BCAInfoSys From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Posted (3 years 11 months 2 weeks 3 days ago) and read 113 times:
Hey guys.. I was given an interesting opportunity yesterday. I was raised in the Mormon faith, but was smart enough to get out as soon as I was old enough to make my own decisions (walked out when I was 14 or 15). But yesterday my Dad asked me to accompany him to serve for 4 hours at one of their "Bishop's Storehouses". It's basically the Mormon version of a foodbank. People come in, their needs are assessed, and they are provided with food and basic necessities & toiletries free of charge and without obligation. My role was to stock the shelves and to assist those who came in with their orders.
It was a neat experience. Although I have substantial theological differences with the Mormon church, they have really done a lot of good. You can say all you want about their religion, but their welfare efforts are second to none. People weren't turned away because of race or creed, no one who was wanting was sent away; everyone who came in who was in need was sent out with enough food and basic essentials to fill a car like they'd just come back from Costco. The best part of the afternoon was helping an elderly lady from Honduras for the better part of an hour. She was half-blind, had a broken arm, and barely spoke a word of english. And to top it off, her sheet that listed what she was allocated was in Espanol (Spanish)! So I spent a lot of time trying to pronounce Spanish and trying to help her understand, because she wasn't able to read the sheet for herself! It was difficult at times, but it really felt good. Really put me into the Christmas spirit.
Anyway, I was really glad to give back to the world for the season. What efforts have you done to contribute during the holidays?
57AZ From United States, joined Nov 2004, 2491 posts, RR: 3 Reply 1, posted (3 years 11 months 2 weeks 3 days ago) and read 106 times:
Unfortunately, nothing much of late. However, when I was in high school, I volunteered with a United Way agency called the Northside Neighborhood House in my hometown of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Bear in mind that I volunteered year round, not just for the holidays and I also volunteered with the Chattanooga Food Bank during my college years.
Every year, the Northside Neighborhood House would put together food boxes for needy families to see them through the Christmas and New Year holidays. We had two basic box sizes, two person and four person-each with two weeks supply of food products donated by local grocers and the local food bank. Each recipient was a agency client and gave us a slip with their name and the food box information. The food boxes were prepared and distributed by volunteers-mostly high school students. If the recipient family had children, we would include some appropriate donated toys. We also added sundry dry goods and one or two frozen turkeys (depending on the family size). Most of the kids that volunteered (like myself) were from middle and upper class families. But for the Grace of God and it could have been my family in that desparate situation. Those of us who are able to have a duty to help those who cannot help themselves. This is something that was taught to me by both my family and community. One other interesting fact was that the food box distribution was always on the exam review day at school. However, there was no way that my school ever let that get in the way of community service (it was a Catholic high school) and I always did well on exams.
During my time in college, I volunteered with the Chattanooga Area Food Bank. Most of my volunteer time was doing distribution center operations at the warehouse, assisting the warehouse manager and dealing with the few direct clients we served. Most of our work was distributing supplies to other charities which did the direct service work. However, every December we had a major food drive sponsored by one of the major news channels and several large corporations. We would spend all day out at the collection point, taking donations from motorists as they drove through. There would always be a large group of volunteers to sort the food and we would often have other groups volunteering to provide entertainment for the donors and the telecasts that the news channel did every fifteen minutes or so throughout the day. Almost without fail, we'd have some high profile vehicles and groups come in with donations such as engines from a couple of fire halls and perhaps a couple of motorcycle clubs. One other thing that I found so warming from my experiance with the Food Bank was the response from local restaurants and grocery store chains. Both major grocery chains are year round donors, donating everything from canned goods to household supplies by the truckload. When we expanded to provide meals to homebound residents, the community came together to raise the money necessary for the purchase of a special purpose vehicle suited to the task. Even more important, many of the local restaurants now donate their excess food to the food bank instead of throwing it away. They store the excess food in containers that are picked up daily. Most important of all is the message that this effort sends to the public. These businesses tell the public "We support our local food bank. So should you."
Christmas is the time that the plight of the needy and less fortunate is most readily placed upon the public consciousness. Please remember that need knows no season and support your local charities year round.
"When a man runs on railroads over half of his lifetime he is fit for nothing else-and at times he don't know that."
3DoorsDown From United States, joined Oct 2005, 221 posts, RR: 1 Reply 2, posted (3 years 11 months 2 weeks 2 days 22 hours ago) and read 103 times:
I had a huge impact on the local economy. But seriously, way to go Steve. I know it puts me in the spirit every year doing the Boeing Child's Delight and the stocking stuffing. My wife and I don't have kids, so we go out of control "adopting" kids at Christmas time. I think we got 8 this year.
Anything to help kids and families.
Msllsmith From United States, joined Feb 2004, 393 posts, RR: 12 Reply 3, posted (3 years 11 months 2 weeks 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 94 times:
Quoting 57AZ (Reply 1): Christmas is the time that the plight of the needy and less fortunate is most readily placed upon the public consciousness. Please remember that need knows no season and support your local charities year round.
Good one for all three of you. Serious kudos!
I came back this morning from my weekly stint at my communities "Homeless initiative" program. My shift always seems to be the 4-8 am stint (what's with that?).....
It's important to remember that homelessness, for what ever reason is a year around concern. A lot of people just fall through the cracks and need temporary help.....it's a complicated problem and the gratitude from the recipients is payment a thousand fold.
Life is strange. No one knows when the old expression "But for the grace of God, go I" will be YOU...or ME.
And to tell the truth, I like my guests at the shelter. I learn something from each of them.
Merry Christmas to all of you too!
(Time to pack the Ham and trimmings and go to Brooklyn)
(HO HO HO)
There's nothing more beautiful than flying into the dawn.
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