52 Weeks of Giving - Weeks 27-38 - Helping in a Variety of Ways

The girls and I started 2011 with a 52 Weeks of Giving challenge. We were doing a good job with finding ways to give of our time or make a donation each week and documenting it on this blog...up until Week 27 (in July). We've fallen a bit behind (it's now Week 38). 

During the past 11 weeks, it's not as if we didn't do anything that related to giving or volunteering. However, I didn't actively seek out special projects or organizations since caregiving responsibilities were consuming much of my time.

I also didn't take pictures of each time we did something. It seems like giving is such an integral part of our days and weeks that we aren't thinking twice about all the ways that we give. It's just become a part of who we are and what we do.

Each week we tried to do something that went beyond ourselves. Some things we've done over the past 11 weeks include:

- donating to Retail to Refuge. This organization collects the coupons found in Sunday papers.

Donation box and information sheets

about Retail to Refuge.

Retail to Refuge clips the coupons, research sales, and shop for items - many of which end up being free. Then quarterly during the year, they schedule a drop off with a charity.

Sophia and Olivia donating coupons to Retail to Refuge.

- made desserts for grandparents so they didn't have to bake, but could enjoy homemade food.

Apple pie that the girls made for their grandparents.

They also made lemon bars and cake pops.

- donated clothing and household items to Family Pathways.

- donated a bag of food to the local food shelf.

- visited grandparents, played the piano, talked with them, and shared several meals together.

Grandparents that we visit as much as we can.

My mom has mobility, diabetes, vision, and other health issues; and

my dad is in the very late stages of Alzheimer's Disease.

- sung at two services.

Sophia and Olivia singing during one of the two services.

This was their first performance of the school year.

- helped create a display for a business window promoting 4-H and encouraging children to join.

The girls traced and cut out letters that will

be used as part of a display about 4-H that will

go in a business window during the first week of October.

As we go into fall and the holiday season, there will be many opportunities to donate time and resources. We are looking forward to different ways that we can share of ourselves to make a difference in others' lives.