One (small) good deed a day 2022

[Poundwise]

A friend of mine has been trying to fill a container to send to refugees in Idlib, Syria.  I drove a car full of old medical equipment (like walkers, wheelchair, blood pressure monitors, etc.) to her and also corralled a bunch of Girl Scouts to help her pack toiletry bags. There are 2.8 million refugees there, so it's a drop in the bucket, but it's not nothing. Plus, the Scouts learned something and they had a great discussion about refugees afterwards.

Yesterday, I was recycling my old toner and ink cartridges when I overheard an older lady in Staples was horrified at the cost of ink cartridges. I offered her my recycling reward, but alas, I didn't realize that there was a wait so I didn't have a reward to give.  However, she hadn't heard of this program so she thought she would recycle a bunch of her old cartridges and get the rewards later.

[Serendip]

@Poundwise wow—2.8 million refugees in Syria? The mind boggles.. wonderful that you are helping with any amount.

Picked up some plastic while walking home—I’m always concerned that wild animals will try to eat wrappers/etc..

[Freedomin5]

Sent a donation equal to one month's expenses to help Syrian earthquake victims. Granted, our expenses aren't really that high here in China, so it's not as impressive as if I were a spendypants non-Mustachian.

Also will be dropping off a bag of clothing and medical supplies for earthquake victims in Turkey. Our compound has started a collection.

[Poundwise]

Still impressively generous, @Freedomin5 !!

@Serendip yes, I had to check up on the 2.8 million refugee figure but that seems to be the number in Idlib alone, not just Syria.

My good deeds for the week...
-Day before yesterday, I told social media friends that I was collecting supplies for earthquake victims (10 minutes, small and easy)
- Yesterday, I answered the door whilst friends dropped off new socks, diapers, feminine products, etc. that they had bought (easier yet for me, the friends are the ones who did the good deeds)
- Today, I picked up a sack of blankets and sleeping bags that someone else collected (5 minutes on my part) and went to a decluttering forum I belong to, and posted info about collections happening in several states (10 minutes of my time, and I feel very pleased with myself for this brainwave)

Tomorrow is the hard part: I'm driving a van full of supplies up to the Boston area to a collection point for Syrian refugees, since my usual contact has Covid and can't drive it herself. I'm beginning to feel anxious... what if the dropoff point is not open? I guess I had better make sure before I drive 3 hours.

[Serendip]

Wow. I'm inspired by these efforts @Poundwise & @Freedomin5  and will find somewhere to make a donation--I heard about the White Helmets but need to read up on that organization.

Recent, if totally facile good deed compared to the earthquake/refugee crisis, was to take a visitor up into the mountains. It can be a bit overwhelming when people are new to the area so I took an aquaintance for a ski day in a blustery storm and he was over-the-moon to get some local knowledge of the area.

[Poundwise]

@Serendip don't belittle your good deed!  It was a kind and unlooked-for deed that made another person very happy.

To be honest, my driving the stuff up to the dropoff point took me only about a half hour or so out of my way, which is why I volunteered to do it. I had to drive up to Boston anyway with a big empty van to pick up stuff, so I thought I may as well take a load up with me and be efficient. So for about an hour of effort on my part (not counting all the effort by my friends to collect and buy stuff), I was able to bring supplies to people who really need them. Or at least hopefully they will arrive a month sooner than they would have if they waited for my friend to get better and bring them up.

[draco44]

I agree - @Serendip, you did great! Also, I had an extra-self-serving good deed this weekend of buying homemade cupcakes to support my local community association. They are trying to build up their financial reserves after so long of getting no community hall booking fees during the height of the pandemic, and were hosting a Valentine's Day cupcake fundraiser. I was happy to help with that one!

[Dollar Slice]

Nice job everyone!

This week I helped a friend research something for a trip he's taking - he asked me since he thought I might have some access to info that he didn't due to my social circle/social media reach.

I also stuck around for a few extra minutes waiting with an elderly friend who was going to take the city bus home, just to keep him company and make sure the bus came in a reasonable amount of time and didn't leave him standing on the street for half an hour. We got to catch up a little. I found out his wife and I are having the exact same set of MRIs done this month, two weeks apart - what are the odds. I just had mine done so I gave some advice in case she's anxious about them like I was.

[Poundwise]

Wow. I'm inspired by these efforts @Poundwise & @Freedomin5  and will find somewhere to make a donation--I heard about the White Helmets but need to read up on that organization.

I have two great links from people I trust: One says,
"As a starting place, I would encourage donors to look at groups that are not working with the Syrian government. It isn't that anyone would wish Syrians trapped in Assad-controlled areas (most of the country) to be without aid. Rather, it is the unfortunate reality that your donation may not (likely will not) reach the intended vulnerable people. There are articles and reports dating back more than a decade documenting Assad's theft of foreign aid. Also, the earthquake struck near Idlib, which holds 3 million Syrian refugees who are not under Assad's control. Aid organizations are already in this area and the money donated to them can be deployed and monitored with greater transparency. The American Coalition for Syria has circulated a list of 15 organizations they recommend for these reasons: "
https://www.sacouncil.com/how_to_help_earthquake_victims

Here's another list of trusted orgs and individuals that have worked around the barriers to aid in northern Syria for years and know how to navigate them now:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1MzBlziy7Ejy5Lp_WJ55MdTSpY_q2qMuFww4FBHma9Wk/htmlview

[Serendip]

thanks for that @Poundwise --I read through it and made a donation :)

Someone gave me two caramel apples (individually wrapped) from a fancy chocolate place so I took one to work and left it in the staff-room with a note saying anyone who was in need of a Valentines Day treat could help themselves -- it was gone by the end of my shift so hoping it gave a little boost to someone.

[Serendip]

Someone did an unexpected good deed for me today :)

I was skiing, riding the chairlift with some young guys--they were heading down early for work and asked me if I wanted their food vouchers. They each had one for $17, so $34 altogether.

I never eat on the mountain. So I went and had coffee & a chocolate croissant and picked up a bag of gummy bears for my touring bag and then found out I could save the other voucher for another day.
An unexpected treat and good mountain karma to those kids!

[Serendip]

Someone on the ski-hill had a doozy of a crash (lost a ski and both poles) and was sliding downhill head-first. I was coming from the uphill direction so I managed to fetch all the belongings and ski them down to him. Thankfully no injuries ("only his pride" he said) but it would've been really difficult for him to get back up the slope to get his things.

[Dollar Slice]

I was at a big midtown Manhattan grocery store today with a very elaborate line system at the cashiers (I think it was designed by someone who got fired from the DMV - there are like ten lines and you have to wait to get called up by numbers flashing on monitors over the line you're in, and go to the cashier corresponding to that number). There was a couple near me who were clearly confused about how it worked - they went to a cashier and had to return to the line because they had gone to the wrong place. So I kept an eye on them and when they got called up I noticed that they were just standing there not moving and hadn't seen their number coming up, so I flagged them down and pointed them at the correct cashier. Successful grocery check-out for them, and their (long) line didn't get delayed by them missing a cycle.

I also went to a museum exhibit with a friend that, for whatever reason, was very crowded with an exceptionally high average age... tons of canes and wheelchairs and generally way too many people. So I did my absolute best to be very considerate of where any people with disability were, letting people using wheelchairs in front so they had a better viewing angle, making sure we weren't getting in the way of anyone with a mobility aid, and making sure my somewhat-hard-of-seeing companion wasn't about to bump into anyone, since he has very bad peripheral vision. A little exhausting, I was happy when we finished that exhibit and went into one that wasn't so crowded. Sometimes I think there are too many people in this city :-P

[Prairie Gal]

I picked up some formula for a single Mom of a newborn and delivered it to her. Something more to that story, I think, as she said she had begged her Mom to help, but she was too busy, and now wasn't answering her phone. Whatever. Not my circus, not my monkeys. At least the baby has formula for a few days.

[Josiecat23503]

brought my neighbor's trash and recycling cans in today.  It's supposed to be a *small* act of kindness, right?

Also riding along to a doctor's appointment with a good friend today.  She has a lot going on and is overwhelmed, so just using the time in the car to lend a supportive ear.

[Serendip]

Went out skiing with someone who is learning. She asked for tips and it was a bit slow-going but otherwise kindof fun :)

I only learned myself within the last decade (was a snowboarder before)--so it feels good to pass on the help that others generously gave me.

[MaybeBabyMustache]

-Found a debit card under a car in the parking lot. I got down on the ground & pulled it out. Dropped it off at the lost & found
-I continue my practice of returning my own cart, and whenever possible, another cart nearby, at the grocery store