Why did I start talking about hair-ties? I honestly am not 100% sure but at some point I thought of or read an article where I realized just how nice it is to carry an extra one on my person because we break them or don’t have them when they’re needed. Back in 2018, I started carrying a carabineer full of them on my backpack that came with me everywhere. I handed them out and reminded myself how easy it was to offer that kind of help. Wondering why we didn’t offer others just as easily. That started my journey into wanting to share this simple kindness.
I have been considered disabled since my oldest was born 20 years ago, but luckily had financial support so my kids really never noticed. My dad bought a house for us to move into and kept us stable for quite a while. However, Covid came and ripped so much apart. My dad lost his job. Less money flowed in. Things got tighter. He was able to find a new job that doesn’t pay as much but he can still get by, but can’t help as much as he could. Plus how much longer can a 75 year old work full time and how can I rely on that?
As my need for actual income became increasingly obvious with rising prices and no matching rise in disability, and kids becoming college age. Talk about a drain on funds, even with grants and scholarships there is always more needed. What about driving the kids to school, funding their dorm supplies, giving them the ability to buy food off campus(especially with food restrictions), and various other expenditures we don’t plan out? Which is why I started Door Dashing as much as possible with my disabilities and children in mind. I needed to still be able to do everything and try not to completely drain myself.
I get questioned all the time why I don’t get a ‘real job.’ Or how I can be disabled but still Door Dash. The answer is I can’t work a full time job since I never know when I will be sick for a week or two, and sometimes longer… DoorDash won’t fire me for that. I just don’t schedule. What about when I start working and suddenly get a call from my 18 year old that they need me? Well dashing I tell them to give me a few to finish the dash I am on and I end it for the day. No write ups, no questions from the higher ups, just schedule my next dash when I can. Trust me I’d rather be able to hold a full time job in a field I’m more qualified for but I do enjoy helping others smile. And with people’s schedules now there is no way less people will be using these services. No one has time to do everything.
I could be a typical dasher – let the customer know when there is a problem, otherwise pick up and deliver their items. But that just isn’t me. I appreciate the dashers that let me know the timing, that go the extra effort, and I like to make others’ days just a little bit better. Which led me to check out some dasher FB groups. Some people send memes, others leave a thank you item at delivery. The little things that set you apart from just running through the motions to being someone that helps others have a better day.
I started with the memes and small gifts… Valentine’s day saw a single flower, stickers, and candy. I remember the one elderly lady that ordered a bottle of wine and started crying while receiving it. She hadn’t gotten flowers since her husband passed away a decade ago. Then it made sense to use rubber duckies since I have a Jeep and all, those were nice but got expensive quickly. I went to baggies with a snack, a candy, and a small party favor type thing. I loved handing those out but felt something was still missing a part of me.
Then I remembered the hair-ties and with a little help from a friend we designed a card and started tying them right on and including them in with the snack and candy. These were what I needed. Without a doubt on brand with helping others, without breaking the bank completely. I can’t say enough how much the thank you messages mean to me. Yes, extra tips are amazing because Dashers do not get paid enough when you break down what they have to do and timing, but knowing that I brightened someone’s day means so much more to me as a person.
Now a few months in, we are nearing the end of the box of 250 I was given, knowing I also printed about 150 on paper before the cards came in. That’s close to 400 people or families that I’ve been able to give a smile to. In turn they’ve given me the gift of feeling like I have a purpose and maybe I can make a change even if it’s just a small ripple.
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