PCH Employees Volunteer to Help the Needy
PCH Volunteers Helped Give Away Tons of Free PCH Products!
Greetings, fans and friends!
PCH loves to give back – whether it is through our annual “Giveback” charitable donation to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® … donating food to the needy … or any of our other volunteer activities.
Last month, I had the great pleasure to volunteer, alongside my fellow PCHers, at the Mary Brennan Interfaith Nutrition Network in Hempstead, NY. The “INN,” as it is called, addresses the issues of hunger and homelessness on Long Island by providing food, shelter, long-term housing, and supportive services in a dignified and respectful manner for those who seek this organization’s help.
Originally, I thought I’d be working at the INN’s soup kitchen – but boy, was I in for a surprise when I walked in and saw piles of boxes of PCH products stacked higher than you could imagine!
PCH had donated two truckloads of items to the INN, allowing them to have a free flea market for their guests to choose from tons of desperately needed items! There were roasters and frying pans, plastic storage containers and kitchen towels, pillows and baby blankets – and more!
Hundreds of needy individuals waited on line outside the INN in order to receive their new items. When they entered the building, they were given huge black plastic bags, which they could fill with the items they chose. While some PCH’ers restocked the tables (those items went fast!) and others helped the INN’s “guests” fill the bags with PCH products, my job was to be the greeter at the front door. As the guests filed in, I greeted them with a hearty “Good morning!” (and sometimes with “Buenos dias!”). If a guest was not physically able to fill their bag with PCH products, I became their “personal shopper,” asking them which items they wanted, and then fulfilling their “orders.”
It felt so gratifying to see the smiles on everyone’s faces, and it felt so good to give back! And you know what? Everyone – we PCHers, the folks at the INN, and the flea market’s guests – were all winners that day!
Are you involved in volunteer activities? What do you do to help your community? Comment below!
Debbie K.
PCH Creative
