The Butterfly Effect

“Every single thing you do matters. You have been created as one of a kind. You have been created in order to make a difference. You have within you the power to change the world.”
Andy Andrews

It has been a busy few weeks. We have been giving away about three times the amount we did pre-Covid-19. We used to have between 100 and 150 people a week turn up. We are now having over 230+ people turn up on Wednesdays AND we do a special trip on Thursdays just for the students at TAFE Qld because so many of their students have lost their only income since Covid-19.

Our line started in a car park and went  up and down several times, down the Russell Street and around the corner and down O’Connell St. We have now moved to Bunyapa Park at 68 Vulture Street, West End due to the huge increase in numbers.

The Butterfly Effect is a popular hypothetical proposition that asserts how small initial differences may lead to large unforeseen consequences over time. It is based on a 2004 science fiction movie called “The Butterfly Effect”. 
 I’d like to demonstrate how the Butterfly Effect has worked on Community Friends. In 2011, I took some homeless people I helped house to a free food giveaway. I was unimpressed with the quality of some of the food. I passed comment (probably unjustly), that this food was disgraceful and “I could do better than this”. This was the beginning of “The Butterfly Effect”. Two weeks later, one of the people who heard my comment said, “Mark, I have your first 60 people who want your food help”. “What?” I said. They said, “You said you could do better and I have 60 people who want your food help”. I either had to put up or shut up. I decided to give it ago. Every week for eight months, with the help of my former homeless people, I gave out bread and bread products to people in need. That Christmas a friend mentioned at a party that if anyone had any unwanted clothes, he could pass them on to me to be given to people in need. One of the people at the party asked, “Does he want any food?” Greg, my friend said. “I guess so”. This was the start of the relationship between Community Friends and Rodger Graf from Creative Cuisine. Time progresses and young man named Richard offered to do a video for us. This is what he did for us.


Next is where the Butterfly Effect kicks in again. Richard liked what he saw, and talked to people in his church. They decided to set up their own weekly food giveaway under the Turbot St Bridge.  But the butterfly effect didn’t stop there. I have several examples where this happened a number of times. For the sake of brevity I won’t out line them now, but if you’re interested email me or ask for the information on our Facebook post.  I’m not sure of the philosophical meaning (if there is one) for the Butterfly Effect, but I can tell you it gives meaning to my life and meaning to many of our volunteers and our half a dozen or so, regular donors.

 I no longer worry about our financial situation. We will support as many people as our resources dictate.  However, we still need your help. Enthusiasm, high hopes and expectations will only take us so far. All the Directors of Community Friends donate to this organisation. If you could donate the cost of a cup of coffee a day or a dollar a day, we would really appreciate it. Even 50 cents a day would help. If you can’t afford that, then maybe we can help you with a food parcel every week. These are tough times. Either way, maybe you can help us, or we can help you.

The choice is yours. 

Community Friends

Bank of Queensland

BSB 124001

A/c no. 21808940

Tax deductible. 

Till next time
Mark McDonnell
(Founder)
Community Friends.

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