Smalls Acts of Kindness Bring Winter Warmth

With winter chills setting in, sometimes people need a small act of kindness to stay warm. That’s where Sharie Monsam and her niece come in. The pair are leaving scarves and hats on statues in downtown Mesa, Arizona for people who need them to keep warm, reported 12 News.

Making an impact
Helping people who are homeless or down on their luck comes naturally for Monsam. “If you’re cold, take one,” she told 12 News.

“This is the fourth winter that we have collected hats and scarves from family, friends, and neighbors. And also, we purchased them at thrift stores. And then we put them on the statues downtown, probably 15 to 18 statues.”

The hats and scarves are quickly taken from the statues showing that there is a need for the winter gear. Monsam hopes that other people will follow her lead and help the unhoused.

“I hope more people do it… a lot of churches collect clothing for the homeless and food they can donate or donate their time down to the food kitchens as well,” Monsam said. “We all can make a difference.

“Every single person would make a difference. Find something that you can do to help other people. I personally think that’s what we’re here on earth for.”

The fiber fairy
In Morristown, New Jersey, the fiber fairies are spreading warmth by adorning statues with gloves, hats, and scarves, according to The Patch

The founders who want to remain anonymous established the group in 2014, to help the homeless stay warm.  They began by asking for donations of winter hats and scarves on Facebook. The group placed the winter items on statues in the city’s green.

One of the founders who is from the Morristown area was nicknamed the fiber fairy by a family member. In fact, the founding group was made up of two adults, a college student, and an eighth grader. What they had in common was a desire to help others.

“It is so easy to separate yourself from the struggles of others and to walk past them without making eye contact or giving much thought to their suffering. But they are people, and each one comes with their own unique story,” the Fiber Fairy told the Patch.

It was feared that the groups efforts would end when the founding members moved away in 2018 but community members decided to start a sign-up sheet to solicit donations and volunteers to put the winter gear on the statues.

“It usually takes a few days for all of the hats and scarves to be taken from the statues so we don’t want people going too often to place them in case there are some still remaining on the statues,” explained one of the group’s members.

The fairies put out the winter gear from November 4 through March 30. This small act of kindness can keep homeless people from getting frostbite or freezing on cold winter nights.