Boxes and bags piled seven feet high and baskets and bins stacked and stocked, Lilian Folks with a graceful posture, continued to work in harmonious gesture, wrapping up the donations with ribbons and bows.
Folks has volunteered for the past three years at House of Ruth in Maryland, particularly with the Mwenzake Project. This program’s goal, according to their Web site, is to enrich the shelter environment by integrating into daily shelter life a group of volunteers whose job is to spend time in shelter and create opportunities to interact with shelter residents in positive and helpful ways.
Map of locations to volunteer in Baltimore
View Larger Map
It has become an annual event to make Christmas baskets for the women in the shelter during the holiday season and something Folks has particularly took interest in.
“Last year I started decorating the baskets more to make them more special for the women,” Folks said.
Donations are collected a few months before December from several organizations. Some of the donations even come brand new, clothes with the tags still on and other items still in boxes.
“We got bath robes, slippers, socks, pajamas, purses, makeup, soap, and a whole bunch of other things the ladies will find useful,” Shannon Marshall, volunteer activities coordinator, said.
Folks formed an assembly line of cosmetics and other personal hygiene items to put together in clear packaging. She organized boxes of soap, eye shadow, lip and eye liners, makeup brushes, body scrub and more.
After that, Folks moved on and sorted through bins upon bins full of bath robes, sorting them by size. Then, she moved on and did the same with slippers. This will help keep the items organized for putting together the Christmas baskets at the meeting next week.
Marshall said the baskets are perfect for the cold weather ahead and will hopefully be helpful to them in taking care of the women’s’ needs.
“It’s a good thing we’re doing here for the women,” Folks said. “I’m sure they’ll all appreciate it.”
Folks was surprised at the amount of donations the shelter received this year. She was able to put two of some items in each bag. There is even extra clothing to keep for women who arrive new to the shelter after the holidays.
While wrapping a large, red bow on one of the laundry baskets, Folks said she liked paying attention to the details when making the Christmas baskets. The first year, they just formed bundles of the items to hand out to the women. Last year, Folks got the idea of making them more special, by decorating baskets and bags to put the items in so they looked like actual gifts.
“After I sort all the clothes by size, I even like to put them together color-coordinated,” Folks said. “Why shouldn’t the ladies match and look a little fashionable?”
At the end of the night, Folks gathered her bundles of ribbons and curls and grabbed a few baskets to decorate at home. Turning out the light to that back corner room in the shelter, Folks smiled and was all the more cheerful.
“I can’t believe how much we got done,” Folks said. “The ladies are going to be so pleased.”
