Our resolve to actually put something on the calendar is paying off. Last week, amid gymnastics, piano, packing for a camping trip, and the first true homework assignments for Miss Second Grade, we completed a small, in-house service project last week. We assembled care kits for the homeless.
We actually encountered a few ladies who could have used a care kit last week on our way to a new park. When we saw them, our whole family shared the same sentiment: why don't we have those care packages on hand already.
During our regular grocery store visit, the kids and I grabbed the ingredients. We set aside an evening to assemble everything together.
Does your family want to assemble care kits for the homeless? Visit DGT’s project page to discover how!
The kids and I also printed out a little note, directing people to call the United Way 2-1-1, which refers people to various services that can help.
Our reflection conversation touched only briefly on how grateful we are for what we have. The kids were more interested in talking about the practical distribution of these kits.
When can we hand them out? Who can we hand them out to? What if we are feeling shy?
These were useful questions. The kids have a history of doling out whatever they have to give to the first person they meet. We decided, for a number of reasons, that these kits are only for adults to hand out. The kids are invited to keep an eye out for someone in need, but actual distribution is a parent job.
I'm hoping extended conversations about homelessness, prompted by the questions in the "reflection section" of this project, will happen more naturally after we hand out a few kits.
I'll let you know.
Have you done a similar project? Share your story or rate the project here.
assembly line