Each year, Random Acts staff members are given an #RAHolidayKindness budget that they can use to make some holiday magic happen. We love sharing these stories with you in the hopes that they brighten your day and remind you of all the good that there is in the world. Today’s holiday kindness acts focus on spreading cheer in our communities.
Remembering Retail Workers
It can be easy to focus more on to-do lists than the people we are interacting with during the hectic holiday rush. Sometimes, people are even downright rude to others while they hurry through their shopping. Sadly, retail workers can face the brunt of this rudeness, even though they often work extra holiday hours and go out of their way to make customers’ shopping experiences as easy as possible.
Kindness Traditions
Communications Officer Bea Arbeiter and her mom wanted to show their appreciation for all of the hard work retail workers do during the holiday season. So, they created a new holiday kindness tradition! For the past three years, Bea and her mom have taken the time to deliver small gifts to local shop assistants. This year, they filled reusable Christmas ornaments with special treats. Each ornament contained homemade cookies and caramel-coated sunflower seeds, was tied up with a bow, and had a card and a tea bag attached.
What a lovely holiday tradition! Taking the time to remember retail workers really makes a difference too. As Bea reported, “All of the shop assistants were super happy! Some actually looked out for us because we gave them something last year and the year before, and they were just so happy.”
Gardner Community Action Committee
Since Copy Editor Cassie Comeau would be home for the holidays, she knew she wanted to carry out her #RAHolidayKindness act in her hometown. During the research process, she learned about Gardner Community Action Committee (CAC). CAC is a nonprofit organization that focuses on meeting the needs of the economically disadvantaged in the Greater Gardner, Massachusetts, area. CAC runs several programs including a backpack program, clothing program, food distribution, fuel assistance, fellowship table (meal) program, medical transportation, emergency assistance, and holiday programs.
Celebrating Community
Cassie wanted to help with part of the holiday program, which provides holiday food baskets, gifts, and toys to those in need. Cassie and her sister went shopping for items from CAC’s wishlist, which they were then able to deliver in person. This was a fun way for Cassie to give back to the community that she grew up in. She enjoyed being able to share the experience with her sister and even learned that CAC shares a building with the Senior Center where her Nana plays cribbage.