Another post on the problem of homelessness got me to thinking about how nice it would be to hear some good news. You know, the kind about people helping one another. Maybe having some links to websites of groups that are doing good deeds.

Maybe we could get some ideas from each other, about what small things we can do as individuals to help become part of the solution.

How about it? Do you belong to a group, or know of a group, that helps your community? Tell us the good news of what you or your community is doing. Include a website link, if you have one!

I belong to a group of gals who make quilts for foster kids in one county. In the other county the quilt guild makes around 100 quilts every year to give to low income people for Christmas. There is also another group that does Quilts of Valor. I think the schools still collect canned foods for low income people also. Toys for Tots is done through a tv station to help kids at Christmas. There is also a bank that collects used coats to give to children in need. That is all I can think of right now.

The little town where my kids went and go to school has a really nice food pantry. The school sometimes collects food, and once we got to deliver it. Its a tiny little building, but they give the food away free to people in need. I think they also get tooth paste, ect. They also ask people to donate things like HM scarves, hats and mittens, and hang them on a tree at the library there. The stuff is given to kids at Christmas....can you imagine a child with no hat or mittens in Winter in Wisconsin? I have donated carves, and boughten gloves. Wish Icould knit better, some of the hats, ect are beautiful!
Our big nearest city has Coats for Kids bins all over....if you have an extra warm coat to donate you toss it in the bin at grocery stores, ect, and a dry cleaner cleans them for the poor. I have also seen bins for the Humane Society in the grocery store.

Sadie Mae, thats a great charity, I would like to do that!

We are a college town and every winter there is one fraternity house that collects non-parishables foods for the need line. The need line is a local non profit organization that helps feed low-income families and helps them to pay bills. The fraternity house places large paper bags on the porches of every home in town with a note saying what it is for. Then on a certain day they go all over town to collect the groceries off of porches. I have seen pick-ups with the backs full of food, they will also stand outside of the groceries stores collecting too. These boys do a great job. I have given food to them many times.
That is just one of the many things that goes on in this town. I could keep writing about them all but I feel this is one of the best.

Dare I mention the Military Barracks Quilt Project yet again?!
I do because of the happy news about it in my little town of Bedford, VA.
Here in my town we are holding a sew-in retreat weekend to complete the quilt tops sent to me for finishing by members of this board. The tops are meant for a particular group of soldiers in Farah, Afghanistan. Everything to do with the sew-in has been donated -- the gorgeous room, fabrics, quilt tops, food, drinks, door prizes, funds, ALL donated for the purpose of completing these tops!

The response here on the board has been just amazing, the work being done is wonderful and colorful; but the local enthusiasm for these men is humbling as well. The work the quilters are doing will be so appreciated by this battery of men that are in terrible conditions out in the desert.
Funds to rent this glorious room for the weekend were donated - it would have cost us over $400!
The local paper did a feature on the sew-in to draw public interest and participation.
Then, the Roanoke, VA, TV station saw the article and wants to do a feature on the project.
People from all over call/email me daily to ask how they can help!
Only one business has turned down our request for donation; the participation is wonderful, inspiring!

People seem to have such a pull-together mentality in these difficult times, it's a blessing to be part of it all.

(This thread started here: http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-63082-1.htm)

I love hearing about how your communities are doing these good, happy deeds!

Jan in VA

One big thing in Lubbock right now, aside from ongoing community outreach, is the Wounded Warriors Project. The Tech football team is going to wear camo jerseys in our next home game. The fans are encouraged to buy the WWP t-shirts and jerseys also for the game. A portion of the proceeds go to help pay for prosthetic limbs and rehabilitation for soldiers coming home with injuries. I'm sure we are not the only ones participating. If you live in a college town, check it out. Our last home game was "Think Pink, Go Red" (we're the Red Raiders). The stands were full of pink t-shirts in support of the Komen foundation.

We have a minister who started with nothing and opened a soup kitchen for the homeless and near homeless. We can volunteer there. He soon added a thrift store. He sells clothing and furniture but if a family or person is starting out in an apartment he furnishes the home for free. Right down to the groceries. After 10 years he is finally getting some help with local funding. This man has found his mission in this world and is wonderful. We always donate items and funds if we can. He is helping those that need it most.

my church is very small one in patterson, ar. we minister to our local Wilbur D Mills rehab center clients. we have meals at church every wed nite b4 church and every sun after church. we have a food pantry to anyone in need. we also help with clothing and any other needs our friends from the center might need. we also fund supplies for crocheting and quilting classes.

We had a group of people that donated over 2 million dollars so that every senior that graduated from the local HS would be able to attend the community college TUITION FREE. The only thing the students had to do was complete 16 hours of volunteer work a semester and maintain a C average. Talk about a win-win.

You could get a whole laundry list of degrees besides an associates that would get you a job, like auto mechanic or medical assistant.

There were about 1500 students eligible. Many had over means to go to college, several started and dropped out.

So far 253 students have gone through the program and will complete it this spring. Thats over 25 THOUSAND hours of volunteer time that will be donated into our community in addition to 253 kids that get a jump on life.