In our Free Store conversation on Tuesday morning we talked about the importance of friendship and the need for friends of the store to support it so that we can continue to be a positive presence at Area 15. The question was asked, "Why should our friends financially support the Free Store?" We talked about what positive reasons that we could give our friends that might motivate them to give their time, energy, ideas, and money.
Sheila said, "The friendship is good. I like to talk to the people I meet here. I don't think we are asking a lot of our friends." She also said that people have a place to hang out and that they love to hang out with us." Someone said that ultimately a $5 gift from 1,000 people is just as good, and maybe even better, than a $5,000 gift from 1 person. We laughed when someone said that we don't want to discourage the $5,000 donor.
Our friend Donna said, "Anybody can fall on hard times and the store does help the needy." She went on to say that beyond the stuff that is given away, "Every morning people can get an encouraging message if they want to receive it." She said that it could be "something that someone says or even a prayer because you don't really know what touches people."
At this point our loud and talkative friend Donald said that he takes clothes home from the free store and wears them all the time. He tells his friends, "If you ain't got nuthin come to the free store." He said that a friend found a tote bag that he really needed and it made him feel good. He went on to say, "I'm down here to be around people. I can call the free store if I'm in the hospital and someone will visit me." At this George jumped in and said, "Thanks for sharing Donald" which made us laugh.
Our friend Terrence said that the free store "has been a safe haven in times of financial stress." At this George who looked like he was just bursting to talk, said "when I first came to the free store I was thinkin about givin up, maybe jumpin off a bridge but my friends here helped me out a lot." He told us, "I gave up on my drawin" but now was back into it. He said, "I try to talk to people and now you can't shut me up" which made us laugh. He went on to say that "volunteerin helps me out a lot."
As the conversation moved to a conclusion Rick said, "When I first moved into the neighborhood down here I used to be afraid. Now when I walk to the store people wave to me and talk to me." Sheila told us about one lady that she met that never used to leave her house but now she comes to the free store at least once a week to hang out. As we listened to our friends it seemeded clear that if positive friendship is important then what we do at the free store is something worth supporting.
As a friend and reader of our blog if you want to make a donation please go to our website http://www.visionpossible.com/ and click on the Donate Now Through Network for Good link. As with everything else we do our slogan is "Give what you want. Take what you need."
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