Tomorrow is this goodest boy's 4th Birthday!! He's not the topic of tonight's diary but deserves his picture here anyway!
Since January 20th 2025, I’ve seen so many of our friends, neighbors and countrymen stepping up to help others living in these United States. Just a few of the countless examples:
People are showing up at protests and rallies (such as the 7 million strong October No Kings event) to make clear we do NOT support this regime’s policies.
People in cities invaded by ICE are carrying whistles to alert others when government-sponsored kidnappers are sighted, walking children home from school to make sure they’re safe, surrounding.. or towing!… vehicles carrying ICE thugs, and more.
People are donating nonperishables, money and time to food banks, pantries and rescues to make whatever dents we can in the gigantic crisis preventing 42 million of us from obtaining food.
I was thinking about all of these as I drove to my local grocery store. Locally, each year a collaboration of local agencies, houses of worship and our local food rescue volunteer group partners to organize “Give a Gobble” … where we sign up to provide a Thanksgiving meal kit for a family in need. Casa Brillig signed up to provide two meal kids. They’ll be delivered to a central location on November 24th, and then on to families so they’ll have a table of food on Thanksgiving. In case you’re wondering what a meal kit entails:
Please fill a non-plastic, reusable bag with:
2 14.5oz cans green beans
1 15.25oz. can of corn
1 15.5oz can of black or brown beans
1 14oz. can of cranberry sauce
1 6oz box of stuffing
1 1lb bag long grain rice (any kind)
1 .87oz packet of gravy mix
1 box of mashed potatoes (non-perishable)
1 2lb bag onions
1 gift card (value of $20) for Turkey and cooking tray
Optional: festive non-perishable items like dried fruit or chocolate (please avoid
items with nuts so someone with a nut allergy doesn’t end up with nuts in their bag!)
Or
1 $25 supermarket gift card for folks that don’t necessarily have kitchens to
do their holiday cooking!
I’m writing this diary earlier than usual today because I have a zoom meeting tonight! Way back in 2017 I shared in one of my Seasonal Diaries about my UU congregation’s program partnering with the Department of Children and Families to adopt children/families and provide their holiday presents. Here’s what I said about it back then:
Each year our congregation partners with the local Department of Children and Families to provide Christmas presents to children under their care. A family or group of families receive the information about and wishlist of a child or sibling group. The list is divided into a “big present”, two “smaller presents”, and then “mandatories” (pajamas, hoodie, shirt, and hat/gloves) plus a stocking with 3-4 little items. If a child has siblings, families sponsoring each child coordinate to make sure everyone gets EXACTLY the same number of presents. We wrap everything and return it early in December so that the social workers can make sure everything is delivered on time.
We do this every year and I gotta be honest… we get more invested in this child/children than we do presents for one another. Last year I was asked if I’d like to join the small group of folks who do the work of making this happen… collating lists, matching children with adopters, coordinating with social workers if there are questions, etc. I’m learning it’s a herculean effort by this dedicated Undecorate The Tree committee and I’m so glad I can not only sponsor a family but also help with the work of making it all possible.
I’m blessed to have a wide socioeconomic variety of friends. I’m sure some are eating a meal because of the food people are donating at local food banks or Little Free Pantries, or who pick up a meal at a community dinner or food freezer. I also know others are probably beneficiaries of tax gifts from the Big Beautiful Bill, and who don’t EVER worry about food or healthcare. And every economic status between.
I was chatting on the phone with a friend as I drove to the store, one for whom money has not been an issue for many decades. I shared my grocery and later meeting plans, and while my friend said the right “oh cool” and “great idea”, they didn’t reply with what THEIR family does. Before you wonder, my friend is not a registered Democrat but has voted with them for decades and while not as left as I am, is definitely one of us so to speak. We had to end our call abruptly when they got a work call, but I’m going to follow up. It got me thinking about what my Republican family members might be doing each year to help others, something I’ll also be finding ways to inquire about. If you’re going to preach Get Gummint Out Of Helping Poor People, Charities Do That then you damned well better be Charitying, y’know?
I know that for many of us here at Daily Kos, helping others financially isn’t a possibility when keeping one’s OWN head above water is difficult. I’m not here patting myself on the back; I’m well aware I am privileged to be in a position right now to help others and that tomorrow may bring changes that dramatically change my situation. What I also know is that HELPING others makes me feel like while I cannot do everything, I can do something and that matters.
What sorts of programs are available in your neck of the woods to either help or be helped? Please share in the comments!
Before we get to the Tops, a post-election update: somehow my town managed to pass our Prop 2 ½ override and while that means next year our property taxes will rise significantly, it also means restoring 15+ positions in our school system, 5 in our city/DPW roster, make repairs to our roads and sidewalks, continue Senior and Veterans services, and more. It’s worth it to me. And with that, on to tonight’s Tops!
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