Season of giving?

Last night, Michelle and I dropped off some food at the Human Solutions Warming Center. We called ahead of time and asked what their greatest need was, and they said microwavable food to go. Cup o soups, soup or chili in the little containers that you can just pop in the microwave. The warming centers are turning so many people away through the winter, but especially now, during this cold snap. They can use these little "meals on the go" for people staying at the warming center or for people that they turn away at the door.

This is such a hard time of year for so many people and now more than ever. There are so many new homeless people and families on the street now because of the economy. They aren't addicted to alcohol or drugs. They aren't career criminals. They are average, everyday people that have fallen on hard times. We wanted to post what we did, not as a congratulatory post, but just to show what can be accomplished with so little. We don't have much, but we have more than a lot of people out there.

Do you realize that you can buy a warm meal for someone for just .28 cents? With the change that is under your couch cushion or in your pocket, you could supply someone with a warm meal (sometimes their only meal of the day).


Michelle and I did some calculations, and for the price of one specialty coffee (which Michelle and I buy for ourselves at least once a week), you could buy 14 hot meals for people that are hungry. That hit us pretty hard when we figured the cost.


Or, if you are really felling generous, you could purchase 150 hot meals for people for around $90. 150?!?!?!? That is a lot of people that you can help and it literally might mean the difference between life and death. It's absolutely incredible what we can do when we put our heart into it.


We, as Oregonians, have thousands of of friends, family, neighbors, and strangers that are struggling just to make it though the day. Wondering where their next meal is coming from or where their children are going to sleep tonight. Wondering if they will survive this bitter cold or if they will succumb to the elements. How horrible must that be?

So, if you have the ability to help this winter, please do so. Please give whatever you can. Food, clothes, toys, holiday decorations, money, hope. Store a bag of clothes or food in your car to hand it out when you see someone in need. These are not nameless, faceless people that you see walking down the street with a shopping cart or standing on a street corner asking for help. These are our neighbors. Our friends. Our family.

Please help in any way you can and have a wonderful holiday season.

Special thanks to Our Own Two Hands for donating money to WGTTH (and making this possible) and to Margena King from King's Embroidery for donating bags and bags of sweatshirts, hats and scarves to help those in need!!