Giving Back
With the holidays approaching, I always like to find a way to give back somehow. I'm so blessed to have the simple things in life like the ability to see and hear, and just overall good health. I'm even more fortunate to have a loving family, a truck, a roof over my head and food on the table.
Every year, I buy food and give it to my friend to prepare to make thanksgiving meals for the less fortunate. (I can't cook 😔) We then hand out food at Kakaako and some parks and beaches around Hawaii Kai. We also give them clothes and blankets that we no longer use. There are a lot of homeless families so I save my son's clothes and toys and give them away.
This past week, I got to volunteer at HUGS. HUGS is a nonprofit organization that holds respite once a month in Kaimuki or Kapolei, and allows parents to drop off their ill children and their siblings, so they get a chance to just be kids. Not only do the parents get a break, but the siblings of ill children get a chance to have the focus on them for a night. Often times in families with a disabled or ill child, the healthy child gets less attention since the focus is caring for the child requiring extra care. Its a great opportunity to give back and so rewarding to see the smiles on the kids faces. We played board games, catch, and participated in Japanese cultural activities like kendama and origami.
My mom also cleans the church at Holy Nativity on Friday mornings and I try to help her on my days off. Right now I have clinicals on Friday, but since this Friday we have off, I plan to help her. There is a small house in the back that houses homeless families, so part of cleaning the church is cleaning the back house to get it ready for the next family. We also donate food and miscellaneous items like blankets and toasters or whatever, for the families.
Not everyone is able to give back with material items, so they give back with their time. I try to do both and encourage you to give back, even if its something small! It's totally worth it!
Every year, I buy food and give it to my friend to prepare to make thanksgiving meals for the less fortunate. (I can't cook 😔) We then hand out food at Kakaako and some parks and beaches around Hawaii Kai. We also give them clothes and blankets that we no longer use. There are a lot of homeless families so I save my son's clothes and toys and give them away.
This past week, I got to volunteer at HUGS. HUGS is a nonprofit organization that holds respite once a month in Kaimuki or Kapolei, and allows parents to drop off their ill children and their siblings, so they get a chance to just be kids. Not only do the parents get a break, but the siblings of ill children get a chance to have the focus on them for a night. Often times in families with a disabled or ill child, the healthy child gets less attention since the focus is caring for the child requiring extra care. Its a great opportunity to give back and so rewarding to see the smiles on the kids faces. We played board games, catch, and participated in Japanese cultural activities like kendama and origami.
My mom also cleans the church at Holy Nativity on Friday mornings and I try to help her on my days off. Right now I have clinicals on Friday, but since this Friday we have off, I plan to help her. There is a small house in the back that houses homeless families, so part of cleaning the church is cleaning the back house to get it ready for the next family. We also donate food and miscellaneous items like blankets and toasters or whatever, for the families.
Not everyone is able to give back with material items, so they give back with their time. I try to do both and encourage you to give back, even if its something small! It's totally worth it!
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