Day 9- St. Louis Area Foodbank and Guy on the Phone at Gingham's
Today's donation task was an easy one. I had to find something that would tie in with my thankfulness for "Foods from Home" for last year. While I am grateful to have both a home and food every day, I understand that many people go without one or the other-- or both. There is a wonderful organization in our area that is working hard each day to fight hunger in our community, the St. Louis Foodbank. Tom became acquainted with this place when he volunteered there earlier this year, and he has seen the amazing work they do firsthand. Our donation will be going to the St. Louis Foodbank today, and we only wish that we could give more.
If you'd like to add on (yes, please!), here's the website. http://www.stlfoodbank.org/ With just $1, the foodbank can provide four meals. That means our measly $5 could provide twenty. With $5 more, we could be up to 40! Who's with us?
You can also search the database on the website to find a list of agencies closer to your own home. It's just that simple. Why not?
******
We flew back to STL from DAL from SAT this evening. Our lives are marked by airport language and highways these days. We were eager for some dinner on our ride home at 10:30 pm, and we wanted to avoid fast food at all costs. Luckily, our favorite mom 'n' pop restaurant is open 24 hrs. a day and is located just off of 70 and 94 on our way home. Even more luckily, they serve excellent homestyle food. We are regulars there after Sunday church, but we have also learned from experience that the grilled cheese and soup dinner is worth a little drool.
I called to place our order while Tom was scraping off the car (hey, I offered and started scraping, but he took over). A man answered.
"Hello! Gingham's!" He sounded as friendly as I had expected he would. It was as if I had called an old friend or relative. In fact, depending on which relative we're talking about, he may have even been more friendly.
"Hi. May I place a takeout order, please?"
"Of course! Of course! What can I get for ya?" I asked what the soup specials were, and he recited them with glee. I ordered, and he repeated it back. At the conclusion of our conversation...
"Ok, it will be ten minutes. Thank you! We look forward to seeing you."
It wasn't even what he said, it was how he said it. It was as if he really did appreciate our business, and he really was happy to talk to me... while he was working the night shift... the day after Christmas... at a little restaurant where he probably doesn't make much... none of those things came through in his voice at all. He was just a guy who treated me kindly and seemed to enjoy his job. That's just plain refreshing.
Thank you, guy on the phone at Gingham's, you made my day.
If you'd like to add on (yes, please!), here's the website. http://www.stlfoodbank.org/ With just $1, the foodbank can provide four meals. That means our measly $5 could provide twenty. With $5 more, we could be up to 40! Who's with us?
You can also search the database on the website to find a list of agencies closer to your own home. It's just that simple. Why not?
******
We flew back to STL from DAL from SAT this evening. Our lives are marked by airport language and highways these days. We were eager for some dinner on our ride home at 10:30 pm, and we wanted to avoid fast food at all costs. Luckily, our favorite mom 'n' pop restaurant is open 24 hrs. a day and is located just off of 70 and 94 on our way home. Even more luckily, they serve excellent homestyle food. We are regulars there after Sunday church, but we have also learned from experience that the grilled cheese and soup dinner is worth a little drool.
I called to place our order while Tom was scraping off the car (hey, I offered and started scraping, but he took over). A man answered.
"Hello! Gingham's!" He sounded as friendly as I had expected he would. It was as if I had called an old friend or relative. In fact, depending on which relative we're talking about, he may have even been more friendly.
"Hi. May I place a takeout order, please?"
"Of course! Of course! What can I get for ya?" I asked what the soup specials were, and he recited them with glee. I ordered, and he repeated it back. At the conclusion of our conversation...
"Ok, it will be ten minutes. Thank you! We look forward to seeing you."
It wasn't even what he said, it was how he said it. It was as if he really did appreciate our business, and he really was happy to talk to me... while he was working the night shift... the day after Christmas... at a little restaurant where he probably doesn't make much... none of those things came through in his voice at all. He was just a guy who treated me kindly and seemed to enjoy his job. That's just plain refreshing.
Thank you, guy on the phone at Gingham's, you made my day.
Comments