Gifts of Warmth and Music
“Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me. Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful, that’s what matters to me.” Steve Jobs
Congratulations to Rick and Reba, this month’s Caring Heart Award winners! Rick and Reba, owners of Car Fi in Springfield, Missouri, were inspired by the book “Meaningful Work: A Quest To Do Great Business, Find Your Calling, And Feed Your Soul,” By Shawn Askinosie and Lawren Askinosie. Shawn discusses the need of a business to look in your own neighborhood to find a need. The Car Fi business is located on busy commercial street between two bus stops. People were walking and biking in front of their business in freezing weather without coats. They knew they had to do something. They did not hesitate, they did something immediately. Reba went to several thrift stores and bought some coats and placed them in their parking lot with the sign, “Need a coat? Take One. Have a coat? Leave one.”
Last winter over 1000 coats found new owners. This winter even more coats were given. It is not unusual for 20 coats to find new recipients on cold days. Due to so many coats, gloves, and hats being donated, a building was placed in front of the store called “ House of Coats.” It keeps things dry when weather is rainy and provides a storage area until the items are put out on the street coat rack.
One of the recipients told Reba that he saw the street light shining in their parking lot one evening when it was snowing. He was on his way to a friend’s home to get warm. He said the light looked like a beacon as he was biking the street. There was nothing he needed more in that moment than a warm coat. There was no where else he could have gone in the middle of that cold night to get a coat.
Reba has a passion for helping the homeless and those in need and feels they should be treated without judgement. Her motto is, “Each of us is the same in God’s eyes.” Her perspective is homelessness is just a temporary condition. Cards are placed in the pockets with an encouraging message. The card also has the Car-Fi address so they can be passed to a friend that may need a coat.
Another charity Rick and Reba are passionate about is Play It Forward SWMO. The mission is to ensure children in the SW Missouri are provided with the opportunity to discover his or her musical talents. Since 2015, over a hundred musical instruments have been given to low income children. They have done this by repairing used instruments that have been sitting in people’s basements and attics. To find out more see playitforwardswmo.org.
If you have used instruments, coast, scarves, gloves or much needed socks, you can drop them off at Car-Fi at 1600 S Glenstone Ave, Springfield, MO. Reba gets satisfaction from giving to those in need, but she also gets satisfaction from seeing the happiness in the eyes of the donors as they give, knowing they are making a difference by giving a gift of warmth or music,
Two other businesses in the surrounding area have taken up the torch and started the same model in their neighborhood…. So the good news and blessings are growing.
Staying in Touch: Barbara Hirsh can be reached at info@LiveKinder.com I love hearing your kindness stories. Please sign-up for almost weekly kindness message at www.LiveKinder.com or follow LiveKinder on Facebook!
Do you know someone that deserves a Caring Heart award?
