“What would you say to someone to make their day?” asks Carlos Padial III.
It’s an important but infrequently asked question that functions as the backbone of Padial’s seven-year-old nonprofit, Lids of Encouragement.
The organization provides meals, care packages and hygiene kits for downtown San Diego’s homeless population. The items come in tupperware containers that have unique, inspiring messages hand-written on the lids.
“Smile!” reads one lid, written by a student at E3 Civic High.
Another lid hanging on Padial’s wall says “You can do it!”
Other messages are less succinct: “During difficult times, don’t forget to remind yourself of how strong and capable you are!” That note came from Alejandra, through the County of San Diego Office of Equity and Racial Justice.
“This is a really cool way for people to express themselves and reach out to somebody in need,” Padial says. “You don’t know who gets it, but who gets it matters. It’s the real deal.”
The Lids of Encouragement’s mission is to “uniquely encourage those in need.” Currently, operations are small but strong. Padial has a local board of directors and works with international volunteers.
The office is located downtown at Fifth Avenue and E Street. Padial encourages visitors to write their own lids. He’s also partnered with E3 Civic High. Padial dropped off a box of empty lids at the school and came back the next day to pick up a plethora of inspiring messages.
“This, too, shall pass,” read one of those lids.
Padial notes that shortly after starting the nonprofit he became homeless for a period of three years. It’s an experience he says will leave a lasting memory and continually spur him to help others.
Padial and his local board have big plans that rely on increasing their funding stream.
Lids of Encouragement has applied for a 2023 Equity Impact Grant. With the grant’s $100,000, the organization could quadruple lid-making operations, and digitize the process.
Padial is also eying a plan to open an downtown emergency room, and another to create a temporary intake site for people living on the street.
These are long-term and pricey goals. In the meantime, Padial operates on the notion that simple acts and encouraging words can carry the day.
That’s summed up on one lid that’s adorned by a heart and bears the message: “Hope will always take you to a positive place.”
For more information, go to: Lids of Encouragement. SDSun
