Can 5 Dollars Make a Huge Difference?

 I just interviewed Jenny Cressman for my radio show. I initially had booked Jenny to talk about “Just Showing Up” locally and globally, and now there has been mass destruction from one hurricane after the other in many areas.

 Jenny spent many years with the Muskoka Women’s Advocacy Group - who help women and children in crisis. Now she spends much of her time in Cuba, enjoying and helping the locals year after year. I asked Jenny about her new adventure:

Jenny: “Yes, I “Just Showed Up” in Cuba! That led to a new life for me. Now my focus in on traveling to and writing about Cuba. I just finished a novel, fictional but based on the resort I will be taking people to, on October 25th, 2017 (and a couple of times a year!).

Yvonne: “I love that many in your groups bring an extra suitcase full of necessities to leave for the locals, because they are in need year round.

Jenny: We’ve been able to take 2000 pounds of clothes and supplies. We’ve also brought 85 bikes; great means of transportation that make such a difference. The buses are very limited.

Yvonne: Although your area did not get hit directly by the hurricanes like many other areas, there is always flooding there. We often think “I can’t give thousands of dollars”, so we don’t do anything. Then we feel helpless and bad, and try not to see what is happening in other parts of the world. But the truth is…

Jenny: On average, Cubans make $20 per month! And some things, like a fridge or a stove can cost as much as they do here.

Yvonne: So…if we’re thinking we don’t have extra money, but we could donate $5.00…that’s a week’s ages!!! That was my “aha” moment!!

*Jenny, you are continuously helping in Cuba and are a champion for the Dubois Charitable Foundation, which is sending disaster relief aid containers to Cuba.
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There is so much we can do. One of my favorite sayings: Heroes do not always wear capes.

*James Solecki does work in Turks and Caicos and has started a Hurricane relief fund.
He also donates to KIVA with every new Integra contract. To learn more click here

* I have donated some money, and I’ve donated a lot of time and clothing locally (and part of proceeds of book sales). Now I have put together a small bag of clothes and toothpaste for Jenny. I asked my son Tanner if he has some nice t-shirts he no longer wore (he grew about 6 inches this year!). He gave me 5 shirts!

Jenny, Thank you for what you do, for Just Showing Up! and sharing your hero story!

We all can make a difference. It is better to do something than to do nothing.

Just Show Up. You never know where it will lead!
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