The holiday season has a way of stripping away all the noise and showing us what we have to be grateful for. It’s a time for giving. That is why this holiday season I organized the Adopt-a-Family for Challenge Detroit. With gracious support from the fellows, I bought gifts for two families, three children total. I don’t know how else to explain the experience but to simply say that it was great. The generosity of the fellows, the time spent shopping for gifts, and the fun we had while wrapping presents- all was great. To see the big pile of gifts that we donated warmed my heart.
Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries is the organization I reached out to line me with families to give gifts to. They are an awesome organization that offers a variety of services and support to families and the homeless in Detroit. They also are a partner in 100 Houses Project, which Challenge Detroit fellows also volunteered at (see fellow LeighAnn’s blog post on 100 Houses), boarding up houses to help create safer neighborhoods. When I dropped off the gifts, Rachael, the organizer for Adopt-a-Family at Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries, let me know that this holiday season over 100 families were adopted and over 500 gifts given.
That is simply great. I am grateful we were a part of it, and I am grateful to live in a city that has organizations like DRMM to foster this kind of giving as well as community members who extend this kind of giving. It is easy to get caught up in the tug of war of giving and receiving during the holiday. I think we can only stay sane and furthermore happy, if we concentrate on the giving end, because it’s in generosity that we realize we have everything we need and more. Gifts are meant to be shared or else they can become a burden. Unburden yourself this year, and count your blessings, and don’t fuss over what Santa brings. This year was a gift itself, just as 2013 will be too!
Happy Holidays everyone!
Contributed by Fellow Maryann Palazzolo