On the last Friday of each month We Are the World Blogfest invites bloggers to join together in promoting positive news. If you would like to join in, please check out the rules and links below.
“There are many an oasis of love and light out there, stories that show compassion and the resilience of the human spirit. Sharing these stories increases our awareness of hope in our increasingly dark world.”
This month I am sharing an inspiring story of vending machines that provide free food to the homeless.
Action Hunger, a non-profit organisation founded by Huzaifah Khaled in Nottingham, England, gives the homeless access to free food and other basic essentials such as toothbrushes and socks from vending machines. The items are accessed by use of key cards which are available through organisations that assist the homeless. Where other services are provided during restricted hours, the vending machines are available all day every day. Use of the service provided by the vending machines is considered a temporary measure for people who are working to improve their life situation.
The project Action Hunger was inspired when Khaled “learned that even access to basic necessities like food and water was sporadic and oftentimes cumbersome . . . [He] realized that there had to be a more effective way of at least ensuring the bare necessities were always available.”
The project plans to expand into the US in the near future. What a great initiative.
Click to read the whole article: These Vending Machines Give the Homeless Free Food
Here are the guidelines for #WATWB:
1. Keep your post to Below 500 words, as much as possible.
2. Link to a human news story on your blog, one that shows love, humanity, and brotherhood. Paste in an excerpt and tell us why it touched you. The Link is important, because it actually makes us look through news to find the positive ones to post.
3. No story is too big or small, as long as it Goes Beyond religion and politics, into the core of humanity.
4. Place the WE ARE THE WORLD badge or banner on your Post and your Sidebar. Some of you have already done so, this is just a gentle reminder for the others.
- Help us spread the word on social media. Feel free to tweet, share using the #WATWB hashtag to help us trend!
Tweets, Facebook shares, Pins, Instagram, G+ shares using the #WATWB hashtag through the month most welcome. We’ll try and follow and share all those who post on the #WATWB hashtag, and we encourage you to do the same.
The co-hosts for this month are: : Shilpa Garg, Peter Nena, Eric Lahti, Roshan Radhakrishnan and Inderpreet Kaur Uppal. Please pop over to their blogs to read their stories, comment and share.
Click here to join in and enter the link to your post. The bigger the #WATWB group each month, the greater the joy!
Thank you for reading. I appreciate your comments. Please share your thoughts.
Norah Colvin 
This is such a wonderful initiative. There are so many homeless on our streets, so sad.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Some people are really thoughtful and generous, aren’t they? I really admire what they do.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh this is such a great idea! Thank you for telling us about it, Norah. It breaks my heart that not everyone in the world has enough food to eat.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It saddens me, too, when I see how others around the world are forced to live. It’s a good reminder that I have nothing to complain about.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a brilliant initiative. Will share with a family member who is an engineer and likes ways to help others.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That sounds wonderful, Patricia. 🙂
LikeLike
Such a thoughtful and positive way to help those less fortunate in so many ways, Norah.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m pleased you enjoyed learning about it too, Judith. Thanks for reading and commenting.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is an amazing initiative to provide help to the less fortunate and bring a change in their lives. Thanks for sharing, Norah 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s great to be a part of #WATWB, Shilpa.
LikeLike
An interesting project, Norah. Ideas and action can change the world. Thanks for sharing!
LikeLike
Thank you, Charli. I thought it was a great idea too!
LikeLike
Such an amazing way to help out those less fortunate. I came across an article on vending machines for the homeless after I’d set up my #WATWB post already. Great minds! 🙂 x
LikeLiked by 2 people
Indeed! I’ve chosen a post already for March and have already seen it shared on FB, but not in #WATWB. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Look at you ahead of the game! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m trying to make a note of things when I notice them. This morning I heard that Dolly Parton has distributed her 100 millionth book from her Imagination Library. I think that’s good news too! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow, that is so interesting! Might me your March post? 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Or April? 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is a great project.
I like the fact that use of the service is a temporary measure… a boost to provide some much-needed assistance, just until the users can get on their feet. Really encouraging.
Thanks for sharing.
Writer In Transit
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks, Michelle. Yes, I agree. I like that it is giving a hand-up, rather than a hand-out.
LikeLike
This is a great idea, Norah. I don’t think it would work in South Africa. There are just to many poverty stricken people and to many criminals who would break into the vending machines.
LikeLiked by 2 people
That’s such a sad reflection of South Africa, Robbie.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a unique way to be able to help! So many people don’t think of the things like toothpaste or drinking water.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Sometimes it’s the little things like that that help us maintain our dignity and feel human.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This was an innovative project to provide temporary help for the homeless. Currently, our area has a hygiene drive to help this population with items like toothbrushes and shampoo. How great would it be if they could get to one of these vending machines for the items they need? I hope this makes it to the U.S. and spreads across the country.
LikeLiked by 2 people
It would be great if it could find its way to a few places around the world!
LikeLike
What a terrific idea – providing basic needs and dignity to people who are struggling. Thanks for posting this information.
LikeLiked by 2 people
This sounds like a well-constructed initiative Norah in that registration with organisations for the homeless are key and that they are then given a key to access basic necessities. It is inspiring thank you!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I found it inspirational too, Susan, particularly since the initiative gives a hand-up rather than a hand-out.
LikeLike
I’d heard of this initiative, but didn’t realise it started so close to where I live. I haven’t seen any of the machines yet, but will look out for them when I’m next in Nottingham.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I thought it might have been near to you, Anne. I wonder how common the machines are.
LikeLike