This is where I’m going to expand my communications from Twitter to larger posts. I‘ve been tweeting about health, beauty and nutrition, attitude, inspirational quotes and most recently information on Hurricane Sandy.
I’m been wishing I could go to the East Coast and help out with Hurricane Sandy clean up. Instead I’m stuck here on the West Coast so I went and donated some money. We can all send our thoughts, prayers and whatever money we can spare to those who have been affected. Here is the Red Cross site where you can pitch in. I also went to my local chapter of Lymphoma Leukemia and registered to volunteer as this is a cause I’m passionate about. I would like to help out with event staffing, fund raising and office assistance. I’m looking forward to hearing back so I can jump in and get started! Together we can make a difference!
We could all pitch in more at home and not wait for a disaster to strike. What about our local schools and hospitals? I bet they would love to see more of us helping out. Other areas that need our help are animal shelters, homeless shelters, and food banks. Lets make the holidays a joyful time for all!
In addition to volunteering our time we could all practice daily random acts of kindness. For example, smile to those waiting in lines with you, complimenting others, pay the bridge toll for the car behind you, send a snail mail card to a family member or friend, help out a lonely elder, read a story to a child, or offer a meal to someone. Be creative and let me know what ideas you come up with.
Here are some links to organizations that need your help:
- ASPCA
- Be the Match, National Bone Marrow Donor Program
- Leukemia Society, SF
- Red Cross
- San Francisco and Marin Food Bank
- Save the Bay
Image by Leo Reynolds
I love random acts of kindness. When I travel (which is often to more impoverished areas) I always bring stuffed animals, clothes and other items to randomly give away. I had to take a taxi up and over the mountains in Fiji last year because the inter island plane I was on had engine trouble (note: They ALL have engine trouble…..you will never get anywhere when you are supposed to). In the middle of nowhere this woman was walking with her 3 children (none with shoes) so I made the taxi driver stop shortly after we passed them. I got out and gave them all a cute little Beanie Baby animal……they were SO happy. The randomness of that made it great because that is not a road tourists travel and now they have something new to share when they reach their village. In El Salvador I brought an entire suitcase of toys and gave them and the suitcase away. In Peru I hiked in to a tiny village with no running water or electricity and stepped in to a small structure which is the school, where I carefully tucked away school supplies into each desk for the kids to find the next day. I had also brought some kids clothes that I collected from people in the states for a trip to The Dominican Republic. We stopped because I had to pee and they told me to use a tree by the road but it was literally in front of a house that people were outside of!! So since they were looking oddly at me (again, no tourists go there) I asked if we could use their bathroom. She smiled and let me in and pointed to a small plastic red bowl on the floor near a bed. Ok…..so that was her toilet. I had a small tissue in my pocket but no place to toss it so I asked for a garbage. She smiled and led me out the back door to a bunch of kids (like 8!) playing in the dirt. She said to throw it down anywhere. That was awkward. Needless to say, I opened my suitcase and gave her all of the kids clothing I had brought with me and some pens and pencils. She was thrilled. Locally, I sometimes collect warm coats and keep them in my car. When I see a homeless person in the cold or rain, I offer a coat to them. Sometimes I leave a hot cup of tea or hot chocolate by them. Obviously I also donate to organizations that help animals and people and I volunteer my time, but I love the random acts of kindness!!!!!!!! Just knowing how happy you made someone makes you happy too. There are so many ways to give.