DAVID BANKS #2

Today our group accomplished a plan that we need to present to Mary for the Brother Benno video project. Once she approves or makes some corrections, we will be on our way to filming the organization. We have decided to meet with Mary again on Saturday during Brother Benno's lunch hour. This is suppose to be a time where more of the kids come out to eat, so we will be able to experience that as a group.

As for what I contribute to the group is that I am very open and will give certain ideas that we may be able to use when filming. However, as a whole we all give our input on what might work for this project. Each of the members of the group have their own ideas and we combine those ideas into a way where it would work best. If it doesn't seem to work then we are good at brainstorming new ideas, so in my eyes I think we work well as a group. Another personal contribution I think I bring to the group is that I am energetic and always willing to focus at the task at hand. I am very excited to be working on this project and I'll do whatever to make it well worth it.

Jane Pereda Blog #2

The biggest challenge of this project so far has been initial conceptualization and layout. Our group came up with a storyboard and a good foundation of how we want approach the video. I feel a unique contribution I made to the group was helping to conceive some of the groundwork for the look and feel of the video. I am looking forward to Saturday as we'll be taking pictures that will help us visualize how we'll proceed next. I feel much more confident that we'll continue to work as a group to make this project a success.

Jane Pereda Blog #1

We arrived early for our meeting with Mary Robinson.  While waiting for her, we got to see people arriving to get their breakfast. I have to admit I have never been in such a situation, so it was new for me.  I am certainly glad Brother Benno provides this basic necessity for the working poor and homeless, but they certainly don't stop there and this is what she wants us to address in the video(s).  She mentioned there were two directions we could approach this, and hence we suggested perhaps we can then do two videos, A longer (5 min) informative video of their facilities and services to the community, targeted towards the community, and a shorter video to highlight the importance of what they have to provide to the community and the fact that they are an all volunteer organization who do what they do out of love and compassion and monetary donations are certainly welcomed and necessary to continue to do what they do.

Some of what she mentioned she would like included in the videos:

* 90% of those served are working poor 

* Hopeful, compassionate tone (family like, loving approach)

* All volunteer run- 100% of donations go directly to the poor.

* Not just a soup kitchen- "Providing long-term solutions toward breaking cycle of                   homelessness"

     * Rental, utility, prescription assistance  

     * Housing- 8 homes allocated to: Emergency shelter for women and children, men and                   women in 12-step recovery programs through AA or NA and receive housing in exchange             for work (Volunteer Work Recovery Program), homeless individuals on a spiritual journey         who dedicate themselves to volunteering there for a year and receive a room and small               living allowance, and a home for Recovery Program volunteer leaders who provide                       guidance and support, oversee the men and women in recovery. 

     *Clothes 

     * Baby food

     * Laundry

     * Showers

     * Bus Passes

     * Food packs

     * Computer lab for creating resumes and job searching

     

*Brother Benno logo

* "Soup Soap

     Hugs Hope"

James Bishop Blog #1

Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the first meeting with Mary Robbins due to a car crash that I was recently involved in. I apologize and will be present for all future meetings. From what I've heard Mary Robbins would like us to create two videos, one to focus on the availability of the facility and another to document it. Brother Benno feeds 90% of the homeless and the organization seems to work very effectively creating either family food bags or individual food bags. I am excited to see Brother Benno functioning for our next meeting.

Rhianna Holley

Last class we got together with our group members and talked amongst with each other getting to know each other.  We found out peoples schedules and when they are free. After class I emailed Mary Robbins at Brother Benno about meeting with her sometime that week. On Thursday February 11th, 2010 we met with Mary Robbins at Brother Benno. We sat down with her and listened to her as she talked about what they wanted for the video. She told us she wanted two different directions for the themes of the video. After we talked with her for a half an hour, she gave us a tour of the facility. It was eye opening to see how many people were there eating. She told us in our meeting that 90% of the the people that come there are homeless. I think what Brother Benno is incredible, because they are giving homeless a meal and a lunch for free everyday. During the tour, we saw where they keep clothing that they give people or give to the thief store. We saw the warehouse they keep their food. What I didn't know they had was a little shop where they sell donations they got. One thing I found very interesting and neat was that a lot of the servers and helpers are people that our going through their recovery/sobriety program. I found that very neat. Over all it was a good first visit. Now we plan on sitting down as a group and brainstorm on what we want on the video. We we figure out a story board, we plan on taking it to Mary and se what she thinks.

Brother Benno DAVID BANKS

Recently we just figured out the groups for our non profit organization video project. The organization that I am selected to do is Brother Benno, a non profit organization that helps serve the poor and the homeless. On Thurs. Feb. 11, 2010, the members of my group and I met up with The Brother Benno Foundation and spoke with volunteer, Mary Robbins. She basically gave us the run down of what our job is for the video. We asked her many questions to help better our understanding of what exactly we are suppose to do. She gave us facts and wants the video to cover more of the poor than the homeless since The Brother Benno Foundation houses 90% for the poor. Also, when we were able to visit Brother Benno Mary gave us the tour of the whole organization. It was a good feeling seeing a bunch of homeless people being served their food and it was all for free. I believe there needs to be more organizations to help the homeless because you could tell the homeless really appreciate that. Not only did the they feed the homeless, but they helped do their laundry, gave them clothes, furniture, and small food packs. It was beyond belief how much they help them and try to get certain individuals back on their feet. I left the foundation with a very positive feeling and knew that our task wasn't going to be easy, but doing the video is well worth it. We plan on visiting the organization a couple more times in the next weeks before we start to shoot.