Assist people in need meaningfully this Holiday season

Two friends of mine, unrelated to one another, both lost their living quarters due to fire over this holiday season. Thankfully, both are OK, and this gave me and a number of my friends the opportunity to offer meaningful assistance. I’d also like to remember these experiences of providing a bit of help to others in need during this season:

• Hugging an elderly, lonely woman whose beloved dog, Honey, died right before Thanksgiving.

• Listening to the stories of an elderly blind man, and wishing him Happy New Year’s.

• Sharing dinner with two homeless women and their children, followed by a wild and crazy game of Monopoly.

• Singing with a group of Christmas carolers at the doorways of elderly people. Many sang along with us enthusiastically, and one was wearing a Santa hat and smiling brightly as she sang. At least one woman was wiping tears from her eyes as we sang for her.

• Working with a group of friends to prepare a dozen gift baskets for shut-ins.

• Working with a group of friends to help prepare soup, salad, and sandwiches for 300 homeless people and then serve them at a community soup kitchen.

The duty of helping one’s self in the highest sense involves the helping of one’s neighbors. ~ Samuel Smiles

If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one. ~ Mother Teresa

I cooked for my family on Christmas Day (normally something my mother insists on doing but she needed a break), drove my family to relatives on Boxing Day and helped out there with washing up and drying duties before driving them all back.

The day after I went to London to help out in a Christmas homeless shelter (where my hubby had already spent 4.5 days volunteering) and spent 3.5 shifts there. Unfortunately he caught the most horrid cold (possibly verging on flu) and I had to drive back home earlier than expected and am now looking after him. Poor soul – what a thing to get for helping others out for 8 days.

year round. I love this practical, soulful, prayer, meditation project in helping to keep people in need warm.

And ofcourse, it keeps me warm, too.

1. Offered to shop for a sick neighbor. She didn’t want shopping, but she did want someone to listen while she talked about how bad she was feeling, so I did that instead.

2. Made donations to my local Food Bank, and to several other organizations that help needy people in my part of the world.

3. Made a point of tipping generously to the people in my life where that is appropriate. The amounts weren’t that large, but they were larger than the bare minimum, or nothing.

None of that stuff is heroic, but I think I made a difference here and there.

to do something more personal, I did make a donation for measles vaccines through UNICEF. Maybe when things settle down, I will try to return to some charity knitting for early January.

I’m spending a few days with my parents which should in theory be relaxing but it never is with them. I will need to help my mum get the Christmas dinner done, help with my dad as the evening carer is cancelled whilst I’m there so he can stay up later, drive them to and from mum’s sister on Boxing Day, and sometime (possibly early in the new year after the shelter volunteering time) drive them both round to look at respite care homes as Dad’s usual one in his home town is being rebuilt this year.

I am due to help out for 3 days (and possibly another half day) at a homeless shelter in London just after spending Christmas with my family. It’s the same shelter that my husband volunteers in but he’s doing all 8 days without a break so I now won’t see him till 27th Dec (which is our 10th anniversary of meeting).
I get an office job at the shelter so I can sit down all day – no harassment from the homeless guests – just constant requests from the volunteers.

alley from me is working through the husband’s rehabilitation following a stroke. Yesterday I went over and volunteered to clear their sidewalks and driveway for as long as they wanted me to. Its an odd feature of my state that some folks positively love showblowing or shoveling snow. The husband is one of those happy people so in my offer I was careful to say, “until Norbert can get back at it.” Norbert’s wife got all choked up and agreed.

I want to knit scarves to give out to homeless, cold people I encounter as I drive around this December.

It seems so simple to do, I just have never learned how to knit.

I love the thought of people staying warm and colorfully adorned because of something I create with my hands.

discovered the right thing for me to do this year. I found a teeny tiny little print out at work the other day. The Department has adopted a Headstart of 40 Kids 20 boys 20 girls, ages 3-5. The goal is to give each child 2 gifts. No battery operated toys. :)
So I have started to pick up something each time I go shopping. I search for Bargains.
So far I have 5 things of Playdoh
one soccer ball (Found on sale for 4.00 a really good ball…)
2 cool dump trucks
2 books
a stuffed horse.

It asnt exactly what I wanted to do this Christmas, But it feels right.

grocery shopping, pharmacy pickups etc. She has no living relative to help her. I’m honored to be able to lend her hand and never find it any inconvenience. Just another thimg for the “to do” list.