FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) October 13, 2008 -- CALGARY, Oct. 12, 2008 – A group of humanitarian business people used their brilliance to gather and serve a Thanksgiving meal to more than 1,500 Homeless People in Calgary for Thanksgiving. The group , Humanity Unites Brilliance also known as HUB gathered $3,333.54 worth of food in less than 3 days with $300 raised in private cash donations. Everything else was raised through appeals to local grocery stores.

The generosity of The Real Canadian Superstores, Sobeys, Safeway, Costco and Co-Op allowed 1,500 people to have a Thanksgiving meal of Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, Mixed Vegetables and Cranberry Sauce followed by Pumpkin Pie with Whipped Cream.

So what does it take to feed 1,500 people? HUB gathered 792 lbs (360 Kilos) of turkey, 211 lbs (96 Kilos) of vegetables,

72 cans of Cranberry Sauce, 3 bags of Rice, 20 cans of Whipped Cream and 200 Pumpkin Pies.

The HUB community in Calgary discovered that Grocery Store Managers usually have a discretionary budget to contribute towards their communities. With a letter in hand to the manager explaining what they wanted to achieve HUB members canvassed local stores.

HUB members then volunteered to serve the food with some preparing the plates full of food while others served The Calgary Drop In Centre clients. “In that gesture of serving someone we are also feeding our hearts, our souls and our minds,” Louise Gallagher the director of Public Relations and Volunteer Services at The Calgary Drop-In & Rehab Centre in Calgary told Global TV News who were on hand capture the event.

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“You know these are ordinary people who have hit on hard times,” said Allan Marston one of the leaders of the effort in Calgary, “that is someone’s son and someone’s mother and someone’s daughter or sister”.

“What was inspiring and brilliant about what happened here is that we didn’t need cash donations from people already suffering from donor fatigue,” continued Mr Marston. “Instead we used our brilliance and our leg work to appeal to the grocery stores”.

This is the second time in the last 3 weeks that Humanity Unites Brilliance has come together to impact their local community in Calgary, Canada. “We are hoping to inspire people throughout North America to unite their brilliance and help feed the homeless in their communities,” said Mr. Marston.

About Humanity Unites Brilliance

Humanity Unites Brilliance is a California based company and is a for profit humanitarian business. It sells personal, business and humanitarian growth education from such prominent teachers as Mark Victor Hansen and Jack Canfield, co-authors of Chicken Soup for the Soul. What makes HUB unique is that they put 40% of what members pay monthly into the field to feed and educate children in Africa, provide fresh drinking water and micro-credit loans.

HUB’s vision is to lead people to prosperity and create a self-sustaining organization capable of more abundant giving each year.

For more information contact Allan Marston ajmarston@shaw.ca or visit www.EarnaLivingGivingToday.com/allan

About The Calgary Drop-In & Rehab Centre

The Calgary Drop-In & Rehab Centre has been a familiar face in the homeless sector since 1961. The Centre is an incorporated, non-denominational, non-profit, charitable organization. It is administered by a full time staff and volunteers.

On September 11, 2001 the new Drop-In was opened at 423 – 4th Ave. S.E. This 107,000 sq ft., 6 storey building was designed to handle what the City and management believed to be the needs of homeless individuals for the next 10 years. It reached capacity one year after opening. Today, the Drop-In has the capacity to shelter 1,100 individuals a night.