Fill The Pot!

As you are probably well aware, last year we celebrated our 5th Anniversary by donating THOUSANDS of meals to our local Meals On Wheels program. The concept was so well-received and so supported by our loyal customers, that we felt the desire to keep something similar going.

February 17th is the 2019 National Random Acts of Kindness Day. One day set aside each year to encourage folks to do something random. Out of the norm. Anonymous, perhaps. Just a simple gesture on their part to make somebody else’s day, and maybe even change their whole life.

We recently registered Oopsy Daisy as a RAKtivist (Random Acts Of Kindness activist) with the official organization. In completing the application, they asked what was the best act of kindness I’ve ever experienced. Not sure if they meant the experience of extending or receiving kindness (because they are both a pretty awesome feeling!), but immediately one memory sprang to mind.

Thirty years ago, I abruptly became a single mom. I had a 22 month old daughter, a 12 day old son, a part time job (from which I was on maternity leave) and a deadbeat soon-to-be ex-husband. Yeah. One day, in my mailbox I found something very different than the usual bills to add to the pile. In a folded up ‘envelope’ of aluminum foil, I discovered an anonymous delivery. Exactly $131.56, all mix-matched of a variety of bills and coins - clearly indicating it was some kind of a collected donation. To me at that point in my life, that mysterious contribution was equivalent to a million dollars. Every penny was appreciated but even more was the feeling that someone cared. I cried and cried as I struggled to figure out who would do this, who I could thank. The answer is still a mystery but the gesture has never left me, even all these years later.

It is actions like this that make me a firm believer in spreading as much kindness (plus more) as possible. The Random Act of one can affect the rest of another’s entire life ~ you just never know. I had already thought of a new way Oopsy Daisy could continue it’s giving ways and was preparing to launch the program when I realized the Random Acts Of Kindness Day was also approaching.

Just as we contributed 5% of every sale the ENTIRE YEAR to Meals On Wheels, we are planning to have this campaign last all of 2019. If one day is good, 365 must be better, right? We are calling it Fill The Pot and it works like this: Placed on our patio, in front of our Boutique, we have a giant black flower pot. We are asking our customers to remember to bring a canned food item (or 2. or 3!) with them each time they visit the Daisy. Every time our flower pot gets full, we will gladly drive it to a local food bank to help fill a FOOD pot of those less fortunate and needing assistance with their groceries.

In a world where there is so much controversy and division lately, it’s a real opportunity to give yourself that warm fuzzy feeling for helping heal some hurt in some way. We feel our Daisy family is big enough and strong enough, that we can make a real impact on some lives … just as my personal life was so impacted 30 years ago.