Giving Time on Giving Tuesday

Written by: Erin Thomson, Past National President of Kin Canada and Life Member of the Kin Club of Timmins 

On this Giving Tuesday, a ‘global generosity movement unleashing the power of organizations and people to transform their communities’, we are privileged to have given in a way that may not be top of mind and something often in short supply.

Time. 

We often hear of organizations needing help and automatically reach for our pocketbooks. These monetary gifts are much needed and greatly appreciated and they have their place.

We are honoured to be able to give when it is needed. However, donors can often be stretched thin to accommodate all of the requests. The funds are limited; the needs many.

We are fortunate to live in communities that support fundraisers and give willingly with the knowledge that these funds will be used to make the lives of others better. Sometimes money alone doesn’t solve the problem. 

‘Acts of Service’ is one of the five love languages, a framework for understanding how different people both express and receive love.

Long before this framework was coined, people have been lending a hand to their neighbours and communities for as long as stories have been shared or written down. The idea that we acknowledge a ‘helping hand’ as love, is paramount to the premise of Service Clubs in general and Kin Canada in particular, working together to identify local needs and then mobilizing to meet them. 

Anti-hunger Coalition Timmins was the target of very unwanted attention this past week. Three break-ins wreaked havoc, destroyed trust, and left our favourite food security not-for-profit bereft of laptops, cell phones, filing cabinets, shelving, and for a brief time, hope. 

The damage to property was widespread; far worse, the crushed spirits were palpable. 

Social media posts informed the community of the theft and damage and asked for understanding as the staff, demoralized and deflated, tried to regroup and start the clean-up process.

Patience was requested, as staff and volunteers shifted to using their personal technology to keep the Good Food Box program running for the monthly deadline, respond to requests, and deal with myriad police, insurance, and rental reports required. 

Then something beautiful happened.

Love. 

Love in the form of kind words; messages of what they are doing matters.

 Love in the form of generosity; corporate and personal donations of electronics and technology, donations of tools and supplies by local businesses and individuals.

 Love in the response to the call for help. 

What does the Kin Canada motto ‘Serving the Community’s Greatest Need’ mean? Today on Giving Tuesday it meant the physical removal of the detritus of loss with some sweat equity and a couple of trucks and trailer loads to the dump.

It meant spending time listening to the telling of trauma and watching not only the loads of refuse disappear, but the weight of fear, anger, and frustration be lifted just a little, as a community came together to help. 

The needs may be many, but we have enough love to respond!