Coincidentally, we had a Sunday School a few weeks ago describing the Just Serve app and website created by the Church. The Church used their resources to create it, but it's non-denominational and open to any charitable organizations to add descriptions and links for service opportunities. The Church has also called couples in each area to oversee the submissions, make sure they fit criteria (501-c, charitable. They don't have to adhere to LDS standards) and add them to the website. It creates an easy way for anyone looking for ways to serve to find opportunities. And it's open to everyone.
The app looks like Pinterest highlighting and as you scroll through, you can "heart" the opportunities that appeal to you for easy finding later. You can choose to register, but you don't have to. Opportunities range from food, clothing and toy donations; assisting the elderly or veterans; making blankets for babies, hospice patients or refugees; working at food pantries; playing music at rest homes or hospitals; handyman services etc. So there's something for everyone to share their talents in ways that help those in need.
Monday night Chris, Nick, Dan and I all got on the app on our own phones and scrolled through to find things we would enjoy doing. We wanted activities that required our help, not just donations. We chose helping at a Food Pantry, making sandwiches at The Good Samaritan House and choosing a family for Sub-for-Santa.
The sites gave e-mails or phones to text and immediately I got responses from The Good Samaritan House and Sub-for-Santa. We were going to help on Mondays, but The Good Samaritan House took newcomers on Saturdays. We recruited Diane, Luke, Sam and Max to help as well -- because family always makes everything more fun!
The Good Samaritan House gives over 600 lunches a day to anyone who comes and asks. They are a Catholic Charity but receive donations from the LDS Church, the SL Food Pantry, Even Stevens sandwich shop among others.
Saturday morning we worked from 10-11:30. We made 500 sandwiches in that time! They have an amazingly organized system. We ripped open bags of bread and lined up 242 (we counted) slices on a large table. Then each of us squirted the mayo/mustard combo from squeeze bottles on each slice. Next added a slice of cheese -- dealt on like a deck of cards -- and then 3 pieces of meat, which someone had previously stacked in large containers. Then another squeeze of mayo/mustard and then topped with another piece of bread. We then stacked the sandwiches in the middle of the table and followed the very strict procedure wrap them in saran wrap. (When I say strict, it was all in the name of SPEED!) We wrapped the sandwiches up, loaded them on trays and then carried the large trays to the other room where other volunteers were placing them in bags with portioned chips and cookies and then refrigerated. (Another family with young children were portioning the large bags of chips into sandwich bags.) Finally, a couple people were working at the front door as door hosts handing out lunches and water, coffee or hot chocolate to those who asked.
When we finished the first batch of sandwiches, we did the whole thing over again! About 500 sandwiches in 1 1/2 hours! It was incredible. We had a good time working together and the time flew by. Afterwards we went to lunch all together. There was such a happy spirit working at the Good Samaritan House and it felt so good all being together spending a couple of hours doing something meaningful for people who needed it. #JustServe
No comments:
Post a Comment