My Mission in Life

Because I was born into a domestic violence family system.  Born and raised in an alcoholic, addict family system.  I was one of several boys (I was age 12 yrs) in the Boy Scout Troupe in which I participated that was sexually molested....

By the time I was sexually molested, and because of this experience all of the adults in authority, responsibility and leadership were proved to be untrustworthy!  My connection with all adults was completely burned to the ground, to use a common metaphor.  So, I went off by myself to deal with my personal fallout from these first 12 years of my life.

Thirty six years ago I began to ask questions of myself that started with a very general one "what the hell is going on?!" I had attended my first semester at Concordia College (now University) to become a Director of Christian Education, with a focus on Music.   Meaning, I had lived through my first 24 years of life making the best of what I had to work with, simultaneously living with post traumatic stress disorder.  I could NOT focus, and therefore let my college education sink in because I was full up with trauma.  Oh, by the way, just 2 years prior to my going to Concordia College, I had just buried my father, after a bout with aggressive cancer.

Starting in 1983, I began to work with peers and then professionals to heal from the trauma of my childhood, at the same time being educated in family systems and deep personal recovery!

Because of my personal experience, education, training, personal work and life practice, I turned personal pro-action into a professional vision and mission.  I created a Free Meals Google calendar so I would have an idea where to go, as I went about my daily business.  Almost immediately I thought to myself, why not do this for the rest of the community?!

I have always had this sense of wanting to reach my potential in a way that mattered!  This idea quickly took off, but it always was rooted in my personal intuition.  My gut feeling, if you will.  The same intuition that saved me from suffering further, starting when I was young.

Within the first weeks of envisioning this concept for a new nonprofit business & community service I began reaching out to community leaders and authority.  And, immediately began receiving support, encouragement and letters of recommendation.  I was invited to be on the Hennepin County "Heading Home Hennepin" executive committee.  I was invited, at no expense, to attend the Minnesota Coalition for the "Homeless" Annual Conference.  And, further invited, at no expense for 6 more years to that Coalition Conference.  I volunteered and attended 5 Minneapolis "Project Homeless Connects", 1 St Paul "Project Homeless Connect", 3 "White Bear Family" Connects, 

 Based on my recent, as well as life long experiences, early on, I began and continued to speak up to people in authority, responsibility and leadership.  However, the people that had formerly supported me began to "politely", and sometimes not so "politely" back away and even completely deny recognition of what I was doing and providing our community and society. 

Over time, years in fact, I became clearly aware that I needed to make the CSR Direct Project as big as it is, or could (should) be!  Instead of indirectly addressing big issues troubling our community and general society.  I needed to incorporate these bigger issues, community deviant practices and social injustices as part of our philosophical goals and objectives.

Though, I have regularly used social media to address the sickness of the "helping agencies and community", the people actually responsible for our failing is the greater public, or general society!  Starting with abuses of our children.

And, of course, when most people are actually held accountable for their behaviors, too many if not more then most people will and have screamed "bloody murder" for these very real issues.

United Way has never really been the "First Call for Help" for most of us, especially those most in need!  United Way has ALWAYS been a facade of "White Privilege."