Today a friend of mine and I decided to go out to dinner. We both love photography so we decided to go into the city of West Chester, grab a bite and take some photos along the way. I remembered that I had been looking up some homeless shelters and there was one in West Chester. I recently went to the dollar store and picked up some gloves and socks. I have been wanting to go into the city to hand them out with my family, but somehow time went by too fast! I thought this could be the perfect place because sometimes homeless shelters have to turn people away, but maybe they could give them something to keep warm with the harsh winter coming. We went to Safe Harbor to drop off the things, but when we got there no one seemed to be there. We saw someone go in before us but I didn't even think that we should get her attention. There was a little door where you could enter one and then there was the office window before the next. At the door we saw a check in sheet for the people who were staying to write in. Because there wasn't anyone there we put the bag on the table. That way as the people come in for the evening they could get a small treat if they wanted. I hope this was okay and if not it's just a few dollars of socks and gloves! My favorite part about it was that I got to do it anonymously. I hope that it was able to make some people happy tonight! If you're ever at the dollar store and have an extra dollar or even five dollars to spend why not get some gloves or tooth paste. Shelters have wish lists and need lists all the time on their websites for needs they are looking for. They also have instructions of how to give it to them. Little things like this can change people's lives.
Last semester in college I had the opportunity to go on a homeless shelter trip. We were able to go to two shelters to help serve dinner and meet with people as well as help in a mobile missions. The mobile missions was my favorite part because we got to go out into the streets late at night (so it was the true homeless people) and hand out socks, gloves, coats and anything that could help someone out. It was truly an opportunity because it is unsafe to go out by yourself and hand things out, but through this it was safe with a company. It was amazing to see all the people come and eagerly take things that would help them in so many ways. I gave one couple some gloves and immediately they put them on their hands to keep warm in the cold night. Some people asked for cardboard because they needed a dry one to sleep on. Another person begged me for another pair of socks, when I was only allowed to give out one pair of the thick ones. It is amazing to see the amount of need some people are in and if we just took some of our time and money to purchase things for them that they can't purchase on their own it can change their lives. If you're interested in donating items to the mobile missions I added their website below with all of the information. Check out their website for other things as well, it is amazing what they do!! I've also added Safe Harbor's website (the homeless shelter in West Chester) if you're interested in donating there. The link goes right to their wish list. Almost every homeless shelter has a need or wish list. Homeless shelters and people all over the world are in need of your help and you'd be amazed what even a dollar could do to change their lives.
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It's the New Year! That means just about everyone in the world has a New Years Resolution. The most common resolution is to exercise more or lose weight but what if yours was to serve more and make more people happy. There are so many opportunities to serve. You probably don't even realize how many are right at your fingertips! Jobs, schools, churches, communities, the internet, and so many other things have service opportunities where they want you to participate in. The number one reason people probably don't do service is because of EXCUSES. So I thought why not guess what the top excuses are and tell you why they're not actually excuses. Because is there really an excuse you can use that says you can't make others happy? I think not.
So here they are: 1. I don't have enough time! I can relate to this one... I don't have a lot of time at all. I'm a full time college student, the president of a club, I have a job, I'm involved in multiple clubs, I like to exercise, I enjoy sleep, and most importantly I want to have a social life! But there is ALWAYS time for service. Even if your service is smiling at others as you pass them at the store encouraging them to smile too. You can also incorporate service into your daily activities... If you want to be in clubs, join a service club, If you have a job that has service opportunities join in, and if you just feel like you're always running around while you're watching TV, make a nice card for Operation Gratitude (If you do one everyday or once a week you'll make 52-365 people happy and that's more than when you didn't do anything!) 2. I have kids Helping others is the perfect thing to do with kids!! Teaching them to serve others and make others happy is so good for them to learn. Doing something like this together is beneficial for relationships as well and can bring your family closer. If you think your kids wouldn't be able to handle it because they're too young, you can have them color pictures at home and bring it to a retirement home or make cards for soldiers in the military, If you think your kids are too old, they're not! There is so many fun things to do and they could even invite a friend. I guarantee that once they get there they'll have a good time wherever you choose. 3. I want to use that time to get together with my friends You can do it with your friends! There is always time to chat and talk to the people you're volunteering with, so why not do it with an old friend. You could get lunch before or dinner after and still take the time together to volunteer. Then you'll have a memory that you can look back on together and invite more friends next year! 4. I'm too tired To make someone happy, you don't have to use a lot of effort. To serve could include asking a friend who you haven't seen in awhile to coffee and making them happy! When you make others happy it doesn't have to be people you don't know, it can be those you see every day. I'm sure you're not too tired to smile and have a kind attitude with your waitress at a restaurant, for example, if you were then you probably wouldn't be there eating. 5. Someone else will do it Maybe someone else will do it, but that doesn't mean the person you could make happy would be happy. Multiple people can make someone happy. The smallest things can change people's days. Think about the last time a stranger made your day, such as someone paying for your drink in the Starbucks drive through. Maybe you can think of multiple times or maybe you can't think of any, either way it shows that just because someone else could do it doesn't mean they always will. 6. I don't want to and it doesn't interest me There is always something related to your interests that can make someone happy, unless you like to see people frown? If you like to do big things, go and volunteer at a food pantry, if you like to do little things and don't want anyone to know who you are, leave a coin on the ground for a kid to come along and find. There is always something out there, you just have to brainstorm. 7. I really don't have any time If time is really an issue and literally every minute of your day you're doing something else, you just have to think out of the box. For example, maybe every morning you get coffee before work. Why not pick up another one for your boss or co worker to make them happy. It might take an extra minute, but it could make their day! I hope these encouraged you to go out and make a few people happy this year! If you ever want to share your experiences please do!! You can share by tagging me (the accounts are under the contact page!) on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram or send me an email to piecesofhappiness247@gmail.com! I hope you have a wonderful HAPPY new year :) |
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