Helping Others.

'Tis the season, after all.

Some Jews give to a different charity on each night of Channukah.  My congregation sent out a Hannukah Wish List, and I contributed for the video operators for Zoom services, since I now attend remotely and want that to continue.  So it's a bit selfish 

Many Christian people are doing a Reverse Advent, based upon images like these:

  

Reminders also come out that if you donate boxed mac-n-cheese, it's good to donate canned or boxed milk that people can use to make it.  Some people suggest adding a can opener, but you never know whether it will end up with the people who have cans to open.  And many places can use diapers (adult incontinence items too) and feminine hygiene items.  Also cleaning supplies, laundry soap, things like that to help people when all their money has to go to housing and transportation.

Of course there are Angel Trees (at my congregation we instituted Jacob's Ladder, from the story about Jacob seeing the ladder to heaven and the angels going up and down, with the same purpose but avoiding the pagan-Christian association of a tree), and I decided that I would contribute to the one hosted in the local community hall.  I took my laptop so that I could check prices and availability of items, and ended up with five tags:

• A man who asked for a package of black pens.  I chose several different types, and noticed he wears size 6X-7X shirts, so I bought one of those also, a proper one with button front and collar, since I would guess he usually gets just T-shirts.  I hope it fits.
• A man who asked for brown dress shoes.  Unfortunately he's not my father's shoe size, but I found some similar to the ones my father wears.
• A man who asked for a new shirt, also a big guy at 3X.  I bought three for him, different styles and colours, no white T-shirts among them as those are pretty common and somebody who asks for a shirt should have a proper shirt with buttons and a collar.
• A man who asked for tennis shoes - I found a nice pair in blue.
• A man who asked for either a specific type of coat, or camo thermals.  Those proved surprisingly difficult to find in matched sets, so one is a green camo top and solid green pants, and the other is grey/black camo set.

We'd collected a bunch of toys and games and stuffed animals for the local Toys for Tots collection, but they closed those before Thanksgiving, with little notice.  I didn't find out until the local organizer sent out a "too bad for us" message.  Then somebody checked around and the Durham Rescue Mission was happy to take the toys!

Finally, somebody announced a collection of toiletries and such for women and children at the Good Samaritan Inn (also part of the Durham Rescue Mission services), and my mother and I cleaned out the stockpile of toothbrushes (since my parents use electric models and don't need the ones given by their dentist) and soaps (I collect, it seems, and can share) and other items and dropped them off at the pickup house.  They also wanted coats, but I whittled down my closet before moving and don't have ones to spare.

Plus there are so many charities asking for assistance.  I am somewhat choosy in the ones I like, mostly ones that help the hungry, or women and children who have been abused, or people who have been rejected by family for their sexual orientation (which often overlap to the other groups), or a couple sheltered workshops and homes for persons with disabilities.

Still need some holiday treats, or want to plan for a future holiday or birthday?  The latter two run bakeries and ship almost anywhere.  All made with love and skill and VERY yummy.