My heart is heavy with my own burdens and those of others. When I get down about my own situation I realize there are those in far worse of a situation than myself. My heart is so heavy, I wish I could do something or I wish I could do more than I am already doing.
I have a confession to make, I want to save the world. I have kind of a saviour complex, had it since college. Deep down I know the truth, that I cannot save the world. There is only One that can do that.
But I am truly hoping to make a difference in this world through Generous Savings. There are so many, many groups of people that can benefit from all kinds of donations. I want so badly to make a difference and get my vision and mission out there that it makes my heart hurt.
Last night, I had the pleasure of meeting with one of those groups who need donations. I met with some of the staff of One Simple Wish. This non profit helps grant wishes for foster care children. I learned a lot about foster care children last night, more than I had known before. My heart is now even more broken for these kids who get taken from their beds in the middle of the night and brought to a new, unknown place. One Simple Wish is working on a new special project, where they will need lots of donations (things we get for free all the time with coupons) to have available for these kids. It will not only meet some physical needs, but some emotional ones as well, to know that someone cares enough to help them.
The One Simple Wish staff and myself can clearly see how couponing and Generous Savings can help their cause and help these children in a huge way. It is just a matter of motivating others to coupon, and to donate to them. I pray that OSW finds a good volunteer team that believes in their amazing vision.
There are tons of other charities, churches, food pantries, etc., that desperately need donations. We can help them with a few minutes and a few pennies each week.
You may have seen a few of my Facebook statuses or tweets lately about how excited I am that we are starting to accomplish our mission by helping and partnering with charities. I sit here at my laptop pulling my hair out, trying to figure out how to let other charities know we are here and that we want to help. You can help by letting your local food pantry or charity know that I would love to speak with them and figure out a way for Generous Savings to help them. Just have them contact me through the contact tab above or via facebook or twitter.
The other way we can help is by spreading the word. Share this post, share Generous Savings, and share our donation deals with your friends and family. Just by hitting the share button on facebook or twitter, you could impact many lives!
Another way you can help others is by using the links on GenerousSavings.com. When you go through our links, you are supporting Generous Savings and helping us fulfill our mission of helping others! You are indirectly helping the needy, the foster child, the orphan, and the homeless, when you use our links, because Generous Savings supports those groups in various ways.
I personally, struggle every day with what to post on the blog. I want to post deals that will help you and save you money, that will help your family, that will help you give to others, and that will also fund my blog and keep it running. I struggle, every day, trying to be myself and accomplish the vision God has given me. I am confessing to you that it is so hard for me to do this. Between being a mom and a wife and a blogger, between trying to pay the bills, get noticed, make dinner and help others, I struggle with it all. I am far from perfect and do not have all the answers.
I need you to know, that this is me, raw, vulnerable me. I sit here blogging directly from my heart with tears in my eyes. It is scary, because I am being extremely vulnerable, and I don’t even know if you are still reading this far. ( I also fear rejection and I hope you won’t reject me after this long post.)
When people here me in person talk about coupons they see how passionate and excited I get. If you have ever met me, you know what I am talking about. And yes, I LOVE to get things FREE, but you know what I love more? Helping people by getting things for free - That is what makes me so crazy and excited.
Because I think, that if everyone can coupon a little and give a little, than collectively we can help the world a lot. That is what I believe in my heart of hearts. A bit crazy right? That this little coupon blog can help the world or a small part of the world?
I just have to figure out how to make it happen…….
…….I hope you will join me on my quest.
This is beautiful! I resonate with so many of the points you raise Steph, about wanting to help, wanting to do so much. (And by the way, you do).
I’ve been meaning to write to let you know of my story about couponing for donations. I’ve been following your blog for a few months now, and have started a donation pile. This week when the Gerber coupons came out, it took me back to my days of running a food pantry.
Five years ago, I was a year long volunteer in Syracuse. Part of my job was managing one of the local food pantry- one of more than a dozen in town. There were so many heartwrenching stories. Ones that broke my heart, ones that opened it wider. We often did not have baby products. When we did, we’d have to give them out so sparingly, as we never knew when we’d get them again, or who’d be coming in.
Late the other night when I checked out at Shoprite, the cashier held up the last 2 of my 10 items questioning “Hun, are these yours?” asking me why I was buying baby food. “Oh yes” I said.
Thank you for empowering me to do just that!
Thank you sooo much for sharing and for your kind words Kate, they mean a lot to me!