These Are But a Few of Our Testimonials…

A Woman writes…

Our insights and instincts are everything! But it’s more than that – it’s a reminder that our words and actions matter! Thank-you for showing up, sharing your loving heart and thoughts and thank you for being there for me and others who deserve to know that we matter too.

Coins for the Butler Hospital Staff…

Each of us appreciates and even needs to know that we matter…

This was so evident to me when I shared Caring Coins with the Staff of Butler Hospital who are currently on strike for safe working conditions, healthcare and better wages and are picketing on Blackstone Boulevard, not far from where I live.

Without exception, each woman, man and police officer directing traffic smiled and said thank you as I gave them one coin to keep and one to share and reminded them that they did matter.

Caring is Contagious…

Simple Caring Connections…

I went to a post office in Providence yesterday expecting that I would be “in and out”. However, there was only one mail room clerk available. The line was long and it seemed that each transaction was a bit complicated.

I know no one will be surprised to hear that I started talking to those around me…Our conversation went from the weather to one man’s memory of his grandmother’s delicious “rice and beans” which brought back memories of the “rice and beans” our wonderful aide, Alicia, prepared when I was an ER nurse in Greenwich Village in the 60s. The lady behind him talked about her grandchildren. One man who was very stressed with the wait did not join in our conversation. The line did move along and we moved along too but each of us a little better for our “Caring Connections”. Have you made a Caring Connection” today?

PS: I did share Caring Coins. The man who was stressed did not accept a Caring Coin, maybe next time…

A Nurse writes…

I recently connected with a former patient of mine who I have known since he is 6 years old. He has been incarcerated for 26 years since he was 17. Somehow, he has found the strength to turn his life around, earning 2 degrees, obtaining a paralegal diploma, writing 2 books and awaiting the publication of his autobiography. When he received my letter, it meant the world to him that he had not been forgotten. He has established a non- profit to help other young men to see their worth. I told him about “The Caring Coins” project and he thought it was just great. Pope Francis never forgot about the incarcerated and neither should we.

Coins for the Immigrants…

I am a member of a Group of Samaritans who reach out to immigrants in Mexico. We fill water drops in the dessert, many which have been destroyed to keep the immigrants from getting water, our most basic necessity.

We also provide food, clothes, distribute sleeping pads, medical supplies, toys, love and laughter to children in a run-down shelter across from the Cartel trying to help the children forget all they were going through.

The son-in-law of our founder shared Caring Coins with us that his aunt had shared with him. The coins are reminders that each one of us matters, a message we all need especially the immigrants and our volunteers. The coins are attached to a card with the name of someone who cares about the person receiving the coin. I can’t begin to tell you what these little wooden coins and their message of caring mean to each one of us… God bless everyone participating in sharing these little Caring Coins and the caring and love that comes with each one of them.

Thank you for sharing a coin with me…

I was just talking with my friend who lives in Vermont…. We agree we all matter we are all God‘s children. We can all do better. We can all be the change the world so desperately needs with just one act of kindness and compassion after another and another and another.

I feel so blessed to have received your coins in that little breakfast place in North Kingstown two years ago, and I am still giving them out to everyone I meet.

One small wooden coin can change someone’s day in ways we can’t even imagine.

Thank you for sharing your beautiful words today.

You are the light that we all need to be in this world so we all keep moving forward…

Now I share the Caring Coins…

I am so happy and so blessed that I found the wooden Caring Coins and discovered the message behind them…I have been giving them out to everyone I meet. I have even taken to putting them on my jeep ducks. I made my own little card that I attach to the coins.

I love helping you spread your inspiring message of love and community.

A teacher writes…

I am a teacher and I share Caring Coins with my ESL Class. The coins are inscribed with the statement, “I Matter, You Matter, We Matter”. My students are from Salvadore, Guatamala, Columbia, The Dominican Republic, Haiti, South Korea & The Ivory Coast. They all work, and are in my class to learn English so that they may improve their lives. They were heartened to realize that people do care for them. Thank You Salley for bringing joy into their lives.

Simple Acts of Caring can change the world…

I believe the simple acts of caring can have a huge impact on our world. Showing someone kindness & caring & letting them know they matter can create such a huge ripple effect. I feel so lucky & blessed to come across Salley Gibney and her Caring Coins. These simple little wooden coins from Vermont which are to give to others & to let them know that they are never alone & that they matter. No matter how difficult the journey, every human on this planet is capable of making a profound positive difference now and for future generations. I have found that sharing these little wooden coins with strangers & friends can create an absolute much needed connection of kindness, caring, compassion, comfort, support, hope etc.

I am not alone…

I received a Caring Coin when I needed to be reminded I was not alone. Simple acts of caring will change our world because caring is contagious. I invite others to be part of the change you wish to see in this world . Every minute of every day do your best to show kindness and compassion and love and friendship and inclusivity. Really see the people you walk by in your everyday life. This has changed my life…

“Hi, OMGosh…

I was in Dave’s a while ago and a woman gave me 2 coins tied with a leather Cord. I don’t remember what I was doing! Just being me!

Carrying one of the coins always. I just ordered an order of coins. I meet so many “earth angels”. There was a card attached signed Salley. Thank you. Kindness is contagious.”

Caring Coins on the tennis bags…

Today, I received pictures from my cousin to whom I sent Caring Coins to share with her tennis team. She thanked me for sending the coins to remind each girl that they so matter, which is a message we all need today. The girls love the Caring Coins and have attached them to their tennis bags…

Caring Coins at the Blood Center…

I was at the Rhode Island Blood Center in Warwick, RI. There was a woman there sharing little wooden coins to remind the staff and doners that each one of us matters… She gave one to me…As I sat there the thought came to me that we may be different in some ways, but we are each there for one “common” purpose…to donate our blood to someone who needs it. We do it because we want to help someone else. We do not ask or specify who will receive our gift, we just do it as a member of one human family. This is the message of these little coins. I think this is a message I want to share…

Caring Coins at Mettowee Community School…

Salley Gibney comes to Mettowee Community School each year and spreads the positive message of making sure people feel like they matter. This week each student will be given a Caring Coin and card. This encourages our students to show acts of kindness.

Caring Coins at the Homeless Shelter…

Last evening a group of us from St Gregory the Great Parish in Warwick, RI served dinners of chicken, pasta, salad, fruit, bread and desserts to the men and women at The Emanuel House Shelter in Providence, RI. As always the meals were greatly appreciated.

Along with the dinner we shared an “I Matter, You Matter Coin and Card” with each man and woman there reminding them that they mattered. The smiles and “thank yous” reminded each of us how much a simple act of caring can make a difference. Each one of us does Matter!

A Simple Hello spreads through the store and beyond…

I was at Dave’s Market picking up some last-minute things before the kids came this weekend. I didn’t have any coins with me but I was saying hello to everyone anyway. When I reached the checkout line, the lady behind me and I started talking. I asked her name and then I asked the check-out girl her name… Then, I noticed a man on another lane was watching us so I asked him his name and before we knew it each person on the lines were asking each other their names. We were all laughing and smiling at each other. This continued into the parking lot as we all honked at each other as we left.

Caring is Contagious!!!

A simple little wooden button…

A man handed me a little wooden button for me and my son Jeff at the market the other day. I really like it and think I may get a small box of the buttons and share them. I work in a small market/ deli near medical offices. Medical staff and patients come in every day and I would love to share with them that they all matter. Jeff still has his and knows exactly where it is all of the time.

Sharing Caring Coins on the street…

Yesterday, my friend Chris and I shared over 225 Caring Coins at St. Raymond Food Pantry in Providence …Chris inside and me outside. Each received with a smile. Many folks asked for another coin to share. Then, I met Erin and Larry (both teachers and coaches) as I was walking to my car on the street. I shared my two coins with them. They both want to share Caring Coins and the “I Matter, You Matter” message with their students. Coincidence?

Sharing with folks who are hurting…

I am a hair dresser. So lots of heart to heart talking in my shop… I was given a Caring Coin by one of my clients and loved them and their message. I am getting some Caring Coins to share with some hurting folk…

Caring Coins as a reminder of a dear friend…

We recently have lost a very dear family member who would be 100 years old in just a couple of weeks. She was such a neat lady with a mind as sharp as a tack. Visiting with family members and friends, I realized how precious life is and how one person can make a huge difference in many lives. I looked around the room at the many lives of all ages she has touched from babies to this now Matriarch of our family. She was truly a gift to everyone she touched…The Caring Coins will be a tangible reminder of this dear lady.

A young man at the quarry…

I had just finished swimming at the Quarry. As I went to my car, three young people arrived. We all said hello and talked for a while. One young man told me how he had swam at the Quarry as a youngster and just had to show it to his friends. Before leaving, I shared an I matter…You matter Caring Coin with each of them. The young man who had brought his friends to the Quarry looked me in the eyes and said ‘…no one has ever told me I matter before.’ I looked back at him and said. ‘…well, you do’…He just smiled…

A student writes…

Our mission group brought SO many Caring Coins with us Atlanta to hand out to people we met along the way. We shared them with people at OAC, which is a center for homeless people. The people embraced the Caring Coins. It was like they were waiting for us to be there and tell them they aren’t alone, someone cared about them. The moments we were there made me realize that the people who are homeless aren’t any different than myself and you out there reading this. The only difference is where we sleep at night, and how often we shower. I am so glad that we had the Caring Coins to share.

A young boy at Camp Agape,

a camp for children with a parent in prison put a Caring Coin in his fish bowel for his fish. He said, “I don’t want my fish to beKatrina lonely. After all, he’s my best friend. He’s always there for me.”

A hurricane Katrina survivor says…

“We have been through so much and lost everything: the mere fact that someone care means more than you’ll ever know…”

A grandmother writes…

“I sent coins to my twin godsons. One of the boys has been battling a serious drug addiction…the boys have told me how much having that coin in their pocket has helped in the struggle.”

A young girl writes…

“I have certainly come across many times when I’ve doubted my ability to live out in away without my friends and family, and have come across many struggles when I think about my friend who passed away last spring (when you saw me in church). Your coins really mean a lot to me and I hope that they remind me everyday that I can overcome any fears that I have when I am lonely out here. Thank you so much for the inspiration.”

A volunteer writes…

“It was amazing to see all of these people who had lost almost everything. They had plastic bags with their earthly possessions. There were all kinds of people of all ages from very young to very old. Each one was so grateful to receive the Caring Coin and the message of caring. It seemed to give them hope knowing someone cared about them.”
—a volunteer

A woman who works with Vets…

“I work with disabled athletes and veterans and one of my Vets gave me a coin! He said that someone had given him a coin and he wanted me to have one to remind me that he appreciated all that I do for the Vets. I was very touched…You have a great message and organization! I would like to know how to get involved with volunteering with your group.”

An anonymous caregiver says…

“Just between you and me, I am so tired of this whole care giving thing. I just don’t want to do it anymore. I have barely been able to get out of bed the last few days. Thank god for coffee and my Caring Coin! That’s what’s getting me through.”

A young girl writes…

“I have certainly come across many times when I’ve doubted my ability to live out in away without my friends and family, and have come across many struggles when I think about my friend who passed away last spring (when you saw me in church). Your coins really mean a lot to me and I hope that they remind me everyday that I can overcome any fears that I have when I am lonely out here. Thank you so much for the inspiration.”

“You will find it funny…

but my poor cat is home alone a great deal because I am at work a lot of course so I gave her a Caring Coin on a string to play with because I wanted her to know that she isn’t really ever alone and she loves playing with it and drags it around all the time on that ribbon.”

An airline employee shares…

“I received this beautiful coin from a passenger…that I assisted at the airport, about 3 months ago. I was helping her family check in, and when we were finished, she thanked me for my help and handed me this coin. I looked at it, and read it, and was sincerely touched at the very nice sentiment. This is such an unusual occurrence, being an airline employee, I’m used to people being demanding, inconsiderate, and obnoxious, while yelling and screaming at us, on a daily basis! It was so nice to receive this coin from this lady, as it made my day, in a special way, and I’d like to do the same for others!”
—an airline employee

A man in the parking lot…

I had just parked my car at the grocery store when I saw a man struggling with the grocery carts. They were getting away from him. He appeared to have a problem with his leg so it was a real challenge for him to keep the carts together. I smiled at him and said he had a real challenge. I asked his name and told him he was doing a great job and I gave him an I matter…You matter Caring Coin. He smiled and said “At least someone thinks I matter…”

Caring Coins for People in a Homeless Shelter…

“Our mission group brought SO many Caring Coins with us Atlanta to hand out to people we met along the way. We shared them with people at OAC, which is a center for homeless people. The people embraced the Caring Coins. It was like they were waiting for us to be there and tell them they aren’t alone, someone cared about them. The moments we were there made me realize that the people who are homeless aren’t any different than myself and you out there reading this. The only difference is where we sleep at night, and how often we shower. I am so glad that we had the Caring Coins to share.”
—a student

A Camp Counselor shares…

“We were sitting in a circle talking about how each one of us mattered. Each child had received an I matter…You matter Caring Coin. One little boy said “I don’t matter…my mother doesn’t love me, she doesn’t care about me” Needless to say, we were all taken back by what he had just said. I thought for a moment and said “You know honey, sometimes someone just can’t say I love you…but that doesn’t mean they don’t love you or that they don’t care about you. You do so matter. I care about you, all of us here care about you”. A little later, he came up to me with his Caring Coin in his hand and said “Do you really think that I matter?” I said “I know that you matter” He said “Then maybe I do…” And we gave each other a big hug. I reminded him to keep his I matter…You matter Caring Coin to remind him that he does so matter.”

A Camp Counselor writes…

“I don’t think I’ll ever take this off.” These words from a camper at Camp Agape, a camp in Cabot, Vermont for children who have experienced having a parent in prison resonate how the Caring Coins are a tangible reminder of caring, connection and hope they receive at Camp Agape. The campers participated in discussions, games, and crafts focusing on caring, respect for self and each other. Each camper received a Caring Coin for themselves and additional coins to Pass On. Frequently, a camper shared a Caring Coin with another camper they felt was having a difficult time. Many campers returned with their coins from previous years which reflects what Camp Agape and the Caring Coins meant to them.

A student shares…

“A good friend of mine shared with me a secret. She was depressed and hurting herself. After getting her some guidance and help from adults at school, I gave her a hug, not knowing what else to do. When I got home I was sitting at my desk trying to think of something to give her for a little hope. That’s when the Angel Caring Coin caught my eye. I lifted the coin from under a text book and wrote a little note with it. The next day I gave it to her she broke down in tears in the middle of the hallway thanking me. She sent mea picture of the coin made into a keychain saying “I’ll always have it with me, thank you”. After this experience, I truly understand why these coins are so special to you. Now I wear a necklace with coins on it and always try to pass them along when I can.”

A Caring Coin for a waitress…

I gave out a Caring Coin tonight at around 9 pm to a waitress at was working her tail off. I told her that she mattered. She seemed to light up. Her eyes were bright with joy. I also gave her a coin to pass onto someone she loves or needs some enlightenment. HOPE she takes it to heart.

A Lady writes…

“Everyone I have ever given a coin to has been delighted to have them. I gave them to my twin nieces when they moved from Vermont to New Hampshire and they put ribbons on them and used them as Christmas tree decorations, which I think is really nice.”

The lady on line…

I was asked to speak at a local Kiwanis Club Meeting. After I spoke about the Caring Coins, I passed them around for the group to see. A big smile came over the face of one of the ladies. She said “I have one of these…” She then went on to tell this story…she was standing on line at Rite-Aide when the girl in front of her realized she didn’t have enough money for the tax on a phone card that she was sending to her boyfriend in Iraq. This lady immediately offered the girl the amount of money she needed. When this lady finished her transaction and started to leave the store someone came up to her and said…”You are an angel” and gave her a Caring Coin. She said she “floated” out of the store and has kept the coin with her ever since.

A woman at Michaels…

I went to Michaels to get some pins to glue on come Caring Coins. I had no idea where to find them. Anyone who has been to a Michaels knows it’s easy to get lost there…I asked Edith, an older woman, who worked there if she knew where the pins were. He said she didn’t but suggested I go to the children’s crafts area. As I proceeded in that direction, I heard over the loudspeaker “Would the lady who wants the pins come up front?” I went up front to where the manager showed me where the pins were. When I went to check out, I saw Edith at the cash register. I thanked her for getting me the help and told her she mattered as I gave her an I matter…You matter Caring Coin. Her eyes filled up with tears and she told me that someone had just told her she didn’t know what she was doing and should go home. Edith said this Caring Coin meant the world to her.

The man on the street…

I was in New York for my nursing school reunion. I’m not usually early but this day I was. So I decided to walk down to Washington Square Park. My old stomping grounds…As I left the park and walked up Fifth Avenue, a man asked me if I could spare a dollar for a cup of coffee. I reached in my pocket and took out a dollar and a Caring Coin. (I always carry a couple of single dollars and Caring Coins in my pocket) I gave the man the dollar and then I said “My name is Salley, what’s your name?” He gave me a big smile and said “My name is Rightous.” I said, “Rightous, I’m happy to meet you. I have something for you.” And I gave him the Caring Coin and said “This is for you to keep”. He looked at the coin and said “Thank you ma’am”. I crossed the street as I was going in a different direction but I watched Rightous as he walked up the street and he kept looking down at the coin all the way up the street. Sometimes the simplest little thing can mean so much.

An anonymous gift…

I just received a call from a lady who wanted to know more about the You Are Never Alone Foundation and the Caring Coins. She had recently lost a family member. She told me how she belongs to a prayer group where she had shared about her loss. After sharing, she got up from her chair to get a cup of coffee. When she returned, someone had put a Caring Coin on her chair. She was so touched by the coin, the message and the thoughtfulness of the person who gave her the coin.

The boy at the Rec Center…

I was feeling good…We had had a Board Meeting that morning and I had asked the Board how they felt about being a part of YANAF. They all said they liked being part of something simple, positive and something that made a difference. “This is good.” I thought as I walked along. The high school baseball team was practicing. I could hear one or two voices above the others. I kept walking…

As I came off the trail heading for my car, one of the boys came running past me huffing and puffing saying “F this and F that”. He got into his car and started to rev up his engine. I thought “…this is not good, he’s angry, he shouldn’t be driving his car.” I reached into my pocket for a Caring Coin but I didn’t have one. I went to my car to get one. Then, two of his friends came off the field and pleaded with him to come back saying the team really needed him. He got out of the car but was still noticeably angry. I went over toward the three boys and said “Excuse me…” Needless to say they didn’t hear me. Suddenly out of the blue, I shouted “Hey you!”. The three boys turned and looked at me. No one was more surprised than me. I then pointed at the boy and shouted “You get over here…” The boy came over to me, his face red and full of perspiration. He said “Yes ma’am?” I held out the coin in my hand and said “…I have something for you. Feel this.” He did. Then I said “…now take a deep breath.” He did. Then I said, “…now put this in your pocket.” He did. Then I said, “…now go” and I shooed him off.

He went back to his friends and they all went back to the field. Now I wouldn’t be surprised if he said to his friends “…do you know what that crazy lady did?” But do you know what? It broke his anger. Sometimes is only takes something simple to break the anger and head off an unfortunate situation.