Today I Feel Blessed

We spent some time this afternoon assembling hygiene kits. Motivated by the earthquakes in Haiti, a woman in our ward (congregation) at church decided to collect these kits to donate to the LDS Humanitarian Aid Center. She invited our family, and we in turn invited friends and teachers to join us.


Many of you may not know much about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, but humanitarian service is very important to us, as it is to many other good people not of our faith. Our resources are well organized, so that in cases of disaster, items such as food and hygiene kits can be shipped very very quickly, because they have been gathered in locations around the world in advance, and we have a great network of volunteers to give assistance when needed.


These kits will not likely be ones used for this particular disaster, but they can help replenish supplies used in Haiti. I know within hours of this major earthquake, plans were in place to send the first wave of supplies, which was nearby in the Dominican Republic. Shipments from Denver and Miami were to follow, as well as a team of doctors. To read more regarding the Church's disaster relief efforts in Haiti, see the online newsroom of the Church.


Directions for these kits, as well as instructions for other service opportunities, can be found in the Service Project Guidelines for the LDS Humanitarian Center. We found that all items for the hygiene kits (except maybe the heavy duty Ziplocs) could be purchased at our local Dollar Tree. We bought commercial quality hand towels in bulk at Sam's Club as they were a better quality for not much more money. We were able to do the shopping yesterday, with the kids, and introduce the whole concept to them.


This afternoon we spent time putting the kits together as a family (sans sleeping Princess). Making a donation to a reputable charity in this time of disaster is an awesome way to serve. But I felt that this hands-on activity would be beneficial both for disaster relief, and for our children, as it gives them a meaningful way to serve. I would encourage all who have time and means to put together a kit or two or twenty. If you need help sending them in, let me know at mindthemommy@gmail.com.


Not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Days Saints? Guess what? You can still participate. The LDS Humanitarian Center would still love to accept your donation. And know that in distribution, "Projects operate without regard to the nationality or religion of the recipients."


If you would like to make a monetary donation towards disaster relief efforts, please consider giving to LDS Humanitarian Services Emergency Response. One somewhat unique feature of this fund, is that one hundred percent of the donation will go straight to humanitarian relief efforts, with overhead costs being absorbed by the Church. This fund does not intermix with other funds of the Church.


PS The following background information regarding humanitarian services of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints comes from http://www.newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/background-information/humanitarian-services:

"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints provides relief and development projects for humanitarian purposes in countries all over the world. Projects operate without regard to the nationality or religion of the recipients.

Humanitarian service may include emergency response to natural disasters, such as an earthquake or a tsunami, or man-made disasters, such as the effects of war and famine. It may also be part of a longer-term effort to meet serious and more entrenched human needs, such as the need to alleviate disease.

Description
Within hours of a disaster, the Church works with local government officials to determine what supplies and food are needed. Materials are then immediately sent to the area.

After urgent needs are met, the Church looks for additional ways to help with the long-term needs of the community. The Church’s approach is to help people become self-reliant by teaching skills and providing resources for a self-sustained life.

Donations, principally from Church members but also from people around the world, are used to make relief projects possible. One hundred percent of the donations given to the Church’s humanitarian services are used for relief efforts. The Church absorbs its own overhead costs.

The humanitarian services arm of the Church sponsors five ongoing global projects to help people become more self-reliant. Initiatives include neonatal resuscitation training, clean water projects, wheelchair distribution, vision treatment and measles vaccinations."