Helping Those in Need
Everyone knows someone in their community who could use a helping hand especially when the days and nights turn cold. Nearly everyday I notice someone struggling to make it through another day. Often it’s an old friend, a neighbor, the elderly or even a colleague. While many have trouble making ends meet there are others who find themselves living out in the cold with no hope.
More and more, we see these people who need help but are too proud to ask for it. Often there is a young child involved, with worried parents who go hungry so the kids can have a bite to eat. So far this winter we have not experienced extremely cold life threatening weather, but, it’s sure to come, at a minimum, we should do our part to help one another when conditions pose a danger to people and property. With COVID still a major threat it’s even more difficult to open shelters and find places for homeless people, so the danger of hypothermia, and frostbite are a concern during subzero weather and plans to combat these problems are advised for the safety of our homeless population and others who have no heat.
What can we do? Start by checking those you know who are in need. Offer a helping hand to the elderly or disabled. You don’t have to take them in or drive them to the store. But you can make a difference with a handout of food, warm clothing, and bottled water. Put yourselves in their place, get off your high horse and show some compassion. If you can eat out everyday or two, you can help your elderly friends and neighbors.
We all know and see these people everyday, how often do you pass them by?
How often do we go the other direction to avoid them? A few dollars to keep a child or elderly person in food, heat or to help with the rent or utilities is not much to ask from most of us.
Looking out for one another is not asking too much. In fact, it may be one of the easiest things we can do to extend kindness and be a bit more neighborly in these utterly turbulent, divisive times.
We should all resolve to be better members of our community. And while these frigid days are the starkest reminder of what our role could (or should) be, let’s endeavor in the year to come to show the same compassion and kindness during the warmer weeks of the year, too.