LA MESA, California — What is the small movement? It is an informal group of people brought together by yours truly to find ways to help others, especially during this pandemic. This includes giving business to small mom and pop restaurants that may be struggling, buying pizzas for Grossmont Hospital staff, making masks for Rady’s Children’s Hospital, making masks for shelters in Tijuana, gathering and donating food and fresh fruit to a food pantry, and making headbands for hospital staff to alleviate the discomfort of face masks and ears.
The movement includes about eight people, give or take. They include four paisanos [as Jews call each other in Mexico] myself, a Grossmont College teacher and writer; well-known international artist Becky Guttin; Janna Leoff; and Dr. Frank Kalmar. The movement also includes Grossmont College teachers Sara Ferguson, and Edda Temoche; a San Diego Continuing Education retired teacher, Lynn Francis; well known bi-national artist Griselda Rosas, East County Magazine writer Rebecca Williamson, and former Jewish Family Service employee Sharonne Ketels, who still supports JFS efforts.
The Small Movement came about because so many of us have been feeling a heightened sense of anxiety and find that keeping busy and helping others is a good way to combat that. As Lynn would say, “It is good to do something and feel useful.”
Here are a few of the ways we have been useful:
Janna’s neighbor is a nurse at Rady’s and when she heard about our mask project, she asked if we could make both adult and children’s masks. Lynn, Griselda, and Rebecca got to work, made the masks, and I picked them up and sent them to Janna. Her neighbor was very happy.
In addition, there is a great need for masks in Tijuana. Becky and Griselda both sent masks to several places and along with Lynn, they made up 70 masks which were delivered to a place in Tijuana that works with migrants called, Comedor contra Viento y Marea. That means, “Against all Odds”.
Rebecca sent me the idea of headbands with buttons to help alleviate the discomfort of masks around the ears, so Janna and I got headbands and buttons, and Lynn sewed them up. They will be delivered to Dr. Kalmar at Grossmont Hospital .
Finally, long time East County resident, Sharonne Ketels whipped out her sewing machine and made masks for family, friends, and anyone who needed one.
Sara, the new chair of ESL at Grossmont College volunteers with a food pantry once a week, so through a joint effort, several of us, including Sharonne and Stuart Morgan,, gather food and pick fresh fruit from a fellow teacher’s tree to deliver there.
Please come join us and tell us your story. What small thing do you do to give back? The whole point of the Small Movement is many folks doing small things to help others. Together, we are small, but mighty!!
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Mimi Pollack is a semi retired ESL teacher and freelance writer based in La Mesa. She may be contacted via mimi.pollack@sdjewishworld.com
What a great idea when one is homebound or retired and has the time and energy to do something useful. My hat is off to all who give of themselves at a time of need. This is an unprecedented time in U.S, history and each each gift from th heart is multiplied so many times. Congratulations to you all.
San Diego Jewish World received this comment from Ruth Ellen Kaplan:
My family is collecting masks for pregnant field workers in Watsonville. My daughter, Sarah, is a midwife there and these masks will help protect her patients and their families during and after their pregnancies. We have sent her over 300 masks sewn by friends, neighbors and a garment worker collaborative in LA. And I’m able to pick up food and toiletries for them every week from Jewish Family Services’ Drive-Thru Food Assistance program. It’s amazing how quickly JFS re-engineered and expanded their services during these past weeks!
Bonnie Baron commented:
My havurah and some neighbors delivered dinner to the Safe Parking Program at JFS. A friend made masks for Temple Emanu-El. The local Rotary picks fruit in people’s yards/gardens. I put together some activity kits (Sudoku, Mandala Coloring Book, small notebook, colored pencils and meditation book) for people in the Safe Parking Program at JFS.
Eva Trieger commented:
I’m not doing a huge amount of philanthropic things, but I am acting locally and thinking globally.
I am :
Shopping for a couple in their mid to late 80s weekly.
Donating to Kitchens for Good
Donating to Jewish Community Foundation dinners for the homeless and supporting G’mach each month so that needy families can get whatever they need from clothing, furniture to career mentoring.
Love that you are doing so much! You’re an angel!