By Barabara Penning, Director of Product and Volunteer Programs
Over the past few days, Mother Nature has thrown us a curveball. Yet, I do not have the words to describe the impact of what the Action Center has on the lives of people in the last 2 days.
I saw a hundred small acts of kindness that I will never forget. People sharing food, helping with small children not even their own, the volunteer who sat down next to an old man covered in snow that walked from the bus with wet shoes and no gloves and just sat and cried with him as he waited.
The participant who could find any gloves that fit his large hands, hearing this, another participant reached into her pocket and gave him a dollar telling him they had some available at the Dollar Store. The woman who gave her dollar was hoping to find shelter for the night.
I had a unique vantage point because I never left the lobby as I answered questions, found ways to squeeze one more person in for services, worked with our team to serve with an unending stream of people that needed emergency food bags or just a pair of socks.
And I saw that, YES, there is an incredible need in our community to serve those experiencing hardship…and yet the resilience, determination, kindness, and commitment of our participants, volunteers, and staff, both from the front of services to the behind the scenes is truly inspiring.
While I had the best vantage point the last couple of days, my hope is that each of you can stop for a moment and reflect on the IMPACT that the work you do, the donations you make, or the services you receive has on each of our neighbors in need. After all, we may all be ordinary people facing extraordinary challenges who can do INCREDIBLE things.
Want to help? As of October 2019, we are in desperate need of winter coats, boots, gloves, and blankets that are clean and in good condition.
Winter came sooner than we expected and we appreciate any donation you are able to make that will help us keep our neighbors in need warm. Our Donation Dock is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to Noon. The Donation Dock is CLOSED on Wednesdays and Sundays.