Neighbors Helping Neighbors

As I was helping to collect and distribute Thanksgiving meals for SPAN’s Holiday Caring program, one of the thoughts that kept occurring to me is that I was surrounded by examples of people helping their neighbors.

The ripple effect of this kindness also brightened my day.

My day started with one of our clients coming to pick up her Thanksgiving basket and explaining that she now has an additional teen in her family. When she learned that a teenage family friend did not have a stable home situation and was at risk of needing to go to a group home or other living situation, she reached out and followed the process to take custody. She saw a need and did whatever was needed to help, not letting her own financial situation stop her from helping.

Throughout the day, as families picked up their Thanksgiving meals, I realized there were several times where families were coming together or a neighbor was helping with transportation.

With SPAN’s regular food distribution, one of our clients comes to get food and toiletries for herself and her elderly mother. She also picks up supplies for a homebound elderly neighbor. She was mowing the neighbor’s lawn and learned that this neighbor was homebound and didn’t have anyone to help. Our client stepped up to help her neighbor.

SPAN is able to help these families because of generous neighbors - you. Our Holiday Caring program works because community members sign up to sponsor a family with items for a holiday meal, a gift card and Christmas gifts for children. We are able to provide these to families because neighbors step up to provide.

Our amazing volunteers are community members who regularly give their time to make sure our shelves are stocked and organized, and our clients have compassionate people to greet them and learn their needs. Our shelves are stocked because of neighborhood groups, local businesses, scouts, and church members donating food and toiletries. SPAN is able to help those facing eviction, utility issues and medical bills because of neighbors who donate money.

We may not always know the neighbor we are helping, but every time people drop off food at SPAN, or make financial donations, they are helping someone in the community. Many times, these community members are going through a crisis – a death in the family, loss of a job or health issues. Our clients are sometimes dealing with their own crises in addition to helping their neighbors.

“Love your neighbor as yourself.” - Mark 12:31

I am blessed to regularly see so many examples of neighbors helping neighbors. We are all blessed to live in a community of people looking out for one another.

SPAN (Serving People Across Neighborhoods) is an independent nonprofit food pantry and emergency services provider that has been helping local families with eviction prevention, utility turnoffs, medical/prescription bills, and food since 1990. SPAN serves 14 zip codes in Anne Arundel County. SPAN is located behind Our Shepherd Lutheran Church at 400 Benfield Road in Severna Park. Hours are Monday through Thursday from 10:00am-1:30pm. For more information, call 410-647-0889, email spanhelps@yahoo.com or visit www.spanhelps.org. Financial donations may be made through the website. Food donations may be dropped off 24/7 using the storage bin behind SPAN’s building. Please “like” SPAN on Facebook!