Displaying items by tag: generosity

The Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) is thanking supporters after they increased their giving enabling it to step up its response to the pandemic. Benefactors donated £14 million more last year than in 2019 as the charity rushed out emergency Covid projects amid growing persecution globally. The pandemic dramatically worsened the plight of Christians who found themselves literally, almost overnight, without work, pay or food. ACN's benefactors remain true to the charity with great generosity, for which the charity and those in need are profoundly grateful.

American food stores are offering early-morning ‘senior hours’ to vulnerable shoppers during the pandemic. Recently, nearly 3,000 shoppers taking advantage of these hours at 44 Atlanta Kroger stores were surprised when actor-filmmaker and local resident Tyler Perry paid for their food. He also paid the bills for vulnerable people at 29 Winn-Dixies in New Orleans, where he was raised. Then, over the weekend, he gave £16,825 to bless 42 out-of-work servers at his favourite restaurant, giving each of them £400. The media advertised his actions and Tyler used Facebook to challenge his followers: ‘I dare you to still yourself and listen to this song. This has been my prayer and meditation.’ The song was the live version of Bethel Music’s ‘It Is Well.’

When Angela Barry's grandfather died last year she realised just how difficult many of his generation were finding life, often feeling isolated. As the country went into quarantine, she was determined to ensure that the older people in her community did not feel alone. Her solution - fruit and vegetables. Along with her husband and three children, she has set up a weekly free fruit and veg stall outside her house in Bolton and delivers bags of fresh produce to those who need it most. So far they have served 50 isolated neighbours. Sons Joshua (9), Ben (7), and Isaac (4) are manning the stall, which has created many opportunities for new relationships. Angela says, ‘This is a really great time for us as a church to be the light. We are all at home and it is a brilliant chance for us to really show what church is in our local community.’

A note left in a postbox at the L6 Community Centre was written by a seven-year-old to Santa. She wrote, ‘Dear Father Christmas, can you help? Can we have a home for Christmas? Mam wants us to be all together. Can you give us some food, and can I have just a nice doll for Christmas? Thank you.’ Dr Maynard, from a Christian charity tackling hunger, said, ‘When I read it I almost wasn't surprised. This is a day-to-day reality for many who regularly ask where food is coming from, and if they are going to have breakfast this morning.’ She suggested that we could all be generous to someone and help them celebrate Christ’s birth. Could we invite a lonely neighbour for Christmas lunch or make a Christmas hamper for someone in need? The L6 centre team is helping the family, and may put them up in a hotel on Christmas Day.

A note was left on a vending machine at a cancer hospital in Manchester asking people to help themselves to free treats. Staff at The Christie found the anonymous note on Sunday on a machine where the tray had been left full of paid-for snacks. The donor said they hoped the ‘random act of kindness’ would ‘brighten up someone's day’, and ended by saying ‘Finally, if you can, try and spread the kindness.’ Nurse Emma Widdowson said: ‘It made me feel so happy I was beaming all day. Who doesn't want chocolate on a Sunday?’ Healthcare assistant Lauren Hunstone said: ‘It just perked up everyone's day that someone would do something so lovely out of the goodness of their own heart, not wanting to take any sort of thanks.’ The Christie was recently praised by health inspectors for providing ‘exceptional’ care and being a ‘leader in its field’. It is the largest single-site cancer centre in Europe, treating more than 44,000 patients a year.