A Helping Hand

I went on a big shopping trip to Wal-Mart on Saturday to buy items in need for CUPS.
I normally try my best to boycott Wal-mart, because I don’t agree in the least for what they stand for - how they treat their workers and how they displace Mom and Pop organizations all over the world.
But one thing can’t be denied - their shit is cheap.
So I swallowed my disdain and decided to spend a couple hundred dollars there to get more items for my money.

I was able to get:

- 24 pairs of women’s underwear
- 12 pairs of socks
- 6 pairs of women’s gloves
- 6 pairs of children’s wool mittens
- 4 newborn sleepers
- 6 pairs of baby socks
- 4 receiving blankets
- 120 pack of Pampers
- Flintstones vitamins
- Children’s cough syrup
- 6 bars of soap
- 6 toothbrushes
- 6 tubes of toothpaste
- 6 Bottles of deodorant
- 30 disposable razors
- 6 cans of shaving cream
- 12 bottles of shampoo
- 12 bottles of lotion
- 6 pack of Kleenex
- 4 packs of sanitary wipes
- Q-Tips
- 4 chapsticks

And I think that was it.
The total came to $230.00, which was awesome considering how many items I got. I also had a lot of fun doing it!

Sandy and I dropped the goods off at CUPS in the afternoon, and the lady who helped us take the stuff in was really grateful. Mainly because the stuff was all new, and most of the donations they have been receiving lately are second hand. Which is great too - I plan on bringing down some used clothes and things as well - but new items are always appreciated and definitely in short supply.

I am planning on getting some people together to help with a few Christmas hampers for the family’s in need that are looking for help from this organization. I already have a few people on board, some are going to donate money so I can buy the items on their behalf; some are bringing in used clothing that their kids have grown out of.
Whatever anyone can spare will be a great help.

I am also going to talk to my boss this week to see if our company will help me gather funds for this. They may not because we already do corporate donations to the United Way. If they decline, I think I’ll just ask around the office on a one to one basis to see if anyone is interested in helping out.