Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Toothpaste, again

Last Friday we nearly ran out of toothpaste. I say "nearly" because just as a staff member was leaving to purchase some, the doorbell rang, and outside was a 9 year old boy and his mother. With a box filled with toothpaste.

God's wonderful timing, right?

But the best part of the story is the 9 year old boy. He recently celebrated his birthday, and instead of gifts, he had his friends donate toothpaste for CCSC's food pantry. I imagine him saying to his friends, "No gifts for me, thank you, but I want to help people who don't have anything so would you bring toothpaste to my party instead?"

Kudos to this boy's parents for teaching him to think of others. I love seeing philanthropy nurtured in youth because the people I admire most in the world are generous, loving and outwardly focused.  And these qualities are nurtured and cultivated over time, from when we are young and teachable.

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Hunger in Houston

Last week I sat through the interview of a single mother to a young, elementary school-aged girl. The mother works, was laid off, and had been rehired. All in six weeks.  She barely missed a paycheck, but a "barely miss" at her income level was enough: she couldn't quite pay her rent and had already begun cutting back on her own food portions so her little girl would have enough to eat.

She walked into a CCSC church, asking for help, and was sent over to us.  By the time she left, we had completed her rental payment, provided food, and shared how our children's programs could help her daughter in the coming year. 

We helped 198 other families last week who also found themselves in undesirable situations. Each family is interviewed to ensure they qualify for assistance, and then we provide for their immediate needs and connect them to other resources, both within CCSC and with other agencies.  The people who hear the stories, answer the phones, sack the food, and provide direct assistance are volunteers. So if you're looking for a meaningful volunteer job, please call our office at 713-961-3993. We'd love to have you involved in our work.