Friday, July 26, 2013

Help Food Banks this Summer by Donating Kid Friendly Foods from Walmart #cbias

Social Fabric Disclosure Statement #shop
Since the beginning, it’s been my blogging mission to share stories of inspirational people, interesting products and worthy causes.We have always stressed to The Kids the importance of acceptance, compassion and empathy through charity.

House of Lazarus Foodbank

When I found out that I had the opportunity to purchase $40 in foodstuffs from Walmart and donate them to our local food bank “House of Lazarus” I was very proud.

Generosity begets Happiness.

I was also very sad because the numbers are staggering. In Canada, 882,000 people require the assistance of Food banks every month. Forty percent of those are children.

I really feel for the children because they are so vulnerable and they have little to no control over their situation. The big problem is that during the summer, these children are not receiving breakfast support from schools or leftovers from classmates.

With this in mind, I contacted the House of Lazarus to find out what items they needed to get through the summer. On my list; Canned Vegetables, Granola Bars, Toilet Paper, Peanut Butter, Cereal, Sugar and Large Cans of Soup.

House of Lazarus Garden #shop
 

Fortunately, at this time of year, fresh produce is bountiful. Not only because people like myself bring in excess from our gardens but also because the foodbank has their own garden run by dedicated volunteers.

Outside of Kemptville Walmart #shop
 

The Walmart in Kemptville is fairly new and I hadn’t had the chance to shop there before. When I walked in, I was greeted by tons of affordable summer seasonal items and tasty snacks.

Summer Seasonal Items at Walmart #shop

Note: Do not shop hungry.

Even though I wasn’t familiar with the store layout, there were people around that I could ask for direction and almost everything on my list such as Kraft peanut butter and granola bars had visible and easy to read signage.

Peanut Butter Aisle in Walmart #shop
 

For this shop, price was an issue, however, just as important were the ingredients, shelf life and health benefits.

I try to avoid canned items but I understand that they have a long shelf life. In turn, I chose the canned tomatoes that had “No Salt Added”. Purchasing peanut butter and tuna just made sense due to their versatility. They can be eaten for lunch, dinner and even snacks (on crackers). The bonus is that it’s a great source of protein and doesn’t require special storage requirements or a refrigerator or stove to prepare it.

Food Donated to House of Lazarus #shop
The End Result…

I was able to purchase everything on our list and some. In total, 21 items for $39.91!

If you think that you’ve heard us mention the House of Lazarus before that’s because they’re a part of our life. On a weekly basis we visit the thrift shop and are fortunate to call the employees our friends. We even helped them promote a holiday campaign that Kraft Foods sponsored which resulted in the food bank receiving over a thousand dollars!

You can check out more photos of my Walmart shopping trip in my Google+ Album.

Interested in helping out? Connect with the House of Lazarus via their Website or Facebook. Or, Find a Food Bank near you.

How Do You Make a Difference?

25 thoughts on “Help Food Banks this Summer by Donating Kid Friendly Foods from Walmart #cbias

  1. De Balino

    This is so wonderful to be involved with such a worthy cause! Those numbers break my heart. 40% children? 🙁 :(. The House of Lazarus is blessed to have you in affiliation. Amazing work!

    Reply
  2. Bonnie Way

    I love it when stores partner with local charities to help families in need in the community. Our local grocery stores also do this. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  3. Clare Korth

    Thank you so much Sarah. Teaching our kids about giving and helping them become grateful people will help make this a better world. Thank you also from the HOL for sharing this and the food donation. We always love to see your smiling face. Peace and Love my friend XOXO

    Reply
  4. Alaina Bullock

    That is wonderful! i love being able to help out when I can, it really makes a difference. I have donated a lot of food and household items as well as clothes and stuff to shelters and The Kings Ranch.

    Reply
  5. Paula Schuck

    That's great! I make a difference by helping our families parent special needs kids. I love helping others. It's my thing. It makes the world a better place. Great job.

    Reply
  6. Sandy A

    LOL…my golden rule “do not shop hungry”. So true! What a great shop you did, Sarah. Love this post. You managed to get a lot of food items to donate for just under $40. Goes to show you, it doesn’t take much to make a big difference to those less fortunate than ourselves.

    Reply
  7. Shayna Murray

    I’m also thrilled to have been part of this shop. I know that charity and giving is something that is important to both of us. It was also such a great teaching opportunity for our kids!

    Reply
  8. stacy scott

    Wow – this really spoke to me, I admire your Time and devotion to help others in need, This will be something I am wanting to look into around here to do. I am a mom to 10 Amazing Healthy children and I think I set the example to them now while they are young they may grow up and set out into their community to help others around them =) Thank you again for your beautiful message and heart
    Stacy =)

    Reply

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