It’s easy to see a situation in black and white, as us vs. them. Especially when it comes to something we do not understand. But for me, this is where the conflict for the home of Bridging the Gap in Augusta gets confusing. Because we are all part of Bridging the Gap. We help our neighbors, we are kind to strangers, we give back what we can, and we are all struggling for a sense of belonging and purpose in this world.
And maybe we have helped directly, through dropping off gently used clothing, collecting toilet paper for a church, or bringing in a hot meal on a Sunday. And just maybe we go out to eat, and we are served by someone who has been the recipient of those gifts. Maybe their kids have warm coats and shoes because of our part. And we go about our days in bliss, merely knowing that we have done something kind.
At the end of the day, I know that the Augusta Community Warming Center, Addie’s Attic, and Everyday Basics provided meaningful upward movement to those looking for a hand up, not a hand out. Any organization that mobilizes 4,000 volunteer hours in four months is fighting for opportunity; the guests of this program don’t have time to threaten a community, they’re too busy building it. Because I’ll tell you a secret, they are us. We all make up Augusta, and give back in different ways. From the woman who donates more than 40 hours a week sorting clothes, to the woman who brought a hot meal every Sunday for years, to the man who heard we were having a fundraiser and donated $1, this is a community asset, not a liability. Sometimes those that have the least give the most.
Deidrah Stanchfield
Augusta
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