Community Leaders
Through my work as Director of the National Hazard Research and Application Information Center (the national repository of all knowledge of human behaviors in disasters), over the past many years, I have personally witnessed and shared with many diverse people experiencing natural disasters such as floods, fires, and earthquakes, in their communities. In the face of such disaster, people dependably drop their long ingrained separateness and move into a caring, sharing and supportive relationship for everyone. It is a marvel to see, and always touching and moving to be involved. I have long wished that something would allow the truly magnificent communication that occurs during a disaster to continue. But the unfortunate and stark reality is that shortly after the impact of the disaster is gone, people take up their individual lives and everything goes back to “business as usual.”
The possibility I see in Bringing Home America is to generate the caring and sharing in a sustained way by choice without the disaster. Through seemingly simple methods of cleaning physical space, people are brought into a profound examination of their core beliefs and attitudes, which sustains the survival mentality of being interconnected. Such examination releases the same love and caring for neighbors as a disaster does. Obviously, such a transformation in the neighborhoods of America would have a wonderful impact on our society.
Dennis Mileti
Director, National Hazards Research and Infomation Center
Boulder, CO
I want to thank you for the many contributions I have gotten from you, and your insights and clarity about the power of Space and consciously creating our environments in life with others.
As you know, I have spent the last 40 years working in Self Development and Consulting, and am always on the look-out for what can empower others–what can make a major difference in people’s lives. Time and time again Environment/ Space makes the key difference for someone wanting to transform their predictable future.
On many occasions, I refer clients over to you, as I felt you have a way of assisting and supporting others; that is a real gift and your coaching could give them real power to deal with any issue they were up against. If anyone can support extraordinary break-through results, it is you.
You and I have worked together in “Bringing Home America,” your non-profit, which is the opportunity of providing a model for turning dysfunctional neighborhoods into examples of workability and cooperation.
Using your unique principles of Space and Environment, that you have applied and coached over and over as your path of mastery, you have created a powerful answer to successful communities in “How can we renew our beautiful country?”
I am thankful for your commitment to have life work for people who have no champion, no one who will unreservedly stand for them. You love people, and demonstrate this in a constant non-judgmental way. It has been a blessing to inquire into how to make a difference for our country with you. You are experienced in always thinking outside the box and evoking high impact results, while teaching others how to duplicate this for their organizations, and how this shapes their service with others.
Lastly, please know I appreciate your many contributions and difference making conversations with me that helped me have a vast new appreciation for the gift of life and the beauty it contains in profound ways. Our conversations have been a special gift to me and the people I have touched.
In Gratitude,
Love,
Ron Zeller
MKA World
PARTNER/SENIOR CONSULTANT ,Mark Kamin & Associates, Inc.
Community Action Services is a private, non—profit agency that annually serves more than 7,500 low-income families residing in the Mountainland area with a wide variety of services and programs. In recent years, Community Action has partnered with United Way of Utah County to participate in a community training program that has greatly furthered our ability to serve families in our community, and has increased our respective staff’s capaciety and ability to do their jobs.
The training program is offered by Donna Bell. The skills and principles taught in the program enhance and accelerate individual growth and ability to make life-changing decisions. The program brings intellectual and spiritual goals to life in the participant’s physical environment. Some may improperly describe the course as de-junking or cleaning out, however, it is much, much more. The program teaches principles around cleaning, organizing and designing a home (or office) which results in greater self-awareness, better decision-making, and grow this understanding of one’s values, beliefs and behaviors.
Myla Dutton
Executive Director, Community Action Services
Provo, UT
I have always felt that our approach as a society to supporting the poor is often like building a three-legged table. We provide the poor with education, tools and support in various training programs, only to send the client back to an environment that is often dirty, disordered and discouraging. Your program is the fourth leg of the table. It builds self-esteem from the ground up, which creates a solid foundation for the participant to create a bright future.
I fully support and recommend this program of rebuilding the lives of America’s poorest families, family-by-family, neighborhood-by-neighborhood.
Judy Bell
President, Utah League of Cities and Towns
