Spontaneous Giving

You don’t have to fly to Africa with a cargo load of medical supplies to help the very poorest of the poor. People are in dire circumstances right here where you live. Homeless individuals are no longer just hairy unkept men. They are men, women, children and teenagers living outdoors on their own. They stand at the entrance to the freeway, sleep in public parks, or under bridges and on bus benches. They live in their cars and spruce up in public restrooms. Some homeless are whole families who only a couple months ago had jobs and a house to live in.

You, just you, can make a difference. You don’t have to be rich or young or outgoing. You don’t have to have a lot of free time. You don’t have to bring a homeless person home for dinner to be a humanitarian.

Practice giving on those you love, your family and friends. Give gifts of time, a listening ear and notes of affection. Then branch out to help others.

Here are ways you can give spontaneously. Spend time in your closet and dresser drawers. If they are bulging, you have too much stuff. Give gently used clothing and household items to local thrift stores that support worthy community causes.
Offer to listen to children read at your local school.

Give water bottles, hygiene supplies, and clothing, to a Family Shelter that helps families get back on their feet. Most residents are on foot. They really appreciate backpacks and tote bags to carry their papers and snacks in while riding the bus or walking.
Organize a shoe drive among your family and friends. Spend an evening polishing the shoes and giving them new life with new laces. Homeless shelters distribute shoes to those who need them.

Volunteer at your local hospital. You can sit at a desk and give directions, answer phones, or deliver flowers.
For me, giving feels better when it is up close and personal, much to the chagrin of my spouse and children. Recently I spent one of many afternoons handing out blankets and water bottles to the homeless who are living in the brush near the beach. A man in the group looked down at his crusty calloused feet and said he wished he had a pair of socks to wear with his sandals. I told him I might have a pair in the car. I slipped to the back of my car and took off my socks. I waved them in the air to rid them of the cucumber melon scent and the warmth of my feet. I rolled them up and took them to him. He was so appreciative. Such a tiny act of spontaneous giving benefited both of us.

On a daily bases we can find ways to make the lives of others better. Our excess can be life saving to those in need. Remember if you have two coats you have one too many. Give generously and spontaneously.

MaryEllen Simmons’s claim to fame is that she is the mother of ten and foster mother to more than 125 children. She has a Bachelor’s of Arts in Human Resources and has worked as an Adoption Casemanager. Her favorite title is Mother. John McCain presented her with the Power of One Award in 2002 in Arizona. She won the Hon Kachina Award given for community Service. She ran a clothing bank out of her garage for ten years giving clothing freely to those in need. MaryEllen has never met a stranger. She would give you her last pair of shoes if you needed them. Her motto is “If you have two coats, you have one too many.”