The Annual Request for Money

At my office, there is a “profit” side and a “non-profit” side. Each year, there is a big fund drive to help keep the non-profit side going. The non-profit side has something to do with homeless shelters.

They brought in soup, rolls and dessert, and had a speaker talk to us. The man was a pretty sturdy looking man who used to play football. He told us his story about being raised in a good family, where his dad had graduated from a prestigious college in the area. His childhood was good. He has 6 brothers. His mother stayed at home while his father worked to support his family.

During the football playing years, he got into the party scene; alcohol, drugs, chasing women. He was married with a young son, and he pushed his family away because he couldn’t give up the alcohol, drugs and women.

He went to the homeless shelter because he wanted to be forgotten, curl up and die. He felt he wasn’t worthy of forgiveness from God or anyone else.

Then he met a couple of our employees. One day, he decided to talk to one of them. At the end of the conversation, he was given a hug. He said it was the first time he felt worth a darn in ages. He walked away sobbing. It changed his life to know that people would care about destitute people… I mean, really care.

They wanted to let us know our money would be going to something good.

I haven’t decided what to give. Part of me just wanted to give some time doing something useful at the homeless shelter.