One of our socially-accepted ideas about charitable giving is
that one is supposed to do it quietly without much fanfare. For the
most part, that’s best-it makes things easier on the receiver, and
it eliminates the risk that one is doing it simply to look
good.
One of our socially-accepted ideas about charitable giving is that one is supposed to do it quietly without much fanfare. For the most part, that’s best-it makes things easier on the receiver, and it eliminates the risk that one is doing it simply to look good.
But recently a friend raised a really good point in an impassioned email to our circle of friends. She pointed out that if we are open about giving and talk about it with others, it provides an opportunity for them to get involved, too. It’s inspirational to be around people who are doing good things.
Laura Mankovsky is a Gilroy resident and member of the Las Madres group here in town. Las Madres adopted 11 families through St. Joseph’s Family Center this holiday season, buying gifts for all family members and wrapping and organizing them for delivery. That’s a huge undertaking, and as of this writing, there were still a few items yet to be donated.
But here’s what Laura wrote, in part: “As I look at the requests I am both overwhelmed and saddened at the truly basic things that are being requested. Blankets. Coats. Shoes. Food. It is absolutely sobering to think of mothers who struggle to provide these necessities for their children.”
Laura’s right. Although of course there were requests for toys for the children, most of the requests were very humbling. I guess the one that really makes the back of my throat start feeling lumpy is “blankets.” I imagine parents layering shirts and coats over the pajamas, trying to make a warm nest for their child while avoiding turning on the expensive heater. I also imagine that child tossing and turning, trying not to shiver.
What it must feel like to be in the middle of this gift-buying frenzy and have to tell your children that there just isn’t money for the things they want? I cast my mind back to my own childhood when my best friend and I would call each other Christmas morning and go through the litany of what we got – and we weren’t even greedy kids. Just regular. Kids gauge happiness (for the most part) by what they get, and that’s not their fault.
I remember going through the Sear’s catalog (I’m dating myself here!) and wanting certain things so hard it made my head hurt. My parents were very generous and luckily both had decent jobs. I never had my heart broken on Christmas Day, but I’m sure there are crestfallen children throughout the city who do their best to look happy.
Laura went on to write, “Let’s try reaching beyond our Las Madres family. I say we reach out to those around us at work, in our neighborhoods, and ask for help too. Last Sunday at church, I invited the congregation to participate in one of our fundraisers. Well, one woman said, ‘I can’t make it, but here is a check for $100; please buy some coats for the children.’ … Today at the gym someone asked if I was done with my holiday shopping. I answered that I had finished for family but was still shopping for Las Madres. I then explained what we were doing and she offered to buy some bags of socks … Another friend posted on Facebook … and a number of her FB friends are bringing food … I guess what I’m trying to say is let’s spread the word about what we are doing and get some help from others in our lives.”
I thought about what I could do to spread the word: and it occurred to me that I have a column in the newspaper. So here you go: here’s your little nudge to contact one of the groups in the Helping Hands box The Dispatch has published regularly in the print edition (it’s also online) and arrange some kind of donation. It can be as small as buying a pair of socks, or as large as dropping hundreds of dollars. I know many of you are already giving: thank you for that. And if it is simply too tough this year financially, shoot for next year.
Laura’s wise email concluded, “They say it takes a village to raise a child, right? And let’s not forget that Santa doesn’t work alone; he has an entire community of elves to help him.”
For more info: Las Madres is a mothers’ group open to anyone with children newborn through five years old: www.lasmadresofgilroy.org. For more on St. Joseph’s and its many programs, visit www.stjosephsgilroy.org.
