Ok, let’s be honest, how often do you really donate to your local food bank?

Maybe your local grocer makes donating really easy this time of year, asking if you’d like to add a few bucks on to your bill if you wish to help out. Awesomesauce!

Some even have a cart at their doors for you to add items to on your way out.

Good initiatives by any company, but I wager they are much too passive to meet the demands of your community.

Here’s the thing, food banks are usually most depleted in the months following December. It makes sense though, right? The holiday season ingrains the ideals of giving and helping others less fortunate but the reality is, we need to help our community out every month, not just the fancy festive ones.

So last night when I was packing up our monthly haul to take over, I stopped and thought-why haven’t I wrote about this? Why haven’t I spread this act of duplication that has huge potential to help others?

So hi! Here we are now! Little ol’ me sitting here sharing a monthly tradition that started with my kids a couple of years back.

It all started when the potatoes took over the garden one hot summer…

…and my oldest son and I were talking about all the potatoes and how much work ahead we’d have to process. This was all just before a three-week summer holiday. To say I wasn’t really ‘in the mood’ for it-UNDERSTATEMENT.

I’ll admit I was pretty ignorant to the fact that the summer months seem to be the leanest at a food bank, but when my son suggested we stop by one afternoon to see if they would accept fresh produce, I agreed but wasn’t so sure this was our answer because I HAD NEVER SEEN IT THERE.

Of course they accept fresh produce!

They were so happy to have a stash of this simple carb that everyone enjoys, and I was so excited to not have to peel, chop, flash cook and freeze these beauties while simultaneously trying to finish packing the seven of us (woof woof!) up for our yearly big trip.

So, what can you bring to a Food Bank?

Here are some things that most of us think to bring in that any food bank would gladly accept:

• dry goods like cereals, grains, pasta, nuts and beans

• canned goods like pasta sauce, meats, baby food

But, can I just pop in here to say one thing real quick…

how are we expecting those who rely on these services to overcome their unique hardships, when all they have to nourish themselves with are white, starchy, carbohydrate-laden foods?

If you don’t know what I’m getting at by this point, you should probably read this from the Dieticians of Canada. It’s an article outlining the role of nutrition in mental health promotion and prevention. Good, wholesome food is a right that everyone should have access to.

So what do I bring?

It depends on the season and the needs of each food bank. If you are ever wondering what is specifically needed, ASK! Call up your local community services branch and ask Ask ASK! They’ll be happy to tell you what they are short on.

For us, I always try and include the following essentials along with whatever else I bring:

• almond milk & cereal

• spaghetti noodles & sauce

• size 5 or 6 diapers & formula

• toothbrush/toothpaste combos

• tampons/pads

I like to make sure these items are in every donation for a few reasons.

First, the milk and cereal is something that can be kept on a shelf for a while without spoilage, and same goes for the spaghetti and sauce. These are two meals that are easy to prepare and have pretty decent nutritional value, but more importantly, can be prepared from a young cook. Many kids are left from after school until dinner time to entertain and feed themselves, these simple meals can be prepared safely by almost anyone.

Personal care items seem to be easily overlooked at food banks but are just as crucial. I usually bring in bigger sized diapers, rather than newborn or size 1/2 because those are what seems to be already on the shelves if any at all. Helping others preserve their dignity by providing these items is a no-brainer to me.

I encourage you to try to donate the best quality you can afford; for us, I try to make sure everything we bring is something we would eat at home. So all the food I donate is gluten-free and this is very much appreciated! People who rely on food banks have food allergies too!

I top up the rest of the care pack with various food preserves and the ongoing bounty from my seasonal garden. This is where the kids love to get involved, picking the produce, preparing it and packing the bags for transport. They also love picking extra of their favourite school snacks to add to the monthly basket. The kids do the whole drop and yes, it’s the cutest. My oldest, in true form, takes the lead introducing himself and us to the clerk that will help us unpack everything. He directs his brothers to what needs to be done and the whole event takes less than five minutes and means so much to so many.

So here’s what you’re going to do right now:

You’re going to pick a day this week, commit to it in your phone and drop off one single bag.

A few things, really.

Just to see what’s up in your area.

You’ll be shook, and will be heading right back within a week, so I encourage you to make that ‘drop off’ in your calendar a reoccurring event.

Then bring a friend with you next time, or your kids or your mom or whomever.

Educate others around you to your community needs and encourage others to give on the regular. Think of how big and powerful the simple act of dropping off a few meals once a week can be if you enlisted a few other friends to do the same.

with love, light and encouragement in you,

xx