As our name suggests, we at RentFoodBroke are very aware of the precariousness of our current situation. There are many in our city who, for a myriad of reasons, do not have homes. Recently, we were lucky enough to spend some time with Tina Hovsepian, inventor and founder of Cardborigami. An architect, Tina developed a temporary, portable shelter to try and provide some respite for those without permanent structures. She generously agreed to share some of her thoughts and experiences in downtown's Skid Row. The following is what she shared:

Happy 2012 everyone! We've decided this is our year of abundance: money, friends, and good ideas (not necessarily in that order). To kick this year off in that spirit, we've worked together with awesome RFB aficionado Claudia Cooper to share her list of most appreciated resources (thanks for sharing, Claudia!). Read on to learn about free DVD rentals, saving on groceries, and more.

You've got a week to come up with something amazing that will guarantee that next year will go perfectly. Right. Now that we've discarded that ridiculous and frustrating idea, let's talk about why a New Year's Resolution could actually be a good idea. We're not referring to "losing a bazillion pounds by February" or "making ten hundred million dollars by March." This is about reflecting on the last year and going for what you want to focus on in this brand-spanking-new year.

The response to our Thanksgiving volunteering article was incredible--we heard you, generous denizens of LA, and we're giving you more with information about Christmas volunteering. Sure, we don't all celebrate Christmas, but it seems like as good a day as any to spread some cheer. And, if these volunteering opportunities don't work for you, consider holding a toy drive or a coat drive to share joy and warmth. Socks may be a lame gift under a packed tree, but may be exactly what are needed at a local shelter.

The #Occupy phenomenon has been pretty interesting. For some it seems to be an unrivaled chance at empowerment, while for others it's nothing more than an irritation. As tension mounts in LA, long one of the most peaceful Occupy sites, we headed out to chat with some people about the movement. The following is bits and pieces of what we heard/saw/thought.

Growing up in an Italian family, Thanksgiving was about three things: family, friends & food! For the past 4 years, I've been living in CA which is 3,000+ miles away from my family. Unfortunately, I've never had the funds or enough time off work to make it back for that delicious day. On the bright side, I've had the opportunity to start my own traditions. For the past few years, it's been all about Friendsgiving. It's pretty simple and very sweet: the person with the biggest apartment hosts and everyone meets up in the morning to start cooking together/ people roll in throughout the day with more food.

Thanksgiving brings out the giving spirit in a lot of us. We've got a list of some places that could use an extra pair of hands this week. In a refreshing commentary on our giving spirit, some of these places may say that all their volunteer positions are filled at the moment. Ask to get put on a waiting list or sign up for X-mas volunteering. Also, ask about the organization's "wish list." If you aren't serving up mashed potatoes, you can be busy collecting extra coats and canned pumpkin from your friends. If you want to get in the giving spirit, you can do it more traditionally or creatively. Read on for some places to get up to your elbows in gravy.