What the Needy Really Need

In my own area, it seems as though every church, every scout troop, and every organization is begging for help, as the need this year is greater than it has ever been. I'm sure that you have been asked, more than once, to contribute to a food basket, and, like me, have every intention of picking up something for that purpose the very next time you go to the grocery store. And, if you are at all like me, you forget all about it until someone reminds you of the deadline. Then you grab a bag, run to the cupboard, and throw in a few cans of stuff that has been sitting there forever; the pickled beets no one in your family really likes anyway, the off-brand corn you bought because it was really, really cheap, but after the first can, you decided to go back to your regular brand because it was so much better; ah, there's some tomato sauce-you throw in several of them; and how about that can of corned beef-it cost a fortune, but you never got around to serving it because there wasn't quite enough to make a meal for the whole family.

You know how it goes. You keep looking at the bag, wondering if you have put enough in so that you won't be embarrassed to hand it over to the 12-year-old boy scout who is coming to collect it sometime in the next hour. Oops, better throw in a few cans of tomato soup-your kids don't really like it anyway.

Why not turn over a new leaf this year-even before January 1, the traditional day of new resolutions. Determine that your contributions, no matter how large or how small, will be quality contributions.

1. Get started today.

When you make your own grocery shopping list, add food basket items to the list. That way you won't forget and get caught unprepared for the ever increasing requests for help. After shopping, separate the food basket items and store them in a place of their own.

2. Buy Family Size Items Whenever Possible.

A family of 5 or more isn't likely to benefit much from a can of tomato soup, or a small can of Dinty Moore stew. Buy large containers that will feed a whole family. Peanut butter comes in huge jars, and is very nutritious. Soups can be found in large, family size cans. You may not be able to afford too many items if you go this route, but what you do buy will be more useful. Believe me when I say that the food bank will love you for it.

3. Buy Decent Food.

It's easy to grab 5 cans of something just because they are cheap, throw them in a donation bag, and think we have done our part. But stop and think. Is this something we would feed our own families? We can rationalize that if we were homeless or hungry, or both, we would be grateful for anything at all, but someday we just may be in that boat. If we were the recipients of a bunch of tacky sale food, how would we feel?

4. Include A Few Goodies

Nothing is more depressing to a really needy person than having no money for extras to brighten their seemingly hopeless life. Throw in some pudding mixes, a bag of candy, a few cans of olives, a jar of pickles, a can of Pringles (they are easier to store than bags of chips), etc. Try to imagine life without something to look forward to once in a while. Of course it can be done, and often is, but it sure isn't much fun.

Finally, don't stop as soon as the Christmas season ends. Get in the food basket habit all year long. One lady I read about said she buys one item for the needy for every ten items she puts in her shopping cart each time she goes to the store. What a great idea! And what better example could we use to teach our kids the importance of giving to others, especially since we ourselves, have already been blessed.