HAGERSTOWN – Since 2012, Deirdre Norris, founder of It’s a Blessing to be a Blessing, has been serving her community. Deirdre, often known as Mama Dee, noticed a lack of resources offering solutions for underserved communities in the Hagerstown area.
To combat this issue, Mama Dee launched her initiative by delivering meals and hosting community events with local churches. As Covid-19 shutdowns were announced in 2020, Mama Dee offered her services from her own front porch with the ‘Blessings Table,” passing out bagged lunches, food items and hygiene products, free to anyone in need.
In response to the increasing need for essentials among the community, It’s a Blessing has expanded from a location at John Wesley United Methodist Church, into its current location at St. John’s Lutheran Church on Potomac Street in Hagerstown.
At the current location, the organization distributes resources and hot meals at a much larger scale. Food distribution programs are It’s a Blessing’s most utilized service, passing out hundreds of bagged lunches four days per week, with a line through the parking lot as the clock approaches 11 a.m..
Bagged lunches are offered Monday through Wednesday, and Fridays from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. These lunches include a sandwich, fruit, a snack and a drink. In addition to bagged lunches, It’s a Blessing also offers buffet style, hot lunches every Thursday from 11:30 until 12:30. Bagged and hot lunches are free to anyone who needs one.
These events attract large turnouts weekly, reducing the burden of food costs for numerous Hagerstown residents.
It’s a Blessing to be a Blessing works as a 100% grassroots organization, funded primarily by community donations. Though the organization offers several resources, food services are the most used, and one of the most expensive resources provided. While they have been consistently providing meals to Hagerstown’s south end community, funding and sponsors for meal programs are among top priority to ensure continuation of the program.
Another way to contribute to the mission of It’s a Blessing to be a Blessing is by volunteering. Several volunteer opportunities are available, including helping out with the bagged lunch program, serving food at community lunches and helping with community events.
Outside of food programs, It’s a Blessing also offers services such as the Blessing Pantry for food, the Blessing Closet for clothes, hygiene and household goods and providing winter essentials for unhoused communities. Mama Dee also holds life skills classes, teaching fundamental topics such as budgeting, meal planning and help with job applications.
The team at It’s a Blessing have been witness to the impact these services have in the community, sharing the fulfillment when individuals who used the services are able to return as volunteers. By providing essentials to anyone in need, these seemingly small-scale contributions can initiate a ripple effect through the community.
With this foundational support, It’s a Blessing to be a Blessing can attain its ultimate mission — to inspire others to be a blessing too.
Readers should also look out for It’s a Blessing to be a Blessing’s upcoming Valentine’s Day event, the Love Lunch at 11 a.m. on Feb. 22. Donations to It’s a Blessing to be a Blessing are accepted through PayPal and Venmo, or by mail to P.O. Box 2633, Hagerstown, MD 21741. For more information about services, donations, events or volunteering, visit https://www.itsablessingtobeablessing.net.
