Until Barbara Thomas met charity worker Monica Sanders at a US conference, walking up to a homeless person and having a chat was unthinkable.“At the conference, we had to do an activity so we chose to feed the homeless,” said Ms Thomas.“I saw that Monica was very powerful and very bold in going up to strangers in the park. I tagged along with her. She prayed with people and fed them. She loves people and would do whatever in her power to help them. She gave the very coat off her back to a homeless person.”Ms Thomas was so inspired that she decided she wanted to help people here.And so when Ms Sanders started a charity in North Carolina called A Lott of Sista Love (ALOSL), she decided to follow suit. She set up the ALOSL Bermuda Chapter two years ago; it was registered as a charity this year.The group has only about five members, but they do big acts of charity.They recently bought a Christmas tree and turkey for a children’s home and are trying to fulfill the children’s Christmas wishes. They are also trying to help at least five needy families over the holiday season.“It is hard enough being in a home for Christmas without your family, so we are trying to make the children happy and comfortable,” Ms Thomas said. “We are about showing love. I am looking for help with the gifts. If someone has a gift we would really appreciate it. I have one couple who decided to donate food vouchers so a family can go and shop and get their whole Christmas dinner.”One of ALOSL’s missions is to empower women so they reach their full potential. They have held a number of workshops to meet this aim. Topics have covered budgeting issues, marriage, physical abuse and presenting yourself for a job interview. ALOSL also operates a singles programme and a group for married women that meets once a month and discuss the joys and pitfalls of marriage.“We help wherever we can. Our main goal is to show people that we serve a great God. We are a Christian-based organisation although we are open to anyone. It is about loving others. This is the first charity I have been involved with. It is very rewarding. We had a back to school drive in September and supplied over 50 children with school supplies.”She has two grown children and three grandchildren. She remembers well how challenging it can be to raise a family and pay the mortgage.“When my children were smaller, raising a family and paying a mortgage was not easy. It is even harder now. The cost of education, the cost of supplying your children with clothing and shoes seems to have doubled. I had to expand the drive because the demand was so high. The Phoenix Store and Digicel helped me. That was good. It is a struggle being a parent, and even more being a single parent.”She said the organisation meets once every other month.For more information visit alottofsistalove.org/bermuda or e-mail aloslbermuda[AT]yahoo.com.