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How about donating blood on a regular basis? Especially the hard to find AB+, at least that's what they tell me every time I donate. They want my plasma too. There are a lot of people in need of a bone marrow transplant that have no match.
Let's not forget our furry friends sentenced to a life in a cage until they're either dispatched and thrown away like yesterday's news, or the lucky ones that find a happy home. I donate a lot to the shelters.
OP, you are very nice indeed. I think helping those less fortunate when you can, especially in the small things, can mean so much. Good for you for walking the extra mile. I'm sure your neighbor appreciates it.
Thank you for being a good neighbor.
On another note, I have found that those who don't have very much are more generous with what they DO have than those who can easily afford it. JMHO.
It's not just your HO, it's been found to be statistically true. Not to knock the generosity of a Gates or a Zuckerman who do give generously I think not only because they have so much but because they feel it's the right thing to do.
This was the paragraph that really stood out for me:
Quote:
By contrast, those Americans making less than $100,000 actually increased their giving between 2006 and 2012. The most generous Americans of all? Those making less than $25,000. Amid the hard times of recent years, low-income Americans devoted 16.6 percent more of their meager incomes to charity.
For those of you that have saved and can expect a comfortable retirement, maybe you know someone in your family that has not been so fortunate due to simply not worrying about retirement or lack of financial ability to do so. You might have thought them irresponsible. So if you would help a complete stranger that is a neighbor, what about supporting someone in your family....first? Bail them out ? Or assist younger family members who that could use a financial helping hand to get them on the right path? I think its fine to be generous but should that money be directed at someone you know for certain in your family is in dire straights? Or is the whole point to help a stranger in need?
Don't get me wrong, I think the original posters intentions are admirable but how far does the generosity extend. I would have at least 2 sisters and their children and grandchildren who could use a helping hand and/or support via adoption.
Fine. Help who you can and when you can. I think the intent of the OP was to plant a seed in a way of thinking.
Doing for others or helping out doesn't have to cost a lot of money.
OP, you are very nice indeed. I think helping those less fortunate when you can, especially in the small things, can mean so much. Good for you for walking the extra mile. I'm sure your neighbor appreciates it.
Thank you for being a good neighbor.
On another note, I have found that those who don't have very much are more generous with what they DO have than those who can easily afford it. JMHO.
That's always the way. Several churches in my area support another church's food pantry with non-perishables, cash, and toiletries. My church is the smallest, and we don't have a lot of parishioners with money. Some have needed help themselves from time to time. A couple of the other churches are bigger and in wealthy towns.
Turns out our church gives more stuff than any other to the food pantry. Even our people who get food stamps pick up an extra box of cereal here and there to contribute. I think it's because they understand what it's like to wonder how you're going to eat next week, while it may not occur to the well-off that some people don't have enough for groceries.
Some do big drives at Thanksgiving or Christmas, but people need help all year. It's become a problem with soup kitchens that too many people appear on Thanksgiving wanting to help feed the homeless, but in February, or in the summer when they can use the help, few are offering.
I am fortunate and lucky in that I am pretty well set up for retirement. Everything is paid for, we live in a nice home in a comfortable area and if I can work just six more months I have estimated our retirement income to be equivalent to $1,000/week take home after paying all medical and supplements.
My wife and I will do just fine I think.
But some people aren't so well off and I look at what I have and I hear the call to help others not so fortunate. It is easy to say "well, they deserve it because they didn't make the right decisions..." but this isn't always the case.
So my wife and I adopted a retired lady a few blocks away that has had a rather tough life and she does live on $850/month social security. Yeah, you read that right.
I'll be living on less when I retire, but living better. No house, no rent no worries. Medical? No probs, disease? Let it take me, this world is getting too stupid.
You are right in that it could be overdone. Her dignity is everything and must be respected.
Learned of her through a neighbor who told me of her situation asking me to mow her lawn when he was out of town.
So I did, no big deal.
For me it's fun and I kind of enjoy sitting on a rider mower and it isn't like I am putting out a huge effort. On the way home I drive right by her house where most of the time she on the porch with her dog and we wave. She is in her 70's, lives alone, not in the greatest health so I just want to keep an eye out but not be to nosey is all. Nosey... not working on my spell checker. Nosey? Nosie? It doesn't look right yet I have seen it a million times.
Respect yes, neglect no.
There came a time where I could no longer do chores and I lived alone. There are few neighbors that would offer to help and I felt too embarrassed to ask. I for sure would not have run you off my property if you were on my lawn mowing! I'd bring you something refreshing to drink and send you a thank-you note. I'd remember you at Christmas with a card. I'd babysit your pets.
Fine. Help who you can and when you can. I think the intent of the OP was to plant a seed in a way of thinking.
Doing for others or helping out doesn't have to cost a lot of money.
That was my take as well. Good on him and the many others who find a way to assist others because of or regardless of means, just caring enough and being of help to someone in need is commendable and I appreciate the encouraging message. I believe most of us know you don't have to have much or any money to be of help to another, but seemed nice was trying to appeal to some who may have the means to do something extra if it's in them to reach out,, why some seem intimidated by the thought I wish I could say its a surprise to me. Some folks thrive on the negative. I do hope The OP won't let the negativity faze him, considering most of the posting have been positive.
I think it's great that this is brought up because I understand it's not at all bragging or anything. It's a good thing to remind anyone interested that they, too, can make a difference in so many ways. The mowing, especially, relates to chores that the elderly, disabled or ill people may not have much ability to do. On a very limited income, plumbing problems or repairs that are needed on heating or electrical can be an emergency that is overwhelming and not solvable. My DH used to sometimes give such people as much help as he could when he was doing that kind of work. Nowadays he's disabled himself and unable to help. But when we can, we try to give a little money to charities that help people. I remember when I was a young child how hard it was being in a poor family. When my father was out of work a while one year and we moved to a town where he could find work, we ran out of food quickly. When a preacher we knew from the town we moved from unexpectedly showed up with a bag of groceries, what a difference it made! We were able to make it to that first paycheck that Daddy received later on.
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That was my take as well. Good on him and the many others who find a way to assist others because of or regardless of means, just caring enough and being of help to someone in need is commendable and I appreciate the encouraging message. I believe most of us know you don't have to have much or any money to be of help to another, but seemed nice was trying to appeal to some who may have the means to do something extra if it's in them to reach out,, why some seem intimidated by the thought I wish I could say its a surprise to me. Some folks thrive on the negative. I do hope The OP won't let the negativity faze him, considering most of the posting have been positive.
