Speaking of Change: February 2012

On my last three trips to the grocery store I heard the following public service announcement being played on the radio sponsored by Feeding America. I stopped what I was doing to listen but I wondered how many others even paid attention.

We live next-door to each other.

Our kids are classmates.

1 in 8 Americans is struggling with hunger.

I work at the gas station.

Including millions of children and seniors.

We went to high school together.

I went to summer camp with your son last year.

Someone you know is in need.

We speak at PTA meetings all the time.

I park your car every day.

Who's the one in eight in your life that needs help?

We've worked together for years.

Hunger is a symptom of the much larger endemic problems we have. What keeps us from seeing what is all around us is individual choice. Awareness, followed by compassion and action, bring change.

Sincerely,

Dorothy Goodwin

President

What Inspires You?

Everyone has a little extra change

Valerie Mata and Hal Vincent from the Natural Food Exchange, on Main Street in Reading, want to give people a chance to be generous with their change. In this photo, Ms. Mata holds a Gathering Change, Inc. bowl which collects money for the Reading Food Pantry. The jar sits on the health food store's counter for customer's to throw in any extra coins or bills they can spare.

A Bowl of Change Can Make a Difference

Eric Barras from City Cycle on Main Street in Stoneham holds the Gathering Change, Inc. bowl where he collects money for Stoneham food pantries. For those who are not aware, there are two food pantries in Stoneham, one on Gerry Street at the

Seventh-Day Adventists Community Services Center and one run by the First Congregational Church on Church Street (First Congregational Church/Stoneham

Board of Health Food Pantry).

GCI would like to know:

What inspires you to get involved in your community? Write Judy Bousquin: jbousquin@gatheringchangeinc.org.

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Nominate GCI for the February Cranney Cares for the Community Donation

Cranney Home Services is Donating $1,000 Per Month to Local Non-Profit Organizations. And We Want You to Nominate Gathering Change, Inc.

Please nominate GCI by filling out the form on their web site. Don't forget - you can enter GCI as many times as you like... the more you enter, the better our chances!

At the end of the month, a member of the Cranney Home Services staff will randomly select one entry and donate $1,000 to them!

The monthly winner will be announced on the Cranney Home Services website, Facebook page, newsletter and in local news publications.

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Send Your Valentine A GCI Notecard
Proceeds benefit local food pantries

Notecards

We offer blank note cards with the above images on the cover. Each set includes 16 cards for just $10.00 (plus $3.50 shipping & handling) and the proceeds benefit local food pantries.

To place an order please use our Donation Page and designate your donation of $13.50 as "Notecards" and we will promptly process your order.

Gift Cards

You can also thank and memorialize friends and family with free Gift Cards from Gathering Change. Choose between printable cards or mail cards.

Send questions to chanshaw@gatheringchangeinc.org

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About Gathering Change, Inc.

We are a 501(c)3 non-profit charitable organization that collects spare change from our communities for distribution back into our neighborhood food pantries and social programs. Since our first collection in October of 2008 we have been able to donate food or funds to over 40 Massachusetts food pantries.