DC Basket Brigade 2009 

 

Shine A Ray of Hope Into Someone’s Life: 

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It will make the word a better place, make you feel terrific and it’s a whole lot easier than you think

 

Click Here to See Pictures of the DC Basket Brigade in Action

 

Our story

 

            Way back in the year 2000 I had 8 days and zero dollars to my name to pull off my first DC Basket Brigade.  “How the hell am I going to this!?” I thought.  I was kicking myself for telling everyone that I would be in charge of the Basket Brigade because I really could not see how in the world I could feed 25 families in a week if I was just a broke 19 year old!

 

            I did the only thing that I could think of – ASK, and ask a lot.  I asked everyone – mom, dad, sister, friends, clients, strangers, people that looked like they had money… anyone I could think of.  It was amazing how generous people were.  They just gave and gave and gave – money, canned goods, time, etc. 

 

            BUT, it still wasn’t enough.  It was the DAY OF the 1st brigade and I had committed to feeding 25 families, BUT I only had enough for maybe 10 or 12!  I was 50% short.  I was panicking.  My credit card was maxed out.  My parents had given all they could.  I had like 3 hours until the basket had to be delivered I was missing half of them. 

 

            All of the sudden, out of the blue, my best friend in the whole wide world – Ashambei Griffith – drove up to my house and carried in a 50lb sack of potatoes and said, “come on, the van is full.  Help me unload it.”

 

            He and his mother had brought over 800 POUNDS of food in their van.  Not only did we have enough, we had way MORE than enough.  The baskets simply wouldn’t hold 50 or 60 pounds of food!  All 25 baskets were over-flowing with food and each one had to have an additional bag attached for the overflow.  That, I think, was a miracle.  Ashambei and his mother saved the day.

 

Why I do it

 

            Unfortunately in May of 2001 Ashambei was biking to one of his final exams at The University of Maryland, College Park when he was run off the road into construction equipment by a truck.  He was killed  instantly.

  

            That was probably the saddest day in my life.  When you’re 20 you don’t really expect to get a phone call at dinner telling you that your best friend is dead and that you won’t ever be able to see or talk to them again no matter what.  It kinda darkens the mood.  I was depressed for a long time after that – pretty much all summer to be honest.

 

            I did nothing.  I didn’t date.  I hardly worked.  I mostly just moped, slept, ate and felt miserable every day.  Do you know what got me out of it?  The 2nd Basket Brigade.  The way I saw it I owed it to my friend to keep it going in his memory since he rescued me the first time.  Even when he’s “gone” Ashambei is enriching my life and the lives of hundreds of strangers.

 

Please join me

 

            Please join me and my team in honoring my best friend, and in bringing some hope into the lives of people that are going through a really rough time right now.  This year especially there are a lot of families that are hurting who’s holiday would be so much brighter because you cared enough to take action.  Click Here to See How You Can Help.