GIA Gratitude In Action

10/15/2026

🎄 ’Twas the Night Before Thriftmas… The Tupperware Edition! 🎄

An almost-Christmas tale of plastic, patience, and lids that have gone missing since 1982.

’Twas the night before Thriftmas, and all through the store,
Not a shopper was stirring, not even for more.
The Tupperware sat, all polished with care,
In hopes that a bargain hunter soon would be there.

The bowls were all stacked, the containers aligned,
Every color and size, from a much simpler time.
There were yellows and oranges and avocado green,
And some shades of brown that should never be seen.

The lids were all sorted, or so we had thought,
But half of them vanished, as Tupperware ought.
One lid from the seventies, one bowl from ’82,
And a mystery container that nobody knew.

The big ones held Jell-O, the small ones held dip,
And one had survived a disastrous road trip.
Some once held spaghetti, some cookies, some stew,
And one smelled like onions from 1992.

Then out in the aisle there arose such a clatter,
We sprang from the register to see what was the matter!
A woman was shouting, “OH MY GOODNESS, LOOK HERE!
THAT’S THE SAME TUPPERWARE I LOST LAST YEAR!”

She grabbed a big bowl and held it up high,
With a tear of nostalgia appearing in her eye.
“My mother had this! It was practically gold!
And unlike my husband, it did what it’s told!”

Then came a man with a very strange quest,
To find that one lid that would finally fit best.
He tried twenty-seven, then thirty-four more,
And built a small mountain right there on the floor.

He twisted, he pushed, he gave it a smack,
Then yelled, “HOLY MOLY! I HEARD IT GO SNAP!”
The shoppers applauded, the angels sang loud,
He’d found his lost lid and was making us proud!

And there in the corner, a treasure so rare,
A vintage cake carrier, just sitting there!
Complete with a handle, a lid, and a base,
The Holy Grail of plastic, right there in that place.

So come to Gratitude in Action, where treasures abound,
Where the best plastic relics are waiting to be found.
Bring your oddball lids, your measurements too,
We might have the container that’s perfect for you!

And remember, dear shoppers, as you head out the door,
You’re not just buying Tupperware — you’re supporting much more.
Every purchase brings hope, second chances, and cheer,
While rescuing plastic from another fifty years!

So I heard the clerk shout, as she turned out the light,
“MERRY THRIFTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A TIGHT SEAL TONIGHT!”

🎁 Gratitude in Action Thrift Store — Campus for Change

Where the Tupperware is vintage, the prices are fabulous, and finding a matching lid is practically a Christmas miracle.

Shop Local. Save Local. Help Local.

Because second chances aren’t just for people… sometimes they’re for a 1974 mustard-yellow casserole keeper. 😂

10/14/2026

WHAT IF THE PERSON YOU’VE GIVEN UP ON IS ONE OPPORTUNITY AWAY FROM CHANGING EVERYTHING?

One resident wrote about being given a second chance and being met with grace and understanding.

Another shared the joy of watching people find work, become financially secure, and take pride in finally owning their own belongings.

Others described watching people who arrived uncertain, afraid, and disconnected grow into people who helped their housemates, built friendships, and found stability.

These are the stories that don’t always make the headlines.

We hear about addiction. We hear about homelessness. We hear about incarceration.

But how often do we hear about the person who got a job?

The mother who got her children back?

The person who found a home?

The person who stayed sober and became a source of hope for someone else?

At Gratitude in Action and Ignatia’s House, we see the possibility in people, even when they struggle to see it in themselves.

Through structured sober living, accountability, recovery support, and our PROSPER program, we’re helping people build lives rooted in recovery, employment, housing, health, and connection.

Every person who finds stability has the potential to become a stronger neighbor, parent, employee, friend, and community member.

We aren’t just changing individual lives. We’re changing what is possible for our community.

Help us keep opening doors.

Volunteer. Donate. Shop at Gratitude in Action. Partner with us. Believe in recovery.

Because everyone deserves the opportunity to write a different ending to their story.

A hand up. Not a handout.

10/14/2026

10/13/2026

SOME MIRACLES HAVE LITTLE ARMS THAT WRAP AROUND YOUR NECK.

One of the most powerful things our residents wrote about wasn’t getting a job, finding housing, or even celebrating another day sober.

It was watching mothers get their children back.

One resident described seeing families reunited.

Another wrote about witnessing someone leave sober living with their family restored, a smile on their face, and tears of joy.

Imagine being a mother who has lost precious moments with her children because of addiction.

Now imagine doing the difficult work of recovery, showing up every day, rebuilding trust, and finally hearing the words you’ve prayed for:

“You can bring your children home.”

That’s not just one life changed.

That’s a child who gets their mother back. A family beginning to heal. A future that looks different from the past.

At Ignatia’s House and Gratitude in Action, we believe recovery has the power to change generations.

When we help one person recover, we may be changing an entire family tree.

This is why sober living matters. This is why community support matters. This is why we do what we do.

10/13/2026

THEY WALKED IN AS STRANGERS. THEY BECAME FAMILY.

One resident wrote about celebrating Christmas with a new sober family after not being part of a holiday celebration for a very long time.

Others remembered something that might seem ordinary:

Sitting around a dinner table together.

Laughing. Sharing stories. Helping someone new feel welcome.

One person described watching residents who once isolated themselves and struggled to trust anyone begin reaching out to help others.

Another talked about the friendships, fellowship, and support that made sober living feel like home.

That’s what recovery looks like when it’s working.

It’s the person who once felt alone saving a seat for someone else.

It’s the person who once needed help finding a job now helping the newest resident.

It’s people learning that they don’t have to face life alone anymore.

At Ignatia’s House, recovery is more than simply not using drugs or alcohol.

It’s learning to trust, to love, to be accountable, to show up, and to become part of something bigger than yourself.

And when those relationships extend beyond the walls of our homes, our entire community becomes stronger.

We don’t just build sober homes. We build belonging.

10/13/2026

SOMETIMES A MIRACLE STARTS WITH A HOT SHOWER.

Imagine being so uncertain about where you’ll sleep that something as simple as a hot shower feels like a gift.

One resident wrote about how grateful they were just to have a hot shower when they arrived.

Another described being welcomed into a home where they finally felt they belonged.

Think about that.

Not a new car. Not a fancy vacation. Not a big bank account.

A shower. A bed. A safe place. Someone who cares.

At Ignatia’s House Sober Living, we know that rebuilding a life often begins with the things most of us take for granted.

Because when someone finally feels safe, they can begin to heal. When they begin to heal, they can start to dream. And when they start to dream, an entire future becomes possible.

At Gratitude in Action, we believe no one should be denied the opportunity for sober living simply because they cannot afford it.

We’re not just providing a place to sleep. We’re helping people find a reason to wake up tomorrow.

A hand up. Not a handout.

10/13/2026