  Some are older actors looking to explore their own stories and create opportunities for themselves and to show the market what they can do best.  And then there are people who aren't actors but who have a story to tell.  I love working with those people, because I believe everyone has a story to tell.  You don't have to be Meryl Streep to do a solo show, and I can prove that by watching any number of students I have who aren't actors.  Their stories are often as profound and moving as the best character actors' stories.  I think there's just a great fulfillment of finding yourself through your own story.

L&W- What would you say is the key to shaping a good solo show?

MH- One of the traps that a solo show performer can fall into is not seeing him or herself as the hero of his or her own story.  I find from teaching this class that most of us tend to see ourselves as passive, so if we have a story to tell we often start to tell it in the vein of "so this is what happened to me: I was born in Cleveland and then I went to school and this girl dumped me and then I became an actor and all these things happened to me as a result," and there isn't a through-line.  It may start out interesting at first to an audience, but then mid way through no one is sure why the story is being told.  So when I teach I make sure everyone has defined and articulated what their "want" is: what it is that you're going after in your story.  What did you want at the time the story took place, and did you get it or not.  When you have that as your story's through-line then it can just fly from there.  You become the hero of your own story, and the audience can identify with you.  It doesn't mean you always get what you're after in the end, but even when you don't the audience can and will sympathize with you.  That way you're not looking to be healed by the audience; you're sharing a compelling story with them and providing them with a kind of entertainment that is extremely moving.  It's why people go to the theater: to identify with the characters on stage.  And in a solo show, you are the character they are identifying with.

L&W- So the show essentially becomes a character piece, and that character has come out of you.

MH- Yes, when you take a tragic story and identify where you were able to triumph in it, you can tell it from that perspective and really inspire your audience.  You become an active protagonist going after what you want.  It's a hero's journey, and it's a way for you as the performer to see yourself not as a victim of life but as a person who can take their own life into their own hands and make choices.  That's how it can be extremely empowering for the performer.  Which is why it's so fulfilling to watch non-actors do this work and not only receive a positive response from their audience, but to see them look at themselves in a new grounded and confident way.

L&W- When I took your class the one thing that I thoroughly enjoyed was the element of connecting to my own story and also connecting to the audience in such an intimate way.

MH- I went to Brown for my undergrad degree in acting and the University of San Diego Acting program for grad school.  And both are amazing programs for theater, but are also very experimental.  One of the things that I wanted to get back to was to create a place where people could create work that was connected to what was going on in their hearts and share that with others.  So towards that end, I try to create a really safe place in the class.  There are never more than six students per class, and there is only positive feedback given.  (I always tell everyone in the first class that if you miss negative feedback you can always stay after class and I'll berate you.)  In my experience bringing stories out from the heart needs a place of trust and safety.  And in every solo show class I've taught, people's fears are always the same.  They fear if they start talking about themselves no one will care, or the audience will see it as self-indulgent.  But what they don't realize in the beginning is that when an audience goes to see a solo show they want to see a human being telling his or her own story.  So I need each student to feel comfortable enough to bring in any material they want so we can then shape it into a story for the stage.  And that is the key to having a successful journey with your solo work.

L&W- Can students create their shows based on characters they have created outside of their own experiences?

MH- Absolutely! Many of my students create terrific character monologues from observation of others or from their imagination.  But I have to say that most who have that idea when they come into class often will choose to tell their own story because they see how compelling an exercise it is.  Overall, tremendous things happen to people who do solo shows.  Billy Bob Thornton created "Slingblade" as a solo show and went on to win the Academy Award for the move version.  Camryn Manhein, who was on the show "The Practice" had created a solo show called "Wake Up, I'm Fat" about being a plus-sized actress in the industry, and got cast on "The Practice" as a result.  And the writers used many of the themes she used in her solo show for her character.  So she didn't just get cast in the role, she provided a whole point of view for it based on her solo work.  John Leguizamo created a place for himself as a Latino man to play all kinds of roles.  What I most want people to walk away with from my class is that there is a place for them to tell their stories.  And if they never have a chance to take my class I hope that everyone gets a chance to share his or her own story in some way, because there is simply nothing else like it.  It's amazingly empowering.

Visit Matt's Solo Show Website here: http://createyourownsoloshow.com/

Visit Matt's Professional Website here: http://www.matthoverman.com/Home.html

Meet Dev Aujla, Founder of DreamNow.org!

Dreamnow.org is a non-profit organization that helps people follow through with good ideas. And they really do! I was able to talk with Dev Aujla about how and why he started what could be, in my opinion, one of the most inspiring and touching organizations around. It's a sure reminder that we are surrounded by everything we could ever want and need. We just have to dream now to make things happen!

Love and Water- What exactly does dreamnow.org do?

Dev Aujla- dreamnow.org is an organization that produces ideas that do good. We do a number of different programs, including research programs, social enterprises, and art-based projects aimed at getting people together and talking about ideas. Our biggest project is called Continuum, which is a service we offer to conferences to make sure that the people they reach actually follow through with the material they're given at the conferences. Another project we've done was a research project on how to make money and change the world, which was called Occupation Change the World. I spent a year with a staff looking at how to do this-how to find a career with purpose, how to build a life and a career with meaning- because I felt like no one was providing a practical way to implement such a concept into occupations. It resulted in an ebook that has been downloaded thousands of times. You can find it at myoccupation.org. Now we're working on a book as a result, which we're excited about. We did a project called Secret Correspondence with the Canadian Network, where we built forts across Canada in 14 different cities. The idea was to bring people together and connect them in a place that is comfortable and builds trust. We came up with the idea to build forts, and we had the people in the forts write letters to someone they didn't yet know. They would give us the letters and we would take them and give them to people in other forts. Thousands of letters were exchanged. It was a great project.

L&W- How did you come up with the idea for the organization?

DA- It started with me going to a number of different social change conferences, and wondering what if the people who attended these conferences actually went home and implemented the tools they learned. What would the world be like then? So I started asking questions like that and ended up building this organization where we put the questions to the test. And it has snowballed from there.

L&W- What is the most moving experience you've had so far with your organization?

DA- We put an event together a few weeks ago called Bar Philanthropy. It came out of the question I had after a conference- what if everyone in the room was a funder? So for this event we charged everybody $30.00 and they each got a chip that is worth $25.00 and a chip worth three hours of their time. The one rule we had was that no one was allowed to cash in their own chip. So all night people talked and came up with ideas, and if you could convince someone to give you their chip at the end of the night you could cash out. So we had 70 people come and $1,000.00 was redistributed. There was one girl who wanted to do a radio documentary program. She convinced a few people to give her their chips, and with that she was able to buy the digital recorder that she wanted in order to start her radio documentary. It's little things like that, where we were able to get a thousand dollars redistributed and hundreds of hours of volunteer time given out in such a simple way. You can see the pictures at barphilanthropy.com. That is what makes it worth our while.

L&W- What is a main point you want people to know about dreamnow.org?

DA- We're always looking to connect with new conferences who want help motivating people to follow through with what they're presenting, and we're always looking for people who want to help with the various projects we're working on. Our website, dreamnow.org, lists all the projects we're working on, and we'd love to hear everybody's ideas.

L&W- Thank you so much for sharing this with us. This is such an incredible thing you're doing, and I can't wait to hear what the next project is.

DA- Thanks so much- it was great talking about it.

Visit dreamnow.org
Follow on Twitter: @dreamnoworg

Join the Facebook Fan Page here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/DreamNow/84046714640