A Small Gesture of Kindness

Yesterday, outside of Whole Foods a man was selling a newspaper to help the homeless. I gave him the suggested donation of a dollar and got the newspaper One Step Away, a local paper produced by the homeless for the community. One of the articles was on a film company offering second chances to those in recovery from homelessness. This paper is a fantastic resource more people should support.

I have seen one homeless woman at my local church for more than a year now. Every Saturday I take the girls to my local Catholic church; it has been part of our routine since they were babies. I often spot this homeless woman in a back pew. It breaks my heart whenever I see her.

Yesterday, I walked past her to get some bulletins for the kids to draw on–I gave her a five-dollar bill and an unopened water bottle. She tried to push the money away but I left it next to her.

As I sat through the service, I glanced back once or twice to see her. She had her head down and coughed off and on. I remember the last time I spotted her—it was a cold day and I was pushing Kaitlyn in the stroller. She was walking north on Broad Street with a chair in tow.

So at church yesterday, I passed by the woman again to take the girls to the bathroom. I handed her two granola bars I had packed for the girls. This time, she did not push my hand away and gave me the biggest smile, a grateful smile.

The weekly mass is part of her routine, as it is mine. We have spoken briefly in the past. I say to her, “You take care of yourself.” She has said to me, “Don’t give up.” When I do not see her for a month or two, I have wondered how she was doing. Was she safe? Was she cold or hungry? Was she mentally ill?

As I drove home last night with the girls, I spotted her eating the granola bar, waiting for the light to turn green to cross the street. I do not know where she was headed, but I hoped she would be safe and warm.

Next week, when I see her in church I will bring more granola bars and water. Sometimes even a small kind gesture can make a difference in someone’s life.

Working Moms Under Pressure

I’ve held off on blogging lately–I’m working, looking for new clients, networking, promoting my book. Getting my feet wet with media interviews.

This headline on today.com jumped out at me: “Moms are bearing the brunt of recession, study shows.” I just did an interview the other day with AdvisorOne and spoke about how working moms are feeling the pressure from their roles of breadwinner and caregiver. It’s this pressure on moms nationwide–and the economic downturn–that motivated me to write my non-fiction book.

I mentioned to AdvisorOne that many women were working with reduced salaries.

On average moms lost $175 per week more than dads, according to the new study that analyzed four sets of data from the Displaced Workers Supplement.

This 2010 survey included nearly 4,400 displaced workers who took an average of 17 weeks to find a new job. When the researchers broke down the data according to marital and parental status, they discovered that moms experienced a “motherhood penalty” while fathers got a “daddy bonus.”

Employers will choose a dad over a mom because they fear that moms won’t be as available or committed to the job, said study co-author Michelle Moroto, an assistant professor in the sociology department at the University of Alberta.

Moreto’s advice? For women who fear they might be in danger of suffering from the motherhood penalty when seeking work, don’t volunteer anything about your family in job applications and interviews.

I could not agree more with Moreto. Going forward, I will not be mentioning to prospects I have two young kids. In today’s economy, it’s a strike against you.

Do you think there is a “motherhood penalty”?

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net