There are probably some very nice people who enjoy asking people for money, but I don’t fall into that category (the asking for money part, not the nice part). Even though I know N2N depends on the generosity of our community and friends from outside our neighborhood, it’s tough. A dozen different “asks” arrive in our mailboxes, and most all of them are for very worthy things. So how do we decide who to give to and whose flyer or letter gets tossed into the recycling bin? 

I like to see my money in action. For example, even though my son was always on financial aid at his schools, I always donated what I could to the annual campaign because I knew that he benefited directly from other parents’ generosity. It might seem counter-intuitive to give money to an institution that was giving us money, but really, it wasn’t. It was one small way to show my support for the school overall and a way to have my name listed with other donors. I didn’t care about keeping up with the Joneses, because, quite frankly, I couldn’t. It was more a way of saying that we didn’t just take from the school; we also gave back. 

Donations to Neighbor to Neighbor go directly to our operating budget. We use the money we raise to pay for our office utilities and other mundane stuff (like my salary), and to  put on our monthly social events for our care recipients. They look forward to meeting once a month (on the 3rd Thursday), and it has become an important part of what N2N stands for. I love it when the phone rings and a care giver enthusiastically says, “YES!” they will be able to attend our event, and I feel sad when I hear that someone cannot attend. On the day of the event, the room is filled with delicious food smells (courtesy of Steering Committee member Martha Thompson, who coordinates the meals) and happy conversations among the care recipients and the volunteers. 

Some third Thursday of the month, come down to the First Congregational Church in Manchester Village and join us. I hope you will come away with both a full belly and a happy heart when you interact with our care recipients and our volunteers and see exactly where your generous donation is being put to use. If you would like to make a donation, click on the Donate tab at the top of the page. 

With Gratitude, 

Robin