Helping Hungry Kids

Last night Belle started walking!! She took about 12 steps in a row, several different times! This is exactly the same age that her brother started walking too. We were visiting my Uncle Joel and there was a house full of people and three very large {and very loud} dogs so we didn’t capture a video. But, that is on my to-do list today or tomorrow {or whenever she decides she wants to walk again!}.

Back to what I was really intending to blog about today.

During the holiday season, I took part in several non-convetional celebrations—volunteering! Instead of a Christmas party, our Sunday school class volunteered together and we also celebrated Mom’s birthday doing the same! With these two groups, we went to Harvesters- Kansas City’s largest food bank. Our family also volunteered at a homeless shelter downtown!

The Sunday school party was first. When you sign up to volunteer {it’s way super easy!} you just sign up for a time slot. Then when you show up, you’re just assigned to do a job that needs to be done that day. Our task for the evening was to package the bags for the Back Snack program.

Basically, it’s a back pack of food given to low income elementary kids to supply them with food to last the weekend. These kids will get their breakfast and lunch at school during the week and often go hungry on the weekend. Isn’t that devastating?! We packed food in plastic bags that will be placed inside the backpack the kids will receive. On Friday afternoon the teachers hand them to the students discretely so that other’s don’t have to know they are getting food and then the students return the backpack on Monday morning. All items can be opened by the kids and are safe to eat at room temperature: canned pasta, granola, cereal, shelf stable milk, easy mac, canned veggies among other things.

Assembly line: section 1—the packers. {who occasionally stop for a photo op}

Assembly line: section 2—the inspectors, making sure all items are included!

Assembly line: section 3—My work station! We were the sealers. I have a love/hate relationship with this appliance.

Assembly line: section 4—Boxing it up. The boys had to assemble the boxes and put five sack into each box.

On paper {online} this might seem kinda boring, but we all had a really fun time. In my opinion, I think the boys actually had too much fun of a time—they were rather rambunctious. In a little over an hour, we were able to pack, seal, and box up nearly two palates full of food for hungry kids in our area. How cool!

So, this was a little wordier than I had imagined and to prevent this from being the longest post ever—I will write about my other volunteer opportunities later this week!

In the meantime, check out Harvester’s volunteer page. Set up a time for you and some friends

What are ways you like to volunteer in your area?