06.Apr.2012 “What If I Don’t Have Time for Charity?”

So many have expressed their desire to help out in feeding the lonely, but the number one reason why they have not started is because they don’t have the time. Or so they claim.

Many of us do live busy lives, with many types of obligations tying up our schedules. It is understandable if you are unable to go downtown and help serve in a food kitchen, or help package food at a distribution center where food will be sorted and distributed to homeless shelters, or families living below the poverty line. There is no need to put added pressure on your busy life. However, it is possible to help out a bit without causing your to veer off.

Presented below is a list of ways you can help without diverging too much from your already hectic schedule”

1. Purchase extra groceries

Since it is likely that you go grocery shopping, why not pick up some extra food for those in need? All you need to do is buy nonperishable food items that you can donate to the local food bank.

2.  Donate Money

The only time donating money takes is the time you spend writing a check and dropping it off at the mailbox. While this is not as involved, donating money does help. Charities require money for overhead, such as money for leasing a building, or money spent on the gas for the delivery trucks.

3.  Spread the Word

Let others know about the worthy cause you feel needs to be paid attention to. This is as simple as discussing the charity amongst your co-workers, people you chat with online, or friends and family you know about. You would be surprised how word-of-mouth can spread like a wildfire.

The Children Are Our Future: Getting Kids to Help

What many soup kitchens and other charitable establishments are realizing is that there has been a steady increase regarding the involvement of kids helping out. This should surprise no one. What is going on in their private lives may clue social scientists as to why children are getting involved with community programs. The youth of today are realizing how their parents are 1 or a couple of paychecks away from the living conditions faced by the homeless. Because the threat of being homeless hits so close to home, there has been an outreach by kids to show their community that they not only care about social problems, but also have empathy for those facing those conditions.

Children tend to get a bad reputation for being selfish. However, there are plenty who break that mold and are forging a new reputation for the younger generation—that community outreach, like helping to feed and shelter the homeless is good for the soul. How do these kids get started? The answer varies. Some are doing this because their parents are already involved. These kids tend to start community outreach earlier than most. Their involvement may begin at home, if the duty is to help their parents mail out some letters, so they may assist by stuffing envelopes. Others typically begin at school. Schools are known from helping out the community that they are in and those communities they are surrounded by. So kids may be part of a fundraiser. Or, as a school trip, they may go to a soup kitchen, or perhaps help to clean up a local creek.

It might seem like it’s difficult to get today’s youth to help feed the homeless. It’s not a glamorous position. But we feel that kids have a higher self-esteem when they lend a hand to help others. If you know a kid who is just lounging around the house, and not doing anything important to help their standing, it is advisable to teach them about helping out those less fortunate. Who knows, they may want to do it on their own eventually.

15.Mar.2012 Homelessness is Growing, and So Are Our Kitchens

With the threat of the recession still looming over our heads, homelessness has become a big issue. More people are living on the streets than before. It is with this in mind that we realize that the kitchens we relied on before to feed the homeless was not going to cut it. We have decided to expand our use of kitchens to provide an increased number of foods to serve those who are hungry. Not all foods require a large amount of space to prepare the dishes, but we have seen a spike in the number of chefs who are devoting their time and talents. Because of this, we realized we needed the additional space.

We appreciate the chefs who are helping to feed our nation’s homeless with their self-less devotion of time of energy. We have been impressed with the skills and backgrounds of the chefs who have volunteered. Many of these chefs have graduated from the top of their class in culinary schools.