Today is MAKE A DIFFERENCE Day!

“In every community there is work to be done. In every nation there are wounds to heal. In every heart there is the power to do it.”
- Marianne Williamson

Millions of Americans are committed to and participating in projects of good deeds on this annual day of volunteering, “Make A Difference Day.” Kids, families, celebrities, professional athletes, corporate citizens, governmental leaders and students alike are doing something to make a difference in their communities on the nation's largest day of service. Volunteerism is energizing! When people volunteer, they find a need that they are passionate about in order to help others. One person doing little things can truly make a big difference in someone’s life.

You do not have to be a celebrity in order to make a monumental gift from your heart. Although money is definitely needed in helping many causes, the random acts of kindness are the impressions that make lasting memories. We applaud everyone who is participating in this largest national day of service, but we salute you even more if you are volunteering and making a difference throughout the year.

“To show great love for God and our neighbor we need not do great things. It is how much love we put in the doing that makes our offering something beautiful for God.”
- Mother Teresa

Ten Ideas for Everyday Outreach | Articles | BuildingChurchLeaders.com

I came across this article with some simple tips on easily reaching out to everyday people in a sincere and practical way. I hope you will find these tips helpful, as a reminder to continue practicing a kind, random act of service to others who may really need it just when they least expect it! Have a beautiful and prospersous day everyone!

Ten Ideas for Everyday Outreach
No elaborate planning necessary.
By Dana Wilkerson

1. Pay attention to the people around you in your neighborhood or at work. Send up an arrow prayer as you walk by them.

2. Be mindful of those who serve you—bank tellers, grocery store clerks, fast food workers. Look them in the eye and tell them you appreciate their service.

3. Leave a note of encouragement on a coworker's desk or on the windshield of their car.

4. When you walk past a piece of trash on the ground, pick it up and throw it in a garbage can.

5. When someone says they're having a bad day, stop and ask if you can pray for them right there.

6. At the drive-thru, pay for the meal of the person behind you.

7. Stop and talk with a homeless person. Find out their story.

8. Before leaving a restaurant, jot a thank you note to your server and leave it on the table or call the manager over and explain how much you enjoyed the service.

9. Go out of your way to be friendly to a prickly person.

10. When you're talking with someone, give them the gift of your full attention.

Ten Ideas for Everyday Outreach Articles BuildingChurchLeaders.com

Margot Le Baron Collects Books for Disadvantage Children

Drive for others is one for the books

We came across this story about an amazing teenager with a big heart. Margot Le Baron is a remarkable young lady, who wanted to do something significant and powerful in the community. The following story appeared in The Charlotte Observer on Sunday January 17, 2010. We are including the following link, but in the event that this link becomes archived or inactive, we posted the story in its entirety below. We would like to thank John Anderson, a columnist from Waxhaw, NC contributing to The Charlotte Observer Neighbors section, for sharing this incredible story with the community. http://www.charlotteobserver.com/276/story/1183237.html

Student collected more than 800 books for kids who don’t have access to them.

Margot Le Baron looks over some of the books she collected to help “A Child’s Place” assist homeless children with their ongoing education. Margot conducted her first book drive in her Hunter Oaks neighborhood in November. CAROL LE BARON

When young people develop a vision and then see a project through to completion, the effect can be powerful – for the youthful visionary and the community. Margot Le Baron is a student at Marvin Ridge High School who took it upon herself to hold a neighborhood book drive to benefit children who don’t have books as a part of their daily routine. When I heard about the project, I contacted Margot to learn more about the how and why of her efforts.

Margot wrote to tell me:
“It all started in the past year when I was thinking about doing something for the community. I really enjoy reading so I decided to collect books. I found a great association called “A Child’s Place” that helps homeless children with their school work and other necessities. I got 125 paper bags donated from Harris Teeter. Then, I made up flyers and hand delivered them to houses around the neighborhood. The flyers explained that if anybody wanted to donate books they could place them next to their mailbox and I would pick them up, which I did on a Sunday in November.”

The Hunter Oaks neighborhood where Margot lives embraced her project with enthusiasm. Melody Graham, a neighbor, described the collection process this way:
“I saw her on the day she scheduled for pickup, driving around the neighborhood gathering up a huge number of books. She’d jump out of the back of her mother’s mini-van and run up to the front door where neighbors left shopping bags of books.”

“The minivan was full by the end of the day. I later saw her and her mother riding their bikes around the neighborhood to pick up a later collection.”

Margot was surprised and gratified with the outpouring of gently used books that were donated to her cause. “My original goal was to collect 250 books, but I ended up with over 800,” she said. “The best feeling in the world was walking home with all of those bags and boxes of books. The community really responded and was so supportive.”

How did she feel when the project exceeded her expectations? “I got a great deal of satisfaction knowing that I’m helping others and that so many were willing to contribute. I’m looking forward to handing over the books to “A Child’s Place.” A Child’s Place is a private Charlotte-based agency (go online to info@achildsplace.org) with the goals “to provide stable, appropriate education to homeless students; to provide support services to enhance their opportunities for academic success and to provide services to families to ensure long-term stability and self-sufficiency.”

I asked Margot if she planned to continue with her efforts in the future. “I plan to collect books every fall and spring from now on that I will donate to interested associations or organizations. Please mention that I’m always looking for them. It was a great experience, and I can’t wait until spring.”

People Still Have A Heart

In light of the recent catastrophe that occurred this week in Haiti with a record 7.0 seismic earthquake, along with the 2004 Tsunami in Southeast Asia, Hurricane Katrina in 2005 or The 1925 Tri-State Tornado, disasters have a way of bridging gaps that separate us physically, economically, spiritually and globally. There are many who will sit, watch and say someone needs to do something and then there are others who stand, aid and comfort those who are forlorn.

There are many who analyze, evaluate, are insensitive and ridicule some humanitarian efforts, but fortunately they are a minority. We must not be entrapped by their rhetorical ignorance, because we can utilize our energy in a more positive capacity. It’s most unfortunate that we also find others who use disasters or benevolent missions as an opportunity to create fraudulent intentions to deceive the givers and invoke mistrust. Don’t worry, in time these scammers will be dealt with and trust me, payback is no joke.

If we look around, despite the idleness and narrow-mindedness that plagues the thoughts and hearts of so many, we still witness tremendous human compassion that is colorblind to race, creed, demographics and economics. May we continue to embrace the fruits of our spirit, stay prayerful and never forget to do for the least of these, not just in times of disasters, but always. No matter what, it still warms my spirit to watch daily eyewitness accounts of people who still have a heart, doing some incredible things within their reach. If our children can do it, then it behooves us to do even more.

http://www.kymgmoore.com/