233rd Week Update - Miles Neighborhood One Can A Week Project

Hi Folks,

“All They Can Say is No”

Way back in my early publishing days in New York City I realized that rejection had to become kind of my frenemy if I wanted to get in the game and try to succeed. “So what’s the worst that can happen?” my brother Craig asked, “All they can say is no? One yes can beat lots and lots of nos.”

The logic was flawless and from that point on I started asking questions looking for that yes and not thinking much about the nos I kept getting.

In early April I called Leigh Jensen Administrative Assistant/Contributions Coordinator for Jim Click Automotive. She suggested I send an email to Mr. Jim Click describing One Can A Week and the kind of help I need for my program.

The email went out the next day and after nearly two month of nothing I thought that’s my no. But I jumped the gun. On June 12th I got one of those surprise email I like so much.

Hello, Peter –

Leigh Jensen here. Mr. Click’s contributions coordinator.

I am wondering if you heard back from anyone in our office on this great program called “One Can A Week”. If not, I would be delighted to follow up on your behalf.I got right back to her with my “No. no one has” answer and some fresh One Can A Week “description copy.”

Leigh wrote back explaining that they get so many requests that things can be tabled for awhile. What I liked and really appreciated was her willingness to take responsibility for making the system work. So many people in the position to help their cause and their company just don’t “say something when they see something.” Leigh’s not like that.

Hi Leigh,

No need to apologize. That’s how the system works. And when it works well, as in this case, it is always a responsible person such as you who moves the “power in the world” forward. Martin Luther King, Jr. had the answer but it took Rosa Parks, my most favorite hero, to make things really happen.

It got silent again but only for two days.

Peter,

Thank you for all that you are doing to not only provide lots of cans to the food bank, but also your cash contributions. If you and Bill put together a proposal I would be more than happy to send it to the Bashas Family of the Bashas Grocery store, as well as other major chains in Tucson. All they can do is say “no”, but hopefully they won’t. Congratulations on what you have accomplished.

Best regards,
Jim Click, Jr.

Well, Mr. Jim Click, Jr. has the same philosophical approach to initiating ideas as I do. Just knowing that makes this whole experience worthwhile even if we cannot open any new supermarket doors just yet. Notice I said “just yet.”

With Sprouts starting One Can A Week in July, all we need is time and Mr. Jim Click, Jr. on our side. It won’t be long before the other food industry giants start helping hungry kids and their parents every week, too.

UPDATE: Our One Can A Week proposal was emailed to Mr. Jim Click, Jr. Thursday afternoon. Today, Monday at 3:27 pm I got an email saying he had already reviewed and forwarded the proposal to Trey Basha, the CEO of the family owned company.

Interesting. Seems Mr. Click, Jr. and I have something else in common. He, too, is in a hurry to collect as much food as possible for the needy folks here in Arizona.

Map The Meal Gap
Feeding America just came out with a unique interactive county map that shows hunger rates for each and every county in the United States … all 3,143 of them.

Click on the link and scroll over Arizona and then click on Pima County. Not to spoil the bad news for you, but 16.6% of the county is food insecure. That’s 161, 260 folks. The state checks in at 19.1% or 1,237,540 hungry kids and their parents. Now what’s that reason again for why we don’t raise the minimum wage?

We collected a total of 142 lbs. of food. The money we donated amounted to $35.00, a $25.00 check and $10.00 in cash.

See you Sunday,

Peter