Generosity is at the heart of everything we do at The Bautista Project. If it weren't for generous people like you we would not have the necessary resources to fulfill our calling. What is the purpose our team has been called to?
Ending homelessness one person at a time.
Following are a few of our favorite quotes about what it means to be generous and how to live that value out loud. Feel free to share them with others and spread kindness everywhere you go (and yes! that does include social media).
Will you join us?
#1 “If speaking kindly to plants makes them grow, imagine what speaking kindly to humans can do.” - Unknown
We don’t know where this quote first came from but as plant lovers and world changers we know there is great power in words. What we say matters. Speak kindness to spread kindness. It’s essentially what’s behind the tBP catchphrase and #DontTripUplift.
#2 “Helping others in need is not only a responsibility of life; it is what gives meaning to life.” - Mollie Marti
Ask anyone who has been to the streets of Tampa Bay with us. What they found were people, friends, and a purpose to live generously. If you’re looking to fill your days with more purpose, why not join us one Saturday to hand out Snack Paxx . You might be surprised by the friendships you gain.
Email marla.bautista@thebautistaprojectinc.org to let her know you'd like to help one Saturday.
#3 “My father died when I was nine and a half. We were on relief for two years. They call it welfare now, but it was relief then... I never forgot the generosity of New York.” - Larry King
It’s so important to remember we don’t know everyone’s story. We see them where they are today and often make judgments as to what got them there when what is really important is that a human being is standing before us in need of our love and generous spirit.
Tampa has earned the nickname Champa Bay for its greatness in sports. What if that nickname also trickled down to how we treated the individuals who live in our great city? What if Champa Bay meant that collectively we had come together and put an end to homelessness?
#4 “My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together.” —Desmond Tutu
Homelessness doesn’t just affect the homeless. It actually has high costs, financially and physically for the whole community. For more information read The Impact of Homelessness on Economic Competitiveness.
#5 “Help one person at a time and always start with the person nearest you.” Mother Teresa
It’s hard to argue with a nun, especially this one! None of us can tackle the big issue of homelessness alone. It takes all of us. EVERY SINGLE ONE doing one small thing a day. It adds up though. It adds up in big ways! Especially to that one person, you help today.
#6 “Gentleness, self-sacrifice and generosity are the exclusive possession of no one race or religion.” - Mahatma Gandhi
Do we need to say more? One of our core values is to be inclusive, to welcome all into volunteering and into accessing our services without regard to their faith or their race.
The criteria to volunteer is DO YOU WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
The criteria to access our services is DO YOU NEED THEM?
#7 “In a time of domestic crisis, men of goodwill and generosity should be able to unite regardless of party or politics.” -John F. Kennedy
See #6 and add politics to the list. Homelessness is a bipartisan issue that we have to work together on to end.
#8 “OK, in all seriousness, I would say I couldn't be in a relationship without equality, generosity, integrity, spirit, kindness and humor. And awesomeness.” -Jennifer Aniston
We have to agree. These are some good relationship goals If they're good for partners to possess, then they're probably worth possessing ourselves. Not to mention volunteering together is a great way to get to know each other!
Ready to join us but short on time? We’re always in need of people like you who will commit to giving monthly, whether that’s $5 or $5000, every penny gets us one step closer to providing necessary housing and resources.
#9 “It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.”—Mother Teresa
Did we mention that every little bit helps? Our leader, Marla Bautista, was homeless at the age of 18. She’ll be the first to tell you that it's the small things that add up in big ways. She’s helping all of us learn how the small everyday gifts and acts of service from our hearts make lasting impacts.
#10 “There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.” - John Holmes
Have you experienced the true joy that comes when stepping into someone else’s world and meeting them exactly where they are? It provides perspective, clarity, and purpose in life. Living generously, even in the moments when we don’t feel like it, is an endorphin rush and one of the best ways to learn empathy.
#11 “I’II care not for a man's religion whose dog and cat are not the better for it.” -Abraham Lincoln
Are you living out your values or simply preaching them? It’s time to put that faith to work. We don’t preach or evangelize to those we serve, we live out our beliefs simply by serving them. If that’s something you’re interested in doing as well, then reach out to us. We need your help to get our friends off the street and into sustainable housing.
Have you emailed Marla yet? marla.bautista@thebautistaprojectinc.org
We have many ways for you to get involved beyond just Saturdays downtown. Let her know what you love doing or simply ask what is currently needed. There is a spot waiting just for you!
#12 “The wise man does not lay up his own treasures. The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own.” - Lao Tzu
Have you tested this principle yet? We dare you too.
#13 “You make all kinds of mistakes, but as long as you are generous and true and also fierce, you cannot hurt the world or even seriously distress her.” - Winston S. Churchill
Have you ever been paralyzed into inaction? Or perhaps you are wondering where your efforts will have the biggest impact.
Here’s the one thing I can tell you with all honesty.
If you sit on the couch too long pondering the answers, life will pass you by.
Now is the time to do something.
Now is the time to act.
Your participation is ESSENTIAL in putting an end to homelessness.
#14 “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” — Reinhold Niebuhr
As a kid I had a small plaque by my bed that said this. I’m thinking my mom may have snuck it in the room sometime around 5th grade, right when life starts feeling overwhelming and cruel, you know hormones and mean girls on the playground.
It’s been a good reminder to stay in the game, to know when something is in my lane to address and when it is not. People come to us at the Bautista Project who want their lives to change. They didn’t choose to live on the streets, various circumstances many times out of their control brought them to this point.
Wisdom in knowing when and how to step in and help is gained by listening to them, knowing where they are in their journey, and what steps need to be taken to get them into a sustainable thriving home.
#15 “A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.” — Oliver Wendell Holmes
One day with us on the streets. That’s all it will take to shift your perspective from seeing the homeless as homeless, and start seeing them as your friends and family.
The woman in the picture above is my friend. Everything in me wishes I could bring her to my home. In another situation I’d be turning to her asking for her mentorship (she’s a professional journalist who I greatly admire). But right now she needs us more than ever. At 76 years old she’s living on the streets in Tampa, relying on people like you and me to help. I spent last night listening to the rain, unable to sleep, worried about her sitting at a bus stop.
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