By Elysa DeMartini
Lately I have been asked “Do the Karma donations make a difference?”
In one simple, beautiful and graceful word, yes! An unequivocable, resounding yes!
No donation is ever to small even if it is just a prayer of gratitude or a kind word or gesture.
For the past three months, we have been holding our Yoga Stimulus class at Dew once a week and have been so grateful to the response. It has been so joyful to be pass on these gifts to the respective places.
I personally take the food and clothing to Wilson Food Pantry every week and watch the circle of life in action. The food goes to the kitchen where, it is put aside for the monthly Sunday dinners that the women prepare to help fund the Pantry and pay the bills. These dinners are open to the public and cost $8 a place. Talk about good food, made from love and for a good cause! You can’t beat it! Southern cooking, in it’s best terms! I lived in North Carolina for 12 years and know a few things about southern cooking and can tell you it’s as close as you can get!
So that bag of rice that you donate, can actually feed 40 people. Do the math, $320 will help Joyce buy the some of the food from The Food Bank, pay a light bill or buy the dolly that will help the volunteers not break their back lifting stock. It may not seem like alot of money, but believe me, to us at the Pantry, it’s a miracle. The food that is not used for Sunday dinners is put on the line and passed out to the clients.
The clothes get put out and are donated to the people directly. The joy to watch mothers get new clothes for their children and themselves is nothing short of beautiful. Women who don’t often get new clothes, due to circumstances beyond their control, get thrilled to receive clothes with tags still on them! “Oh My GOD, there are tags on these!!!” is heard as they come across this as it is a needle in a haystack. These clothes, shoes, toys, sheets, towels are new to them and they are soooooooo very grateful!
We were blessed to receive baby goods and formulas once. It was a special day as a new mother, whose baby was a week old was having problems with finding the right formulas. She practically cried because it was a good bit of formula. I, not being a mom, can vouch that formula is expensive and to find one that works, is costly. imagine not being able to have that ability and dealing with a newborn. I am happy to say the baby is doing very well as is the mom.
The pet supplies, Jen brings to the animal shelter, where they couldn’t be more gracious as they have been affected as well with their funds and supplies being affected due to these economic times.
Every bit helps someone, somewhere. Even if it is just a kind word or gesture. Pay it forward and watch. See how a smile, a hug, a phone call or a kind word can change someone’s day or mood. Then notice how you feel in your heart. A bit lighter, brighter and most definitely more loving to yourself and our world.
Remember, you are a point of light and let your light shine.
