Friday, December 12, 2008

Tis the season...

So while checking my email this morning...I received a notice about donating gift cards to a local center that helps provide basic necessities for local people in need. This center was established back in 1973 by 4 women who "saw a need for an agency that could help people who might not qualify for support through established agencies".

These specific gift card donations are going to be Christmas Gifts for kids being helped by this center...ages 13-18. Normally they have ~150 teens to assist...but this season they are predicting that it'll be closer (if not over) 200 teens.

As I read type this my heart breaks. 200 TEENS! That is about a 1/4 of the nearby high school population!!

My family is lucky. My husband and I over the years have taken the appropriate steps to make sure that our kids haven't had to personally feel the devastating effects of the "economic crisis" that many in the town, state & country are reeling from.

With that said - it's time to "share the wealth" guys!! Give time...give money...give often. It's amazing how helping others also helps you. You feel good, you feel proud, you learn and feel compassion. What do you say?! It's about time to "pay it forward".

Most people WANT to give...but never know where or how to start. So here we go. I'm from South County RI...so I'll post some links for different organizations around our area where it's more than easy to give quickly and painlessly. But if your reading this from somewhere else in the state or country...go here to find a way to give now:
http://www.charity-charities.org/

It's time to make a difference!!!

There are many many more out there...these are just a few...but they're a great place to start.

Another helpful suggestion...when you go into your local grocery store (Shaw's...Super Stop & Shop)...they have either bins for food donations...or even more convenient...they have pre-packed grocery bags ($5, $10, $15 denominations) that you can just stick in your carridge at the begining of a grocery trip. You pay for it when you check out...and the donated bag full of food is place in a bin that then goes to your local Food Bank. How easy is that?! Personally I think they should do this ALL YEAR ROUND. I mean really...how many of us are impulse shoppers and have spent $5, $10 or $15 on items that we don't really need during a trip to Shaw's?? Why not use that money on things that people truely need?!

Even if only 1 person reads this blog and decides to act on it...well that's one more person/family who reaps the benefit!

Happy Friday...and if you have it...share the wealth this Christmas season...you'll be better and feel better for it!

1 comment:

  1. i love the idea. have we got anyone else to check out this site yet?

    ReplyDelete