Food insecurity is an overwhelming problem in our country. Whatever you can do to contribute to your local food cupboard will help the many families who have either lost jobs or lost their loved ones during Covid. So many children are going to be hungry. For those of you with little ones, do involve your kids in this gift of giving. This list below was an eye opener for me. (thanks Karen Floyd & Eric McCool).
Sharing wisdom from a food bank volunteer:
1. Everyone donates mac & cheese in the box. But it needs milk and butter which is hard to get from food banks.
2. Boxed milk is a treasure. Kids need it for cereal, of which they get a lot.
3. Everyone donates pasta sauce & spaghetti noodles.
4. Canned foods should have pop tops on them OR donate can openers.
5. Oil is a luxury needed for Rice- a-Roni- another popular donation item.
6. Spices, Salt & Pepper are a real gift.
7. Tea bags & Coffee are caring gifts.
8. Sugar and Flour are treats.
9. Important are fresh produce donated by farmers & grocery stores.
10. Seeds are great in the spring & summer because growing can be easy for some.
11. Rarely is there fresh meat.
12. Hamburger Helper goes nowhere without ground beef.
13. Tuna & Crackers make a good lunch.
14. They get lots of peanut butter & jelly but NEED sandwich bread.
15. Butter or margarine are good.
16. Eggs are a commodity!
17. Cake mix and Frosting makes it possible to make a child’s birthday cake.
18. Dishwashing detergent is very expensive & is always appreciated
19. Feminine Hygiene products are a luxury & women will cry over them
20. Everyone loves Stove Top Stuffing.
Bonus: CASH makes it possible for the Food Bank to buy what’s missing and buy in bulk.
Other ways to donate:
Chef Jose Andres runs a food charity called World Central Kitchen.
His WCK is working across America to safely distribute individually packaged, fresh meals in communities that need support. Visit wck.org to donate.
Not to praise myself, but I made a donation to our local food bank this morning. What I saw was shocking- in that the number of very expensive cars at the food bank was disheartening. Enough so that I will continue to shop for a bag of groceries each time I go food marketing.
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“I cannot do all the good that the world needs.
But the world needs all the good that I can do. ”
Mask up & stay safe,
Rose