Volunteering Gives others Hope

I got started when I was down on my luck and nothing was going my way. I ended up in a homeless shelter when the apartment I was renting was condemned by the health department and my landlord would do nothing to fix the things they obligated him to fix. It was one of the hardest things I had to do but I learned so much about giving to others.

I spent 90 days in this homeless shelter what was in a new town, a new county and didn't know a soul. I learned to make new friends. I met my goals they set forth for me. I got my daughter enrolled in programs that I had no idea was out there for children.

I learned how to live with people I would normally not even associate with. At that time there were up to 25 women and children living in the shelter. I was there from January to April. Those were the cold months. I moved further north so there was more snow than I was use to. I didn't know my way around town and I sure wasn't use to the colder tempatures and levels of snow. I had no money in my pocket and was afraid to ask for help.

My first time out in the new town trying to find the places I needed to go, I got everywhere I needed to be, however, on my journey back I could not find my way to the shelter. I finally stopped at a fast food resturant I knew was in the area and asked to use their phone. I called back told them were I was and I was lost. There is no feeling in the world as being dependent on others needing shelter, food, and directions in a whole new surrounding. I was so overwhelmed. The sad thing was I was only 3 blocks from where I needed to be and I felt so stupid. I cried all the way back with the tears freezing to my face as it was so cold, holding my daughter and wishing that life was so much easier.

During my 90 days there I learned so much about people, my new town, and the system and how to get the help I needed to get back on my feet. It is amazing that was 15 years ago. I am still a resident of this wonderful town and I am now employed by the homeless shelter that once took me in.

When these strangers took me in I knew then I needed to give back. People helped me with diapers and clothing and all the things I needed to set up a home.

From then on my daughter and I began to serve food to the hungry every holiday that some church, organization or resturant was serving asking for volunteers. I have given of my time off and on at the homeless shelter. In the 15 years I have given to many organizations and I have loved every minute of it. I love seeing the smile on peoples faces, seeing the tears of someone that has received something they had never had a chance to experience before. To be able to repay all the people that helped me and said when you get back on your feet repay me by giving it to someone else that needs it later when you have it to give.

In the 15 years since I was a resident the homeless shelter it has not gotten any better. The shelter I work with now houses 50 women and children and 25 men at one time. They are usually full to bursting at the seams and we have a waiting list to get in. The needs are the same the demand is bigger than we can give.

All homeless shelters have standard things they need help with. All of them are non-profit and running on a shoe-string budget. You don't have time but you want to help or you have the time to give here is a list of things needed.

Blankets. Most of them never have enough blankets to help keep the people warm. Some give them to the people leaving the shelters so they have a blanket once they are in their new homes.

Sheets. Check with you local shelter to see what size beds they have. Most have twin beds but some have double size. Sheets are needed in the shelters and for people leaving shelters.

Food. Many people in the shelters have not eaten for days when they arrive. Don't have money to buy a hot meal.

Cleaning supplies. It takes alot of bleach, disinfectent to clean a shelter. Most don't have this in their budget to do the cleaning that needs to be done to keep the homeless healthy and from spreading illnesses. This includes mops, brooms, rags, sponges, trash bags, laundy supplies, toilet paper/cleaners.

Personal Hygeine Supplies. If those residing at a shelter doesn't have money for a home or food they don't have money for soap, shampoo, diapers, toliet paper, tylenol, cold medicine, thermoters, first aid kit, towels, washrags. Anything we take for granted in keeping us well and clean.

Offer your time.Staff is very limited in homeless shelters. Offer to come in and help with cleaning, babysitting to give mom a break to job hunt, etc...

Monitary Donations. Money is always tight to pay the utilities to keep the shelters open. Pay staff and do anything extra.

Clothing. Clothing you are going to give to a resale shop. See if your homeless shelter accepts donations. Men's clothing is not donated as much as childrens and womens and is desperately needed. Larger sizes are always needed.

New Undergarmets.Many of those coming in don't have basics like undergarmets. Buy a few different sizes of underware, bra's, trainging pants, socks, to donate for men, women and children.

Office/school Supplies. Pens, folders, tape, staples, paper everything is needed. To keep records as well as to give to school age children for school. Even the adults need notebooks and folders to keep all their papers in for where they have applied for assistance or applied for jobs. To help keep track of everything that all in volved needs to do in order to get back on their feet.

When I first started to volunteer I worried if it would be safe for my daughter. She was so little and I was a single mother so if I wanted to give back I had to take her with me. I didn't have the money to pay for day care while I went out to help someone else. I worried about her safety, her health, and how this would affect her.

My daughter started her volunteer career at the age of 3. Yep she was really little. Just barely big enough to look over the side of a table. Yet I had her helping me clear tables at the local dinners that were served to the hungery. She didn't have a big attention span and she didn't fully grasp what we were doing she just knew she had to go with me.

I was asking her to do work, chores, and smile while she did this. At every dinner we worked she was not always happy when we got there but she was when we left, she usually was so tired that I would have to carry her home sound asleep in my arms.

On Christmas when we served my daughter did not get to open her gifts till after we served, this made her unhappy. However, she knew when she got home she would have something to look forward to. Especially the Christmas's I was struggling to provide her with at least 2 gifts to open.

If there was someone sitting by themselves to eat a Christmas dinner my daughter would sit with them so they didn't have to eat alone. That was not my choice by any means but I had tables to clear so the next family had a table to sit down and warm up and be nourished at. I kept an eye on her the whole time. She would come over and tell me she was going to go sit with the Lady who was sitting by herself so she was not alone for the holiday.

One particular lady I saw my daughter with when she was just 4 years old I got concerned because as my daughter sat at her table the woman talked with her and a few minutes later the lady and my daughter were in tears. I was concerned enough I went to find out what they were discussing. This wonderful lady in her pain gave my daughter a great gift she still talks to me about today. Her husband of 50 years had passed away 5 days before Christmas. She was lost without him. This was her first Christmas alone in over 50 years. My little girl looked over gave her a hug and said "I am sitting with you, so you wont be alone this year either." I often wonder what happened to that lady. My daughter when she went home that year took her gifts and didn't open them she went down the street and gave away her gifts unopened to a child who had no home and who had no gifts.

When my daughter was 17 1/2 she on Christmas day made these statements to me that I want to share with you. "Mom remember all that volunteering we have done over the years on the holidays. Thank you! You taught me so much. You taught me that even though we didn't have alot we had what we needed and we had love. To give and to share. Next year I will be 18 and Christmas presents is for kids. Next year don't get me any gifts, use the money to buy for someone that wont have a Christmas and lets go serve again. You taught me to be dependable, responsible and serve with a giving heart." I was dumb founded. This year we will find somewhere to serve again and this year we are doing so with my new son-in-law and grandson looking forward to get to experience all that my daughter has learned over the years.

Volunteering is fun and rewarding, but it's also a little more complicated than just showing up and having a good time.It is a commitment you are making to someone else. Be dependable and professional.

Here's some advice on how to make the most of your volunteer work:
Be selfless. Selfless means you are helping someone else not yourself.

Be well-trained. This is just like a job. You need to know what you are doing. There is professionalism in volunteering and you are representing that company as well.

Be dependable.. If you say you will do a task or show up. DO so. They are depending on you to make things happen. Organizations depend on volunteers to make things happen.

Be enthusiastic.. A positive volunteer makes it more fun and helps those you are helping that may need the positivity. If you don't like what you are doing find somewhere else to give. This should be fun not a chore.

Be open-minded. .One of the really great things about being a volunteer is the chance to learn and experience new things. Keep your mind open to new possibilities, and you'll probably grow as a person.

Be respectful.. Always remember to show respect for other people and other cultures. Keep in mind that your way of thinking or living is not the only way there is. We don't want to hurt those we are trying to brighten their days.

Be cooperative. Work as a team player. Don't take all the credit and allow others the experience to share. We don't have all the answers and working as a team we can make Change!

Be understanding.Try to see things through other people's eyes. Try your best to understand what other people are going through, even if it's something you've never dealt with yourself. Compassion goes along way.

Be humble. Be happy knowing that you're making a difference, and don't need to shout about it.

KIA (Kindness in Action) was a church ministry that I have gotten involved in. It was a great way to give away and bless people without giving anything but my time.

I was a reciepent of their kindness and spent years in this ministry. What a great experience. It is all based on the book by Steve Sjogren "Kindness Consipiracy". I got to meet with Steve and see how they got this set up. Our team only meets a few times a year now and I would love to set up a whole new type of thing like this in my hometown. It is on my to do list some day.

We live on the principal that Everyone matters and we do things to let others know they matter to God. Wether it be a bag of groceries to a free bottle of water at a soccer game.

I challenge each of you to one act of kindness a week. Examples of things you can do...

* pay for the car behind you at fast food drive thru
* Free bottled water
* Free bag of groceries to someone who needs them
* someone in line before you is running a little short to pay their bill. You pay it.
* Take sandwiches and drinks downtown and give them away
* Give away laundry baskets full of household cleaners
* Fill your food bank with canned food
* take sun tan lotion to the pools
* Fill backpack full of school supplies and donate it to someone that needs them
* take food gift certificates to the local college and give them to a student
* go visit a shut-in
* take out your elderly neighbors garbage
* Rake your neighbors leaves
* plow someones sidewalk/driveway
* visit nursing home ask for someone that never gets visitors
* adopt a family for a year help with groceries, clothing
* Clean a local park
* Volunteer time at local homeless shelter
* donate beds, blankets, clothing to children services
* buy a child a pair of shoes
* send someone flowers just because (not your spouse)
* stop and help someone stranded on the road (how often does this happen anymore in big cities)
* you see someone with a sign "will work for food" get them a bag of groceries and a hot meal and take it back to them.

The list is endless. But no matter what you choose do so in secret and bless someone today. Put your kindness in action. You may just bless someone more than you know they needed it.