Yesterday's post contained the Contentment prayer, the last word of which is generosity.
Generosity is the habit of giving without expecting anything in return. It can involve offering time, assets, or talents to aid someone in need. Leo Rosten said, "The purpose of life is not to be happy- but to matter, to be productive, to be useful, to have it make some difference that you have lived at all." But when you read on the Internet of all the amazing people doing amazing "change the world" things, it can be overwhelming! Edward Hale said, "I am only one, but I am one. I can not do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do."
Luckily, our family has a generosity role model, the DeRoussel family. My sister Jamie and her husband, Dave, are the most conscientious givers and doers I know and have taught their children to be like minded. Here's what I mean....
Jamie and Dave participate in the Bed Start program through their church. This program takes unwanted donated furniture (especially beds) and delivers it to families in need. Volunteers arrive at the church on Saturday mornings and spend the day loading trucks and making deliveries. Participating in this program has given Dave and their son, Carson, some really good father/son time.
Jamie is a volunteer with Meals On Wheels. At their website they explain their purpose.
The Meals On Wheels Association of America is the oldest and largest membership organization supporting the national network of more than 5,000 Senior Nutrition Programs that operate in all 50 states and U.S. territories. The tireless work of these programs – supported by a dedicated army of 2 million volunteers – delivers a nutritious meal, a warm smile and a safety check that helps keep 2.5 million seniors healthy, safe and living independently in their own homes each year.
Jamie has been delivering meals for three years and has developed warm relationships with her meal recipients. Jamie brings such a ray of sunshine to our own family that I can just imagine how much she brings to her Meals On Wheels friends.
Jamie and her daughter, Ella, belong to National Charity League. NCL's mission is to foster mother-daughter relationships in a philanthropic organization committed to community service, leadership development, and cultural experiences. Ella is the VP of Philanthropy, a position she is well equipped for due to her own charitable program, "First Friday Food".
First Friday Food was a program Ella started in her subdivision to support the local food bank. Ella delivered First Friday bags to each home and asked them to donate nonperishable food items. The families had all month to gather their donations and then placed the bags on their porches the first Friday of the month. Ella gathered the bags and took the donated food to the food bank.
The DeRoussels are probably involved with other charitable programs and I just don't know about them. That's another great thing about them, they don't boast about what they do, they just lead by example - an example we are so lucky to have!
Love ya'll, Shelli
Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not. ~Dr. Seuss
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