Wednesday Wisdom: Service

Wednesday Wisdom for Women Entrepreneurs, Female Business Owners, Small Businesses

Inspiration comes at all times in differing forms if we pay enough attention to notice. Sometimes the universe feels our heart vibes and answers by putting something right in front of us. If we don’t notice right away, it positions it yet again in another shape so we see and feel it. If twice isn’t enough, sooner or later maybe over days, weeks, and years we remember what we seek and finally act.

My Twitter feed now has multiple updates from Jose Andres, because of his extraordinary mission with his World Central Kitchen team, feeding the refuges from Ukraine during this horrible war on their freedom and homeland. If there is anything I feel like retweeting these days, it is the phenomenal work of his team and organization’s mission and Ukraine isn’t the first place they’ve answered the call of the hungry and thirsty from war or natural disaster.

Recently looking for a new place to volunteer, I learned about Emmanus Ministry, a Southside of Syracuse organization, started by my current priest to provide food, drink, clothing, and more to people in need. It all started with making and serving peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to the less fortunate and turned into reaching thousands in the periphery of Syracuse by performing acts of mercy.

Always with my hand in the food service industry during my teenage and college years, along with cooking homemade food every night for my family, the combined interest in doing what Jose Andres and his team are doing, coupled with my experience in food service (and no need of wearing a hair net), made me instantly volunteer. My first three-hour shift is next week.

Today’s Wednesday Wisdom is hopefully meant to inspire you to consider volunteering within your chosen profession or passion, and give of your time and talents to a needy organization where you can make a difference. The difference you make could be complying peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, creating a clothing drive for domestic violence victims, lending your expertise to a board of directors, or mentoring young children. It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you find something that stirs your heart and makes a difference outside your corporate office and comfy home.

The world needs us and we really need to give. Give with what we know, what we have, and what we can. The smallest amount of action or donation makes a difference in lives – yours included. If hot, fresh soup served to a Ukraine family or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich can demonstrate love to strangers, who are we to hold back. Decide to give the way you can do best and warm others stomachs and hearts along the way.