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Feb 16, 2008

"Life is short and we have never too much time for gladdening the hearts of those who are travelling the dark journey with us. Oh be swift to love, make haste to be kind." --Henri-Frederic Amiel

For the Homeless From the Heart

For Toni Dukes, love isn't delivered with Hallmark cards or red roses. It's given in a Ziploc bag stuffed with a hat, gloves and a packet of Kleenex, and the words "From the Heart" written in black marker on the outside. The 39-year-old single mom works the swing shift as a 911 dispatcher. But Dukes hasn't been able to call it a day after her high-stress shifts. On her route to work she couldn't help but notice the homeless people and others down on their luck who were huddling outside in the cold. So, using her own pocket money, she began venturing into the rough neighborhood on foot a few times a month to hand out the packets and to chat with people on the street -- many of whom seemed more grateful for the conversation than the hats and gloves.