Each year the local high school National Honors society members, the Boys Scouts, and even your local letter carrier, go door to door and collect food for the local food pantry. I love the idea of communities coming together, one home at a time, to feed those in need and fill the bellies of their neighbors.
I'm grateful that at a moment's notice I can fill a couple of bags of non-perishable foods, as I always stock up on canned goods at either Costco or when the grocery store is having a sale.
You can help your local food pantry in four easy steps:
- Locate your community food pantry.
- Make a list of most needed items.
- Either clean out your pantry or pick up items the next time you are at the store. Give what you can afford. Even if it's one canned good, that item, compounded with the donations of others makes a big impact.
- Drop off the items!
I love this giving challenge because it's simple and doesn't take much time. Also, if you want to make a bigger impact, add a few items every time you go to the grocery store. Could you imagine the effect of making a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly donation to our food pantry would have on our communities? ‘
What items will you donate?
Happy Giving,
Stephanie
P.S. If you choose to donate foods from your pantry, please don't donate expired food. I know this seems like common sense, but every time I volunteer at a food drive or pantry, I'm amazed at how many people donate expired food.
Day 13 Giving Challenge: Donate nonperishable items to your local food pantry.
Did you know... 15 million households in the United States suffer from food insecurity, which means the people who live in these households are often hungry.
Chat with your Children: There may be children in your child's classroom that doesn't have enough food. Chat with your child on how you can feed children in need in their school. Maybe it's paying for a child's lunch, adding extra snacks to their book bag, or even sharing their lunch. The children who often go hungry, may also be the children who need a friend to sit with at lunch. If your child sees another child sitting alone, teach them ways to befriend someone sitting alone at lunch, whether it's joining a lonely child, or asking them to sit at their table. These acts of kindness can change the course of a child's life.
Bonus Story: Giving Gal is doing her part to feed the hungry. We partner with Rice Bowls, to feed children in orphanages. For every copy of The Giving Challenge sold, we donate three meals to a child in need. In two years, with a generous corporate match, we've provided over 24,000 meals to children in need. I've started handing out rice bowls at my speaking engagements, so the audience can get involved in giving their change. Want a rice bowl? You can order one here.