How Can I
Help?
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Have you ever told someone, "Let me know how I can help"? Sometimes, we don't know what to do and sometimes what that person needs most is for people to JUST SHOW UP!
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The Mission of the Just Show Up Movement is to give practical ideas and resources to take the guess work of how to show up in a situation through tip sheets, resources, education and partnerships.
The Options to lend a hand to someone else are endless!
It doesn't always take a lot of money, time or effort to Just Show Up.
Here are some simple ways you can make a difference:
Relationship with God
In the beginning, God Created Adam & Eve to be in Fellowship with Him.
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Don't fall into the trap of getting so busy with life, that you don't spend time with our Heavenly Father.
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Our relationship with God is separate from our "ministry" or "church" work.
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Find time each week reading your Bible
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Dedicate time to prayer daily
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Include the Lord in your daily life and include him in your daily decisions.
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This will help you grow and learn to know His voice.
Show Up For Your
Spouse & Family
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Keep the romance alive in your marriage.
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Set a date night with your spouse weekly. Protect your marriage with the gift of time.
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Put down your phones, and enjoy each other's company.
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Take at least fifteen minutes at the end of the day to review your day with your spouse. Communication is key to a healthy marriage.
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Engage in your children's lives. They are only young once.
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Attend school functions, parties, special events.
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Help your kids with their schoolwork and make it fun.
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Have family movie & game nights.
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Find local things to do with your kids on the weekends. Don't just send them outside, go with them.
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Have conversations with your kids. Learn about their lives, hopes, dreams, silly ideas, and get to know them as individuals.
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Prioritze the important things and know that chores and housework will still be there tomorrow.
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Don't spend all of your 'today's' preparing for tomorrow. Today is all we are promised. You never know what tomorrow will bring.
In the Workplace
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Be an example of Christ's love, even when it's not easy.
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Show integrity and morality without being 'preachy': live it, don't preach it.
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Actions speak louder than words: what do your actions say about you?
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Celebrate special days as appropriate for your workplace.
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Be a team player!
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If you see something that needs to be done, do it!
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Be respectful.
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Celebrate co-worker milestones.
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Encourage volunteerism through the company, if allowed.
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Be the change!
Your Neighbors
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Be Friendly and get to know your neighbors.
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Help create a community where people help each other
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Share a meal, have a cook out or block party
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Have a movie night in the yard and invite your neighbors
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If you see them struggling, see if there is something you can do to help
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Mow their yard
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return trash recepticles after trash pick up
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Pay attention and if something seems out of the ordinary when they are away, let them know.
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Invite widows, or single individuals to share the holidays with you
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Celebrate birthdays
At Church
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Be friendly
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Welcome Visitors
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Greet others with a hug or handshake
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If you see someone sitting alone, ask to sit with them.
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If you see visitors looking lost or nervous, ask if you can show them where to go or answer questions
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If you haven't seen someone at church for a while, reach out to them to check on them. Show them that you care and that they are missed.
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Provide meals for shut in's or people who are grieving a loss.
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Create a card ministry and mail out greeting cards to shut-in's, widows, single parents for holidays, birthdays or "just thinking of you" cards.
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Get involved. Don't assume churches have all of the volunteers they need. They don't - EVER
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Support those doing ministry in your church, even ministries that aren't a part of the actual church.
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See if your church would sponsor a ministry fair where you can get to know all of the opportunities to serve and/or support.
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Be encouraging to church leadership.
Veterans
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Be a friend. Listen to their stories and get to know them. You won't regret it!
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Run errands for them.
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Help them with home and/or vehicle maintenance.
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Write thank you cards to local vets thanking them for their service.
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Contact local VFW clubs and see what their needs might be.
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Volunteer at local veterans nursing home or assisted living center.
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Learn about local resources & non-profits for veterans. Find out what their needs are and how you can help.
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Veterans helping Veterans: They provide information on helping with bills, medical and other assistance: 844-635-1520
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Hire Heroes USA is free: 844-635-1520: You can become a volunteer and help from your own home. They offer counseling, resume editing and mentorship.
Homeless Community
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Don't be afraid to talk to someone who is homeless.
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Learn their name and call them by their name. Living on the streets can rob a person of their sense of identity and humanity. Remind them of their value and worth.
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Collect blankets, backpacks, hygiene and other items to donate.
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Connect with a local group and go into the streets to provide food & donated items. Partner with an experienced mission who knows how to do this safely and without breaking any local ordinances.
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Don't judge. Many homeless work but don't make enough to pay for expenses. Others have mental illness and have run out of resources. Some are victims of crimes and abuse are hiding in plain site. Not everyone is there because of drugs or crime. There are families with children who are homless.
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Treat someone to a meal or a cup of coffee.
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Don't be afraid to look them in the eye. Don't avoid them because you don't know what to say or feel uncomfortable.
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Learn about local organizations, the services they offer, and their needs. Many are looking for volunteers who can donate a few hours a week.
Elderly
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Spend time with your elderly family, neighbors & friends.
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Run errands for them.
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Offer to assist with maintenance, yard work, or special projects around their homes.
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Volunteer to drive them to appointments, to run errands, etc.
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Include elderly neighbors in holidays, special events, cook outs, etc.
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Volunteer at local senior centers, nursing homes or assisted living homes.
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Many elderly live on a fixed income. Gift cards are great gift ideas, gift them with a meal or doordash, gift baskets of household items or food.
Abuse Survivors
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Be a friend who listens and keep their confidence.
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Don't put them in danger by sharing their information or story with others.
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Listen don't judge.
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Respect their decisions, even if you don't agree with them.
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Be a safe place for the. You may be the only person they feel safe with or trust with their story. If you lose that, they may feel they have no help if they do leave.
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If you know someone who is wanting to leave:
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Gather information on their behalf for local programs and resources and keep any brochures or applications at your home.
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Allow them to store items, money or important paperwork at your house while they prepare to leave. Getting items out in advance is easier than getting a lot of items out in a short period of time.
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Refer them to local advocacy programs for assistance.
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Don't pressure someone to immediately file for divorce without them first consulting with an advocacy program as this could impact custody, temporary orders and protective orders.
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If there isn't an advocacy program in your area, assist them in completing a safety plan or contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline to assist with safety plan and resources. There are many templates available online.
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Filing charges: Respect the victims decision in this regard, even if you disagree. If they do wish to file charges: offer to go with them but allow them to tell their own story. The officer will need to hear it in her own words.
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National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233
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National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800-656-467
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Food Insecurity
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Organize food drives
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Volunteer at food banks
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Check with schools and see if the have a program to send unused food products home with children on the weekend
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Take someone or deliver food to those in need
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Spread the word of local food distribution centers.
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Share a meal with a neighbor
Local School District
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Volunteer and serve on committees
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Help stock snacks and supplies for teachers and their classrooms
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Help start a pantry / closet for low income families in the school district
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Offer to help create or update a community resource list for families in the school district.
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Support local teacher’s back to school wish lists by purchasing an item from the list.
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Support teachers with classroom supplies: paper towels, Kleenex, etc.
Single Parents
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Offer to babysit to give the parent a break
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Offer to go to kiddos ball games if they don’t have a support system
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Go outside and throw a ball with the kids or play a game (if they are neighbors)
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Surprise them with dinner or snacks
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Remember the single parent during the holidays or their birthday. They may not have anyone to celebrate their special day with them.
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Be a listening ear.
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Be a friend.
Grief & Loss
A normal response to a major loss. A life changing event that causes deep sorrow. This is mostly thought of a loss of a person.
It is not limited to that, it encompasses so much more.
It can include the decline of health or terminal diagnosis.
Loss of a pet, job, marriage or any life altering situation.
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Do not ask what they need. During this time of trauma, they do not know what they need.
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Offer to wash dishes, do laundry, mow the yard or help get clothes together for those attending a funeral.
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If children are involved help get them to activities or school.
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C) Provide meals or give gift cards.
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D) Just sit with them.
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Don't give advice, don't say Heaven needed another Angel, that they are in a better place These are things that most do not want to hear or have done to themafter the loss of a loved one.
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Things will get better
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Find a new normal
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Don't exclude me because I am no longer a couple.
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Don't avoid me, don't not speak their name around me.
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Don't take their name out if your vocabulary.
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Grief: Things that are helpful:
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Ask, children or siblings what they need help with.
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If you say you will show up please do. One more disappointment is one too many.
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Ask specific questions
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Do you need help understanding or organizing household bills.
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Yard work, maintenance or using a power tool.
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The most common response is just sit with me. Don't stop asking me to do things. Some days I need peace and quiet and other days I want to be with others.
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What is often time hard to do is be ok with laughing again. To live a life without them can be hard, however living on is such a treasure.
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A lesson learned is they died one day and lived more. In time celebrating their life will dim not diminish the day they left.
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Each one if these suggestions can be used in any instance of loss and grief.
Outreach Ideas for Churches
Ministries you could start within your church:
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Greeting card ministry: for widows, single parents, elderly, veterans, etc: remember them at birthdays & holidays.
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Food Chain Ministry: Organize meals after a time of loss or sickness. Could even include some surprise meals for shut-ins and single parent homes.
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Create a mission team: Missions can be local and close to home.
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Ideas for local mission projects:
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Start a church food pantry
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Create a team that volunteers for local non-profits who provide services locally and participate in their events.
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Start a Grief Share Group, Divorce Recovery, or other support group program
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Find mission trip opportunities and send teams out
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Create a team that does home repairs for elderly, or runs errands for elderly
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Volunteer to drive for Meals on Wheels programs
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Create a tutoring program for children
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Partner with Stephen Ministry to provide books on grief for people who have lost a loved one. (Each set of books is just $10.00)
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Create a team who volunteers at non-profit thrift stores locally or food bank
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Collect toys at Christmas
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Host community events such as back to school bash
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Create a team that supports the local school district through volunteerism, drives to collect gently used school uniforms, snacks for low-income children, host fundraisers to pay for school lunches.
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