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Recap: Meridian Good Deeds Day 2018

For 2018’s Good Deeds Day, employees at each Meridian site were given a cash stipend and a simple instruction: Go into your community and make a difference.

We were blown away by the thoughtfulness with which each Meridian site chose to donate to the community, support local charities, or perform small acts of kindness.

As we look forward to 2019 we want to thank the communities we serve. Here’s a recap of how we connected with our communities for Good Deeds Day 2018…

Omaha, NE

Omaha’s team donated to the following groups and nonprofits:

  1. Real Meals Inc., a nonprofit that delivers healthy, delicious meals to the elderly and handicapped across Omaha.
  2. Reached out to the Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) Program through Westside Community Schools. This preschool program gives kids with special needs and general education kids an integrated learning environment. A sensory light table was on the top of their wish list. Our team bought the table and various accessories, along with a gift card to buy a few more items for the classroom.
  3. Grief’s Journey (formerly Ted E. Bear Hollow), Omaha’s cornerstone for grief support.
  4. Magdalene Omaha/Thistle Lights, a survivor-led program of healing and economic empowerment for women who experienced sex trafficking/prostitution, violence, and addiction.
  5. Hospice House for the incredible work they do.
  6. Everyday people. We paid for groceries, gas, and gifts that families were purchasing for the holidays.

 

Savannah, GA

  1. Gave holiday cookies to the nursing staff at the The Dwaine & Cynthia Willett Children’s Hospital Of Savannah.
  2. Donated to the refugee program at the Lutheran Services of Georgia, which offers a variety of services, including after school programs, health education, and job assistance, all to help resettle displaced persons in Savannah. https://www.lsga.org/refugees/
  3. Packaged up necessities in ‘blessing bags’ for homeless people throughout Savannah.
  4. Joined Savannah Neurology Specialists in contributing to an adopt-a-family holiday gift effort.
  5. Contributed to the Savannah LGBT Center.

 

Baton Rouge, LA

We celebrated with Gonzales Middle School’s Dup Troop! The team also paid it forward with some random acts of kindness at Walmart and around the city.

 

Dakota Dunes, SD

  1. Donated to a woman that has had multiple surgeries this last year and was finally able to return to work, only to find out she will need another surgery.
  2. Gave to a young family whose mom is going back to school at Iowa school of beauty to make a better life for her and her family.
  3. Played Santa’s little elves by paying for some peoples’ groceries, giving a child his own money to buy Christmas gifts, and giving the salvation army bell ringers some hot chocolate.
  4. Gave a mother presents for her to give her kids on Christmas.

 

Houston, TX

  1. Purchased breakfast for patients at a cafe in a medical office building, where people with no medical insurance often visit.
  2. Helped a teacher share the gift of books with patients at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston.
  3. Purchased groceries for some elderly people in need.
  4. Donated to the Salvation Army.
  5. Purchased a Christmas tree for a local family.

 

Norfolk, NE

  1. Went to Grant School and paid off some of the school lunch debts!
  2. Visited US-92 (a radio station) and presented money to be used towards a family’s wish.
  3. Visited Puppy Love (city dog/cat pound) that runs solely on private funds and donated some money to help pay for some of the cleaning supplies, food, etc.
  4. Picked a name off of the Salvation Army tree at Wal-Mart and provided gifts for a 9-year-old girl.
  5. Donated to the Briggs and Barrett Foundation.
  6. Bought gas for a family at a gas station.
  7. Presented to Compassionate Friends, a foundation that provides support to families who have lost children to illness, accident, etc.

 

Norfolk, VA

  1. We met some good people that lost their jobs in November, and are going through a rough spell. Gave them some cash for food and pull-ups, wishing them the best for the holiday and praying they’ll have a prosperous 2019.
  2. Paid for 15 prescriptions for unsuspecting customers at Walgreens. One customer was a dad whose son was diagnosed with strep throat for the twelfth time this year!
  3. Presented a supervisor at the Prevention Unit of the Child Protective Services Division with gift cards for a family in need. During the Christmas holiday season especially, the Norfolk Department of Human Services assists families who are at risk of having their children removed from homes due to a lack of sustainable resources.

 

Oklahoma

  1. Paid for people’s groceries at Wal-Mart. The first person we helped was actually doing a good deed for an elderly woman who was sick and couldn’t get out to buy groceries! The second person was a new mom buying groceries and she was excited and grateful.
  2. We went to the dollar store and paid for a man who was buying his kids Christmas stocking and all the things that go in them. He was excited and happy to receive this good deed. We also paid for the woman in line behind him.
  3. Gave money to a mother working to put herself through massage school.
  4. Gave to a wonderful woman that has recently taken on the responsibility of raising three of her nieces and nephews with no other support.

 

North Carolina

Donated to the Crisis Assistance Ministry, which provides assistance and advocacy for people in financial crisis, helping them move toward self-sufficiency.

 

Rockville, MD

Donated food and cash to the Montgomery County Humane Society. We met some of the great animals along the way! The team also made donations to individuals in need in the community.

 

Statesboro, GA

Our team visited several local businesses where we randomly surprised individuals by paying for their groceries, holiday items, meals, and gas. It was a feel-good kind of day!

 

Wichita, KS

We bought clothes and linens for a child that lost everything in their room due to a recent fire. We also assisted a mother and child that were homeless and living in a recovery house. Our team paid for the remainder of a deposit to get the mother and child into an apartment unit of their own. We also purchased beds, mattresses, and bedding for the family.