BEST "DOING FOR OTHERS" STORY (2020 Heartfelt Holidays Contest)

My five year old granddaughter saw an elderly man sitting by himself at church each week. One day she walked up and introduced herself( she’s not allowed to talk to strangers) and asked him if he wanted to join her family so he didn’t sit alone anymore. Her and Mr Bill are now great friends. Since covid they call each week so Mr Bill doesn’t get to lonely.

Hi there my name is Francesca, no matter where I am or what it is regardless if it’s my last dollar I’ll give it away. It doesn’t need to be the holidays to do something nice for anyone. We use to take in kids off the street help them find their better self. Help them get back into school and graduate, not all where successful and one of the kids stood out he graduated lived with us for 5 years went into the Army got married and now he has a child of his own buying his first house. His grandma had a broken bed and would clean her apartment on her hands and knees. We bought her a new bedroom set with everything including curtains and a new vacuum. There is so much we have done to help anyone who was in need, if we all could show a little kindness and compassion the world would be such a better place. We don’t have much, but we have never turned a child away or someone who needed food, clothing or a warm blanket, furniture. Paid people groceries in line at the grocery store, paid an elerdy couple food at the restaurant without them knowing. Giving should be all year around and come from the heart, don’t do it because you are expecting something back. Do it because you have so much love to give. Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a happy new year.

I had overheard a conversation, between 2 Co-workers, about the one Individual missing thier Sister ; they hadn’t seen or heard from in Yrs. She was so really Emotional about it.

I later was able to obtain the Sisters Name. Through My Pervious Employment for a Bail Bonds Company . I have knowledge of how to locate Individuals. I Started Utilizing My Searching Abilities to Locate Her.After Approximately 3 wks & 4 wrong Subjects later . I had finally located Her.

I was able to contact Her at Her place of Employment & Explained to Her , who I was & what I was contacting Her about. She briefly stated. She had a Severe Head Injury a few Yrs back & suffered from Acute Amnesia. She was elated with Joy , that She had Family & Belonged somewhere. I Told Her She would have to wait until the next Day to talk with Her Sister. I obtained Her Personal Number & We Hung Up.

The next morning I called Her & Explained what My Intentions were & I went to Work & I located where Her Sister was & I called the other Sister & said Here it goes am Walking up to Her now Her name is Ashley. I walked up to Ashley with My Ph & stated Good Morning Ashley this is For You & handed Her My Ph. It was the 2nd Happiest moment in My life, next to the Birth of My son.
Sincerely,
Brian C

At Thanksgiving day my fiance went to work on our camper and discovered that new neighbors had bought the house across the street. He went over and talked with them to find out that a man in our community had ripped them off for about $2000. He was supposed to have their place move in ready. It was not. They could only stay in one room and had to clean it out first.
He called me and ask if he could invite them over for dinner. I said yes the more the merrier. I called him back and ask did they have running water. Yes they did but the toilet was all they could use. I had him bring them early and let them do their laundry and get showers. She cried after her shower and hugged us all for their first home cooked meal in a week and said since she finally got a shower she felt human again.
We now enjoy knowing our new friends. Love thy neighbor. Gods words.

My name is Donna Marini. I broke my neck 12-28-88 an am a quadriplegic. After going through rehab and gaining as much independence as possible I saw many newly paralyzed people that just wanted to give up. Stay at home in bed.
I then saw a calling to “do for others” I started visiting these patents. Giving them a reason to move on. Showing them if I could do it they could to. Told them I’m here for you anything you need.
I started a 501c3 raising money while visiting, inspiring people. I helped get a rehab built here in Orlando FL. (Avalon Park) Its helping people all over the country with Brain and Soinal Cord injuries. 20201207_152019

Doing for others…
My husbands aunt must have a heart of gold. She is 78 years old has custody of her great grandsons that are 6 and 7. And the 7 year old is autistic and requires special attention.
I was overjoyed when I brought my newborn baby home only to find out a week later that my husband and I had Covid and could not care for our now newborn baby. My husbands aunt took on not only my newborn but my two year old, 6 year old, and five year old as well as the cooking and cleaning for everyone.
This would have been especially hard for me to do as I have been diagnosed with a brain cyst and require supervision myself. But my husbands aunt took care of the whole family without griping, complaining, or asking anything in return. She taught me what family and giving REALLY means!!! Her and I have become especially close and my children call her “Nana”. We are truly blessed to have her as a part of our family.

In April, we had to put our 18 year old cat down. He was my best buddy and grew up with my kids-he was like another kid in our family.
With Covid shut downs, we’ve been working from home, which made the loss even more painful.
Thankfully, our neighbors across the street have two dogs that are very active during the day. My office window overlooks their yard and I started enjoying them from afar - they became the pets we didn’t have. But every day they bring a smile to my face-playing, protecting their home and sunning themselves.
Because of the joy they bring us each day, we got them a PetSmart gift card to help with food costs and buy some toys.
It’s a small gesture that hopefully can help in some small way, while thanking them for helping us through a difficult time.

My daughter was diagnosed with blood cancer at age 2 she is 6 now and just had her last surgery in January. Someone left a gift box on my porch for her and it was a $50 visa gift card . We really needed that because Xmas is looking non existent this year . I am pregnant and was in an accident and this homeless man helped my daughter suggested I give him the gift card so I did and someone turned around and gave us $75 cash (a stranger for no reason) that was a blessing for blessing others and not being selfish

A friend of mine that I worked with had a grown disabled child with a rare disorder. Her son started having pain in his back. The Doctor could not find anything. The pain continued and she took him in again. He had hip issues a few years before and had surgery which, affected his ability to walk. She would get him up and cared for him every day before going to work. She noticed a bump on his back one morning while helping get him ready. The scans that he had missed the massive tumor in his body. It was inoperable by the time they found it. His one love was his mother’s cooking. She would bake his favorite foods. Her stove stopped working one morning and she couldn’t afford to buy a new one. She was very proud and worked hard. I went to Sears and bought a new stove for her and had a warranty put on it so that she wouldn’t have to worry. I did it because she had always been there for me and I couldn’t bear to see her son not get the things he loved. Her baking he looked forward to. He passed a few months after. She is one of my best friends. I feel that if I am fortunate to help another I will! I

I cared for my best friend as he was dying.
He had cancer and he asked me to care for him.
So for three months I did all I could to keep him safe and happy.
He died on Thanksgiving day.
I wouldn’t of had it any other way.
I miss him very much but I know he’s in a better place.

When my daughter was younger and I was putting myself through school I didn’t have any money to get her or her older brother anything for Christmas. We were living with my mom who was also having financial problems from a recent divorce. A lady that worked with her at that time gave her $1000 for my kids to get presents for Christmas. She didn’t want my daughter who was so young at the time not to believe in Santa because there wouldn’t be anything under the tree. Sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me.

Doing for others:

I had just lost my husband and was left with three kids. I am on disability so i was not able to provide Christmas for my kids last year. We was living in a shed that was not insulated or anything. I posted on Craigslist that i needed help with Christmas. This couple came out to the shed and after meeting with us decided to provide Christmas for my kids along with us christmas dinner. But they also fixed our shed into a tiny home. Out of all the years last Christmas made me remember what christmas is all about. And this year i am paying it forward by helping others out because you never know what helping others may do for that person

My boyfriend surprises me in getting us a apt. It has been 3 years now we are together, we meet at the same job and got along at first site. We know each other for 5 years.

When my children were young we lived in a small apartment complex that I managed in a low income neighborhood. There was a widowed mother who lived there with her 5 children. They lived in a 2 bedroom apartment. The only furniture they had was one bed in the entire apartment. The mother worked 2 minimum wage jobs while the teenage son took care of his siblings. At Christmas time my friend ended up getting a whole house of new furniture from her family and needed to get rid of her existing furniture in order to have room for the new. I told her about this family in my complex who could really use the furniture. She and I pulled together because we really didn’t have much ourselves. We bought all the kids a couple of small gifts. We also purchased everything necessary to prepare a nice Christmas dinner. A few days before Christmas we delivered the food, gifts and furniture. The kids helped us carry the furniture up the stairs and to their apartment. All the while the mother who spoke very little English, sat on the floor crying. The children were so happy and excited and the mother was so appreciative. My friend and myself were overjoyed by the happiness this brought to the family.

September 15, 2012 I found a lump in my right breast, the day before my 37th birthday. We lived in a park model trailer in a RV resort my husband worked for. My radical bilateral mastectomy was scheduled for December 19.
On Christmas Eve one of our dear friends came by with an envelope of money, a little over $3000.00. A few of the residents of the park started a 50/50 raffle to help with some of the experience that sure did come. We were told two of the three winners even gave the money they won in the raffle. That was one of the nicest things that could have happened just before Christmas.
Our son was 7 when I was first diagnosed. The residents of the park purchased a bunch of things for him as well. They have a Christmas parade where everyone decorates their golf carts and bikes. So during the parade Santa himself stopped to give my son a big stack and sack of toys.
This was the kindest act anyone has ever done for me and my family. This truly warmed our hearts, and made us feel loved.

Merry Christmas Everyone🎅

More Than We Expected :evergreen_tree:

I worked for a large entertainment company that had a diversity program for staff. My Director had asked me to head up our department’s. Every month we had a different Ethnic group that we celebrated. When the holidays came around I was faced with the dilemma of “how do I honor every Religious/Ethnic group that were represented in our community.

My answer came in the form of a non-denominational church that cared for families that had suffered some form of abuse or loss. The family that needed help had two little boys 5 & 7, single dad, who had just lost their 27 year old mom to cancer. This was their first year without her. Financially her illness had decimated their finances and emotionally devastated the dad. He had no idea how to have Christmas for his boys. And this was the story that I took to my team, that shouldn’t we adopt this family & give them a Christmas. There was a resounding “Yes”.

The team was given the option of buying gifts or donating cash if they didn’t have time for shopping. We had sizes, favorite colors, preferred toys ( dad thought educational) and so we started. I was given an office next to mine to put donations into and had volunteers who were anxious to do clothes shopping for the boys. The final day came & the gift wrapping party gathered. It took us 30 minutes to carry all the gifts to the conference room. And 10 people & 2 hours to wrap all the gifts.

We loaded the ministers car with packages, Christmas Wreaths, ornaments, even reindeer food. He barely fit. That Friday more cash contributions had come in, so I went grocery shopping. The makings of Christmas dinner for 12 families with gift cards from Publix for either a ham or turkey of the recipients choice. Saturday’s delivery to the little church brought tears from the minister & several of his staff. The gifts had been sorted & three more families would have Christmas.

The giving of the Human Spirit never ceases to amaze me and still warms my heart.

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My parents went out looking at Christmas lights every year since 1938. Fast forward to 1994, 9 kids and 60+ grandchildren. My mothers health was failing. Just so happened that the local radio station had a contest. Who ever won got their Christmas wish. You guessed it. I won! A few weeks before Christmas who realized it would be moms last Christmas. She was bed bound completely. I thought long about my wish. Knowing there is always something one needs. So, with the help of the radio station and a brother and sister. I pulled off the best Christmas gift ever. A handicap cab pulled into my folks driveway. They brought in a stretcher. Helped get mom out of bed. Wrapped warmly, Fargo ND. They loaded mom up, then my father. My brother road with as the rest of the family followed in their own cars. They took us all over our city and the city next to us to view lights. My mom and dad cried as we got home. They both knew it would be the last time doing that together. But had never dreamed of ever being able to go see the beautiful lights again. My Christmas wish was something noone could ever replace. My mom died Jan 11, 1995. My dad died Jan 23, 2998.

My name is Barbara and I own this story. I was playing with my grand dog one day which was a bull mastiff and lab mix. His name was Drake. Him and I were playing and he took his paw and accidentally hit me in my mouth. When he did he knocked my front tooth out of my mouth. Well needless to say I had to go to work the next day Snaggle tooth. I work at a grocery store, one of my customers asked me what I had done to get my tooth knocked out. I told her my story she said I’m going to give you this hundred dollars and I want you to go see about getting your mouth fixed. Well I did, and the dentist told me I needed all my teeth pulled because they were all loose due to gum disease. I go back to work she comes in a few days later and asked me if I I said yes she said what did you find out and I told her. She said I’m on a new mission. The next day a woman I have never met in my life asked me if my name was Barbara I told her yes. She said I am Elizabeth sister and I want to fix your mouth. She sent me to the dentist and had $1500 worth of dental work done to my mouth. Now I have the most beautiful smile. If not for her I would not have this Beautiful smile. We’ve become pretty good friends and a few months later I got an Pneumonia. She asked me if I needed any help I told her I was having trouble making my car payment that month she had volunteered to make a car payment for me and called me and told me she had decided to pay my car off in full. It was a 2017 Toyota that I owe $19,000 on. She paid my car off and has done a number of things for me since I found my guardian angel and she has it and that is my story

Recently, my granddaughter, Jasmine and I passed this little old lady who appeared to be homeless so, Jasmine looked out and said, "oh grandma, we have to help her, and the only thing I could do was give a $20 bill, but it was Very heartwarming, and what made it even more heartwarming was the fact that even my young granddaughter cared about this lady’s wellbeing.

I am housebound and haven’t decorated for o or twenty years because I cant. So last week a friend of my sons came round to check I was ok and ended up staying the week and decorating my hallway and front room and put my chr9 tree up too. I can’t begin to explain how grateful I am and how happy it makes me feel every time I see my beautiful new rooms. Merry Christmas. X