We live next door to an awesome couple, Norm & Diane, who are among the kindest people I have ever known. One Christmas Eve, I heard a knock on the door and when I went to answer no one was there. I found a beautiful 3-Tiered cookie arrangement sitting on my doorstep, compliments of Norm and Diane. They have also gifted me with many wonderful donations to sell at the Thrift Store. One day last week we all arrived home about the same time. We exchanged greetings and asked each other how we were holding up considering the pandemic. I shared that my daughter and I were safe and well and that my biggest complaint was that I was on my last two rolls of paper towels and could not find any after visiting three different stores. Later that day I went out to run an errand and upon returning home I found two big beautiful rolls of COSTCO paper towels waiting for me on my doorstep. I could not believe how excited I was when I discovered this treasure. Who would have ever thought one could be so filled with joy over receiving two rolls of paper towels! Of course, it was a gift from Norm & Diane once again. I find my spirits lifted when I am a recipient of these small acts of kindness.
So, I began to think about ways I could Pay it Forward and help someone else through my work at the church. I thought back to when I was Director of our Mentoring Program. We mentored mostly single parent families who were trying so hard to make the transition from welfare to work and self-sufficiency. I witnessed many members of our congregation walking hand in hand with these families lifting them up in love and supporting them in so many ways. One small way was to purchase gift certificates from our Mission Outreach Thrift store. We would gift them to the families who needed clothing or household items so they could use their small incomes to pay rent, utilities, and food.
As we see in the news everyday it is the low-income workers who are suffering the most through this pandemic. Many are unable to pay their rent, utilities, and put food on the table for their families. We have all seen the long lines of people waiting in their cars to receive food, just trying to get through the day. As we make plans to reopen and step back out into our communities, we are all going to be in contact with individuals and families who will be experiencing financial hardships. We have decided, one small way we can all help people in need, is to bring back gift cards to Thrift Store. Our awesome Communications Dept. is in the process of creating them for us. Stayed tuned for upcoming information on how to purchase them. By purchasing a gift card from the Thrift Store, you can Pay it Forward and gift it to someone experiencing financial hardships. A small, but beautiful, act of kindness.
In peace,
Brenda Blake
Mission Outreach Thrift Store Manager