It may be a cliche....but there is an abundance of Joy in Giving!
As I have gotten older I am reminded over and over how blessed I am....and I've never been so eager and happy about giving my time...my talents....and my stuff!
Believe it or not I had all of this....including the cleaning supplies you see on the floor... all balanced on the cart or hanging on my arms as I headed to the bagging station. The colorful bag at the top is a "Minute for Mom Kit"...filled with personal and comforting items for a deserving mom. These kits aren't often asked for but we are encouraged to give them freely. Sometimes they are packaged in purses...like the blue one on the floor...sometimes in reusable colorful bags.
It took as much time to tally....sort and bag it all as it did to shop for it...and my heart was full of joy the whole time. Then.....
I breathed in the reality of an unhoused man, who was the next client I shoped for,
and I breathed out that I was able to find everything on his list....including a new pair of LL Bean boots.
Good and joyful work is being done at Maine Needs. There was a group of four women who were shopping together...laughing and having a good time. I told them how delightful it was to hear their laughter...and to keep it out. Turns out...I had a connection with two of them...and we swapped stories and marveled at how small of a world it is. If you see joy....say something.
When Paul and I did a shift together back in November we noticed the bins for gloves and mittens were nearly empty.....so we donated money to help stock the bins. I wanted to do the shopping....but they have wholesale resources to get more bang for the buck. I ran into Heather yesterday who did the purchasing and she shared these photos of some of the haul....several hundreds pairs of gloves and mittens.
I am filled with joy in giving.
MaryAnn, thank you for GIVING us a bird's eye view and a magnificent model of the JOY to be found in giving. What a remarkable place MAINE NEEDS is and what a remarkable volunteer and joy distributor YOU are.
ReplyDeleteIt is a remarkable place...and I'm proud to support the work they do. Thanks Dotty.
DeleteThis is SO wonderful and so good to see, MaryAnn. My husband and I volunteered for years at a place near here called the Mission of Deeds. They give out household items and donated furniture and we would "shop" for clients in a storeroom filled with donated dishes, pots and pans, linens, etc. I understand the joy you get from doing this. Sadly our "mission" has become more automated and, since Covid, does not need as many volunteers. But Maine Needs sounds like a fabulous place!
ReplyDeleteI love hearing about other places doing good work. It's interesting that Mission of Deeds has become more automated...can't really wrap my head around how that works but I can see that it was driven by Covid. There is nothing quite like giving your time and energy to something good. Thanks for sharing Judy.
DeleteAbsolutely a joyous activity! I've always questioned if it is better to give the money or to give the stuff- I guess it just depends. Either way- great job shopping and enjoying!
ReplyDeleteKathy
Good question Kathy. I've decided it's a combination of both. Either way...it's a joy! Have a wonderful holiday with your family.
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