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| A few of the supplies I'm collecting for the hygiene kits. |
The needs of the world are endless and this overwhelms me. So what do I do when I'm inundated with all of these cries for help? I try to just do something. Tune out the rest and focus on one thing at a time. If I don't do this, I become immobilized and don't do anything.
My current focus is on Hurricane Harvey. I lived in Houston for ten years before moving to Maryland and I still have several friends there. I watched as Harvey wreaked havoc on familiar areas and felt that I needed to help in some way. There are many ways to do that, but I have chosen something concrete.
I am making, with friends and family's help, hygiene kits that have been requested by my church's relief organization, UMCOR. These are standard kits with soap, toothbrush, towel, etc. that are given out around the world and are much needed in the Houston and surrounding areas. I hope there will not be a great need for them with Hurricane Irma, but the kits can also help there.
So besides trying to be kind and respectful to others in every day life, focusing on one thing at a time is how I try to help in my small way. Sometimes it is putting together hygiene kits, sometimes it's making a monetary donation, and sometimes it may be writing a letter to an elderly relative. I try not to overthink things, which is my normal mode of operation. and just take some kind of action. That's what works for me. How do you handle the overwhelming needs of others that surround you?
I think you have hit on the best solution for the feeling of being overwhelmed by the needs around us. Just do ... something. Something I was thinking of, while reading your post, is that we humans tend to jump in to serve the most urgent needs but we aren't great at the ongoing needs (or maybe that's just me). I think maybe my adrenaline gets going with, say, news of a natural disaster, but the ever-present loneliness of an elderly person tends to gather a "meh" response from me. Sorry, just letting my thoughts wander ... and trying to be better about addressing both the urgent and the ongoing, even though it feels like a drop in the bucket.
ReplyDeleteI think you are absolutely right about the extreme needs produce an adrenaline rush and excite us into action. And that's not a bad thing because that is usually where the need is greatest at that time. The hard thing is remembering that there are all kinds of ways to help people--some of them not very exciting but important all the same. And a drop in the bucket is how a bucket gets filled. If we wait until we enough water to fill it, it will stay dry. Anyway, that's how I have to think about it or the whole overwhelmed thing comes back.
DeleteI love this post. Watching the news has just felt overwhelming lately - I like the idea of doing something tangible. I know they always say that giving money is the best way, but I just always feel queasy about whether I'm actually helping people or just paying someone's bloated salary.
ReplyDeleteMoney is usually be best way to help in these kinds of situations. CBS Sunday morning did a story about how good intentions of giving stuff can really hamper relief efforts. It was quite eye opening. Here's a link. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/best-intentions-when-disaster-relief-brings-anything-but-relief/
DeleteThe organization I mentioned has specifically asked for these kits or I wouldn't be doing them. They actually give them out around the world and there's always a need. Locally, my church will be delivering them to the organization on the ground in the hurricane areas so it's an easy opportunity for me.
I understand your hesitancy of money donations and what happens to them. That's something I worry about too. Fortunately, there's a lot of information out there about different charities if you have time to look. In the meantime, I try to do what I said above--just do something whether it's local or global big or small. It's all important.
I too am overwhelmed by the problems and destruction happening around the world. When I feel frozen by the problems I see I have to step away and do something too. For me that is usually to find a cause in my area where I can see first hand the results. That's not to say I haven't given to disaster relief especially in the Houston area and want to help those in the islands devastated by Irma.
ReplyDeleteAnd sometimes, the people that need help are not part of a tax deductible organization. At various times, my money donations have gone to various relatives that need some extra help because of a misfortune--usually elderly ones on a limited income. Another example are the neighborhood children that you work with. It's all important.
DeleteIt's wonderful of you to donate items that are needed, Live and Learn. I tend to donate through my temple, because I know that the donations will be distributed through the temple's own network of other temples. But we really shouldn't wait until there is a disaster to give. The everyday giving can be just as important.
ReplyDeleteI too direct some of my giving through my church. I feel that they do a good job of using their resources, so I'm comfortable with doing that. Unfortunately, that's not true of all, so you always have to do your homework.
DeleteI am so thankful we have not been in the path of any of these disasters. Hubby and I have decided to donate clothes we haven't worn in years as well as bath towels. You are right we need to take one thing at a time. We're afraid to donate money with so much corruption.
ReplyDeleteI know you understand all too well about hurricanes. I lived along the Gulf Coast for 15 years, so while I never experienced anything like the Harvey or Irma, I understand the hypervigilance you need during hurricane season as well as wind and water damage.
DeleteI'm glad you have been spared and hope that you continue to be.
There is a lot of heartache in our world in many forms. I think sending hygiene kits is a good idea. What I like to do when I can and I know my money is going to a particular cause then I will contribute. Last weekend, we were shopping at JcPenny's and they were doing the round up (to the next dollar) campaign to aid Hurricane Harvey victims along with another organization which we did not know anything about, since we were unable to select the Hurricane Harvey relief then we declined. I think it's great and wonderful when people do stuff like this but they need to give folks the options to select where their money goes. At the same time, they were giving away school backpacks to folks who spent $40 or they could donate the backpack to one of the local schools for kids who didn't have one, so we did do that and that was neat. You'd think our tax dollars should be enough for these things but politicians truly do not have people's best intentions at heart and the money gets used wrong. I'm thankful there are many kindhearted folks in America who are willing to step up to do more than their fair share to help others. You're an incredible person and your post gives inspiration for us all to follow. Have a good weekend!
ReplyDeleteI have turned down many requests for donations because I didn't know about the organization. On the surface, I agreed with the cause, but like everyone else, I want to make sure that my hard earned money is being spent well. But there have been others that I have been able to research and know that they're doing a good job.
DeleteLuckily there are many ways to help. The good thing is that we're not all interested in the same things, so donations are spread out among many different causes. The school backpack program sounds like a good one. Kudos to you and the store for doing that.
I'm just catching up on your blog while awaiting Irma so thank you for putting hygiene kits together. I hope we won't need them!
ReplyDeleteI feel paralyzed when major disasters hit. You can't possibly donate to everyone, of course. In the past I donated toiletries and canned goods but I understand when charities say that what they really need is cash. For Houston, I went to Charity Navigator and picked local charities that were highly rated without a lot of overhead costs so more of our money would make it actually in the hands of the people who need it and donated to them directly.
I hope you don't need one of these kits either. Using Charity Navigator is the perfect way to know where to direct your donation. Some of my money now is going to help a friend who just lost everything when Irma hit the Virgin Islands. There is need everywhere. I can't save the world, so I just try to do something.
DeleteI like the idea of tangible giving like that. I have so little money, then I see these huge aid organizations, whose managers and presidents get million dollar salaries and I am loath to send $5 or $10, knowing how much goes to just paying the leadership of those groups. If I could I send big balloons with baskets that drop supplies to real people or animals in need, bypassing those snatching away most of a small donation's value to help.
ReplyDeleteIf anyone could figure out how to do a balloon drop it would be you. While your cash resources aren't great, you give more than most with your devotion to the cats of the world. Your community is lucky to have you.
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