Giving during the Yuletide Season

[Oskaar]

I'm involved with a couple of community outreach organizations (Meals on Wheels, Senior Center, etc.) that deliver food the the homebound, transport, etc. I was wondering how many other of you folks out there are involved in similar or any other community outreach organizations.

Cheers,

Oskaar

 

[abejita]

<a href="http://foodnotbombs.net">Food Not Bombs</a>.

Unfortunately, thought, I've had to significantly scale it back since the weather has turned. I have a health condition that is aggravated by cold exposure. I used to do it four times a week.

 

[Summersolstice]

There a community-wide free Thanksgiving dinner where I usually volunteer each year. It's a wonderful program in that you see middle class families with their kids sitting next to needy people, all enjoying Thanksgiving dinner and the more fortunate donating food and labor to feed everyone, regardless of need.

I also usually donate food and clothing to the local food/clothing outreach program. Our local Wells Fargo bank has a Christmas tree with ornaments made of paper where residents of local nursing homes write down simple gift requests. It's so sad seeing these elderly people wanting sweat pants, a cassette of cowboy songs, McDonalds gift certificates, or similar simple items that most people take for granted. It's great seeing where your donatations are going, and knowing they're helping those in your own community.

Merry Christmas everbody!

 

[andrew_buhl]

Hmmm you said you do "Meals on Wheels"? I am think "Mead on wheels" - Giving a couple of shut in freinds mead for the holidays.

 

[Miriam]

Our budget is modest, but we donate year-round to the local senior's restaurant, which also provides meals on wheels, the Israel Cancer Society, a national soup kitchen/school hot-lunch program called Panim Meirot (Shining Faces), and Zaka, the organization whose teams arrive at the site of emergencies to extricate survivors and deal with the grisly business of those who didn't survive. I humbly admit that I'm not out there in the field for any of those organizations. Actually Zaka doesn't accept women volunteers because they feel that women could not bear the nature of the work, but that's no reason not to put my hands into the other organizations...I am main caretaker for three family members, two of whom have chronic ailments, though...

Miriam

 

[Angus]

Annual soup sale at work that raises money to buy gift cards from local grocery store. These are then handed over to the local shelter along with a years worth of clothes collected from friends and cooworkers.

Angus