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Tag Archives: Charity

How to Make a Homeless Care Package (Free Printable Supplies List)

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One thing that you may not know about our family is that we are really passionate about caring for the homeless. Creating a homeless care package can be one fantastic way that your entire family can be involved in caring for the homeless. Today we want to provide a checklist of supplies for the homeless, a local resources sheet you can print out (if you are in our area), and some tips for involving the whole family in this project.

This month Walmart let me choose a project that I was passionate about for the holidays and showcase how families could recreate it in their own homes. As I always disclose, I am compensated for my writing, BUT instead of accepting the compensation, we invested what I would have earned along with the gift card budget Walmart gave me to give back to the homeless in our community. 

These homeless care packages can be prepared for your local homeless shelters or kept tucked away in the trunk of your car for those you may see on the street looking for your help. I love feeling armed in these situations and these kits are a simple way to show how much you care.

I wouldn’t be truthful if I didn’t tell you that my husband inspires me every day with his giving heart. Last winter, he was coming home late from work because he would see people in need and run to stores to get them supplies and gift cards.

That is his heart.

That is why I love him.

If there is one thing I firmly believe in, it is that giving should be a family affair. We have to lead our children by our example. I want my children to remember that what made our family special is that we always gave with our whole hearts.  

My kids assisted in every aspect of this project. My son came with me and did the number crunching on a good old-fashioned calculator, my daughter helped sort and organize all of the items we bought, and both kids helped fill the bags with all of the necessary items.

Here Are My 3 Essential Elements to a Great Homeless Care Package

Feed Their Needs- One of the greatest gifts you can give to someone who is homeless is personal hygiene items and food to nourish their bodies. Begin by picking up items that will satisfy this area in their life first. Simple items like shampoo, a razor, deodorant, a toothbrush, toothpaste, a comb, a bar of soap, and tissues are great items to keep on hand.

Food like granola bars, crackers with peanut butter, trail mixes, dried fruits, and a bottle of water are also great items to tuck into your bags. If you have the funds, small denominator gift cards (we did $5 Walmart gift cards) can also be great to give so that they can pick up a meal or item(s) they might need.

Provide Warmth- We live in Indiana and the winters here are brutal. I can’t imagine how cold it would be to stand on the streets without the proper items I need for warmth. Add items like thermal boot socks, gloves, scarves, and hats to your gift bags. Items like these may seem out of your financial reach, but I found all of these at the dollar store and the sets of gloves were a mere $.50 each.

Feed Their Souls- I am sure it goes without saying, but feeding someone’s soul is just as important as feeding their needs. You can feed their souls in a variety of ways depending on your families beliefs and resources. We created a local resources list (available for local residents to download) that they can tap into for further resources in our town. A note that lets them know that they are on your prayer list, a note of encouragement by your children, or a scripture that you find comforting can also be excellent additions.

God has been so good to us, but 10 years ago we were in a very different place than where we are now.  My husband was unemployed for almost an entire year, our financial situation was a house of cards, and my heart was in a bad place. Although I don’t like to admit it, I wondered what my purpose on this earth even was. I never have forgotten that dark place and it is why we still try to be so careful with the resources we have been given and why I have such a tender place in my heart for those who are struggling.

Being careful though doesn’t mean that you can’t be a giver. There are fantastic ways to give, both big and small, around the holidays. Be sure to check our list of ten painless ways to give back to charities to help you get started.  I call these smaller ways to give the, “scraps of life giving.”  I have talked a lot about that with my partnership with Pure Charity this month as well! 

One more thing, did you know today just so happens to be GIVING TUESDAY? It is the perfect day to start a giving project with your family! 

We want to help you give back to your community! Here are some resources to do just that!

Grab our Free Homeless Supply Checklist for your your care packages. Don’t just click on the picture, head to this link to grab a full-size PDF version!

Grab our Local Resources List for your care packages (if you don’t live in Michiana, you can use this as a template for your own sheet)!  Don’t just click on the picture, head to this link to grab a full-size PDF version!

 

How do you give back in your community? How do you teach your kids to be givers?

 

I am a part of the Walmart Moms program, and Walmart has provided me with compensation for these posts. For this project, all compensation was invested in aiding our area homeless.  My participation is voluntary and opinions are always my own.

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Walmart Toy Haul for the Homeless

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Once again, I just wanted to send out a gentle reminder of what a wonderful opportunity we have to give back to our communities right now! I was lucky enough to not only get to partner in the Fighting Hunger Together campaign with Walmart, but I also had the opportunity to share a little fun for the lives of those in need.

Walmart challenged me to take $100 and see how far I could stretch our dollars by shopping in their toy department to bless an organization in our community. We decided to continue our efforts of doing our best to bless the Elkhart Faith Mission and picked up some fantastic board games to benefit the Women & Children’s Shelter during this holiday season. Although we were only able to drop them off and not give them to the director in person, we know how much these small gestures mean to this shelter…and how much they mean to our own family to get to do them.

Thank you to Walmart for giving us the opportunity to give so much and being able to showcase how much we can do with $100 to bless the lives of children in our community!

I am a part of the Walmart Moms program, and Walmart has provided me with compensation for these posts. My participation is voluntary and opinions are always my own.

Family Holiday Activity: Fighting Hunger Together Today!

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In the busy chaos of trying to prepare for the holidays, it is often overlooked that so many people will not get the beauty of sitting around  a table and indulging in a Thanksgiving feast. In fact, 1 out of 6 people will not even know where their next meal will come from. It truly breaks my heart when I hear that so many are in need and I often feel helpless in how I can possibly help.  As someone who desires to live a frugal and simple life, I am always looking for those “scraps of life” ways that I can give back to others.  This is just another way that I want to share with you that you can give back to others, both simply and within your own budget.

You may not have noticed the food barrels at your local Walmart store as you are hurrying off to do your holiday shopping. Well, I am excited to share that Walmart is running a Fighting Hunger Together Campaign and providing barrels where you can make a food donation to help support food pantries that are desperately in need right now. These barrels are conveniently located near the entrance of the store (mine was located right outside of the grocery side of our local store) where you can drop off your donations as you are entering or leaving to do your shopping.

If you’re thinking about giving to a food drive, here are a few of the items currently needed:

  • Canned Meats (tuna, chicken, stews)
  • Peanut Butter & Jelly
  • Spaghetti Sauce & Noodles
  • Canned Beans (baked, garbanzo, kidney)
  • Canned Vegetables
  • Canned Fruits (in light syrup)
  • Juice Boxes (100% juice)
  • Cereals (boxed, oatmeal)

The food pantries can also use basic household items and toiletries, like toothpaste, toothbrushes, toilet paper, shampoo, deodorant and diapers (sizes larger than newborn). If you’re thinking about donating to a food drive, Walmart is conducting an in-store food drive through Monday (11/22), so please head out there this weekend and lend your support.

I encourage you to take a moment to visit the Fighting Hunger Together site and learn more about these efforts to feed the hungry. When you visit, be sure to “Like” your own community. Votes will be tallied to see where the donations will be going.

Below is a video of our family taking our own trip to do a donation. With just fifty dollars, we were able to donate 49 items for the cause. We gathered up many of the items for just a mere fifty cents or so each! The kids were thrilled to help and we were proud that we were able to contribute to such a worthwhile cause.

I am a part of the Walmart Moms program, and Walmart has provided me with compensation for these posts. My participation is voluntary and opinions are always my own.

Giving With the Scraps of Life: 10 Painless Ways to Give to Charities

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Do you ever feel like you don’t have the means to donate to make a difference in someone’s life? I often felt that the size of my wallet was a hurdle to the type of giving that I imagined that I could do in my adulthood. When financial times were particularly difficult for our family, I always envisioned the day that would come when I could give more to worthy organizations.

In the last few years though, I began to realize that there are so many more ways to give than I ever imagined possible. I refer to this giving in my house as my, “scraps of life giving.” There are so many things that I have within my possession and that I can do with the limited talents and budget that I possess that the possibilities for good old-fashioned giving are endless.

Today I wanted to share with you a few, “scraps of life giving,” opportunities that you just might not be aware exist! Within this list, I am confident you can find a few opportunities for giving a few scraps from your life to a worthy organization.

Clean Out Those Couch Cushions & Pockets- Do you have a spare change jar in your house that has been gathering dust? Rather than saving it for something for yourself, consider taking that donation to a worthy organization instead.  Ronald McDonald House Charities is just one great example of where your change could be put to good use.  While you are visiting the drive through for your next dollar soda (one of my own favorite inexpensive indulgences), consider dropping your change off in the boxes at your local McDonald’s and know that your change is being put to great use.

While that little bit of change may not seem to really make a big difference, the organization collected over $20 million dollars in spare change last year. That change goes to helping keep families together by providing shelter for them while their child is being cared for at a nearby hospital.  Just think of that impact you are making on a child and family’s life with that simple gesture of donating your change!

PS- RHMC’s Day of Change is happening on September 9th! Plan to take your change to your local McDonald’s & RSVP for the event here!

Call Up a Cell Phone Donation- The rapid rate that families go through cell phones these days is quite amazing!  With most cell phone plans now, the opportunities to upgrade come around every couple of years.  The dilemma of what to do with those old, outdated cell phones is no longer a problem now that organizations like  CellPhonesForSoldiers.com are around. Visit the website to find a place to drop off those gently used cell phones to the cause.

Cell Phones for Soldiers will recycle the cell phones, and use the proceeds to provide pre-paid calling cards and cell phones to troops serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. Just imagine that you can give a child or spouse the opportunity to hear from their loved one with something that was just taking up space in your house. How beautiful is that?

See Any Worthy Donations In Your House?- The cost for eyeglasses is astronomical when you don’t have an insurance plan that covers them. For lower income families, a pair of glasses can be the equivalent of a week’s salary or more, and is a cost that most just can’t afford. Consider taking your gently used glasses to a local Goodwill, Lion’s Club, or to LensCrafters and donating them to the worthy cause of helping those who need them.

Think of that child who is struggling in school because his family can’t afford a pair of glasses for him and think of that pair of glasses that are gathering dust in an old drawer in your house that could be benefiting him. It seems like a win-win situation to share the gift of sight with someone else.

Craft Your Way to Giving- Do you have the gift of crafting in your possession? You may not realize how valuable that talent is, but it can make the difference in the life of a child, a soldier, or someone who is undergoing treatment for an illness. A quick Google search of your craft skill and the word charity should pull up a number of worthy organization that you can give to.

I am a knitter and am currently working on knitting caps for a chemo drive through an organization. It is something that I can easily do while watching a little evening television with supplies that I already have on hand, but can make the difference in the life of a patient undergoing chemotherapy. I have found though that knitting has been a fantastic gift to share in so many ways and I always try to keep one charitable giving project on my needles at all times. Whether it is whipping up a cap for a chemo patient, donating a blanket to a project like Project Linus, or knitting a prayer shawl for someone who could benefit from this comfort, I am so proud I can use my talents for someone else.

Consider donating your crafting talents to a local homeless shelter, teaching a craft to underprivileged children, or just creating crafts in your spare time that could make someone’s day a tiny bit brighter. The possibilities with the gift of crafting truly are endless!

Whittle Down Your Shoe Collection Charitably- I will admit that I have a bit of a shoe purchasing habit and have developed quite a shoe collection over the years. The good news is that your old shoes do not need to go to waste because of a worthy organization called Soles4Souls.

Soles4Souls is a Nashville-based charity that collects shoes from the warehouses of footwear companies and the closets of people just like you. The charity distributes these shoes free of charge to people in need and has donated over 10 million pairs of new and gently worn shoes. These shoes have been distributed to people in over 125 countries, including Kenya, Thailand, Nepal and the United States.

In our town, the local New Balance offers a drop-off location for the organization which makes donating just as easy as all of the errand-running that you are already doing. Consider weeding through your shoe collections and giving to someone who doesn’t have the creature comfort of a good pair of shoes.

As you can see, the possibilities for giving are endless without really spending a dime. Of course, the best gift you could ever give to any organization is the gift of yourself. Read to a child, mentor a child, serve at your homeless shelter, visit a nursing home, or help at an animal rescue shelter… these are just to name a few!  For oodles of volunteer opportunities, please visit VolunteerMatch.org to find a worthy organization to donate your time and talent to.

Not enough giving opportunities  here? Here are 5 more easy giving ideas!

5 Surprising Things You Could Be Giving Today

  1. Soda Can Tabs- Collect these for a metal donation to Ronald McDonald House charities.
  2. Expired Coupons- Military families can use expired coupons for groceries.
  3. Books- Better World Books can take your old books, pay you, and the books that are sold create a donation to literacy programs.
  4. Old Cars- Goodwill will happily take your old clunker off of your hands.
  5. Diapers- Give your diapers to the diaper bank charity in your town to benefit needy families. If you are a Michiana resident, call 237-7888 and leave contact information to arrange for a donation drop off in our town.

What are your favorite scraps of life giving opportunities for your family? I would love to hear the giving opportunities that your family takes part in!

Giveaway Results: Glad to Give Virtual Bake Sale

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Sorry, this giveaway is now closed! We would like to congratulate Geetha, from like i got one day left to live, on winning this prize pack. Thank you all so much for your participation in the Glad to Give bake sale!

Welcome to our virtual bake sale for Glad to Give, helping them raise funds and awareness around pediatric cancer. We promised great prizes and a fun new recipe to add to your collection and we are excited to do just that today!

I am one of those strange people that is not overly tempted by sweet things. I think I must be missing a sweet tooth gene or something. Whatever I lack in sweetness, I make up for in savory and salty dishes. That is why I wanted to offer a fun treat that would be perfect for parents perusing the bake sale aisles with hungry children or for those looking for a more satisfying snack that will fill them up.

Granola with almonds and dried fruits could be an expensive endeavor for a bake sale which is why I wanted to share our new favorite granola recipe, Honey Nut Granola. It is satisfyingly crunchy with sweetness from the honey and brown sugar, but a delicious salty bit with the peanuts and salt mixed in. In my opinion, it is the perfect balance!

Of course packaging those treats is just as important as what is inside of them and I found these clear treat bags and the grosgrain ribbon at the craft store for packaging. Divide the treats into ½ cup packages and sell them for $1.00 a piece at your next bake sale. Display on pretty cake stands and cover your tablecloth in the same color scheme as your ribbon.

Honey Nut Granola (adapted from AllRecipes.com)

3 cups rolled oats (not the quick cooking variety)

1/2 cup chopped peanuts

1/4 cup wheat germ

1/3 cup honey

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup canola oil

2 tablespoons warm water

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet. In a large bowl, combine oats, peanuts, and wheat germ. In a separate bowl, combine honey, brown sugar, vegetable oil, water, salt, and vanilla. Stir well; then pour into the oat mixture, and stir. Spread out on a cookie sheet. Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and cool before serving.

Don’t forget to make an extra batch for yourself. If your family is anything like mine, they will be fighting over this stuff and it just might be a great new breakfast and snack tradition in your house.

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To participate in our Glad to Give Bake Sale, please share a bake sale recipe and  link up below (on your site or a favorite recipe from another site). We would love if you would also blog and about your participation in the Glad to Give campaign (but not mandatory). One lucky winner will win a goodie basket that contains an apron with matching pot holders, silicone reusable bake cups, measuring spoons, a wire whisk, cupcake sprinkles, a new egg timer and, “The Best Bake Sale Ever Cookbook.” ($50 value). I am accepting entries until 8PM tonight. Good luck!

I thank each of you for your participation in this bake sale and we are so proud to be a part of an initiative towards pediatric cancer research. We don’t just talk the talk though, we have put $400 towards the campaign efforts because we are believers in Glad to Give and the work that can happen if funds are given.

I can’t wait to see what you come up with in your kitchens! Happy Baking!

Disclaimer: I was paid for this campaign and invested every dollar back into it to spread the word about pediatric cancer. It is far better to give than to receive. I hope you will consider doing the same!

Reminder: Glad to Give Bake Sale on Friday

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Friday is our big bake sale day and I have been hard at work in my kitchen to share a fun, healthy, and easy recipe that could be shared at your next bake sale. Bake sale goodies are a specialty in our kitchen and for a moment’s worth of effort; you can produce dozens of goodies and treats for fundraising efforts.

This is a very special bake sale though because we are raising funds for the Glad to Give organization to help pediatric cancer research. Every single day, 36 children are diagnosed with cancer.  Sadly, one in every five children diagnosed dies. How heartbreaking for the parents of these children and for the children that are suffering, especially if more money could just be allocated to the cause to further cancer research. That is where our virtual bake sale comes in.

I am hosting a little bake sale tour and I am excited to show you what one winner (drawn randomly) will receive for participating. This goodie basket contains an apron with matching pot holders, silicone reusable bake cups, measuring spoons, a wire whisk, cupcake sprinkles, a new egg timer and, “The Best Bake Sale Ever Cookbook.”

I hope that you will consider participating and sharing a favorite baking recipe in honor of this campaign. It would mean the world to me, but it would mean a world more to the families of these children! Start gathering those recipes and think of the ways that you could help with my virtual bake sale. I can’t do it without you!

Meet back here on Friday morning to join in the fun and help raise awareness about the Glad to Give Campaign.

Disclaimer: I was paid for this campaign and invested every dollar back into it to spread the word about pediatric cancer. It is far better to give than to receive. I hope you will consider doing the same!

Because I Am Glad to Give & I Want You To Give Too!

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When someone once asked me one word to describe myself, the word that came to mind was, “giver.” I love to give to others and thrive in any environment where I can share a piece of myself with someone else. There is nothing I love more than the giving of food, the giving of my time to make someone’s day easier, even being the giver of advice that might make a mom’s day run a little smoother. I am a giver because it comes naturally to me and that is why I am thrilled to share about a campaign that you can give back frugally and thoughtfully to families who are faced with a disease called pediatric cancer.

Did you know that the number one death disease of children living in the United States is pediatric cancer? Why is it the number one killer? Truthfully, it kills children daily because the funds are just not there to develop the research to find a cure for this disease.

I was asked to help spread the word about a campaign called, “Glad to Give,” that is sponsored by the GLAD company.  They believe that they can raise the funds for this research one cookie at a time. Yes, you heard that right! This campaign’s roots are firmly planted in that beautiful thing we love… bake sales!

As parents with busy schedules, I know that volunteering and baking might not be the top two things on your priority list. What if you knew that those two things could make a difference in a child’s life though? Glad to Give is offering up some fantastic ideas for how you can participate and how you can be a part of their partnership with Cookies for Kids’ Cancer.

Here are some easy and frugal things you can do to participate:

Buy GLAD® Products and Contribute to Pediatric Cancer Research: This spring, every time you purchase a  GLAD product (to help host a bake sale or for other use), the Glad Products Company will make a $1 donation to Cookies for Kids’ Cancer, up to $200,000! Just enter the UPC code here!

Enter the GLAD Recipe for Giving Contest: GLAD recognizes the time spent prepping, kneading and decorating bake sale treats is quality family time that instills a spirit of service in children. To help celebrate families in action, GLAD® is conducting the GLAD® Recipe for Giving Contest. Consumers can share their “recipe” – that is, tip or advice – on how their family gives back through food related activities. Four consumer winners will each win $1,000 toward a family activity of their choice and a chance to compete alongside a celebrity in the holiday GLAD® Recipe for Giving Celebrity Challenge. Come November, the two lucky consumers on the winning celebrity team raising the most money will each receive a “voluntourism” trip for four to St. Lucia.

Host a Bake Sale: I know that this might take a little work on your part, but imagine the lives that you could touch through the donations raised. GLAD will take you through the process in four easy steps that will have your raising funds in no time!

I am committed to this campaign and committed to spreading the word about how you can help. I want to kick off the GLAD to give campaign by donating $400 to jump start the cause and I need your participation!

I am going to be hosting a virtual bake sale on May 14th. I am asking you to participate here on the site and share your best bake sale recipes!  From those entries, I will randomly select a winner who will receive a box full of baking goodies (valued at $50, prepared by me!) just for sharing one of your bake sale recipes and sharing about your participation in Glad to Give! Doesn’t that sound lovely?

I hope that you will consider participating and sharing a favorite baking recipe in honor of this campaign. It would mean the world to me, but it would mean a world more to the families of these children! Start gathering those recipes and think of the ways that you could help with my virtual bake sale. I can’t do it without you!

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In honor of all things bake sale, here is a quick cookie recipe that can be made out of pantry ingredients and one ingredient that makes the whole thing go a little quicker… the ever amazing cake mix!

Cake Mix Peanut Butter Cookies

1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 tablespoons water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Pour the cake mix into a large bowl. Make a well in the center, and add peanut butter, oil, eggs, and water. Mix until well blended. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten slightly using a fork dipped in water. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Let cookies set on cookie sheet for 2 to 3 minutes before carefully removing from the cookie sheet to cool on wire racks. Amy’s Notes: Be sure to keep the cooking time to the ten to twelve minutes and don’t let the lighter color fool you. I had some burnt cookies in my first batch because I left them in the oven too long. Let them cool as instructed and then place them on a pretty plate for serving. Then you need to complete the most difficult step of all…Try to graciously accept the compliments without giving away your cooking secrets (which I never can do myself!).

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Disclaimer: I was paid for this campaign and invested every dollar back into it to spread the word about pediatric cancer. It is far better to give than to receive. I hope you will consider doing the same!

What is one way you donate your time or talents to charity? How do you make this a family priority?