On Thursday, November 15, Open Hands participated in Give to the Max Day (GTMD). I want to offer a huge THANK YOU to all who made a contribution that day. It was the most successful Give to the Max Day ever! The total donations received were the highest in the history of Open Hands. For the first time ever we won a Golden Ticket prize drawing of $500! Because YOU took the time to share our story, four new individuals became first time donors. You, Open Hands donors, are AWESOME, just sayin'...
Sitting at my desk while writing this article I see the snow falling outside my window and a neighbor shoveling his sidewalk. This time of year most of us are piling on layers of clothes as we venture outside. I am not sure about you but I very much dislike having to dress is multiple layers to go outside. For me that means at least 3 on most days as I stand waiting for the bus and train when the windchill or temperature near the zero degree mark. My saving grace is I can be inside in a short amount of time where there is heat. For many people finding a warm place can be a challenge. Because of that Open Hands gives away a lot of coats, gloves/mittens, hats, scarves and handwarmers to our guests at this time of year. I have received several phone calls over the last month of people wishing to donate these items. If you, or someone you know, has any of these items you wish to donate please feel free to bring them to Open Hands knowing they will be freely given away to those in need.
Open Hands is of the mindset that sharing is a good thing. I would like you to know that our partner church, Bethlehem Lutheran-in-the-Midway, provides a free meal on the 3rd Saturday of each month and I know they also collect these items to be given away to their guests. Many of the guests we serve and the guests they serve are one in the same. Therefore I don't think it is a problem if you donate items who ends up distributing them or receiving them as long as they go to someone who is in need, just sayin'...
I want to share a really amazing story of how Open Hands has been blessed by some of our volunteers who are also Thrivent Financial members. Thrivent Financial members can apply to do a project for an organization which is known as an Action Team. Members simply go online, write up a request to do an Action Team project for Open Hands, submit it and upon approval, they receive a $250 pre-paid Visa card to use for their project. Since November 8, we have had 6 generous Thrivent members who have covered, or will be covering, the cost of meal ingredients and paper products for our Monday meals on November 12, 19, 26 and December 3, 10 and 17! Their generosity saved Open Hands $1500, just sayin'...
As I close this newsletter article I want to take time to tell you how very thankful I am that you volunteer for, care about or support Open Hands. Keep sharing our story with your friends, invite them to take a look at our website or sign up to be a volunteer. It is pretty incredible what we are able to do in the Midway neighborhood of St. Paul, just sayin'...
On behalf of the Open Hands Board of Directors, Chef Steve and myself, we would like to share the true meaning of Christmas with this video. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!