NDG Food Depot’s Annual Food Drive

.... Hebe wearing the volunteer hat ...
NGO - "non governmental organization"

Last night Catherine told her family that the NDG Food Depot’s Annual Food Drive is underway. Catherine tried to engage her family in helping.  The kids reminded her that they do other food banks.  She wanted them to work for the catchment of the community we live in as well.  It was a tough sell.

By the time we were to be at the school today, six of the seven of us were in the car.  One person's charitable project is not anothers.

Catherine picked up the instructions for the route we were to cover.  We had three long blocks to walk.

Catie and I started out on one side of the street, together, me fearing that someone might speak to me in French, which the first person did.

That would have just been one conversation too many for me. Catie wove her way down the street, working both languages, identifying us and then asking if people had food stuffs or money that they wished to donate.

Catherine thinks that we collected 2/3 more food than they did on the other side of the street. Who knows why that happens. If people wanted to give, but hadn’t collect anything, I was happy to wait for whatever they could put in a bag. Catie moved on to the next house. We would probably be good doing political proselyting during an election.  Or if not good, efficient.

The most unusual conversation on our side of the street was the woman who said she couldn’t give us anything because she was frying eggs. “Next time,” we said and hoped she went right back to save her eggs.

On Catherine’s side of the street someone said at the door, “I have nothing for you. I just got home from grocery shopping.” Thomas silently wondered what that meant. The man went on, “I have a bad cold from my wife as well. I have nothing to give.” The man turned to go back inside and Hebe said to her mother, “What was that about?” Her mother raised her hands not knowing what to say. The man stopped himself, went back into the house and brought a money donation for them.

“Generous. That is what people are in the main,” I thought as we walked along the street. One family left us three big brown boxes full of canned goods. We hardly had the strength to carry them to the van. Another family let their four year old carry the bags to the door to give to us. Another man said that their fanily had just moved in and were having a house warming party Sunday next. All the guests are asked to bring a non-perishable food for the food bank instead of a house-warming gift.

I came home feeling overwhelmed with the munificence of those who live with abundance.  A lovely Saturday morning.