'Tis The Season

Yes, 'tis the Season. The Season to share.

We get so darn caught up with the holidays, gimme, gimme, gimme, buy, buy, buy, that we forget the Reason for the Season.

Even if you aren't a Christian, and thus celebrate a secular holiday season, there is much we can all do together. There is much work to be done. It is the season of giving.

One of the nicest things you can do to help others, right in your own community, is to donate food to your local food programs and money to the United Way's Season of Sharing. Now, if for moral reasons, you refuse to give United Way any money, you can also go to your local Community Action Council (or Agency) and donate directly to their Season of Sharing program.

What is Season of Sharing?

This is a program that not only the very poor, but working people can access if they're having a personal financial crisis. I, myself, used it back when I had to have emergency surgery on my eye. I had just moved into a rental and was in a tight spot already. Then I had a detached retina. It was a BAD one, so I was in the hospital, had surgery, and was essentially on bed rest for a month.

Season of Sharing paid a month's rent, which really helped me get back on my feet.

There was a lot of paperwork involved, they had to call my landlord to make sure that she'd take a check from them, etc, etc. But it was well worth it all.

How do you qualify? Well, first, you must be able to maintain your finances once they've helped you. If paying a month's rent, or fixing your car, or paying some other bill is just postponing the inevitable, they're not going to be able to help you.

Second, you must have children (in the home), be disabled. or have a disabled person living with you.

There are limited funds available, so each case is looked at individually.

If this sounds like a worthy cause to you, you can designate monies to the Season of Sharing program, either by donating to the United Way, or directly to the local agency that administers the program in your community.

'Tis the Season -- to share our Blessings.

If you're in need of assistance, please call 211. It's now available in 41 states. Operators can direct you to programs that may be able to help you with food, housing, utility payments, or auto repairs. There are people out there who are willing to help you, you just need to call.

Links:
The United Way - 2-1-1: http://www.unitedway.org/211/
A single mom and how Season of Sharing helped her: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/11/22/MN7KTFJ5A.DTL