ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Linda Pondexter-Gidron used to be able to park two cars in her garage. Now, it’s a bit too cluttered for that.
“I love toilet paper,” she said with a laugh. “Especially when it’s BOGO.”
Her garage is stuffed with dozens of rolls of toilet paper along with paper towels, soaps, shampoos, razors – basically any household item you’d deem essential.
“I feel good when I come out because I know I’ll have items to give to people when they need it,” she said. “The more I give, the more I receive.”
For two years, Linda has been clipping coupons and shopping for household items to give away. The mission was inspired by her brother.
Monroe and Linda were two of ten siblings in the family. He was 11 years older than Linda. Monore was diagnosed with COPD. It hinders a person’s ability to breathe.
“He could no longer work,” said Linda. “A proud man. I thought it would be good if I could help him with some of the household essentials and personal hygienes that he needed.
“He called it his mercy package every time he got one," Linda added.
Monroe died in March 2018 at the age of 65.
Linda found that she still had multiple items in her garage that she was never able to send to Monroe. Remembering the nickname her brother had given to Linda’s packages, she decided to find more people in need of a little help.
That meant a lot more coupon clipping.
“If you don’t give, you will not receive. God has just been blessing me.”
Linda visits CVS, Walgreens, Publix and other stores with a folder full of coupons. She likes to shop when nobody else is around. She’s been known to hit Dollar General with a stack of coupons at 4 a.m.
She does what she calls “homework” during the week. She clips coupons from the Sunday newspapers and Wednesday mailers and researches where the best deals can be found.
Then, she stocks up.
“It’s amazing to me what she can find and the amount of time she puts in,” said St. Anthony’s co-worker, Heather Rutkowski. “It’s her pride and joy.”
Neighbors often mistake her messy garage for a yard sale. Linda jokes that she needs a “She Shed”. She calls her husband her “warehouse manager”.
St. Anthony’s Hospital honored Linda with its Service Excellence Champion award last year for her efforts with the coupons.
“The volunteers take pride in bringing in their coupons for her,” said Rutkowski. “She has a huge heart and this is one way she’s able to express that to the community.”
All in memory of Monroe.
“He was a giving person. I know he’s just in Heaven overjoyed with the fact that I’m still giving on his behalf.”
Linda has given away over 50 Monroe Mercy Packages in the 10 months since her brother died. She says she has enough items in her garage to “easily” put together 100 more.
"It’s a purpose I didn’t think I’d have," she added.
If you or someone you know are in need of a Monroe Mercy Package, you’re encouraged to contact St. Anthony’s Hospital at (727) 825-1445, or (727) 420-9769.
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