Weekends are busy, even precious, and always too short. But for more than 100 women and teens in eastern Iowa, one recent Saturday became a precious opportunity to make someone else’s life a little better. These women gathered for an afternoon in Cedar Rapids to support local non-profit organizations in a variety of ways.
Participants donated and assembled supplies for 100 Bags of Hope for Waypoint clients who are homeless or facing homelessness. Additional food and health products were donated to Waypoint’s day pantry for those needing help as they transition from the shelter to permanent housing. Waypoint (formerly YWCA) provides domestic violence victim services, emergency housing, and child care for hundreds of children. They are always interested in new volunteers.
The group also completed more than 40 bags for the HACAP Head Start program. Kids served by anti-poverty programs at HACAP will use the bags to carry library books home.
Finally, the women worked in partnership with the St. Mark’s Lutheran Church Days for Girls Chapter in Marion to complete 65 feminine hygiene kits. These will be added to DFG Marion’s shipment of hundreds of reusable feminine product kits to girls in Haiti.
Once the short afternoon was over, many of the women agreed it was time well-spent helping others and showing support for the vital work these agencies do on a daily basis to serve the needs of so many families.