How are you paying it forward?

[kathyt]

With all of the bad happening in the world lately, it is so important to give back to our communities and to each other. I wanted to start a thread where everyone could share their ways that they pay it forward during the holiday season, and if they have never done so maybe today is the day. It can be as small as paying for the car behind you at Starbucks or handing a child a $5.00 gift card at Walmart and walking away. What is your pay it forward?
I will start...
Yesterday we had a full house in the waiting room of our emergency room, I think we were at a 2 hour wait due to a trauma, so I ordered in food from our local deli for them to snack on. The deli came in and set it up really nicely. They put out holiday tablecloths and brought the best cracker/cheese tray I have ever seen. I put in the Elf movie and everyone seemed to be having a really nice time under the circumstances. I swore I saw some smiles.

 

[jowensphoto]

Dang, that gave me chills!

I like paying for people's food at drive-thrus.

 

[Robin_Usagani]

By liking people's post.

 

[pixmedic]

We give photography discounts to fire/ems and military. The wife also does the occasional free portrait sessions to families that couldn't afford them.

 

[unpopular]

now imagine what kind of real change people could make if they were willing to do nice things all year around.

 

[jwbryson1]

I hand out $10 bills to the homeless in downtown DC every day at lunch. $50 a day for 1 week. It's all I can afford.

I also routinely purchase lunch for the deserving homeless around my office year round.

 

[Mully]

I serve at the Mooresville Christian Mission all year. I mentor several families that have been through the Bridges Out of Poverty program and what a delight to see people wanting to have a better life and do it with the help of a mentor. To all of you who have the compassion to help others Be Blessed!!

 

[pixmedic]

now imagine what kind of real change people could make if they were willing to do nice things all year around.

And how much worse things would be if they weren't done at all.

 

[terri34 6]

With all of the bad happening in the world lately, it is so important to give back to our communities and to each other. I wanted to start a thread where everyone could share their ways that they pay it forward during the holiday season, and if they have never done so maybe today is the day. It can be as small as paying for the car behind you at Starbucks or handing a child a $5.00 gift card at Walmart and walking away. What is your pay it forward?
I will start...
Yesterday we had a full house in the waiting room of our emergency room, I think we were at a 2 hour wait due to a trauma, so I ordered in food from our local deli for them to snack on. The deli came in and set it up really nicely. They put out holiday tablecloths and brought the best cracker/cheese tray I have ever seen. I put in the Elf movie and everyone seemed to be having a really nice time under the circumstances. I swore I saw some smiles.

Good girl - I bet you're a great nurse. As a former healthcare manager, we used to do similar things for full waiting rooms. Little gifts for the children in the Pediatric dept. could go a long way.

I'm out of that field now, so this year (in a new city!) I helped with a local food drive. We ended up with tons of goods for the food pantry!

 

[The_Traveler]

two things

First and most important, I do volunteer work for an organization called Rebuilding Together that fixes homes for those with no resources.

Second, during the holiday season, I don't tell people exactly what I think.

 

[sm4him]

two things

First and most important, I do volunteer work for an organization called Rebuilding Together that fixes homes for those with no resources.

Second, during the holiday season, I don't tell people exactly what I think.

:lmao: Great idea; I may just try this. Don't think I could make it through the entire holiday season though.

 

[sm4him]

Well, I can give more recent examples, but one of my favorite is our annual family Thanksgiving gathering.

This was all but about 3 people at our gathering this year:


We do have a large, varied family, but not THIS large. We invite people from my sister's ESL class, interns from my cousin's engineering firm (many of whom are local college students who for one reason or another can't go home for the holiday), plus some other assorted folks. This year, some of our guests included poor college kids, families from Ethiopia, India, Syria, Lebanon and somewhere else, but I forget where. If they WANT, they can bring a traditional dish from their culture to share, but otherwise they just come and we feed them and have a great time getting to know each other.

 

[JAC526]

I volunteer with a group called Kids Against Hunger that prepacks dried rehydrate ready food for hungry children. The charities founder is a guy named Larry who quit his job and just decided to go for it. He's a pretty cool guy.

I'm going to do some photography stuff for him as well. Hopefully stuff he can use to help promote his mission.

 

[pic_chick]

I help my locale shealter and I offer free dog training to people hat can not afford it but need it I just got through helping to rehab a great dog that was now very well mannerd for a single mom and her little girl I meet them after the dog killed a cat while they where on a walk. I also go to womens shelters and offer my hairstylist skills to the ladies there as all us women know great looking hair can do a lot for our self image.

 

[Mr_Mac]

My wife and I went to a local Aldi grocery store where they have the shopping carts that need a quarter to free them and when you return them you get your quarter back. We spent $5 releasing 20 shopping carts for elderly patrons. While it cost us less than a combo meal at a burger place it sure gave us better returns!