What do you do for your community? :)

[Mrs.Killer]

so as you can tell from the title, i am interested in hearing what you guys do to help your community as well as encourage you guys to do so.

that time of year is coming up again, my church and i have this "shop for free" thing that we do a couple of times a year. on the 31st, we will be holding our third "shop for free" day. what we do is basically give ourselves one year or so to accumulate stuff that we have no use for, or fit in to anymore, and we set it all up on racks and on shelves, just like you see in a store.

this particular part of the year is where we try to buy brand new backpacks in addition to all of the stuff we accumulate for all of the kids who come into the "shop for free" day, seeing as how school will be starting very soon, and we want them to have backpacks for school. you'd be amazed at how many people can't even afford to buy their child a backpack, let alone clothes. so what we do is announce it on the radio and put fliers out, and yes we get the occasional "not-so-unfortunate" person who is just there to get free stuff, but it always turns out amazing. HUNDREDS of people showed up last year and we still had tons of stuff left over for the next one. when the kids get their stuff and are about to leave out the door, they get a free backpack and they think it's the coolest thing ever, lol. it's really rewarding, as cheezy as that might sound, lol, but it is.....undoubtedly.

i know when i was growing up, i didn't have much at all, my mom tried her best, but it was extremely hard times. i mean raising 4 children all on your own, with no help whatsoever, isn't an easy task! i would've loved to have had access to something like this when i was growing up.

do any of you contribute to your community? i mean, i'm not saying you should do something huge, but even if you just go through all of your clothes and see what you don't use anymore or want anymore, maybe you could give them to charity or donate them to your local shelter, or maybe you could host a bake-sale and the earnings you get from that you could donate to your local animal shelter for food and supplies? just some ideas.

i hope you all have a wonderful day!

<3 Rebekah

[Riannon Rodriguez {★}]

For a couple of years our kids at church would do a Hygiene Drive. For each week we would collect from our fellowship like toothpaste, hair combs, deor., floss, and other hygiene stuff. The kids would then put together the bags together and we would hand them out to the homeless. The kids really enjoyed it and was really good. WE would also to can food drive for thanksgiving and make complete meals for family's that dont have no food for thanksgiving.

[Mr Jason]

Teach Sunday School. Our church just started doing something like your "shop for free" but with food. Not old food but the ladies will buy a bunch of stuff thats on sale and save it up. The first time they did it they were pretty much cleaned out in about 30 minutes. It was awesome.

[Mrs.Killer]

that's awesome! i think it's very cool that you let your kids do that, it really gives them a great feel and sense of giving.

Riannon Rodriguez {★} said:

For a couple of years our kids at church would do a Hygiene Drive. For each week we would collect from our fellowship like toothpaste, hair combs, deor., floss, and other hygiene stuff. The kids would then put together the bags together and we would hand them out to the homeless. The kids really enjoyed it and was really good. WE would also to can food drive for thanksgiving and make complete meals for family's that dont have no food for thanksgiving.

[Mrs.Killer]

very cool! i wish more people would do things like that, ya know? it really baffles me how most people don't really like the homeless, around here anyway. i think the main reason why they don't like them is because they feel as though the homeless are living off of society like some parasite or leach, but that isn't it in most cases. some if not most can't get a job due to age or lack of qualifications ESPECIALLY now with the economy, jobs are scarce. anymore you need to have gone to college in order to get a job. it's a lot harder than people think.

that's very cool of you and the members of your church

Mr Jason said:

Teach Sunday School. Our church just started doing something like your "shop for free" but with food. Not old food but the ladies will buy a bunch of stuff thats on sale and save it up. The first time they did it they were pretty much cleaned out in about 30 minutes. It was awesome.

[Cherry Cyanide]

I donate gently used clothing and books when I clean out my apt. I buy food and donate at the holidays. I try to donate money to the ADA and AHA on the anniversary of my grandparents' deaths (When I've got the money). But honestly, and I know this probably sounds narcissistic, I feel like working in the ICU to keep people alive gives back to the community on some level. We do education and hook people up with much needed resources upon discharge. When I work the ER, I'm much closer to the community. The interaction feels good, actually.

Am I wrong to feel that way?

[Ellie Monster{★}]

My husband and I used to foster animals to keep them out of shelters, and we donate money and food around the holidays! Honestly I wish that we did more. We also put on a Thanksgiving dinner for single soldiers and sailors who could not be with their familys. We had over 30 people show up, it was awesome!

[Miss Behavin]

just shared your idea with a friend who helps the youth group at her church.
i do a clothing swap. i find better participation when people have to give to get an qhatever is left goes to a charity. w have done office attire for dress for success, dressy dresses for underpriviledged youth for prom. january is a good time to do it because it is post holiday, people have their resolution to change for the better and seem to have an easy time letting go of things tht no longer serve them. we have done one for accessories and one for home decor.

i volunteered for hospice for 5 years and at the local botanical gardens. you get more than you give from these experiences

[Mrs.Killer]

wow, i admire you for doing that type of work. i know i couldn't do it, my heart would break at the site of all the really bad cases. just medical anything would be way too hard for me, i would get way too attached to everyone, lol.
that is very cool of you to donate money and food when you can. it's better than nothing. every little bit helps.

Cherry Cyanide said:

I donate gently used clothing and books when I clean out my apt. I buy food and donate at the holidays. I try to donate money to the ADA and AHA on the anniversary of my grandparents' deaths (When I've got the money). But honestly, and I know this probably sounds narcissistic, I feel like working in the ICU to keep people alive gives back to the community on some level. We do education and hook people up with much needed resources upon discharge. When I work the ER, I'm much closer to the community. The interaction feels good, actually.

Am I wrong to feel that way?

[Mrs.Killer]

that's really awesome of you, down here stray dogs and cats are shot or ran over for sport
one of the many STUPID games the local rednecks play. sickens me. not much you can do about it though in these parts.

that's a cool idea about the dinner for the soldiers who can't be with their familys. very cool of you guys to do.

Ellie Monster said:

My husband and I used to foster animals to keep them out of shelters, and we donate money and food around the holidays! Honestly I wish that we did more. We also put on a Thanksgiving dinner for single soldiers and sailors who could not be with their familys. We had over 30 people show up, it was awesome!

[Mrs.Killer]

that's really cool, i know when i was in highschool, i couldn't afford to get a prom dress, i had to make my own, and even then i could barely afford that.

oh and yes, i agree, you do get more than you give in these experiences.

Miss Behavin said:

just shared your idea with a friend who helps the youth group at her church.
i do a clothing swap. i find better participation when people have to give to get an qhatever is left goes to a charity. w have done office attire for dress for success, dressy dresses for underpriviledged youth for prom. january is a good time to do it because it is post holiday, people have their resolution to change for the better and seem to have an easy time letting go of things tht no longer serve them. we have done one for accessories and one for home decor.

i volunteered for hospice for 5 years and at the local botanical gardens. you get more than you give from these experiences

[Tessa LeTaunt {★}]

I essentially just help out the animals in my community as well. I used to foster cats and dogs, especially sick ones that were about to be put down so they wouldn't affect the health of other animals in the shelter. One of the main things I look for now that I'm house shopping again, is a big back yard. I can't wait to start taking in animals again.
As of now, I just tend to the stray cats in the area. We've had a few homeless felines turn up, and when they stick around for a few weeks instead of returning home, I'll usually find them a new home to go on to. Just yesterday, I posted an ad on Craigslist for a kitty that I've been feeding. He is un-neutered and needs to get off the streets ASAP before he starts adding to the overwhelming homeless pet population. I mentioned this in the ad, and a lady from The Human Society emailed me, offering to neuter and rabies vaccinate him using money from her own pocket to do so. How awesome is that? I'm so excited to get him to the clinic and taken care of. Isn't he handsome?

[Edson Carlos]

I live here brown & proud.

By doing so I keep them in compliance with the Fair Housing / Equal Opportunity laws.

* I should really do something for this community =(