Amid the bustle and rampant consumerism of the holidays, not to mention the violence and madness of the world, it's great to see a reminder -- such as Mark Arsenault's ProJo story yesterday -- about the true meaning of Christmas:
Spencer Furey is information-technology director for Priority Management Group, a Pawtucket medical-billing company. Inspired by an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show, the company celebrates the Christmas season by giving 13 employees $300 each to give away as they see fit. The only string attached is that the employees must tell the story of their good-doing at the annual company meeting, which was in Newport last weekend.
“It’s pressure,” says Lissa Singer, company compliance officer. “We all felt we wanted to do the best we could with the money.”
“What was neat was to see how people struggled to decide what to do,” says PMG co-founder Richard Santilli, executive vice president of administration and finance.
Like giving cash to random strangers outside a discount store.
Or providing Christmas presents to a dozen nursing-home residents who have no families.
Or buying coffee for scores of veterans.
Or helping a family endure the first Christmas after tragedy had taken a loved one.
“Three hundred bucks is not enough to solve all these people’s problems,” says Santilli, 40. “But if it helps them to have a decent Christmas, it’s worth it.”
Lots of others share this spirit of generosity, like the local PR professionals whose annual holiday party I had the pleasure of attending this past Saturday; they ask their guests to bring a toy to be given to Camp Street Community Ministries, for distribution to a needy child.
As part of my recent article about hunger in Rhode Island, I included a sidebar with information about agencies serving those in need. If it so moves you, please consider making a donation to the charity of your choice:
While there are many worthy social organizations in Rhode Island, these are some of the largest umbrella groups:
Amos House
Amoshouse.com
401.272.0220
415 Friendship St.
Providence, RI 02907
The Rhode Island Community Food Bank
Rifoodbank.org
401.942.6325
200 Niantic Ave.
Providence, RI 02907
Crossroads Rhode Island
Crossroadsri.org
401.521.2255
160 Broad Ave.
Providence, RI 02903
The United Way of Rhode Island
Uwri.org
401.440.0600
229 Waterman St.
Providence, RI 02906
The Fund for Community Progress
Fundcp.org
401.941.7100
1604 Broad St.
Providence, RI 02905