Pensacolians do their part to help others in need - but there is more to do | Troy Moon

While we as a community tussle over whether it's OK for folks to ask for money from the side of the road − though I'm not seeing a lot about penalties for folks who give money to "panhandlers," just a lot of stuff targeting the panhandlers themselves − there remain opportunities to help people without violating some tough-love ordinance or law (I once had a loved one tell me that people who give money to panhandlers should be arrested − it broke my heart).

Yeah, the world can be a bummer. So many are hurting, including members of my own family, this Christmas season. Then, there's the larger world − bad news, horrible news, tragic news, everywhere. I don't need to go into it. You read it, see it, hear it − ugliness abounds.

Yet...

There is beauty. There is goodness. If we look, we will see it every day (I'm still touched by the sweetness and caring of the guy who offered me a dollar a month ago when he saw me and thought I was homeless. Thank you, brother. It meant a lot, truly).

One of my favorite people in Pensacola, Chip Chism of "Nightmare Theatre," has an ongoing feature on his Facebook page where every day he posts a picture and short description of something that makes him smile. He's on Day 595 and counting of "Positive Things," which he always starts like this: "I'm really going to make an effort to be more positive despite the bleak horizon. So each day I am going to try to post something that is (to me at least) positive. BELIEVE ME PEOPLE WE NEED ALL THE POSITIVITY WE CAN GET. OR AT LEAST I DO."

Day 595 features a picture of a drumming fuzzy-armed Santa figure.

Chip's little daily slice of goodness touches me deeply − he's not disavowing ugliness, but he's embracing the joy and beauty offered, even the silly, frivolous and, some would say, inconsequential. They'd be wrong saying that though. Joy is never inconsequential.

Neither is kindness.

This holiday season, I've had the honor to work on a couple of stories about people coming together to help others. There are the folks over at Justified Incarcerated Ministries who try to bring Christmas cheer to the children of jailed mothers. There's PAIN, the group started to support and lift up parents and family members who have lost children to homicide. There's the Salvation Army, with its smiling, but small army of volunteers ringing bells and collecting donations to help those in need in our community - our neighbors, our brothers and sisters.

A day after my little story on the Salvation Army kettle drive, I received a call from Capt. Stephan Wildish, who leads the Salvation Army of Pensacola with his wife, Capt. Ashlee Wildish. They're still $50,000 short of their goal of $148,000 and the campaign ends on Dec. 23. Got spare change, or a crinkly dollar that won't go through the vending machine? Consider the Salvation Army.

"One reason to support Salvation Army is because the money raised here stays here," Wildish said. "That money is used to help those undergoing hardships and financial crisis, support our after-school program where we provide 100 kids snacks and meals each day, (and) our community center − there are so many services we provide."

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Then, there's Manna and the heroic work they do to provide food − and healthy food − to those in need not just during the holiday season, but throughout the year. They always need food and financial donations because there are always hungry people in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, which Manna serves. Maybe consider Manna as well, or any person or group who or which tries to help our brothers and sisters. Learn more about Manna at mannahelps.org.

Look at the example of the good folks over at Office Pride Commercial Cleaning Services of Pensacola, a 225-person company that recently held a 50/50 raffle at its Christmas party and raised $1,260 that went to pay off half of the students' negative lunchroom balances in the Escambia County School District. Afterward, a Georgia-based nonprofit, All for Lunch, paid the rest of the debt.

Our compassionate Georgia neighbors at All for Lunch have a mission to "eliminate school lunch debt and fight against childhood food insecurity." The good and also compassionate folks over at Office Pride just wanted to do something to help their community.

Last year, Office Pride did the same for Manna, and the year before a homeless ministry.

"It's a good way to make sure we're impacting our community in a positive way," said Olon Hyde, president of Office Pride of Pensacola. Raising money to cover students' lunch debts. What an awesome gift.

All over the community there are people and groups doing largely unsung work to help those hurting, suffering, needing help. Most won't make the paper. Like the guy who offered me a buck. That's just love, brother. Another human being watching out for someone else. That's today's "Positive Thing" for me.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola Manna, Salvation Army donations needed for Christmas