The Original 52: My FIRST 52 Week Journey at a Glance

The first 52 weeks came out of a desire to approach the milestone birthday of my turning 50 boldly and joyfully. I did not want my 50th to be focused on me. I wanted to take the year and live it for others – with all of life’s beauty, wonder, heartache, joy, discovery and love focused on giving a voice to others.  I wanted to explore where love, generosity, and community live in the world. These are all around us but we often go through life without sensing or seeing them. So I wanted to explore. Life is magical when exploring.

I set a goal – Each week, for 52 weeks, I would volunteer with a different organization or event, share those moments of community and love that happen when volunteering, celebrate with others how love builds hope, and write about the experience. Through the experience I found my authentic voice and a sense of wholeness I did not expect. There is much light in this world. You need only to seek it gently to uncover it.

Below is the list of the Original 52 Weeks of Charity – you can scroll through and click on any that may peak your curiosity. You can also click the categories in the column on the right to see the weeks for certain categories. I hope looking through the weeks inspires you to love the beautiful, special, wonderful person you are and reveal how helping others through your unique gifts and by giving up small bits of time, can surprise you and bring magic to the world.

XO, Penny

WeekOrganizationDescription of ActivityLink to Page
Pre-Marathon Week 1Living Water:
El Salvador		Building a clean water well for a village with no access to clean waterhttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/living-water-international-building-a-clean-water-well-in-el-salvador/
Pre-Marathon Week 2Hungry Helpers Jersey City
(St. Lucy's Shelter)		Feeding homeless men and women, visiting with them, cleaning uphttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/hungry-helpers-in-jersey-city/
Pre-Marathon Week 3EarthKeepers at
Watchung
Reservation		Trail cleaning and maintenancehttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/earthkeepers-trail-clean-up-at-watchung-reservation/
Week 1The Valerie FundSetting up for 5k and event to raise money for research to fight children's blood disorders.https://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-1-the-valerie-fund/
Week 2Morris County Interfaith Food PantryHelping at a client-choice food pantryhttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-2-morris-county-interfaith-food-pantry/
Week 3Homeless Solutions:
Birthday Buddies		Throwing birthday party for children living in homeless shelterhttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-3-birthday-buddies-at-homeless-solutions-transitional-housing-program/
Week 4Habitat For HumanityBuilding Homes in Morristownhttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-4-morris-habitat-for-humanity/
Week 5Imagine - Center for Coping with LossProgram to support children who have lost loved ones. Educational tour and group activitieshttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-5-imagine-a-center-for-coping-with-loss/
Week 6Friends of Cape May National Wildlife RefugeTour, education and researchhttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-6-friends-of-cape-may-national-wildlife-refuge/
Week 7Care OneBINGO with residents of long-term care facility.https://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-7-a-conversation-on-the-spirit-of-aging/
Week 8Carbonfund.orgReducing my carbon footprint https://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-8-fighting-climate-change-with-carbonfund-org/
Week 9Habitat for HumanityBuilding homes with co-workershttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-9-volunteer-selfishly-and-change-the-world-another-day-with-habitat-for-humanity/
Week 10NEDA (National Eating Disorder Association)Walking for Awarenesshttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-10-fighting-eating-disorders-with-neda-and-10-steps-to-a-positive-body-image/
Week 11Only Make-Believe, Washington DCCreating costumes for shows to entertain and involve children in hospitalshttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-11-healing-through-art-creating-costumes-for-only-make-believe-in-washington-dc/
Week 12Caitlin's SmilesMaking cards and gift bags for hospitalized, critically ill childrenhttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-12-little-volunteers-big-hearts-engaging-children-in-community-service/
Week 13NY Blood CenterGiving bloodhttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-13-60-minutes-and-some-cookies-will-safe-a-life-donating-blood-with-the-ny-blood-center/
Week 14Hurricane Harvey Relief FundCollecting and sending donated goods to Puerto Ricohttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-14-helping-responsibly-after-natural-disasters-make-your-donations-count/
Week 15Virtual RacingOn-line racing for charitieshttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-15-racing-for-awareness-virtual-racing-offers-a-flexible-way-to-foster-your-charitable-spirit/
Week 16Southern Appalachian Labor SchoolWorking with disaffected youthhttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-16-a-week-in-west-virginia-with-the-southern-appalachia-labor-school/
Week 17The Covenant House NYCSaving Homeless Young Adultshttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-17-the-covenant-house-nyc-saving-homeless-young-adults/
Week 18Random Acts of Kindness FoundationBecoming a RAKTIVIST!https://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-18-becoming-a-raktivist-spreading-kindness-with-random-acts-of-kindness/
Week 19Avon 39 Breast Cancer WalkWalking 39 miles to raise funds and awarenesshttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-19-avon-39-walking-39-miles-to-end-breast-cancer/
Week 20Market Street MissionTour/education - men's drug recovery and homeless shelterhttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-20-a-visit-to-the-market-street-mission/
Week 21Adopt-a-SoldierAdopting deployed soldier for 6 months - sending letters and packageshttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-21-adopting-a-soldier/
Week 22Table-to-TableDay on the truck with this food rescue program program (collecting and dropping off)https://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-22-a-day-of-food-rescue-with-table-to-table/
Week 23Liquid Church's
Love Week		Painting the Parsippany, NJ community Center https://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-23-liquid-churchs-love-week-spreading-kindness-and-connection/
Week 24Second Harvest Food Bank of Central FloridaSorting and packing food donationshttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-24-second-harvest-food-bank-of-central-florida-volunteering-in-orlando/
Week 25St. Peter's OrphanageThanksgiving Dinner for a cause...https://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-25-the-alexis-diners-thanksgiving-charity-dinner-for-st-peters-orphanage/
Week 26Salvation Army's Angel Tree ProgramGift buying for child in need (with my grandson)https://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-26-salvation-army-angel-tree-program-practicing-empathy-skills-with-my-4-year-old-grandson/
Week 27Feed My Starving ChildrenPacking 1 Million meals for the hungryhttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-27-feed-my-starving-childrens-mobile-packing-event-with-liquid-church-a-holiday-poem/
Week 28Land of a Thousand Hills CoffeeReconciliation through coffee farminghttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-28-land-of-a-thousand-hills-coffee-a-story-of-forgiveness/
Week 29Team WalkerWorking the Holiday Party for inner city youthhttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-29-team-walkers-holiday-christmas-party/
Week 30Menlo Park Veteran's HomeVisiting and entertaining veteranshttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-30-menlo-park-veterans-memorial-home-stories-from-our-heroes/
Week 31First Night MorrisRunning Lego activity at community New Year's Eve celebrationhttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-31-volunteering-new-years-eve-at-first-night-morris/
Week 32DoSomething.orgMirror Messages - creating positive messages on sticky notes and leaving them on public mirrorshttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-32-dosomething-org-empowering-youth-and-young-adults-to-get-involved-and-get-active-because-apathy-sucks/
Week 33SpreadKindness.orgCreating a ripple of kindness....https://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-33-spreadkindness-org-heartactionpower/
Week 34CMTC Blue
Warming Station		Setting up and helping run night at a homeless shelterhttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-34-cmtc-blue-warming-station-kindness-empathy-for-the-homeless/
Week 35Family Intervention ServicesPainting ceramic dish in support of abused and neglected children (Paint and Sip event)https://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-35-protecting-children-in-crisis-family-intervention-services/
Week 36Lakeland Area
Special Olympics		Painting signs (crafting) to support Special Olympic athleteshttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-36-lakeland-area-special-olympics-every-person-has-the-capacity-to-be-an-olympian/
Week 37Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research 500 mile Virtual Race to Jupiter to fight Parkinson'shttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-37-an-intergalactic-journey-to-jupiter-to-fight-parkinsons-disease/
Week 38Special Olympics
Polar Bear Plunge		Jumping into frozen ocean to raise awareness and fundshttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-38-taking-the-polar-bear-plunge-freezin-for-a-reason-and-supporting-special-olympics-new-jersey/
Week 39Our Hearts of HopePainting ceramic hearts and writing notes of support to first respondershttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-39-our-hearts-of-hope-small-acts-with-huge-impact/
Week 40Free Yezidi FoundationSupporting Yezidi refugee women and children who escaped ISIShttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-40-free-yezidi-foundation-hope-for-survivors-of-genocide/
Week 41Kindness.OrgLeaving books "in the wild" for others to findhttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/kindness-org-the-surprising-effects-of-building-intent-around-kindness/
Week 42Family-to-FamilySupplementing food costs for a needy family for a yearhttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-42-quantum-physics-and-hunger-combating-poverty-through-family-to-family/
Week 43Joan's JoySupporting victim and family rights in cases of sexually abused and murdered childrenhttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-43-joans-joy-turning-tragedy-into-action-keeping-the-children-of-tomorrow-safe/
Week 44Morris County Interfaith Food PantryA look back at the last year
Week 45Wild Baby RescueFeeding squirrels and saving injured wild animalshttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-45-rescuing-wildlife-with-wild-baby-rescue/
Week 46NJ Coalition Against Human Trafficking Fighting Human Trafficking while Protecting and Helping the Victimshttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-46-nj-coalition-against-human-trafficking-fighting-for-the-victims/
Week 47Helping Children Build a Better TomorrowCharitable Activities at Take Your Child To Work Dayhttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-47-helping-our-children-build-a-better-tomorrow/
Week 48The Arctic Eider SocietyBuilding Local Resilience Towards Climate Changehttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-48-the-arctic-eider-society/
Week 49Living Water International Building a clean Water Well in El Salvador with my co-workershttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-49-living-water-international-building-a-clean-water-well-in-el-salvador-with-my-co-workers/
Week 50Fundraising for Make-A-WishJogging a 10k for Make-A-Wishhttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-50-fundraising-for-make-a-wish/
Week 51Mane StreamEquine Therapy - Volunteering at the Farmhttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-51-mane-stream-helping-children-with-disabilities-through-equine-therapy/
Week 52Global Volunteers - Blackfeet Indian ReservationVolunteering on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Montanahttps://52weeksofcharity.blog/week-52-volunteering-at-the-blackfeet-indian-reservation-in-montana/
Hundreds of coalition forces servicemen and women met aboard Camp Leatherneck, Helmand province, for a September 11 memorial service. During the service, Maj. Gen. John A. Toolan, commanding general of Regional Command Southwest and II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) gave a speech reflecting on not only the lives lost 10-years before, but also on the heroes who have fought for the freedoms America stands for.
mooo…
President of Achilchilco