Vanessa Seymour experienced a rare case of severe pediatric COVID-19 with her 10-year-old daughter. The infection developed into pneumonia, causing serious heart problems, and kept her daughter hospitalized for two months, including a two-week stay in an intensive care unit.
These challenging moments were the most frightening in Seymour’s life. Faced with the uncertainty of the pandemic, everything suddenly changed when her daughter made a complete and unexpected recovery.
Grateful for her daughter’s health, Seymour now pays it forward. One day, while cleaning her house, she saw a news story about the Montclair Community Church collaborating with a local nonprofit to receive donations. Without hesitation, Seymour filled two bags with her daughter’s unused clothes and took them to the church, unknowingly becoming the main volunteer for the initiative.
Upon arriving at the church, Seymour noticed The Kindness Closet needed assistance. Without being asked, she began organizing the donations, setting the stage for her ongoing involvement.
The Kindness Closet is an initiative of Project Kind, a Rockaway-based nonprofit dedicated to helping the homeless and economically challenged. Operating in two locations in New Jersey – Rockaway and the recently opened one at the Montclair Community Church – The Kindness Closet provides free necessities like clothes, personal care products, and small appliances, either donated or purchased with monetary donations.
As a single mother and full-time mobile medical technician in Montclair, Seymour makes ends meet by working part-time cleaning homes. Despite her busy schedule, she actively contributes to The Kindness Closet in Montclair, coordinating donation efforts, identifying needs, and connecting donors with recipients.
Seymour’s commitment stems from a sense of fulfillment in helping others, driven by the awareness of the prevalent struggles, especially with high rent prices. She goes the extra mile, reaching out to those in need, even driving to deliver donations to their doorsteps if they can’t come to The Kindness Closet.
One memorable act of kindness involved assisting a young mother and her baby who were left without heating due to a neglectful landlord. Seymour secured a heater, blankets, and a comforter, along with medicine when they showed signs of illness from the cold. Such instances inspire her dedication to the cause.
Seymour involves her daughter in volunteering at The Kindness Closet, hoping to instill the values of kindness for future generations.
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