I started volunteering for MELD over a year ago. I was at a point in my life that I was just so darn depressed and was putting way too much focus on the loss from losing my daughter to adoption. I needed change because what I was doing wasn't working. Blogging always helped but it didn't do enough.
I volunteer to babysit once a week for an hour and half while the Mom's are in parenting class. They have class for the Mom's and Dad's but not on the night that I have chosen to be available and have committed my time to be there. The ages of the children age from newborn up until about five years of age. Over the year, the average amount of children has been about six to seven kids but I have seen as many as nine. At times, I have felt like after my ten week session is up that I would stop volunteering but I have never actually gotten to that point where I follow through with quitting. There has been a shortage of volunteers which has made it nearly impossible to give good quality care. Luckily, I asked my sister if she would consider volunteering with me and she has been a lifesaver. She has made it fun again and made it possible to give quality care again. At times, we have a third volunteer and that shows up here and there and three volunteers makes it even better.
I have used blogging to help MELD and I am very grateful that I had several people donate money to help me buy Christmas presents for 12 children that Mother's rely on MELD for help. It gave me so much joy to spread the kindness around.
Besides, Christmas, I have donated mostly clothes directly to the Mom's and children I see weekly or dropped some off at the shelter. I love to go shopping and it gives me great joy to do so when my budget allows it. Lately, there hasn't been anything extra to give so right now my time has to be enough.
If your reading this then I want to ask you to check out this list that MELD could use.
MELD Wish List
Household and Personal Items- Garbage bags
- Cleaning supplies
- Laundry soap
- Personal Hygiene Items
- First aid supplies
- Dish soap
- Paper plates, cups and napkins
- Toilet paper
- Shampoo and conditioner
- Toothbrushes and toothpaste
- Combs and hairbrushes
- Hand and bath soap
- Hand and body lotion
- Bed pillows
- Disposable diapers (always needed)
- Baby wipes
- Formula
- Crib sheets and blankets
- Crib mattresses
- Toddler beds
- High chairs
- Baby shampoo, lotion, oil and baby wash
- Strollers
- Infant and Toddler car seats
- Baby swing
Contact
Karen TillyDirector of Development and Public Relations
815-633-6353 x11
ktilly@rockfordmeld.org
I copied and pasted that right off their site. I hope they don't mind. I have a donate button on my blog should anyone ever want to donate to them through me or you can do directly through the site. I am also asking that if your checkbook is flowing to think about people without the basic needs such as toilet paper, tooth brushes and soap and if it's not meld that you donate think of some other worthy cause that could use some help.
If your checkbook is short on cash and donating isn't possible then consider volunteering your time to a worthy cause. It could be an hour a week or more. Volunteering can be life changing. It changed my life for the better and I know it could change others lives too.
1 comment:
Hello. I'm new to reading your blog and am also a mother who entrusted/relinquished/lost a child in the early years of open adoption. I also work for an organization, all these years later, that focuses on family preservation.
I'm blogging, too (planning just on the month of November).
Post a Comment