HOMEGROWN
HEROES
INSPIRED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
by linda Sechrist
“I
f not me, who; if not now, The momentary collapse of an
when?” may well be the invisible, protective buffer be-
mantra of today’s con- tween these two different worlds
scious citizen activists, who feel broke Bucko’s heart wide open. “It
led by an inner spirit to decisively allowed me to understand that the
achieve positive change in their pain of others was also my pain,
communities. and that my desire for spiritual
In The Hope: A Guide liberation from the world ulti-
to Sacred Activism, pioneer- mately prevented me from making
ing author, scholar and mystic true spiritual progress,” he ex-
Andrew Harvey inspires readers plains. Bucko’s second insight was
to become sacred activists and equally significant: The goal of
to participate in radically trans- spiritual work is not just to experi-
forming the world. Awakened to “Service is the road to ence God but also to bring God’s
our divine purpose, Harvey proposes,
we each can become an effective and
profound and lasting joy.”
presence into the world, so that we, as
well as the world, can be transformed.
practical agent of change for social jus-
~ Andrew Harvey, sacred activist
Today, this former monk is the
tice and sustainability. He urges us to spiritual driver of the Reciprocity
find the particular focus that ignites our
Adam Bucko, Activist
Foundation, a U.S.-based nonprofit that
individual passion. In doing so, we will
for Homeless Youth
enables homeless and high-risk youth
come to understand that, “Service is the During the 1970s and early ’80s, Adam and young adults to permanently exit
road to profound and lasting joy.” Bucko, co-founder and managing the social services system and start
Natural Awakenings has met director of The Reciprocity Foundation, meaningful, sustainable careers in the
scores of joy-filled travelers through- lived in Poland under a communist creative economy of fashion, design,
out our nation who have chosen this regime that denied its citizens free- marketing and public relations. Bucko,
action-oriented path, becoming an dom of speech and opportunities for who is also a trained sociologist and
inspiration to others far beyond those self-actualization. Dissatisfied, Bucko veteran homeless youth program co-
they help. Among them are these five immigrated to the United States at age ordinator, says the foundation aims to
“Homegrown Heroes,” who daily 17 and, in his quest for a purpose-filled build a national network of programs.
choose to shelter the homeless or aban- life, spent time in several monasteries Expanding from its current base in New
doned, feed here and in Thailand and India. York City, he has his sights set on cities
the hungry, One day, on his way to following such as Los Angeles, Boston, San Fran-
advocate for a detached life of contemplation and cisco, Seattle and Austin, Texas.
animals and prayer in a monastery in India, Bucko
energize the encountered a homeless child who Contact The Reciprocity Foundation,
economy. lived on the streets of Delhi. The brief 100 Church St., Ste. 1604, NY, NY; 347-
Seeing the but meaningful interaction became for 546-2670; ReciprocityFoundation.org.
world with him a transformational experience. “It
eyes of com- made me realize that while meditation Karen Day & McCabe Coolidge,
passion, they left me peaceful, it put me in a sort of Activists for Feeding the Hungry
are making a spiritual coma,” says Bucko, “and up
While the recession whittles away at
marked dif- until then, I was only feeling the edges
household budgets, Karen Day and
Adam Bucko
ference. of my life.”
McCabe Coolidge work to expand
 Collier/Lee Counties swfl .naturalawakeningsmag.com
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