A Simple Gift Can Mean More Than You Think

By David Staenberg

It’s July, and it’s hot out there. Many of us move from our air-conditioned homes to our air-conditioned cars and buildings without giving the heat much thought. But not everyone has that comfort.

Take a look in your closet. Do you have 10 or 15 hats you haven’t worn in years? One of those hats could be a meaningful gift to a veteran, a person experiencing homelessness, or simply someone who could use a little help.

It’s easy to talk about helping others. The real impact happens when we take action.

Recently, I gave a hat to a veteran who was walking into the hospital. He told me it was one of the nicest gifts he had ever received. It was just a hat to me, but to him, it meant something much more. It meant that someone noticed him. Someone cared.

We all have good days and bad days, and sometimes a simple act of kindness can make a bigger difference than we realize. You can give a hat directly to someone in need or donate items to a veterans center, clinic, shelter, or local organization.

And it doesn’t have to be a veteran. It could be a person experiencing homelessness, a struggling family, or even someone you know who simply needs a little extra kindness.

Today is a good day to start. Look around. In almost any busy place, there is someone who could use a helping hand.

Giving doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. Sometimes, something sitting unused in your closet can remind another person that they matter.

And when you help someone else, you may be surprised by how much it helps you, too.

Look left. Look right. Find a way to help.