December Needs

It's hard to believe that this is the last post with needs there will be for 2015 but the time has come! 

There are three weeks, okay, two and a half weeks of school left for this year and this is what is needed to make sure that the local kids we serve have food every weekend:

60 breakfast bar
6 ravioli
10 family size macaroni and cheese
30 corn
30 oatmeal envelopes
30 chili
30 beefaroni
30 juice boxes
60 applesauce
20 individual bags of cheez its
25 tuna
17 ritz cracker sleeves
44 easy mac envelopes
30 fruit cups
30 pudding cups

Each week we serve 30 kids.  We provide breakfast, lunch, a vegetable, milk and two snacks for the weekend.  We do this because it's hard to behave when you're hungry.  We do this because it's hard to learn when you're hungry.  We do this because no child should be hungry, especially in a world where we have so much excess. 

December is hard and it's busy.  Our kids' Christmas lists are long and sometimes daunting but remember, no one needs to buy the whole list, every small bag with 5-10 cans adds up to enough EVERY. SINGLE. WEEK.  Our Gracious God has provided enough for us all if only those of us who have more than enough share with those who are in need.  As we celebrate God's sacrifice to us in sending his Son to earth, let us remember to show love to those around us because He first loved us!

This week's needs

Bear Necessities needs the following items this week:

17 peanut butter
28 ritz cracker sleeves
27 easy mac envelopes
27 green beans
8 fruit cups
28 applesauce

If you are able to help with even just an item or two, it is greatly appreciated and if you know someone who might want to help, please pass this on!

Needs for 11/9-13

Thank you so much to everyone who helped this last week.  It always seems like the weeks leading up to the holidays have a higher number of cans needed than other weeks, so every can is appreciated! 

8 nutragrain bars
26 cans of tuna
6 easy mac envelopes
21 fruit cups
10 individually wrapped oreo snacks
64 individually wrapped rice crispy treats

Please remember that we set up on Wednesday and pack the bags on Thursday. 

This week's needs and five birthdays

Bear Necessities needs for this week:

11 oatmeal

30 cans of chilli

30 cans beefaroni

30 easy mac envelopes

24 cans peas

We also have five birthdays this month so we need five cake mixes and icing. With that we will also need about 100 rice crispy treats as well. 

Please share this with anyone that might be interested in helping. Every little bit counts!

Last week of October needs

This week Bear Necessities needs the following items:

30 cereal bars
10 easy mac envelopes

That's it! 

October Bear Necessities Needs

I hope everyone is enjoying the first few days of fall break.  I have seen some fun photos of beaches, Disney and a few mountains already.  I know that we were looking forward to this week to regroup and relax!

Not everyone is on vacation and some have already been getting a head start on Bear Necessities' October needs so we went down and got a count this morning of what we will need the week school is back in session.  Our numbers went down just a bit as one of our families moved from the district.  Please pray with us that they are blessed in their move and that if they're still in need of assistance, that God will connect them to how He would choose to provide for them.



Oct 19-23  |  SCHOOL BACK IN SESSION
12 peanut butter
14 jelly
17 easy mac envelopes
30 green beans
6 fruit cups
4 applesauce




And since some have asked to continue having future lists, here those are through Thanksgiving.

October 26-30
chili
beefaroni
easy mac envelopes
peas
juice box
applesauce
cheez it
nutragrain bars

November 2-6
nutragrain bars
ravioli
easy mac envelopes
corn
raisins
applesauce
peanut butter crackers
pudding

November 9-13
oatmeal
chili
beefaroni
easy mac envelopes
peas
juice box
applesauce
cheez its
nutragrain bars

November 16-20
breakfast bars
tuna
ritz crackers
soup
easy mac envelopes
corn
fruit cups
applesauce
peanut butter crackers
pudding

November 23-34
oatmeal
peanut butter
ritz crackers
easy mac envelopes
green beans
fruit cups
applesauce
cheez its
granola bars


November and the very beginning of December also has six birthdays in it.  That means that we need six cake mixes, six icings, six sets of party plates with napkins AND  165 treats that are approved individually wrapped snacks to share with classmates.  These are all usually place in a gift bag and we are needing a couple of those too. 

Thank you to everyone who helps make this ministry to our community work!  Each week we have different volunteers that age from preschool to adult, we have people praying, we have people donating and we couldn't accomplish this task without every single person!

Needs for September & October

A few people asked for a long term schedule and so you'll find it at the end of this post but this week we need:

UPDATE:  AS OF 9/28 WE ONLY NEED 10 CHILI FOR THIS WEEK. 

23 chili
32 beefaroni
4 easy mac envelopes
13 juicebox
10 nutragrain bars

Here's the next month of needs:

Sept 28-Oct 2
breakfast bars
tuna
ritz cracker sleeves
soup
easy mac envelopes
corn
fruit cup
applesauce
peanut butter crackers
pudding

Oct 5-9
oatmeal
peanut butter
ritz crackers
easy mac envelopes
green beans
fruit bups
applesauce
cheez its
nutragrain bars

Oct 19-23
soup
ravioli
easy mac envelopes
corn
raisins
applesauce
peanut butter crackers
pudding cups

October 26-30
chili
beefaroni
easy mac envelopes
peas
juice box
applesauce
cheez it
nutragrain bars

Weekly Update

We have just three weeks before fall break and, after this week, the shelves will be nearly bare.  This week we need:

14 corn
8 raisins
32 pudding cups

For those who view this list on Facebook, know that our FB posts have stopped reaching as many people.  My understanding is that FB blocks some posts in an attempt to encourage people to pay for more exposure.  Since it's our belief that any money should go to feeding the children, please share this blogpost and if you're on FB, please share posts there so that others can see it. 

Thanks so much!

Mid September Update

Bear Necessities will need several items for next week. The deadline for next week is Tuesday because there is no school on Friday. Here is the list of needs:

20 peanut butter

10 ritz cracker sleeves

29 easy mac envelopes

4 fruit cups

32 applesauce

12 granola bars

Each week, through Bear Necessities, God provides weekend meals for 32 local kids. If you are not able to donate, please pray and tell others who might want to be involved!

Update for last week of August

We currently have 27 students at two schools that we are serving.  We are so grateful that the Lord is allowing us to serve these students and their families! 

This week we will need a few donations to fill the bags:

27 oatmeal
23 cans of chili
27 individual bags of cheez its

Each year we help the elementary counselors so that they aren't having to purchase too much with their own money, though we all know that they just do it in other ares anyway but we get to take this burden from them.  They keep snacks in the office for kids who do not have one and are hungry.  So we also need a peanut free snack item donated as well.  This could be nutragrain bars, cheez its, popcorn or some other approved snack.  We also donate a bucket of bubble gum or several packages of gum.  If someone could drop those off as well, that would be wonderful!

2015-2016 School Year Restocking

It happens every single time.  Summer flies by and there just isn't enough time.  We blink and it's time to put away the swim trunks and go get school supplies.  Bear Necessities will, again, be serving students at John Weldon Elementary and Frances Howell Middle School.  It has been a privilege to see this community of people surround these schools and make sure that no child goes hungry any day of the week! 

Our actual numbers will come in within the first few weeks of school after applications to the program have gone home and been returned.  In the mean time we are preparing the pantry and creating our online sign ups.  Inventory has been taken and we see that there will be some immediate food needs in order to fulfill our commitment to the kids.  The following items need to be restocked:

oatmeal*
ritz crackers*
easy mac envelopes*
fruit cups*
applesauce*
nutragrain bars*
raisins
chili
beefaroni
tuna

*item is sent home multiple weekends per month

As you are preparing for the school year, please remember to pick up a few items from the list! 

Thank you so much to everyone who contributes, whether it be through prayer or food donation!

Last week of school needs

This is the last post until summer.  Since next week is the last week of school, packing will happen on Monday and so we need everything THIS WEEKEND:

6 sleeves of ritz crackers
25 fruit cups
26 applesauce cups

If you can pick up just a couple of things, it all adds up and is so appreciated!

Thanks!

What we need

Just 25 days of school left… wait a minute.  Maybe you didn't grasp the fullness of that…

JUST 25 DAYS OF SCHOOL LEFT!!!!

Maybe it's the kid in me but I totally love summer break, which is weird because I'm totally a lover of routine but I'm a bigger lover of more time with my kids!

We have recently had a large donation from the great people at the Elk's Lodge and that has supplied us with most everything we have needed the last couple of months.  This week was going to be the first week with several items to list but then this crazy thing happened… a faithful donor and volunteer asked what we will need next week.  That isn't so crazy.  She does that a lot and will let me know what item she plans to purchase and then I don't include that item on the online listing.  Here's the crazy thing:  this week she didn't buy just one thing on the list, she bought everything on our list!  Did you get that?  SHE BOUGHT EVERYTHING ON THE LIST!

The faith and faithfulness of some of the members of this community blows me away and challenges me to be more bold in my own faith.  It's really amazing to see some community members sacrificing so that no kid is hungry!

So, since there are no food needs this week, I would like to ask for something else.  Prayer.  Will you pray with me?  Here are the things I'm asking you to pray about:

• Please pray that God will heap blessings on those who sacrifice to give and serve through Bear Necessities.
• Please pray that the families who receive food will know that it is the Lord Jesus who supplies it for them.
• Please pray that those who have been wanting to give but are afraid or busy will not delay anymore.
• Please pray for the team of middle school girls who work every single week to set up will grow to love Jesus, know their identity in Him and be a light to all around them. 
• Please pray that God will be glorified through our program and the other Bear Necessities programs that have recently started at other schools.

I snuck that last thing in, didn't I?  If you're on Facebook you might have seen a post about this but maybe not.  A year and a half ago I met with two teachers from a different school and a mom.  The teachers were finished having hungry kids in their classrooms and ready to be a liaison between God, the community and the school.  The mom sends her kids to a private school but wanted to teach those private school kids about the needs in their own community.  I gave them everything I had.  None of it was ever mine.  From day one this has been God's idea and so I simply shared what had been given to me.  Recently they began Bear Necessities programs and I nearly jumped up off the couch when I saw that they'd not only started but were being so well received!  From the beginning God impressed upon me that He did, in fact, provide enough food for us all, that He desired to feed ALL the children and that if one would simply be a liaison in a community, NO CHILD SHOULD BE HUNGRY! Praise God for his continued provision for his children!

Last week before SPRING BREAK!!!

It might not seem like it with all that white stuff outside but this is the last week prior to spring break and so we have a larger amount of needs this week.  Please share this post wherever you can and help if you can.

32 peanut butter
1 ritz cracker sleeve
38 easy mac envelopes
12 green beans


There are also quite a few volunteer opportunities available:

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0f4aaeaa22a64-volunteer

100th day donations and weekly needs

A HUGE thank you to all the teachers at John Weldon who celebrated the 100th day of school by having kids bring in canned goods for Bear Necessities!!!  It's always so fun to see how proud the kids are of their accomplishment.

All of those cans are now on the shelf and we were able to determine what we need for this week:

23 tuna
20 easy mac envelopes
10 cans corn

Remember, even if you can only get a few cans of something, every little bit helps!  God uses us all together to get His work done in this community!

Inspiration and this week's needs

With the craziness of having a new baby around here I just got downstairs to see what was in a bag of food that was dropped of a few days ago.  The note included absolutely MADE MY DAY:

When God put the idea of Bear Necessities on my heart years ago, it was within the context of parents discipling their children to serve the Lord.  To learn of a family studying the book of James together and living it out is a reminder of God's heart for the family and renews my strength to direct my own crew to a life of service to Christ.  Thank you so much to this family for the inspiration they are!

James 1:22- Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.


Just a quick note of what's needed for this week:

17 cans chili
20 beefaroni
20 easy mac envelopes
12 peas
21 applesauce
32 individual size bags of cheez its

Thanks and what we need for this week

The last several weeks have been a whirlwind!  Chris and I spent 16 days away and brought home the most beautiful little one year old boy from China.  His name is Lucas Michael and we absolutely love him!  There were so many people who kept Bear Necessities going in our absence and we are so thankful for each of them!

Thank you to the generous donor (and his shopper) who provided all the food for six weeks so that didn't have to be done during that time.

Thank you to the volunteers who came and packed and delivered bags each week!

Thank you to my in-laws for being at our home so that volunteers could easily access the food pantry!

Thank you to the team of 7th grade girls who helped with food set up each week!

Thank you to our amazing daughter who has taken on the role of food set up and managed the volunteers each week!

This coming week is the first week that we don't have everything we need and Madeline and her team got a count yesterday for us.  We need:

12 cans of soup
20 cans of ravioli
32 sleeves of ritz crackers

If you are able to drop off a few or several items, it is always appreciated!  Getting good nutritious food to our kiddos is one of the most important things we can do as a community to give them the best possible chance at success!

January 2015

UPDATE:  Amazingly, a very generous donor has purchased all the food that we will need until the first week of February to ease the chaos while I am out of the country.  Volunteers have stepped forward to fill the packing and delivering of bags while my daughter is managing things in my absence.  Thank you to everyone for the critical roles you play as we love our community in the name of Jesus!  


As many of you know, the Peyton family has been working to adopt a one year old boy from China.  We have recently been given permission to go to China to get him and bring him home to be his forever family!  We are so excited to meet our Lucas and, in planning to be away for 16 days, I am preparing for others to take on responsibilities with Bear Necessities.  I will, on Monday, post whether we have any food needs. A very generous donor has offered to buy a bulk of the food and possibly all of it.  Their shopping will take place this weekend and so, please check back on Monday.

Until then, I have updated the SignUp Genius so that you can sign up for dates for the upcoming second semester.

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0f4aaeaa22a64-volunteer

If you are someone who prays, I would also ask that you be in prayer for our family as we experience huge changes.  Our older children will remain home while my husband and I travel to China to get their baby brother.  They understand the necessity of this but it is still difficult to be apart… even if Meemaw and Papaw are here to spoil them the whole time! Please also pray for our new son as adoption is beautiful and painful.  He will be losing everything he's ever known in order to be a part of our family.  I can't imagine how scared he will be.  Finally, please pray for my and my husband's safety and health as we travel.

Many Blessings to you!

Dorinda