Give Generously

So, we got through the first week with abundance!  Yesterday we were headed out to run some errands and found this in the garage:

Isn't it just beautiful?!  All I could think of was the following verse:

Give generously to the poor, not grudgingly, for the LORD your God will bless you in everything you do. Deuteronomy 15:10

This week we will need the following items by the morning of Tuesday June 5 so that bags can be packed for Wednesday morning's delivery. 

18 cans chili

6 beefaroni

12 easy mac envelopes

17 cans peas

17 juice boxes

10 nutragrain bars/granola bars

18 apples

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Have a blessed week everyone!

God is so good...

Literally crying, if you are still wanting to donate to Bear Necessities this week, all we need are raisins and apples.

I totally expected everything to be last minute with the holiday weekend but God has provided more than we need of everything else! He is so good!

12 boxes of raisins 
13 apples

Please Don't Ignore This Post

Summer Time!  For so many reasons I am so excited that it's finally here!  I love having my kids home... even when they're yelling at each other and pulling hair!  Sometimes the school year gets so busy that we don't get to conquer or learn everything that I'd like so that little bit of extra time in the summer moths to teach them something new just gets me all excited.  We're still working on what all we want to do this summer but I know that before I blink my eyes, it will be time to go get school supplies again!  


As I mentioned previously, we are continuing to serve kids over the summer with Bear Necessities.  In talking with Mr. Marian, we have some families with VERY SEVERE needs and that just confirmed to me how important Bear Necessities is and how important it is that we continue serving over the summer!  So often I have to tell my children that we're having something they don't like for dinner, only to be met with the parade of complaints that follow.  I'll admit that my sympathy for pickyness is pretty slim.  Yet, I simply cannot imagine telling them that there is NOTHING for dinner at all.  While I'm all excited to teach my kids about gardening and getting to do do some extra scripture research this summer, others' kids are teaching themselves to not feel so hungry when the pantry is empty.  

Man!  I can hardly type that without tears in my eyes! 


Now, that we're all weepy, let's do what we can do to be productive and meet the urgent needs of our friends!


Deliveries over the summer will be WEDNESDAY MORNINGS.  

That means that food really needs to arrive by Monday.  This weekend is going to be particularly rough with the Monday holiday.  If you're reading this, please ACT on it.  I know that we have a LOT of usual donors out of town!  

Here's what we need:

2 individual boxes of cereal

18 cereal breakfast bars

18 cans of soup

17 cans ravioli

18 easy mac envelopes

18 cans corn

12 big boxes of raisins

14 applesauce

18 peanut butter crackers

13 apples

Deadline is Tuesday

Thank you to those that have already RSVP'd that you'll be at the Summer Celebration.  If you haven't yet, don't forget to email Dawn to let her know that you'll be joining us!  It will be fun to see who all is involved and give the kids some time to play together as well.  


This week is our last week of the school year but that doesn't mean that we're finished.  We will continue to provide food for the weekends over summer break.  So don't forget to check the blog during the summer months too!


Because the last day of school is Thursday this week AND the kids will have enough stuff the last day of school, we will pack bags on Tuesday this week and send them home on Wednesday.  That means that we need all the donations TWO DAYS EARLIER THAN USUAL this week.  Tuesday is our deadline this week.


What we need this week is:

16 individual boxes of cereal

16 peanut butter (18 oz)

23 jelly (no glass please)

24 sleeves Ritz crackers

24 easy mac envelopes

24 cans green beans

24 fruit cups

24 applesauce

As you can tell from this list, the food pantry (aka- my basement) is getting pretty bare... yet, each week God provides exactly what we need from the members of this community!  

And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. -Philippians 4:19

Party Time

CEL-E-BRATE GOOD TIMES... COME ON!

You are cordially invited to join us for a time of celebration and fellowship for the Bear Necessities community.  Whether you donate food, pack bags, deliver bags, pray, or spread the word about our need, you are welcome to join us as we celebrate all that we have accomplished this school year. 

Hope to see everyone there!

Hope

I heard a quote recently that said:



"Our nation should be able to feed our children and if we can't do that, there's not a lot of hope for anything else we hope to do as a people."



Admittedly, I have no idea where I heard that statement.  It might have been in the movie I referenced here.  If not, then I really don't know but it struck me enough that I wrote it down on a piece of paper on my desk.  The fact that I came across it today is nothing short of a miracle.  Those that have seen my desk know exactly what I mean.  (Seriously, it's a sad, unorganized nightmare to see.)


What I do know today is that... in this community... at John Weldon Elementary... our children have been fed and that gives me such hope!  Even more importantly, it gives those children hope... it gives their parents hope!  Week after week, we are not just delivering beefaroni, apples and granola bars, we are bringing HOPE!  Hope that others care... Hope that God sees them... Hope that one day will be better.  Each person that chooses to be a member of this community is an agent of hope!  What a beautiful thing it is!

As we press on, continuing to answer the call to bring hope, here are the items we need for this week:
 

18 individual boxes of cereal

24 cereal bars

24 cans of tuna

12 sleeves Ritz crackers

14 cans of soup

24 envelopes of easy mac

17 cans of corn

20 fruit cups

20 applesauce

8 peanut butter crackers

 
Thank you to each and every one of you!




And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.  --Romans 5:5

Hunger, Summer and this week

Just a few more weeks and it's officially summer!  I don't know about everyone else but my kids have already asked to break out their swimsuits and Gavin asks regularly "When does the pool open?"  Soon, Buddy, really soon!  


Hunger doesn't end just because summer comes though.  In fact, for many families summer is even more stressful.  During the school year some of the stress is relieved by the food program at school.  Lunches come free or at a reduced price for many... but not in the summer.  Because of this we will continue working to help our families throughout the summer.  

A few weeks ago a friend emailed me about watching this documentary and I highly recommend taking the time to watch it:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/hunger-hits-home/96181.html


Forms will be going home and any of our families that choose to participate in the summer program will be able to continue receiving food over the summer.  Our friends will not go hungry!

For this week, these are the items that we need to receive by Wednesday afternoon:

20 individual boxes of cereal

23 cans of chili

15 cans of beefaroni

13 envelopes of easy mac

6 cans of green beans

14 nutragrain bars

24 apples, oranges or pears

Have a blessed week everyone!