135 DVDs, 40+ articles of clothing, and too much makeup/nail polish/aftershave to count. Thank you for your generosity!

Saying “thank you” is not enough. We are moved by the response to our Makeup and Movies Drive for Jan Peek House. Through your generosity, we received 135 DVDs, 40+ articles of clothing, and far too much nail polish, makeup, and aftershave to count. On (Ash) Wednesday, we delivered the goods to Jan Peek House. We can’t think of a better way to begin Lent than with almsgiving, together.

For those not familiar with the drive: while reflecting on the spirit of Poverty Awareness Month, along with Sister Jean Spena’s lesson that being poor doesn’t necessarily mean not having money, we reached out to employees, partners, and the wider Ossining to community to ask for goods that our neighbors at Jan Peek House need and rarely receive. Located in Peekskill, Jan Peek House is a homeless shelter that serves people both short-term (i.e. one night) and long-term (i.e. a twenty-four-month program that helps folks rehabilitate and become independent, in addition to other long-term programs).

When we learned that Jan Peek has plenty of donations like socks, coats, and hygiene products but they’re currently struggling to keep up morale among their residents, we created a drive to gather donations that might help: clothing in bigger sizes, makeup for all skin tones, aftershave, nail polish, and movies for days when residents are snowed in. We hoped that this drive will help folks feel more whole, from providing clothing that fits bigger men to helping women feel a little more beautiful on a daily basis.

We are grateful for this opportunity to be mindful of the often overlooked needs of our neighbors, and we are blessed by your generosity in working with us to serve them. Sister Joann Boneski puts it so beautifully, “Your blessings have become a blessing for somebody else. We are able to help people who have little because we have so much in abundance.”

Thank you for sharing your blessings.