The Tiny Pushes Add Up

The world is not moved only by the mighty shoves of the heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker.”

Helen Keller

I recently walked out of Port Tack Ltd. Wine & Spirits with a heavy bag of change that had been collecting in SPAN’s donation box on the Port Tack counter. We have boxes for change at several local businesses including Honey Baked Ham and Harbour Wine & Spirits. I carefully supported the bag so the bottom wouldn’t break. Counting the huge pile of coins reminded me how much little things add up. The spare change that people had dropped in the box added up to $240!

Another example of the small amounts adding up is our wonderful partnership with Diehl’s Produce. Customers choosing to round up their purchases contribute to making gift certificates for produce that are appreciated by some of our clients. Thank you also to Our Shepherd Lutheran Church and Langton Green Community Farm, which both also share produce from their gardens with us.

I am continually reminded at SPAN how every little contribution adds up and makes so much possible. Lots of community members responded to my social media posts explaining that summer is our slow time for donations. A couple of hours after I posted, people started showing up with bags of rice, potatoes and toiletries. It all adds up. Daily, I am reminded of how these small actions combine to make great things happen. At SPAN, we are blessed with a well-stocked pantry. We don’t do it with large delivery trucks showing up to unload. Occasionally we are blessed with large donations such as Scouting for Food and the S(o)uper Bowl Food Drive, but for the most part, our shelves are filled when individuals and small groups show up with a few bags or a trunk load. Together this community does amazing things, such as helping more than 2,000 people last year with food and emergency financial assistance.

Although summer has a slower pace, we have had a constant stream of clients. We are also busy with planning and enjoying community events. We partnered again this year with Chartwell Young Leaders for the Fourth of July parade. Did you see our giant cereal and mac and cheese boxes? Maybe next year we will include more of our favorite pantry items such as instant potatoes, jelly, pancakes, syrup and toiletries.

On Saturday, September 10, at Boone Station Hall in the Severna Park Community Center, Laurette Hankins-O’Connell will perform in a Broadway bonanza concert to benefit SPAN. She and her pianist/duet singer Anita O’Connor will perform a salute to Broadway musicals of the 20th century. Tickets are $25 each and all the net proceeds go to support SPAN. Space is limited; please purchase the tickets in advance using check or PayPal. We will also have a silent auction.

Our other big event is our Turkey Trot 5K on November 5 at Kinder Farm Park. It is our main fundraiser and the 10th year of the event for SPAN. Registration is now set up; you can go to www.active.com and look for SPAN. Thank you to all who are sponsoring and donating prizes for the event – we have had wonderful responses for both!

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!