Here's to Another Year...

It was one year ago that I posted a note on Facebook announcing the official formation of the Dirty Roots Revolution.

At the time, a few folks were holding conversations about things we could do to make the world a better place. Three of us were taking occasional trips to St. Louis to hand out care packs to homeless people (8 was our record on a given trip). I had begun to speak about this “revolution” on my Dirty Roots Radio Show.

We had given it a name…the Dirty Roots Revolution, but it was more of a philosophy than a group.

And last July 3rd, I posted a note announcing that we were going to “get organized”.

We were going to do the Homeless Outreach every single Saturday. We were going to officially incorporate as a non-profit organization. We were going to make a difference.

I ended that note with these words: A revolution is coming. WE are the insurgents.

And one year later, not much has changed. But a lot has GROWN.

The Dirty Roots Revolution now serves about 120 homeless individuals in St. Louis every Saturday. We’ve been able to build relationships with many of these folks and are very proud to call them our friends.

We started the Generations Project, which brought several high school and college students into local nursing homes and retirement communities to visit with elderly residents there.

We’ve raised hundreds of dollars through our CHANGE the World program.

Thanks to the growth of the Dirty Roots Revolution and the magic of social networking, Dirty Roots Radio has people all over the world tuning in every Thursday night.

Social networking has also helped us spread our message, literally, across the globe. People in England; Brooklyn, New York; China; and many places in between have told us they believe in our cause and are taking similar actions in their communities.

We’ve been in touch with countless organizations in our region, our nation, and internationally who are taking small actions to change the world around them. We are truly part of a global movement of love.

With the help of a creative high school student we launched the 3.11 Project, a self-funding program where for every T-shirt someone buys, we donate an identical shirt to a homeless brother or sister.

We’ve been invited to share this message throughout our region and as far away as Kentucky, Ohio, and Minnesota.

College students in Iowa have asked us about starting a Dirty Roots Revolution chapter on their campus.

This week we move into the arena of planning weeklong mission trips for visiting youth groups.

This week we will also roll out our newest program: DRR for Kids.

One year ago we said a revolution was coming. Now, a revolution is HERE. And you made it happen. With your small and large contributions. With your gifts of encouragement and prayer. With your coins. With your crocheted hats we gave out in the winter. With your donations of toiletries and food. With the skills of your hands. With the food you made for our meetings. With the ideas you shared with us. With the greeting cards and pictures your children drew for homeless people. With the $1 proceeds your kids made at their lemonade stand. With the gift of an eye exam and glasses you gave to a homeless man with poor eyesight. With the funds you gave us to make sure a man on death’s door with diabetes could get a month’s worth of the medication he needed. With your regular visits to local nursing homes. Every time you paid for the meal of the man behind you in line in the drive through. With every smile, kind gesture, and warm greeting you gave someone.

There’s a revolution happening. You are making a difference. Small things DO matter.

We CAN change the world. Maybe thinking that way makes us crazy. We’re just crazy enough to try.

And so, on this one-year anniversary of the official launch of a new kind of revolution, I offer the following pledge on behalf of the Dirty Roots Revolution…our board of directors…our supporters…our sympathizers…and our fellow malcontents, co-conspirators, and insurgents:

This world is an imperfect and fallen place. And Heaven is our one true home. But we’re here on this earth for now. God created this earth and He said it was good. He made all people in His image. So, as long as our good Lord puts breath in our bodies and as long as He keeps this passion burning in our hearts, the Dirty Roots Revolution is and shall remain A THREAT TO APATHY EVERYWHERE.

Join the revolution.