By Drew Johnson
I just finished weighing food from the Vicksburg National Honors Society Food Drive, and I am happy to say that we are well stocked with all of the items we asked for! They “stuffed the bus” and brought us over 1500 pounds of household supplies and 5000 pounds of food—an enormous amount of supplies that will go a long way towards helping those struggling with food insecurity in our community. It made me think about the habit of becoming involved in the community around us, and how happy I am that young people are learning it early.
There are of course a variety of personal benefits to helping others—studies often show improved health outcomes for people who are more connected with their community—but it also just “feels good.” I don’t have any explanation other than that we are a social species, meant to be supporting each other. Before there were phones and the internet, we supported the people who were around us—our kin and our tribe. Since having the ability to connect with anyone anywhere in the world, is it possible that we have lost the ability to maintain connections with our neighbors and local communities?
Clearly, not everyone has—we have volunteers who have worked the same pantry shifts every week for years, NHS students and teachers spending hours running food drives, and drivers who take seniors to important medical appointments free of charge. As for me, I count myself lucky that my job is to stay connected to the community and help direct the energies of people who want to be involved and want to help those who are most vulnerable. If you are feeling the itch to be a small part of something bigger than yourself, here are a few ways that you can get involved:
Donate Food
We have had so much support over the past month that it almost feels ridiculous to ask for more food—where will we put it for one thing? But the reality is that this food goes FAST—we usually end up distributing about 40,000 pounds per year! Bringing in food that you enjoy to donate to the pantry is a great way to share your love with someone else in need. And if you want to meet the people who you are helping, you can always volunteer with us!
Trees of Life
You’ve seen the trees around Vicksburg, Schoolcraft, and Climax. They pop up towards the end of November and are filled with ornaments and names of loved ones—ornaments and names that represent a donation to South County Community Service’s annual Trees of Life campaign. But did you know that they also help support low-income families and seniors during the holidays and represent a lifeline for our neighbors who need help with food, housing, and transportation (and more) throughout the year? We distribute between $80,000 and $100,000 in financial support every year to the residents of South County in paid utility bills, rent, and gas/clothing vouchers.
Volunteer
We can always use volunteers! Some of our programs are completely reliant on volunteers—Transportation, for example, and Wednesday Winners. Over the holidays, we need more help than usual… we have holiday parties to throw, food to weigh, envelopes to stuff, and meals to deliver. If you are interested in helping us with any of those things, let me know!
Whatever you end up doing this holiday season, I hope that it is meaningful and that you get to share it with others. That’s what this time of year is for!
————————
Drew Johnson lives in Kalamazoo and is the director at South County Community Services. He has a small quarter acre homestead with chickens, bees, and hops (and more!). He can be reached at 649-2901 or ajohnson@southcountycs.com.
For additional information on South County Community Services, check out Facebook at facebook.com/southcountycs or visit the website at https://southcountycs.com.
I just finished weighing food from the Vicksburg National Honors Society Food Drive, and I am happy to say that we are well stocked with all of the items we asked for! They “stuffed the bus” and brought us over 1500 pounds of household supplies and 5000 pounds of food—an enormous amount of supplies that will go a long way towards helping those struggling with food insecurity in our community. It made me think about the habit of becoming involved in the community around us, and how happy I am that young people are learning it early.
There are of course a variety of personal benefits to helping others—studies often show improved health outcomes for people who are more connected with their community—but it also just “feels good.” I don’t have any explanation other than that we are a social species, meant to be supporting each other. Before there were phones and the internet, we supported the people who were around us—our kin and our tribe. Since having the ability to connect with anyone anywhere in the world, is it possible that we have lost the ability to maintain connections with our neighbors and local communities?
Clearly, not everyone has—we have volunteers who have worked the same pantry shifts every week for years, NHS students and teachers spending hours running food drives, and drivers who take seniors to important medical appointments free of charge. As for me, I count myself lucky that my job is to stay connected to the community and help direct the energies of people who want to be involved and want to help those who are most vulnerable. If you are feeling the itch to be a small part of something bigger than yourself, here are a few ways that you can get involved:
Donate Food
We have had so much support over the past month that it almost feels ridiculous to ask for more food—where will we put it for one thing? But the reality is that this food goes FAST—we usually end up distributing about 40,000 pounds per year! Bringing in food that you enjoy to donate to the pantry is a great way to share your love with someone else in need. And if you want to meet the people who you are helping, you can always volunteer with us!
Trees of Life
You’ve seen the trees around Vicksburg, Schoolcraft, and Climax. They pop up towards the end of November and are filled with ornaments and names of loved ones—ornaments and names that represent a donation to South County Community Service’s annual Trees of Life campaign. But did you know that they also help support low-income families and seniors during the holidays and represent a lifeline for our neighbors who need help with food, housing, and transportation (and more) throughout the year? We distribute between $80,000 and $100,000 in financial support every year to the residents of South County in paid utility bills, rent, and gas/clothing vouchers.
Volunteer
We can always use volunteers! Some of our programs are completely reliant on volunteers—Transportation, for example, and Wednesday Winners. Over the holidays, we need more help than usual… we have holiday parties to throw, food to weigh, envelopes to stuff, and meals to deliver. If you are interested in helping us with any of those things, let me know!
Whatever you end up doing this holiday season, I hope that it is meaningful and that you get to share it with others. That’s what this time of year is for!
————————
Drew Johnson lives in Kalamazoo and is the director at South County Community Services. He has a small quarter acre homestead with chickens, bees, and hops (and more!). He can be reached at 649-2901 or ajohnson@southcountycs.com.
For additional information on South County Community Services, check out Facebook at facebook.com/southcountycs or visit the website at https://southcountycs.com.
