Ways a community helps those in need...making a difference

Hi Karen! You (and your group) are doing great community service for the downtrodden. Hats off of to you. We also try to help poor by giving donations to our 'temple' authorities, who take care of poor people's needs. I wish that I could associate myself with some organisation, who is active in these kind of activities, but for time constraints at present, it does not become possible.

I'm not too sure what they do in my community; but I read of a wonderful idea the other day. The idea was that many times when women have to go to shelters and it's around Mother's Day - they often are not remembered by ANYONE; so two ladies decided to change that. They started a jewlery business where they actually customized their merchandise and then took it to homeless shelters and let the children pick out one piece to give to their mom - free of charge. It was an article in one of the summer issues of Family Circle I believe.

Over here in Italy we have a lot going on for those less fortunate, some organised natianally and some locally. Anyone can go and have lunch in one of the canteens for the needy that can be found in most towns. If someone is unable to visit then they will even deliver to the person's home. We also have clothes collections and some local groups of volenteers who organise shopping speditions whereby they go and do the shopping for those who cannot move very far from their own homes. I'm sure there are other things going on too but for the life of me I can't remember them right now and this gives me an awful feeling. I don'treally do enough for those worse off

We have many home gardens here and there is a big push to grow a row for the needy. Our unemployment is one of the highest in our state so we all need to chip in with what ever we can do.

Hi Karen...we have alot of community services for those in need. We have clothes closets and food pantries. At holidat times like Easter,Thanksgiving and Christmas they give out special baskets to families that would not otherwise have fixings for a holiday meal. We also have help for parents with back to school help with clothing and school supplies for their children. The schools even get involved with a canned food drive or collecting pennies to donate to an organization. It is nice to know that we live in a country that will still help their citizens when they are down on their luck and do it without asking questions. flutterby

Donation of the essentials to the needy is OKAY. I think that training of these in some viable trade is also necessary. I have seen that most of the 'down on luck' people who do not have a good skill set. We can also pool jobs and assign to these people to keep them afloat. It is not an individuals effort, but of the whole community.

HI KAREN, u do have alot of things to help other people & that is great. I live in a small town & may not be aware of some of the things we have. We do have a place called we care that u can take anything to, clothes, furniture just about anything. It is sponsered by some of the churches here. They help people who are down on their luck for whatever reason. I'm proud that we have it. There is another place that helps unwed mother's. That's a good thing to. Those are the only two that i'm aware of. Happy days to u.