• Our most tangible service is clothing, provided through our Clothing Bank. We accept and distribute in-season clothing in new or nearly new condition. Packages of new underwear and socks are always needed. The Clothing Bank is staffed by volunteers, and they sort and select only clothing that would be suitable for their friends and family to wear. Gift cards to local merchants, especially Marshall’s, Payless Shoes and Stop & Shop are always appreciated.
• We have a constant need for transportation volunteers. They share their time by driving elderly or chronically ill neighbors to appointments and treatments. Some drivers choose only to make local trips; others are able to give their time to driving residents to Boston appointments. If you or a family member has time to share, please consider this urgently needed service. Gift cards for gasoline are needed now more than ever. Our transportation volunteers are a blessing to our many friends who cannot drive on their own.
• In addition to drivers, we also need cars! If you have a car in excellent condition, we have a family who needs one. We selectively match car donations to familes in dire need. Often these are single parent families, with a child or children with medical needs. Your car will be assessed by a volunteer car mechanic, and a transfer of title will be facilitated. Car donations are eligible for significant tax benefits, especially if they are donated to a non-profit like Sowing Seeds, since we find use for cars, and don’t sell them for parts. There is a great need for usable cars right here in Marshfield; please consider donating your car when you next upgrade.
Our intake volunteers coordinate many of the additional, customized services we provide. Usually they find that when people come to us with one problem, there are often several other issues which need to be addressed in order to guide the individual or family back to successful autonomy. Intake volunteers match our neighbors’ needs with resources available within Sowing Seeds and the greater community. We’ve helped people with housing, job training, parenting skills, and many areas of advocacy. With an open heart we provide companionship to those who struggle or are lonely. We assist many who feel their needs have “fallen through the cracks,” assisting them when many other solutions have been exhausted.
All of our volunteers agree: we each get back much more than we give.
Of course, we have a need for other donations. We can’t exist without them. We are 100% funded with private donations. We need to operate a building which houses the Clothing Bank. More importantly, we need to do the work we are called to do: helping our neighbors. Each donation of time, talent or tender –in any amount–is judiciously put to use and much appreciated. No one at Sowing Seeds takes a salary or submits lavish or even humble expense reports. All donations serve our neighbors in need in some way.
Sowing Seeds exists solely to do the work of its mission:
“Sowing Seeds is a network of people who share their time, ideas and special gifts providing the support to empower each person to replace darkness, despair and hopelessness with dignity and self-esteem. We are committed to sowing and nurturing the seeds of hope in a prayerful and spirit-filled environment of networking and advocacy for those who feel frustrated, alone, impoverished or forgotten.”
