Laying in bed with the hubby on this fine morning in LA and we stumbled upon a Kobe Bryant Commercial: Fight Homeless in LA. 40000 homeless folks in this city.
It got me thinking about how many people are suffering/dieing from lack of food, medical care, and shelter.
I pray to God for them every night and although I don't have all the answers and all the money in the world to help every single being, I know that I can make a difference by giving back to my community and society.
It's during the Holidays when I feel the most compassionate for the poor and less fortunate. I imagine myself being in their situations - rather than being with family and loved ones. Me being in a shelter, old folks home, on the streets fighting for my life... lacking the love and warmth that most of us are fortunate to have on a daily basis. I would be so grateful to those who showed me they cared enough to feed me.
I am so grateful to those that have made it easier for me to find spots I can donate to. Selfless acts of kindness makes this life worth living; knowing that we each can take a step back to take a look at what we fortunate people can do to make their worth living is an awesome feeling.
I want to share some of the places Derik and I involve ourselves with in hopes of maybe allowing others to share a small piece of your heart by giving a little back.
The American Red Cross- I figure a simple donation every quarter will help. Also blood donations help! The Red Cross offers neutral humanitarian care to the victims of war, the American Red Cross distinguishes itself by also aiding victims of devastating natural disasters. You can also register to receive text messages from the red cross to inform you when donations of blood or money are needed asap during a natural disaster. Awesome! www.redcross.org
One Warm Coat - Donating coats to help families / children stay warm during the cold season. Why NOT? Every year, Derik and I will gather our coats that we know we will not pull during the 4 months of winter and commit to donating them. onewarmcoat.org
Second Harvest Food Bank - Donating canned food to the less fortunate. I'm always complaining about how full I am after a good meal. If I can afford to eat and cook meals for myself and my family, why not make a difference in another family's life? Find a donation center near you. Around October/Novemberish each year, Derik and I will purchase 2 bagsfull of cans from Big Lot's - 50 cents to a dollar a can and donate to local drop offs. FeedingAmerica.org ...also there's the SVC Turkey Trot who also benefits to Local charities including the Second Harvest Food Bank. svturkeytrot.com
Derik, Darin, and I have committed to making it a family run every year; the morning of Thanksgiving. A nice family run before eating great meals and it benefits the less fortunate? Wow, amazing!
If anyone has any recommendations please let me know. Sharing is caring. We all can make a difference by doing one simple act of kindness.
