The Mission of the Margaret Fuller House is to strengthen and empower youth, families and community residents. We work to address the economic, social and political inequities that shape the lives and futures of Area IV residents.
Their programs consist of a food pantry that provides over 18,000 pounds of food per month to families in need. Each year about 3,200 people use the pantry. They also have an after school program that provides love and care to 70 children ages 5-12, among a host of other things.
We had the privilege to volunteer on Saturday morning at the Margaret Fuller House. To be honest, I really can't think of anything I would have rather done that day. We filled bags with non-perishable items and then bags with vegetables to be given along with Turkeys as part of Thanksgiving boxes that will be distributed throughout the community to those in need. My kids jumped in as soon as we got there packing carrots, potatoes, onions and celery into sacks. They had smiles on their faces the whole time. I was so blessed and touched to see that.
The main reason I am writing this is to not tell you what my family did because honestly that's really not the important part. My motive in writing this was because this is an issue that has been weighing very heavily on my heart and I wanted to share it with you. The important part is that there are families, just like yours and mine that are going without on a daily basis. There are children that are going to bed hungry every night. Some do not even have beds. In our own neighborhoods. It breaks my heart.
There are so many opportunities to help out with this need if we would only look for them. Especially but, certainly not limited to this holiday season, there are so many places that would more than welcome your help if only for a couple of hours on a weekend.
I talked to the Director of the Margaret Fuller House and asked about other Volunteer opportunities and she handed me a flyer and said "we can use help with everything."
You see, we don't have to come up with something all on our own to reach people, there are people already out there doing it, and doing it well and they would really love to have our help. I know it really challenged me to be there and look into how I could help more.
On the way home on Saturday my daughter said to me, "mom, my heart feels really happy right now." It not only makes us happy, it helps to meet a need and makes God smile. That's what it's all about, right? He smiles when we love others. :)
I'm definitely not saying that I have mastered this, far from in fact. I'm just saying that if we all do a little, I think it can do a lot.
So, get on google and look up some opportunities in your neighborhood. It's about showing love to others who have less, a lot less than we have. Watch and see, it won't only help to change a life of someone else but, it might just change your own.
Thank you for reading this. :)
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