So Close to Home

Yesterday we delivered Thanksgiving boxes to families that may not have had much for the holiday otherwise. More than 100 boxes were delivered - which feed more than 600 people - nearly 400 of whom are children. We had a little conversation before hand talking about how doing this isn't for us to feel good about 'doing something good' but truly to be helping those who are in need. Noland and I took 4 boxes - I believe everyone was given fairly random assignments of where their boxes went. Two of the boxes that we had in our car - ended up being delivered to home just blocks away from our own house. I know we don't live in a wealthy part of town...when we're feeling lazy and put our aluminum and bottle recycling out on the curb rather than taking it to the store - I think it's one of our neighbors that usually picks it up. But it was still a bit of a shock to think that poverty really is that close. That our neighbors might not be eating, or not eating well, while we really do have so much.

Doing the Thanksgiving baskets is great - and I'm glad that East County does it, and there are a lot of other great things done - especially around the holidays - but what about these people the rest of the year?

So my company is putting together an initiative to get involved in the community in a volunteer aspect and I'm leading part of that program. I think what we're going to do, is get involved with the Community Transitional School. It's a school for kids who are homeless...they have a bus that goes around and picks them up wherever they may have spent the night before..the route changing daily. For many of these kids - this school may be the only stable thing in their lives. They've been in a variety of temporary locations over the years - but are now building a permanent building not to far from where we live. So I'm going to talk to the people at the school to find out how we can best help - if it's donations of school supplies, they also need basic hygiene supplies for the kids, if we can do something at the school itself.

It's not about us - it's about them...but I'd be lying to say that it doesn't make me feel good that we can do this.