KINDNESS OPPORTUNITY #16: Donating Items to Salvation Army

You may have a bunch of stuff in your attic and closets that you want to get rid of when you do your spring cleaning this year.  Let me encourage you to donate these items to Salvation Army.  According to Money.CNN.com, the Salvation Army spends 82% of donations on aid/charity overall.  This is a much higher percentage than Goodwill.  

One of our local Salvation Army family stores on Kirby Whitten supports the area's Adult Rehabilitation Center.  According to their website, "For over 100 years The Salvation Army’s Adult Rehabilitation Centers and Harbor Light programs have provided spiritual, social, and emotional assistance for men and women who have lost the ability to cope with their problems and provide for themselves. Centers offers residential housing, work, and group and individual therapy, all in a clean, wholesome environment.

The physical and spiritual care that program participants receive prepares them to re-enter society and return to gainful employment. Many of those who have been rehabilitated are reunited with their families and resume a normal life.

Each program participant is provided with a clean and healthy living environment, good food, work therapy, leisure time activities, group and individual counseling, spiritual direction, and resources to develop life skills and a personal relationship with God as provided by Jesus Christ."

Random Act of Kindness # 21:   
April 9, 2016

I spent the day today cleaning out my recently deceased mother-in-law's kitchen cabinets.  Not knowing what to do with much of the stuff, my husband suggested donating to the Salvation Army on Kirby Whitten. 

The Family Store at this location only accepts donations until 5 pm in Saturdays.  I barely made the window.  But as soon as I pulled up to the donation drop-off area, I was greeted by a very friendly gentleman who unloaded my car for me, carried my donations into the warehouse to be sorted, and thanked me for my donation.  It feels good knowing that money made from the sale of these items will go to such a good and worthy cause.  

Kindness Opportunity #15: Help Beth in Her Fight Against Sarcoma!

Random Act of Kindness # 19:

Beth Ingram is a co-worker and very dear friend of mine.  She has had a pretty rough year.  At 33 years old, she is 27 weeks pregnant with her second child (her first is just two years old) and was recently diagnosed with a very rare and aggressive type of sarcoma.  The initial cancer was discovered in a fast-growing tumor on her hip.  It was surgically removed.  Unfortunately, the cancer has now spread into her lungs.  She starts chemo next week.  After her little boy is born, she will continue with a more aggressive form of chemo in the hopes that the cancer in her lungs will shrink.  


As you can imagine, Beth has accumulated quite a few medical bills.  And since short-term disability payments are typically a fraction of a person's regular salary, her everyday bills are piling up, as well.

It is because of this that Beth's friends and family are banding together with her to make these awesome yellow paracord bracelets in order to help Beth and her husband raise the money they need while she is fighting this horrible cancer.  Yellow is the official color for sarcoma awareness.

There are 3 different sizes of bracelets:  Men's (9 inch circumference); Women's (8 inch circumference); and child's (7 inch circumference).  The cost to purchase a bracelet is just $6.  

I bought my bracelet!  Here is where you can buy yours: https://www.facebook.com/groups/214227825592007/

Kindness Opportunity #14 - Merge Memphis Food Truck

Merge Memphis is a non-profit 501c3 organization whose passion is to feed the hungry, clothe the needy and house the homeless.  The organization's founder, Sherry Segraves McClure, makes some of the most delicious grilled-cheese sandwiches you've ever put in your mouth.  Because of Sherry's love to cook and feed the hungry, she and her husband, Keith, purchased and began operating a food truck. The money raised from meal purchases goes toward helps to fund the organization's charities.

Random Act of Kindness #18:
April 1, 2016

In addition to their main charities, Merge Memphis decided to raise funds to support a co-worker and very dear friend of mine who is currently battling cancer.  This is how many of my other co-workers came to learn of Merge Memphis and all they do for our wonderful community.  In a show of support for our friend and a show of gratitude to Merge Memphis, a few of my co-workers and I went to the Merge Memphis food truck today, armed with many orders our staff.    

When we arrived, Sherry and Keith were hard at work - taking orders and grilling up what turned out to be the most delicious grilled-cheese sandwich I have ever tasted!  Oh, and did I mention the Churro Ice Cream Sandwich?  That's right!  A literal churro cookie coated with cinnamon and sugar, stuffed with vanilla/cinnamon ice cream!  Need I say more!?!!

If you're out and about at lunchtime one day and happen to see the Merge Memphis food truck, I highly recommend stopping by!  Not only will you be eating tasty treats at an affordable price, but you'll be supporting those who support those in our community who can't support themselves.

Merge Memphis Food Truck Menu 

The Truck that GIVES Back

The Merge Memphis BBQ $7.00
Cheddar cheese melted around great Memphis Sauced BBQ . Grilled perfectly on Local Bakery Texas toast

The Ultimate Cheese $7.00
A combination of Cream Cheese, shredded Colby-Jack, Montery Jack ,and Cheddar on perfectly grilled local Bakery Texas Toast
ask for our new Jalapeño Bread(just a little tangy)

The Sloppy Mike $7.00
A Special Merge Memphis Sloppy Joe Ground Beef with One slice of American Cheese and one slice of Munster Cheese grilled on Texas Toast

The "CBR" $7.00
Thinly sliced Chicken Breast , Colby Jack Cheese, with Bacon and Ranch Dressing on grilled local Bakery Texas Toast

Kids Grilled Cheese $5.00
American Cheese melted perfectly on local Bakery Texas Toast

The Chocolate Elvis 1/2 3.00 Whole $6.00
Reese Peanut Butter Cup and sliced Banana melted between Muenster cheese on grilled Sourdough bread (Great sweet treat)

The Churro Ice Cream Sandwich $3.00
Churro Cookie coated with Cinnamon & Sugar
With vanilla /cinnamon Ice Cream stuffed inside

Add Bacon to any Sandwich $1.00

Assorted Lays Chips $1.00

Drinks: Coke products / bottled water $1.00 

To learn where Merge Memphis Food Truck will be next, follow them on Facebook here: Merge Memphis

Kindness Opportunity #13: Donating Platelets to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

The mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, according to their website, is to advance cures and means of prevention for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment.  No child is ever denied treatment based on race, religion, or a family’s ability to pay.  Unlike any other hospital, the majority of St. Jude’s funding comes from individual contributions.  Because of this, families of patients never receive a bill from this hospital.  St. Jude is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancers and other life-threatening diseases.

I recently learned about St. Jude’s need for platelet donors for their patients.  Platelets are small blood components that help the clotting process by sticking to the lining of blood vessels.  They are made in the bone marrow and survive in the circulatory system.  Patients suffering from diseases such as leukemia, as well as patients who are undergoing treatments like chemotherapy usually have a decreased platelet count.  If the number of platelets in a patient’s blood becomes too low, spontaneous bleeding can occur.  Even a small amount of bleeding can be dangerous, particularly if it occurs in the brain.  In other words, without platelet transfusions, many lives would be lost.

A patient whose treatment involves a bone marrow transplant will typically require 120 units of platelets during the course of their treatment.  It costs St. Jude between $500 - $700 to purchase just one unit of platelets from an outside provider.  Each month, St. Jude performs approximately 800 blood and platelet transfusions.  It is because of this that the need for platelet donations is great.  And it is because of this that Michael and I decided to donate our platelets to this very worthy cause.

Random Act of Kindness # 17:
March 18, 2016

The process starts with a short interview.  If you’ve ever given blood, you know what I’m talking about.  This is where they ask you what drugs you’re currently taking, ask you the standard questions that would help them to determine whether your blood is safe to use, and check your iron levels, blood pressure, etc.  A woman named Katherine conducted my interview and she kept me laughing the whole time.  She really helped to put me at ease.  Once the interview is over, off you go to the donation room. 

Now, the nurses in the donation room want you to be as comfy as possible.  After all, you’re working together to save lives.  So, you’re provided a comfy chair, nice warm blankets, snacks, your own personal TV with remote, and a nice selection of movies to help you pass the time.  This is much appreciated since a platelet donation can take up to 2 hours. 

I must praise my nurse, Lisa.  I have horrible veins, you see.  Lab technicians typically hate drawing blood from me.  My veins are rollers and blowers, and it turns out that this is not ideal for a platelet donor.  Platelets are collected by first drawing whole blood from a donor.  The blood is then separated into red blood cells, plasma and platelets inside a machine by using centrifugation. The platelets are retained while the machine returns the red blood cells and plasma back to the donor.  It is this return that can be a little hard on the vein.  Fortunately, Lisa wouldn’t give up on me.  She searched and searched both arms before finding a vein she thought would be appropriate.  And, she only had to stick me one time!  She was very attentive throughout the process and did her best to make sure I was comfortable at all times. 

During this whole process, I learned that I have a very high platelet count – a whopping 500,000!  Lisa said the highest she had seen was between 250,000-300,000.  I was so excited because this meant that I was able to give double the number of units!

Overall, my experience was great!  The staff was pleasant (they didn't even balk when I asked to take a picture with them for my blog) and the donation process was pretty much painless.  If you are able, I highly recommend donating blood and/or platelets to St. Jude.  You never know the difference it could make in the life of a very special little one. 

 

A big thank you to my husband for hanging out with me and keeping me company during the 2 hours process, even though he was unable to donate due to some current medication he is on.  And another big thank you to my brother for making me aware of this giving opportunity in the first place.

For more information on donating blood and blood products to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, click here:  https://www.stjude.org/treatment/patient-resources/resources-on-campus/blood-donor-center.html  

Kindness Opportunity #12: Pet Therapy

Studies have shown that physical contact with a pet can lower high blood pressure, lower cholestrol (according to the CDC), lower stress levels, and improve the survival rate of heart attack patients.  Further evidence has shown that petting an animal can cause endorphins to be released, which can suppress physical pain in the body, and the action of petting an animal can help to improve fine motor skills.  A patient's communication skills can improve when a patient requests an animal to sit, shake hands, jump up, etc.

A couple of the psychological benefits of pet therapy include social skill development and anxiety relief.  The inclusing of an animal in the life or therapy of a patient can make a big difference in the patient's comfort, progress, and recovery.

Random Act of Kindness #15: I have long thought that my 10 year old girl, Geisha, would make a wonderful therapy pet for nursing home residents.  Geisha has always gravitated toward the senior population.  In the couple of years that my elderly mother-in-law lived with us, Geisha seemed to prefer to spend hours and hours by her side.  And as a certified dog trainer, I was confident in Geisha's skill level and her ability to interact appropriately with elderly patients.  But, as it does with us all, life kept me pretty busy.  So, it wasn't until recently that I finally got around to contacting nursing homes to schedule some pet therapy visits.  

This week, I took Geisha and my mother with me to visit some residents at one of those local nursing homes.  We went from room to room asking each patient if they wanted to meet our puppy dog, Geisha.  

They were thrilled and many lined up in the hallway excited for the interaction. 

 We told each resident that Geisha wanted to say hello and give them her favorite bible verse (we had printed a few encouraging bible verses to hand out to everyone - http://www.meetpenny.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Scriptures-for-Encouragement.pdf).  We read the verses to those who asked, others read it alound to themselves. Some were so touched, they told us they planned to frame the bible verse we gave them.

Geisha sat for treats when asked by a patient.  She put her front paws on laps when invited to do so. She's such a polite greeter and social butterfly who eagerly fluttered from person to person to say hello!

It was a wonderful experience to see the eyes and faces light up for so many people who often have very few, if any, visitors.  Some of the residents literally cried tears of joy as we interacted with them.  We promised we'd bring Geisha back to visit them on St. Patty's Day.  

It only took about 90 minutes to visit with approximately 75 nursing home residents.  And it was obvious that those minutes meant very much to those we interacted with.  Why did I wait so long to do this!?!!

Are you interested in pet therapy?  Please do your homework.  
Here are some helpful resources:  
https://iaabc.org/working-animals/the-responsibilities-of-using-your-pet-for-therapy-work
http://www.therapydoginfo.net/
http://www.activphy.com/interested-pet-therapy/


Random Act of Kindness #16: 
March 17, 2016

Saint Patrick's Day provided another opportunity for Geisha to do a little pet therapy at Ave Maria's nursing home.  She brought a special St. Patrick's Day message to her friends. 

Geisha loves these visits so much. And the residents of the home light up when they see her walk in. 

mile emoticon

One resident is unable to see. When Geisha visits her, I have to guide her hand. Geisha puts her little paw right in the woman's hand as if to say, "Its OK. I'm right here." 

These visits can sometimes get a liittle emotional, but they are always very much worth while! 

Kindness Opportunity #11: The Bridge - Memphis' Street Newspaper (Written by Homeless to Support the Homeless)

WHAT IS THE BRIDGE?

In mid-2013, two Rhodes College sophomores (James Ekenstedt and Evan Katz) launched Memphis' first "street newspaper", which is dedicated to raising awareness around issues of homelessness and poverty in the city.  This monthly publication is completely directed by students, features content written by homeless and poverty-stricken Memphians, and provides a sustainable source of income for contributors and vendors, who are typically also homeless.  The Bridge is distributed solely on the streets by independently contracted homeless vendors who keep the profit from the papers they sell.  

The Bridge typically has approximately 50 active homeless vendors who they interview, train, and certify to be vendors.  The vendors get 20 free copies of each new issue the week it comes out, and 10 free issues for just showing up at distribution (if they've already gotten their 20 free).  Vendors can purchase even more papers just 25 cents each, which they sell for $1 each, and the vendor gets to keep the profit.  There are also more rewards for vendors who purchase additional papers to sell, including bus passes.  With no experience needed and a strict no-discrimination policy, literally any homeless or poverty-stricken individual can learn to be a vendor.

The ability to earn a salary, however small, is vital for members of the homeless population, as many homeless shelters in our city charge individuals as much as $10 per night to sleep in their facility - not to mention the need to purchase food and other necessities.
  

  
RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS #14:
My mother and I were driving west on Sam Cooper Blvd, headed to dinner one Saturday night a few weeks ago.  Getting off at the Perkins exit, we noticed a young African-American man sitting in the dark, He was balled up, trying to protect himself from the cold, while holding up a copy of The Bridge street newspaper to sell.  So, we pulled over to talk to him.  

The man's name was Micheal.  He was in his mid-twenties.  He explained that he was trying to sell papers so he could earn enough money to be able to stay in a shelter that night, as it was very cold.  We had almost no cash on us, but were able to give him $1 for the paper and $1 for a tip. This left him needing $3 more.  Though we didn't have anymore cash, we fortunately had a homeless care packet / goody bag (see http://kindmemphis.blogspot.com/2016/02/january-8-2016-random-act-of-kindness-1.html) in my car (containing food, toiletries, etc), and a warm scarf one of my friends had made for this very purpose. I'm pretty sure I've never been thanked for anything as many times as my mother and I were thanked that night by this man!

I don't know if Michael was able to earn the remaining $3 he needed to stay in a shelter that night, but I pray so.  And wherever Michael is now, I wish him the very best.

If you see someone selling this paper, please be kind enough to purchase one, or two, or three.  Just a few dollars can very literally be the difference between sleeping in an outdoor environment frought with dangers or safe and warm inside, snug in a bed.

Also, please conside donating to The Bridge, and help support this wonderful opportunity they continuiously provide to our homeless community. (http://thememphisbridge.com/)

Inspiration