32 days. Only 32 days ago, we began a new year and rang in 2012. Does it feel like 32 days to you? Maybe more? Time is an elusive thing; what we want to last forever goes by too quickly and what we want to end drags on and on and on. Admit it; you know the feeling.

For the people of Haiti, the past two years may have felt like forever or it may have passed quickly due to seeing tangible progress. The children of Jacmel are just like children everywhere, they are not patient, and waiting for progress can be exasperating. But progress is being made in Jacmel, and you are the reason that our still funded projects continue to move forward. For Random Acts, the experience of being a part of something that means so much, is again building with anticipation and excitement. It’s time to rebuild the funds and plan a return visit to those that have benefitted greatly from your kindness and generosity.

Our preparations have already begun. For Random Acts and everyone that has supported Hope2Haiti for the last two years, this project doesn’t have a time limit, or an expiration date, but it does ebb and flow. The staff has been anticipating this day, this moment in time and they have graciously allowed me to make the announcement…

Yes siree; you have entered into the RA Zone full of new RA staffers! Fun, are they not?

There’s more… they’re enthusiastic, energetic, have mad skills, and are absolutely ready to bring it! Take a moment to get to know them.

It is time for fun, kindness, beauty, gratitude, love and whimsy! The very best part, the most important part, the part that is absolutely necessary, is that you come along and participate. We could do it ourselves, well sort of, but it will be ever so much better with you!

2012 marks a whole new beginning for an organization that has already made a global impact. This group of unique individuals bring a plethora of talent to their respective areas of responsibilities. When the staff of RA joins forces with the supporters of RA, we will CONQUER THE WORLD, ONE RANDOM ACT OF KINDESS AT A TIME!

Joining Chelle, Tracy, Hils, Jenni, Lisa, and myself, are the following wonderful new staffers:

Becca Scott, Assistant Director
Tina Whitehair, Executive Assistant
Sharon Burkey, HR Generalist
Stephanie Huffman, Inventory Control Specialist
Denise Barnhart, Events Manager
Dawn Hewitt, Events Officer & Forum Moderator
Misty Moye, Creative Arts Manager
Demetra Moumas, IT Manager
Mark Bramlett, Communications Officer
Desiree Evans, Communications Officer
Tammy Whynot, Social Media Coordinator
Melanie Holmes, Social Media Coordinator
Lindsay Heffernan, Development Officer
Nicole Edson, Development Officer

Head on over to our About Us page to find out more!

Cinde

June, 2011

When Random Acts made our first trip to Jacmel, Haiti in June of 2011 the volunteers on the trip forged deep connections with both the people and the place. There’s just something about Haiti that gets under your skin. I was told by a local Haitian business owner, before my trip, that you can never visit Haiti just once – and that has already proven true. And I know I’m not the only person who has kept Haiti in their heart. Other volunteers from the H2H trip have continued to support Jacmel as well. Some have made additional donations, some have already made return trips – or are planning trips – and some have spearheaded their own fundraisers for the organizations in Jacmel that made the biggest impact on them personally.

November, 2011

Returning to Haiti in November, five months after my first trip, it was gratifying to see how much progress had been made on the projects we’d been working on. The Jacmel Children’s Center, which had only just begun construction in June, now has an entirely completed perimeter wall. Having moved a lot of the rocks for that wall by hand in June, I know the other volunteers will be thrilled to see how far that project has come along.

You don’t see Haiti in the headlines as often now as you did in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake, but Random Acts hasn’t forgotten that the people there still need us. Keep your eye out in the coming weeks for information about H2H2 – our 2012 volunteer trip to Haiti.

The 2011 H2H Team

I hope you will join us in making a difference.

- Nicole Edson
Random Acts Development Officer and 2011 H2H Volunteer

PS. Check out this inspirational video that Jo, one of the 2011 H2H volunteers, made from images and footage of the first trip.

Yes, there will be changes coming! New and exciting changes that will make Random Acts better able to fulfill our mission statement, facilitate Acts performed by all of you across the globe, and unite our vision with our path. Join us and be an integral part of the journey; let’s get started!

I know no better way to move forward, then to first look back. By fully examining the past and honoring those that made a difference to others through a Random Act of kindness, we take into the future the understanding of why we are here and what we are moving toward; changing the world, one Random Act of kindness at a time.

I leave you with a few memories and the warmest wishes for a wonderful holiday season! Just click the link below and enjoy!

From everyone at Random Acts

See you in the New Year,

Cinde

As you know, Lisa Walker, our co-founder and long-time director, has stepped down to pursue other opportunities. We are eternally grateful to her and wish her great success in her new ventures.

For the past few months, we have been searching for a new, permanent director, and I am very excited to announce that we have found an amazing woman to take on that role: Cinde Monsam. Cinde is an exuberant, hard-working, brilliant individual who is going to help us take Random Acts to a whole new level.

Cinde is new to Random Acts, but she is not new to leadership. She has done considerable charity work and has immense experience as a manager and organizer with over 2000 people working under her. I have every confidence that with Cinde at the helm, Random Acts will continue to grow and flourish and inspire acts of kindness around the world.

We are also growing Random Acts’ staff in the coming weeks. We will be adding several people in very important positions. Cinde will make announcements about those new staffers as soon as they are brought on board.

Also, 2012 will see a second trip to Haiti (Hope2Haiti2), a day of kindness, a major endurance event (which you will all be invited to join) and most importantly, a whole new approach to facilitating and supporting acts of kindness around the world.

Thank you so much for your continued support and involvement. We are looking forward to a great 2012.

Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones,

-Misha

As many of you know, over the past two years I have been working very closely with my friend, Lisa Walker, to get Random Acts up and running and we have had great success. It has been more wildly successful than I ever imagined possible; we travelled to Haiti this summer to begin construction on a 7000 square foot orphanage, we have funded acts all over the world, and have sent relief money to disaster-stricken areas.

All of this, needless to say, has taken a ton of work. I have played my role, but the lion’s share of the work has been shouldered by our Director, Lisa Walker, and the volunteers who have been working with her. Now that Random Acts is up and running and we’ve got our feet on the ground, Lisa is stepping down as Director to focus on her life a bit. Lisa will be taking a leave of absence for some time, but will eventually serve as a strategic consultant. We are all so grateful to Lisa for everything she has done and wish her the best in her new endeavors.

At the moment, I am serving as an Interim Director until we can find someone qualified to take over Lisa’s position. If you are interested in applying for this position, please click here to find out more.

Then I randomly stumbled upon an article on Psychology Today‘s website called Statistical Numbing: Why Millions Can Die and We Don’t Care.

This is how it begins:

Four year-old Khafran was near death three days ago when he was brought to the refugee camp hospital. He was emaciated, his ribs showing through his taut dry skin. He panted for breath. His desperate eyes bulged. His mother Alyan could only sit at his side and watch, helpless, sad beyond comprehension, but herself too malnourished to cry. Doctors are still not sure Khafran can be saved.

Which of those two paragraphs was more emotionally powerful? It should have been the second, shouldn’t it, based on the scale of the suffering, 640,000 starving kids to one? But the first paragraph almost certainly carried more emotional punch.

It’s an interesting read, albeit sobering.

The global community’s response to the East African Food Crisis has been lackluster compared to the outpouring of donations for disaster relief efforts in recent years, and maybe this is why: because we keep being fed numbers instead of stories. So I decided to abandon the facts and figures idea, and instead implore you to think of Khafran the next time you’re eyeing that 20 in your wallet and wondering whether you should donate it or spend it on a new shirt you might wear twice in your life.

Here are some links. 10 mustache points if you see the donate button before you see the stats. 25 if you don’t see the stats at all before you click the shiny button.

Oxfam International

UNICEF

British Red Cross

Australian Red Cross

The Hope to Haiti Project closed on Sunday, August 7, and it was a resounding success!  You raised over $170,000! Can you believe it? We are all so grateful and appreciative of your support and generosity.

Special thanks must go to the amazing women who raised over $5,000 and went to Haiti with us: Alexandra Chuzo, Andrea Niessen, Becky McGrath, Brie Jacob, Carrie Reisser, Cathy Hay, Demi Harman, Hanna Hagenmalm, Jennifer Dorner, Joanna West, Julie Yip, Kerry Morrow, Lexi Tannen, Mia Shaffer, Nicole Edson, Rochelle Benson, Sarah Parsons, Sierra White, Terri Samuels, Vanesha Gya and Zabrina Way. Congrats once again to our free trip winner, Jessica Miers! And very special thanks and huge congratulations to the winners of the iPads and homemade cookies from Misha: Vanesha Gya and Cathy Hay! Each raised over $9,000 to snag the spot as top fundraisers. Well done, ladies!

We will be sending 15% of our total to aid Japan earthquake and tsunami recovery efforts via Peace Winds Japan, a non-governmental organization providing support and relief to the people affected by the devastation. Peace Winds Japan works closely with Mercy Corps, an organization chosen to receive our donation for Pakistan flood relief efforts after Misha’s Run.

The 30% that is set aside for Haiti will go toward completion of the Jacmel Children’s Center as we have discussed. This center will house up to 60 of Haiti’s homeless children. It will act as a feeding center for hundreds more and will ultimately educate generations. The center will be an important resource for the community for many years and you all have become a part of that legacy. Thank you so much!

We will continue to pursue our core mission to conquer the world one random act of kindness at a time. Misha and I are looking at the proposals submitted for the next round of Official Acts. We hope to have selections made very soon. We’ll also have more information on our continuing support of initiatives in Haiti so keep an eye on my blog.

Once again, let me say that we are overwhelmed with gratitude for all of the generous support you all have shown throughout the Hope to Haiti Project. Misha, the Random Acts staff, I and all those who have and will benefit from your generosity thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Love and hugs to all of you!

Lisa

Director

Random Acts, a division of The Art Department, Inc.

To celebrate the last few days of our Hope to Haiti Project, donations collected from this point to the closing of the project on Sunday, August 7, at 23:59 EST (11:59 PM EST) will be dedicated 100% to our Haiti efforts and will not be used for any other purpose.

Thanks again for your support! Love and hugs!

Lisa

Director, Random Acts