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11/4/11

Mittens 4 Missions ~ Commit to Give



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Each year I always hear about the phenomenal needs homeless people and poverty stricken families have during the holidays. The other day I was listening to our local Christian station and they said that our local mission "The Open Door Mission" expects a 37% INCREASE of people coming to Thanksgiving Dinner this year. I find that amazing. These families don't have a home to go to filled with family, football, snacks and a huge turkey - BUT they do have a family that has opened their doors to them.

Will you?
One of my goals of this blog is to share ways families can give to others. It doesn't matter your faith, your financial ability, or who you are - we can ALL give to others. You can volunteer your time, go through your closets, knit or crochet up mittens and hats or make up those wonderful tied fleece blankets to give to a child. 

I am officially kicking off what I hope will become an annual event - Mittens 4 Missions. I would like each of you to consider donating 2 sets of mittens/gloves and 2 hats per family. If you can afford to - consider doing more. It's a small thing - but we all know how we feel when we are lonely or sad and someone does something nice for us. It fills our hearts with warmth.

Would you please consider giving to them this year? Either monetarily or by committing to give your local mission at least 2 pairs of mittens or gloves and 2 hats?

Is there a mission in YOUR area?
I thought I'd tell you about the Missions I'm aware of. You may know of others or maybe these missions are in your area. I will also list a link to the needs that these missions have and a way for you to give to them:

Omaha - The Open Door Mission - 
Hope for the Hungry Food DriveThe Open Door Mission is situated by the airport and provides a home, a bed, a warm meal and an open heart to men and women who need a place to come to. I've heard of families who have lost their home due to a fire going afterwards because they don't have anywhere else to go. 

What they need:
"We need your help to collect turkeys (lots of them) and other traditional Thanksgiving dinner items to prepare more than 5,000 Turkey 'N Fixin's food boxes for the Heartland's hungry. We would gratefully welcome your contribution of any of the item's listed."

Thanksgiving Dinner @ PGM
Chicago - The Pacific Garden Mission. 
According to their website"Pacific Garden Mission is the oldest, continuously operating rescue mission in the country." On an average night, over 500 homeless men, women and children receive safe, clean and warm shelter at Pacific Garden Mission.  During the cold winter months that number climbs well above 800. In addition to a clean, comfortable bed, pacific Garden Mission also provides food and clothing, as well as medical & dental care, if needed. pastors and counselors provide needed spiritual help. Everything is provided FREE of charge to all who enter "the doors that never close".

Also known for their ministry "Unshackled" - the longest running radio drama in America. This radio drama tells true stories of men and women in all kinds of situations and their outcome when they finally turn to Christ. 

Please give to PGM: Click here

Both missions have served thousands of people for over 100 years combined and continues to help them daily by providing a bed, a warm meal, a listening ear and by sharing the love of Christ for each of them.

Prompt #1: Please feel free to share your story or about a mission in your area in the comments following. Thank you!


Prompt #2: Take a picture of your family donating Mittens/Gloves & Hats to your local City Mission! Send your picture to: familyliteracy2 (at) gmail.com if you would like to show your family giving to others (no names will be posted but I would like to post the name of the mission, city/state). Please put Mittens 4 Missions in the subject line.

PS: I SO appreciate all the comments below. Mittens 4 Missions is kind of my own thing. I was trying to come up with something that wouldn't be really expensive that people could participate in. I'm only working 15-20 hours right now after being laid off - and I thought that I can do at least 2 pairs of gloves and 2 hats if nothing else. If you'd like to join in - I'd love that. Likely there isn't going to be a Mittens 4 Missions near you since it's an online thing I set up =D

Operation Christmas Child - someone commented on that program. It's a wonderful program and many churches, schools and families participate in that one. If you'd like more info it's at: https://www.facebook.com/OCCshoeboxes?sk=app_153284594738391




25 comments:

  1. Love this idea! Such a nice charity, my son's school collects sneakers so we are hauling in a bunch of old sneakers next week!

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  2. I participate in World Vision which happens to be a local charity that partners with worldwide to help those in need.

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  3. What a generous opportunity. I am not aware of any missions in our area, but I am definitely going to look into starting one. I have been looking for an organization to volunteer for and this is a most noble cause. Thank you for introducing me to Mittens 4 Mission. ~Pauline

    dod@rogers.com

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  4. There isn't a mission in my area. Too bad there are a lot of people out of work around here. The food banks and shelters are overflowing.

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  5. We participate in Operation Christmas Child (from Samaritan's Purse) which sends boxes full of items to children in need. My family and I also, each year for Christmas, send money to buy chickens or wasp nets and items like that to help families who need it!

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  6. We've donated to a boys home near where I grew up for years. We also try to do something in our area. This year things are tight for us, but I always stress to the boys how important it is to give, because that is how God gives back to us. This year I am crocheting afghans from my scrap yarn for us to give. Every little bit helps somewhere!

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  7. This is so beautiful. I love that you are doing it! I especially love that everyone feels so full of charity around the holidays.

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  8. There is a food pantry in our small town, that also accepts toiletry items. My family and I donate food and household items to them. Every little bit helps.

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  9. Wonderful idea. They did this in VA where we used to live. We collect coats at all the schools here.

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  10. This is wonderful. There is none in my area. :-( There are other programs around my area to help though. :-)
    ramblingsandadventures@gmail.com

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  11. We have a mission about an hour away in a bigger city & I am an avid couponer...so when I can get items for free, I stock up & I donate to the mission throuhgout the year! It feels so awesome to help others!

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  12. This is interesting. We are always hearing to donate non perishables or health and beauty items to the missions in our area. I think they take donations of coats and blankets in the winter when we do get a little chilly here in the south. I never thought about giving mitten, gloves or hats.

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  13. I live in the Chicago area and didn't even know the Pacific Garden Mission existed. What a great post, thank you for sharing this info!

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  14. I know we have a shelter for homeless, but not sure if we have any missions. I'll look into it now as mittens and hats aren't that expensive to get. I live in SC Texas so it doesn't normally get really cold, but for those days that it does these would really come in handy.

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  15. Such a wonderful thing you are doing! My husband and I are planning to volunteer at a soup kitchen in our area for the holidays.

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  16. This is a wonderful thing you are doing!! We do something similar here but with winter jackets :) It gets so cold here on the lake in Michigan and our homeless numbers have really went through the roof the past couple years.

    Kelly Burroughs Crowell
    kjb1977@live.com

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  17. We are making boxes for Operation Christmas child with our family.
    thesodacat at gmail dot com

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  18. I think this is what Holiday are all about Helping people, which some people don't just need it around the Holidays either, but it still the thought that counts.

    Kristie Betts
    Momsfreebies17@yahoo.com

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  19. We always donate all our daughter's clothes!

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  20. As someone who was once homeless, I commit to give two hats to my local mission. Thank you for this post.

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  21. Our local mission is overflowing with families who are homeless and out of work. This year, were donating canned goods to the mission and we've adopted a child this year for Christmas.

    grannylovesgiftbaskets@hotmail.com

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  22. We participate in Operation Christmas Child, and we collect little shampoos from hotel trips and take those, with toothpaste and other necessities to a low-income home for elderly people in my city.
    Mittens for Mission is a great idea!

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  23. Wow! What an awesome idea for you to set this up! Our church participates in Operation Christmas Child and we also to a local thing where we adopt families we know need some assistance and donate thanksgiving and Christmas dinner to them and presents for the whole family.
    glass.stephanie at gmail dot com

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  24. This seems like a wonderful operation! I do not know of any specific operations in my area, or at least not named in that way. The store I work at has various programs which include collecting food for the food bank and money for the salvation army, but I wish I could be a part of some sort of operation! jessicapeeling@yahoo.com

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  25. Just love your idea here! Helping others should be a way of life, and if we all do what we CAN do, it all goes a long way to helping others!! We enjoy participating in local events & charities in our city, and it is special to my kids to be able to help others. Glad to see you mention Pacific Garden Mission, I was able to visit there years ago and was so blessed.

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