Blog
Neighbor Brigade’s New Blog Site
http://neighborbrigade.wordpress.com/.
Now That Says It All
June 27, 2011
We received this message from one of our recipient families. They were receiving meals while wife/mom underwent lung surgery. They were overjoyed by the support of neighbors and friends who embraced them during their difficult ordeal. We’re happy to report all went well with the surgery. Here’s the email response we received from the family today:
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An Angel Comes Knocking
May 13, 2011
I was in touch with one of our chapter leaders yesterday who shared this wonderful story with me. She had heard about one of her neighbors who was receiving hospice services and lived alone. A relative was coming by to try to help out where she could but she lived an hour away and it was becoming a greater challenge by the day to meet all of the needs for her loved one. Our chapter leader desperately wanted to reach out to her neighbor, without intruding. Well, being a good neighbor, the chapter leader decided to simply stop over to say hello and to let this woman know about Neighbor Brigade. So she went over and knocked on the door. There she was greeted by the woman and her relative at the door. The two women, both looking a little worn out, stood there in astonishment as the chapter leader introduced herself and briefly shared the mission of Neighbor Brigade. This neighbor was elated to hear that there were volunteers in her own community ready and willing to help her with her day-to-day activities, with absolutely no strings attached!! She had recently told her hospice nurse how much she had wished there was a service that would give patients ride to appointments. And the next thing she knew there was the Neighbor Brigade chapter leader knocking on her door.
It can be extremely overwhelming and stressful to have to think about ways to find help when you are battling a serious illness. When the chapter leader knocked on her neighbor’s door, it was an answer to this woman’s prayers. Help really was out there, but even better! The help was coming her way from her neighbors!! She didn’t have to go looking for the help, making endless phone calls. She had a Neighbor Brigade chapter in her community ready and willing to lend a hand. The volunteers have since been providing dog walking, local errands, meals, and rides and a much needed caring hand for this very grateful neighbor.
This demonstrated to me exactly what Neighbor Brigade is all about – neighbors helping neighbors and that sense of community that comes from this which we all cherish in our hearts.
Won’t You Be My Neighbor
March 29, 2011
Juliette Fay, author of Deep Down True, shares her inspiration for the main character’s role as a volunteer of “Comfort Food Network”, a fictional organization based on Neighbor Brigade, formerly Wayland Angels.
Read Juliette’s blog: Won’t You Be My Neighbor
So great to see the meaning of Neighbor Brigade making its way into a good book!
Living in the Moment
March 19, 2011
There’s something so peaceful and heartwarming about taking time out to do good for others. It makes me think of stopping to smell the roses, of being in the moment. And, what about stopping to smell the roses? If you have a dog, you probably have taken your pooch for a run in the park or a stroll through the neighborhood. This is a relaxing time away from the busy-ness of life. No dog? How about sitting outside in the fresh air for few minutes to take in the surroundings? Stop thinking about what you have to do today. And just give thought to what’s around you. Life around us really hasn’t changed so much has it? The birds are chirping; the trees might be taller, but they are still swaying in the wind; the bees are buzzing around in your flower pots; and screen doors are slamming as neighbors come and go. Children are enjoying underdogs at the playground while others are taking a plunge down the slide. There is beauty all around that brings peace and joy to our lives.
At this time though we might also think of other places in our world where things are not at all peaceful. Natural disasters are creating chaos and devastation. What can we do to help? We give what we can to support the many causes sending relief to affected areas, like Japan. Then we come back to our own neighborhoods and are reminded that neighbors in our own community are going through crises like a serious illness or tragic accident. Families are struggling to keep life in balance as they have had the rug pulled out from under them. Life brings challenges and crises to all of us. Though technology has simplified our lives in many ways, it has also changed the pace of life we lead as we now can accomplish so much more in a day. But LIFE in its most basic sense of the word has not changed. Even though we are busy, our hearts still want to reach out to help our neighbors in crisis. But often we don’t know how.
Neighbor Brigade is bringing back the days of neighbors helping neighbors. Being a volunteer of Neighbor Brigade gives you the opportunity to take time out to do good for someone in crisis in your community. We know people are busy. With Neighbor Brigade, volunteers help only when it works with their schedule. A chapter leader will post a need for a family in crisis to provide 6 weeks of meals, 3x per week, and literally in just a few hours, volunteers have jumped to take action and filled every need. People want to help others. Neighbor Brigade matches people in need in our community with people who want to help. Join a chapter and you too can be at the ready to lend a hand to your neighbor. Maybe there isn’t a chapter yet in your community and you’d like to get one started. Whatever it is, you can be a part of this growing mission that is changing communities. You can take time out to help someone in need. That is being in the moment.
Neighbor Brigade is 16 chapters strong, spreading across Massachusetts, with two more chapters in active volunteer recruitment – Needham MA and Andover MA. Our volunteers are providing all kinds of non-medical services to help our neighbors in crisis – meals, rides, light household tasks, dog walking, friendly visits, and more. We give and we receive. Many of our volunteers have also been recipients. It’s just what we do as good neighbors. We help each other. Our volunteers are always ready to take action to help an individual or family. It is a simple act of kindness that makes someone else’s life brighter.
There is the story of a Norfolk family who is currently dealing with a very difficult situation. The family has 3 children, ages 2, 4, and 8. After complaining of head pain and subsequent treatment for an ‘ear infection’ for over a month, their 4-year old was diagnosed with a tumor growing in her skull. She has been responding well to treatment, but treatments are of course difficult and time consuming and nearly an hour away from home. Her mom wrote recently:
“You have no idea how nice it was to come home and have dinner all ready for us. I was getting ready to go in the house and heat up leftovers from three days ago but I was not looking forward to it! I saw the meal in our milk box and it was like finding a pot of gold! You have no idea how it made my night. We just got through a very long, nail biting day and have another nervous night ahead of us. Our daughter is miserable and just wants me next to her, so to have dinner all done for me so I can cuddle on the couch with her, is such a blessing you will never know! Please pass this thank you on to whoever was so nice to make this meal for us!”
It is testimony like this that makes everyone involved feel good that they can be doing something to help. If you are interested in learning more about Neighbor Brigade, check out our website. And feel free to contact us today at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). We’d love to bring Neighbor Brigade to your community!
What do we live for if not to make life less difficult for each other? –George Eliot