thisfits:

This Fits 2011 Holiday Gift Guide

It was unusually cold last Sunday when I walked into church and took a long look at the collection box we’d set up for a local coat drive. Feeling the chill cutting through my suit, it was heart-breaking to think there are people out there who are unable protect themselves and their families from the elements.

So the next time I came to church, I brought something with me—a vintage, “made in the USA” London Fog coat with a warm zip-out liner. I’d been meaning to flip it on eBay or take it to the tailor, but instead it’d been hanging neglected in my closet.

Someone else certainly needed it more than me. I added it to the pile.

Predictions say the 2011-2012 winter season will be “brutally cold.”  If you have a coat or jacket that’s been sitting in your closet for months, please donate it at a local coat drive.

Don’t have a coat to spare? Consider last year’s gift guide instead.

Aliotsy. Great post.

I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. We embrace the faith of all, and are happy to see others worshiping Whom, how, where, or what they may. As such, we participate on regional levels in interfaith councils with other faiths to accomplish large scale projects.

In a recent drive, our congregation donated 1250 sleeping bags over a ten day span to the local food bank, and those were added to another 250+ from some of the other participating faiths. Muslims, Jews, Catholics, Buddhists, and Christians of all denominations worked together to help some of our less fortunate brothers and sisters to sleep warmer than they had before. I personally saw families ordering 10 sleeping bags at a time to be donated for the cause. It was a humbling experience and a blessing to participate. 

So, to add to the remarks of Aliotsy, Jesse, Jason, and others, this is a time to see others as our fellow men and to share in our abundance with those in need. I had never considered donating a sleeping bag before. During the sleeping bag drive we were told that others were donating coats, box lunches, toys, and many other items that were needed.

Please go to ANY church of any denomination near you, and I am sure that the local leader will have a place to send your thoughtful donation. However you worship, have a great holiday season.