When somebody asks for help, I like to have something to offer. I don’t carry cash and since the majority of the people asking are on corners that I’m driving by… I don’t know them individually and don’t have time to stop and meet them. It makes me uncomfortable to hand cash out with zero control over how it’s used, though I don’t think it’s bad to do. Anyway, our family has been creating bags of useful things that we can keep in our car (and a few bus passes I keep in my wallet) that we can give away that are hopefully a blessing. They are given with love and appreciation for others as fellow citizens of this planet, and I hope that our respect is conveyed.
Over the years, what we put in the bags has changed, mostly based on how much $$ I could afford and how often I gave them away. Right now, I’m making bags that cost $20-$25 each to prepare and they are the most expensive collections I’ve ever made since I often have the opportunity to hand them out. My backup plan is generally one-day passes to the bus system or $5 gift cards to Walmart. Those are nice, because they fit in my purse too.
I’m pretty pleased with these bags – both the type and quality of the items inside feel like I’m giving something more valuable than some other efforts in the past.
Here’s my current list for a single bag. I make about 10 at a time to save with bulk purchases:
1 – Reusable grocery bag (something that looks/feels sturdy from the grocery store) – $1.50
3 – Bic Disposable razors – $1.20
1 – Batiste Dry Shampoo – $5 (Target and the Dollar Tree sometimes carry travel size!)
1 – Abundant Life New Testament – $2
1 – White crew socks – $.85
1 – $5 gift card for Walmart or Kroger or McDonald’s – $5
10+ – Menstrual pads – ideally overnight and thin… I’ll divide this up and put in a sandwich bag – $1.80
10 – Laundry pods – $1.20 (I will take out of large package and put into sandwich bags)
2 – Bags of nuts – $.65
3 – Packs of crackers – $.75
1 – Pack of Bandaids – $1 from Dollar Tree
1 – Toothbrush – $1 from Dollar Tree
1 – Antibiotic ointment – $1 from Dollar Tree
1 – Deodorant – $1 from Dollar Tree
1 – Water bottle – $.30 from local grocery bulk package
1 – Packet of printed info about local homeless missions from the local homeless ministry pages.
My wallet is empty too, so I’ll get a few more $5 gift cards or bus passes to carry for when I’m not in my car. Toothpaste is also a good idea. Probably, there are many more good ideas. I’d welcome hearing from you. Sunscreen during the summer and blankets during the winter…. though those are bulky, sometimes there are lightweight, but warm small blankets for under $5 when they’re on sale around Christmas. Protein bars and ziploc bags and shaving cream and cleaning wipes are good.
If you have ideas or recommendations, let me know! I want to make my dollar stretch as far as it can, getting things people actually want.