Chips of Kindness

I put out a call recently asking for donations for the Little Yellow Free Pantry that we have outside our home, a pantry that feeds so many people in the community. 

And many, many people heard the call and responded.  Thank you. 

The donations have been coming in, making me smile each and every time.  The shelves in our basement that hold pantry supplies are no longer bare.  My wish was that we could stock up really good NOW, in October and November.  Because once the “busy season” starts (the annual Santa Project, where kids come to our home and write and mail letters to Santa, then he writes each and every one back and gets them something they asked for), I won’t have the time or energy to focus on the pantry.  It has to be ready to sort of “run itself” for that period.   

I wanted to take a moment to tell you the story of a new pantry guest.  I love to share stories of people who visit the pantry so that you have an idea of where the amazing things you donate are going.

A new guest showed up recently.  She is a sweet woman, tiny in stature, an immigrant.  She moved into the community with her son not long ago.  I saw her at the pantry and went up to talk.  She is very quiet and reserved. 

I explained that the food was for everyone.  She smiled and lowered her head, shaking it to say “no”.  I tried again.  “No, really, it is free!  It is for everyone, please take what you would like.”  Again, a shy “no”.

She asked if I knew of a place that she might be able to rent and explained that she and her child are currently living in a nearby hotel, which is eating up all of the money they have.  The boy is enrolled in school and she would like to stay in the same district.  I told her I would put some feelers out to see if I could find any leads.  She left with just a couple of cans of food.

I saw her again a few days later.  Again, I offered food, and again, she shyly declined.  But then she explained that she felt bad taking the food without giving something in return.  Was there anything she could do to help, she asked.

We agreed that she would come back the next day and volunteer.  Before she left, I begged her to take some food.  The only thing she asked for was CHIPS for her son.  “He likes chips,” she said quietly.  I rushed to the storage area and came back with chips, soup, chili, tuna, and a few other cans.  She was embarrassed to be offered so much.  “Give it to others, please, share with others,” she told me.  She left with a few cans of food and bags of the coveted chips.

She came back the next day just as she promised.  I put her to work hanging up many Halloween costumes that had been donated.  She did a terrific job getting them all organized. 

This woman is someone who benefits from your generosity.  This proud, shy, smart, scared woman.  She is starting life over here with her child.  And because of generous donors to the Little Yellow Free Pantry, she knows she has a safety net and does not need to go to bed hungry.

I have a lead on an apartment for her thanks to an amazing realtor.  I hope to see her again soon so that I can share it.  Our community needs people like her.  People brave enough to uproot themselves and move to a new place to find a better life.  People willing to help out and give back.  People with heart.

Thank you for being so supportive of the work of Kindness Activist.  Because of YOU, we can create kindness ripples one at a time.

If you would like to donate to the Little Yellow Free Pantry, the Amazon wish list can be found here: Little Yellow Free Pantry Wish List

We are currently low on honey, single serving cups of soup of any kind, and peanut butter.  We need canned meat of any kind and soup of any kind.