By Cain Adams, Longboard Logistics/Trinity Logistics
Each day I receive a message from our local schools, West Ada, Meridian, ID: “Star and Heritage Middle Schools are now FREE MEAL pick up locations.”
Daily texts come in from schools from all over the county. I think to myself, “How many kids depend on a school lunch?”
When I was a kid, my mother worked three jobs to put food on the table for us three kids. School lunch was actually built into her budget. I think back, remembering how tough it was for her. Seeing this daily text reminds me of how important it is to help others. I am not for big government, but during this time I see parents getting furloughed, layoffs happening and a system overloaded with SBA loan requests which may not come in for weeks to months.
This may be a 45-day interruption for most people, but going 45 days with little to no income coming into a home has long-term effects on families. Kids do not understand what is really happening. All they know is their parents are home, and they are not able to go play with friends. All of us know there is some domestic hardships in the home.
So, in all this chaos, I hope all of us remember it’s not just about ourselves. We all count on each other. We all want the same thing which is to take care of those who are closest to us. A way to do this is actually to stay humble, give a helping hand and to look strong even if we are not feeling strong. We almost have to take a chance and pay it forward to another. Paying it forward can be a simple call to someone who is stuck in their home, another parent who is going crazy at home or a delivery of donuts or a jib jab online card.
Instagram is showing many produce wholesalers passing out tons of produce items to families. People line up six feet apart and boxes of produce are being handed out the back of a semi-truck. It’s overwhelming to see these independent companies give so much. All that food can be for profit but instead it is showing these companies are full of good humans. I really wish they were all my customers. Those are the type of people making this situation a bit more bearable. So, if you see those posts please, leave a grateful comment and not just a like. They need to hear we are watching. It will give them more encouragement that their “pay it forward” efforts are not in vain.
This Friday my office and my daughters will be putting sack lunches together and taking them to our local truck stops in Boise. It’s not just to hand out sack lunches to drivers but also to show my kids how to pay it forward. If I can teach them to be good humans, then I am passing along things my own mom taught my siblings and myself. Always be humble and know when you give without expectation of anything in return, good things can happen. Good things may not happen to me for my deeds, but at least I know my kids will see the good happening. That’s what counts in my book.
Stay positive, and I hope each of you who reads this can do a little something for someone else “and pay it forward.” Cheers and we hope you all are well. Barbeques and good times are ahead soon! I can feel it!
