Ok so Dura Doggie is kind of obsessed with giving back. It’s not that we mean to brag. There is simply a lot of need out there, especially with the recent financial hard times. So over the holiday season we decided to launch a new volunteer program where we would pledge our time on a regular basis to different organizations in Orange County. We’re really excited to become more involved with our local community.
We started in December, which is overflowing with needs for volunteers; from wrapping presents to serving food to caroling. Our singing voices are bit *ahem* rusty, so we decided upon Operation Santa Claus in Santa Ana. This amazing group is coordinated by the Social Services Agency and provides over 45,000 gifts and toys to needy children in the system. On our day, we got to be Santa’s helpers by sorting and displaying the toys, suggesting gift ideas and helping out at the checkout counter. It was a bustling day of witnessing the holiday spirit of giving firsthand.
Even though the next few months found us extremely busy at Dura Doggie, we took time at the beginning of February to head over to the You Are Special Food Pantry in Orange, CA. For about a decade now they have been handing out packages of food to the homeless and working poor in the city of Orange. A whole spectrum of organic produce, bread, desserts, meat, and dairy items is collected from generous local grocery stores and given to about 250 families who line up every Wednesday morning. We got to participate the day before by receiving and sorting all the food that would be handed out.
Upon arriving, we were warmly greeted by Eric Hensley, the pastor at the church next door, who gave us the official tour of their facility. Shortly after getting started, we met Michelle Hensley, who started YAS in 2002 out of a growing need she recognized in the community. Throughout the day as we sorted food, we got to talk with more members of their family and work alongside people who regularly give their time at You Are Special. We met amazing people and for one day we got to be a part of work that goes on every week and is needed every day. As a group we look forward to helping out at the You Are Special Food Pantry again.
More “tails” of our volunteering adventures to follow!
Woof,
The Dura Doggie Team
Dura Doggie: Chews Your Cause 