My aunt works for the North Coventry Food Pantry (I have no idea if that's the correct title, but I'm fairly certain) and when I started looking for good volunteer opportunities for Bailey and me back in the fall she sent me a message letting me know that they could always use some help at the Food Pantry. As is always the case, life got busy and we never actually made it anywhere to volunteer. But then my aunt sent me a message a few days ago asking if we were still interested in helping...which, of course, we were!
So Sunday morning, Bailey and I {along with my sister and brother-in-law and their 2 kids, my mom, and both sets of aunts and uncles} volunteered setting up bags for Easter meals. On the drive over, I explained to Bailey that we were going to help do something for someone less fortunate. I told her that we'd be packing up meals for other mommies and daddies and little girls and boys who might not get to have an Easter dinner, otherwise. I'm not sure how much of what I said actually got through to her, but I tried to explain how lucky we are to be able to have meals and snacks and a roof over our heads, because lots of other people don't have those things. I'm hoping that the more we do things like this the more it will hit home for her.
Each bag included coffee and tea, pancake mix, syrup, macaroni and cheese, 2 different kinds of vegetables, and pineapples and, with all of us creating a giant assembly line, we got more than 90 bags put together in a little under an hour.
Bailey and her 2 cousins stood on milk crates and each of them helped get the bags packed and ready to go. And there was not a single complaint from either of them. In fact, I think they actually really enjoyed it.
Notice how blurry some of these photos turned out? We were moving! We had a good time, and we helped others in our own way. And I LOVE that this was something that even Bailey could take part in. For her part, she helped my uncle unpackage the cans of vegetables and set them out for us to place inside the bags. And, of course, she got to throw the empty boxes aside which was super fun for her.
If you're ever looking for a volunteer opportunity for you and/or your kids, consider volunteering at your local Food Pantry. Donate, too. Canned goods and non-perishables, diapers, formula, etc. They can use it all and it will go to a family who needs the help. Check out these birthday boxes that were put together by the local elementary school:
Each box contains everything you need to have a birthday party-- decorations, cake mix and frosting, etc.--and is labeled with age and gender {for example, the top box is for an 8 year old girl}. And look how cute the boxes are decorated! These were put together by elementary-aged children. Each child donated an item to the box, and then the class packaged them up, decorated them, and donated them. And another child who might otherwise not have one is going to enjoy an awesome birthday party. Now, that right there is help in action. Kudos to those kids and kudos to their teacher for doing such a wonderful thing for someone else.
It might seem selfish to say this {considering we were helping those less fortunate} but I had a really good time and would love to do it again. So, Aunt Kathy, if you're reading this let me know if/when you need more help!
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