• Home
  • About
  • Advertising/PR
  • Contact
  • Login
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

Meet Penny

Raising a family with sense on cents

  • Parenting
  • Finance
  • Generosity
  • Kids Activities
  • Work at Home

in Generosity

Serve One Another in Love: Homeless Blessing Bags

Share & Help Me Grow

When the holidays dawn on the horizon, my heart gets warm and toasty even as the temperature dips. It gets hard for me to concentrate on traditional school lessons because I want to be doing… something… anything… holiday-oriented.

So, over the next several weeks, I will be detailing our projects and lessons but they will not be our usual workbox lessons. Those can wait until after the New Year.

One of the topics that stays close to the surface of my brain during this season is all the ways God has blessed our family. As I meditate on His goodness, I want to share that with others. I also want our children to learn to be givers and doers, changers of their world. I want them to do as instructed in Galatians 5:13 and to “…serve one another in love.”

Our first project will be to make Homeless Blessing Bags. If you are unfamiliar with the concept, a gallon-sized, zip top bag is filled with personal toiletries and snacks. The bags can be distributed to a homeless community (with adult supervision, please), donated to a local food bank or homeless shelter, or given to the homeless people you pass on the street.

Here are some of the items that work well in a blessing bag:

  • granola bars
  • cereal bars
  • snack crackers/cheese
  • peanut butter
  • beef jerky
  • raisins
  • peanuts
  • applesauce cup
  • fruit cups
  • Capri suns/juice boxes
  • trail mix
  • gum
  • hard candy
  • mints
  • bottled water
  • hot cocoa mix
  • pop-top meat or sausages
  • hand sanitizer
  • baby wipes
  • toothbrush
  • toothpaste
  • wash cloth
  • hand towel
  • soap
  • comb
  • nail clippers
  • deodorant
  • socks
  • sun screen
  • foot powder
  • flip flops (depending on the region)
  • gloves (depending on the region)
  • chapstick
  • lotion
  • travel-sized tissues

We plan on giving most of our bags to the Community Missions ministry of our church but will keep some in the car. If we spot someone who might have a need, I plan to ask, “Excuse me, but do you know someone who might be able to use this?” It gives them the opportunity to decline or accept while giving me an escape hatch if I have made a mistake and the person is not homeless.

In some cases, a homeless person might ask you for something you that you do not want to give. In that case, you can politely reply, “I’m sorry but this is all I have to offer today.” Always be confident and firm.

Slightly off-topic: I never give money to someone oin the street. I might give them a gift card to a restaurant but I will not give them money.

I am trying to think up other projects for us to do in December so please share your ideas. Your comments make my day!

What service projects are you planning with your children?

You might want to see the update to this post, Giving to the Homeless.

Free Diligence Lesson

Subscribe and receive my free diligence lesson plan with printable wall pages by email.

Success! Your printable was delivered to your inbox. If you cannot find it, please search for my email address: [email protected]

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

Powered by ConvertKit

Filed Under: Generosity Tagged With: Christmas, Elementary, Gifts, Giving, Homeless Blessing Bags, Homeschool, Kindergarten, Seasonal, service projects, Social Studies, Thanksgiving

About Tabitha

Hi! I'm Tabitha! But, I bet you expected someone named "Penny." Long story made short, Penny is the coupon binder I started in 2010 when we were totally broke... as in BANKRUPT. Now, as a mom of five, I make 6-figures a year working at home and share ways to help you move from penny to profit while you raise a family with sense on cents.

« Gift Ideas for Your Little Learner ~ Ages Newborn to 24 Months
Ask Penny: How Do You Make Money from Your Blog? »

Comments

  1. Lydia, the 5th daughter :) says

    November 26, 2012 at 11:15 am

    Thank you for your idea! I have researched this with my mother today and am putting together a blessing bag or gift box to be ready the next time I see someone poor or needy. Also, I am doing a class presentation on this in my homeschool community tomorrow. I hope others will like this idea and do it, too.

    Reply
    • Penny says

      November 26, 2012 at 12:34 pm

      That is wonderful, Lydia! I pray that God would bless your box and any of those inspired by your story. 🙂

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Giving to the Homeless ~ Homeless Blessing Bags says:
    December 15, 2013 at 9:33 am

    […] You might want to see where this idea started, Serve One Another in Love. […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Subscribe for a Free gift


Sign up and receive my ebook, Advanced Penny Pinching, for free.

Recent Posts

  • Object Lesson: How to Explain God is Real
  • What to Do When the Days Are Evil
  • Ways to Recycle Mens Ties
  • Father’s Day Gift Ideas (that he will actually love)
  • Great High School Graduation Gift Ideas
  • LEGO Mother’s Day Card
  • Back to School
  • Homeschool
  • Homeschool Curriculum

Have you met Penny?

Hi! I'm Tabitha. Yes, I know that you expected someone named "Penny," but there is a bit of a story … [READ MORE]

As an Amazon Associate I make a small commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. You can read more about my affiliate relationships in my Disclosure Policy.
Advertising/PR | Privacy Policy | Disclosure | Terms | Affiliates | Contact

Copyright © 2022 · Market theme by Restored 316