$10 off Thursday is TODAY

Who's ready for a four day weekend!?  Woot!  Woot!  This also means that next Thursday will seem to come much quicker so I wanted to get the list for next week up here because of that AND because 

TODAY IS $10 OFF THURSDAY AT SHOP 'N SAVE!

So, whether you need groceries yourself and can get an extra $10 to give to the kids of Bear Necessities or if you want to spend $40 on our kids and get a free $10, today is the day!

So, here's our list for this week:

2 Almond Butter or Soy Nut Butter
27 Peanut Butter
25 Ritz Cracker Sleeves
10 Easy Mac envelopes
23 cans green beans
28 fruit cups
26 applesauce
12 nutragrain bars

Have a great Labor Day weekend everyone!

NEEDS FOR TOMORROW

 we STILL need the following items by noon TOMORROW:

30 cereal bars

15 10 cans tuna

10 sleeves ritz crackers

23 cans soup

19 cans corn

2 cheese cracker (must be peanut free and not processed in plant with nuts)

22 pudding cups
classroom approved snack bags

Updated 11:33 a.m.

Are we doing better than other counties?

his week i read that child hunger is an issue in every single county in the US.      EVERY.SINGLE.COUNTY.       This made me wonder about my own county.  When we think about hunger... or at least when I do, I think that it's probably worse in the inner city areas and then again in the very rural areas but O'Fallon was just voted one of the top 100 best places to live in the whole country by Money Magazine, so surely it's not too bad here, right?

Well, further investigation shows that while we are slightly better off than the inner city of St. Louis, which has 24.4% of it's children in food insecure homes, and much better than some of Missouri's more rural counties like Reynolds County, which has 31.3% of it's children in food insecure homes, we still have a whopping 17.6% of Saint Charles County children living in food insecure homes.  Take a look at the map below:

You can check out the interactive map yourself at:  

http://feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/hunger-studies/map-the-meal-gap.aspx

This is just a great reminder why what we're doing at Bear Necessities is so important.  These kids who are going hungry don't live in some far off land (though it's just as important to care for those kids too!), these kids live right next door to some of us... but they don't HAVE to be hungry!  We can change that and we are!

This week we will, again, be serving about 30 kids and we need the following items:

30 cereal bars

30 cans tuna

10 sleeves ritz crackers

23 cans soup

19 cans corn

14 applesauce

2 cheese cracker (must be peanut free and not processed in plant with nuts)

22 pudding cups
classroom approved snack bags

Our teachers are also noticing that a lot of our BN kids are coming to school without a snack during the day.  Studies show (and we all know it's true) children who do not get enough nutritious food to eat have higher levels of behavioral, emotional and academic problems and that's just not okay.  So, with that, we've also added snacks to the list.... just a few extras that the teachers can keep in their rooms and share at their discretion. 

Finally, I'm in the middle of planning a VERY IMPORTANT birthday party.  This Sunday will mark Bear Necessities ONE YEAR BIRTHDAY!  WOO! HOO! August 26, 2011 was the very first day that we sent food home with kids and we have. not. stopped!  In the next few weeks I am planning to open my home for a dessert celebration but the details will have to follow at a later time, so be sure to check back!

Last but not least, thank you to all of our volunteers and donors this week!  Here are just a couple of generous people who help make this possible.  For the record, their beautiful baby sister helped pack bags too but right when we were taking the picture a bug flew by and well, the girl doesn't like bugs!  

Have a blessed week everyone!

Just One

an you imagine a world where every child has enough to eat... that when they walk into the house announcing that they're "starving" every. single. mom. can smile and know that her precious baby is just practicing his dramatics and chuckle to herself, as she reaches into her pantry to get him a snack.  

They might still get sick but they'd recover quicker... less of them needing to be hospitalized... less children would suffer from headaches, stomachaches, colds, ear infections and fatigue. 

Even when I limit my thoughts to just the hungry kids in our country, I can get overwhelmed... I mean, I'm just one mom... How can I make a difference in the 16.2 million kids in America that struggle with hunger?  And then I remember...

Start with just one.

That's exactly what we're doing here at Bear Necessities.  We focus on that one child who sits next to ours at lunch... that one child that plays with ours at recess.  When we remember that one child the most amazing thing happens... we move... we act... and we save more children!

Over the last year we have fed between 9-35 kids every. single. week.  We ARE making a difference in their lives and I'd dare to say in the lives of every one who helps.  I'm hoping in the next few weeks to come up with some stories to tell you JUST how we've made a difference.  

What I'm asking of you is, if Bear Necessities has made a difference to you, your child(ren), &/or your family as either a volunteer, donor or recipient, please send an email to dorinda_peyton@yahoo.com and let me know how.  If you'd prefer to be anonymous, feel free to mail it to: 

Dorinda Peyton

118 Wimbledon Ct.

O'Fallon, MO 63368

Some of our great volunteers

'Cause here's the deal, this one mom didn't do all of this... Nope!  Each and every child that has been fed this last year through Bear Necessities has been because of  YOU, the community, and how we work together to serve God and each other.  In fact, if I weren't here to do my part anymore, I am confident that one of you would take over... it would not end because now you know how it feels to make a difference!

 

Since our sign ups went home last week, we have quickly increased in number and we're definitely serving more than one student.  

The following list is what we will need by next Thursday at noon:

17 individual boxes of cereal

10 oatmeal envelopes

30 cans of chili

30 cans beefaroni

29 cans of peas

22 juice boxes

30 small bags of cheez its

16 nutragrain bars

Thanks to my hubby, we now have permanent shelving and can hold quite a bit more for our kids!

He gave justice and help to the poor and needy,
    and everything went well for him.
Isn’t that what it means to know me?  says the Lord.

Jeremiah 22:16

Needs for week of August 16

Well, week ONE is in the books!  I hope that everyone had a great first few days.  We are getting back into a routine over here and I, for one, couldn't be more excited about it! 

The forms for students to sign up to receive Bear Necessities will go home either today or Monday.  Either way, I'm expecting our numbers to go up next week.  With that, I'm just going to post the items on next week's menu because I don't know for sure how many of each we'll need.  I can tell you that we never went above 33 students last year. 

We also have some school supply needs that need to be filled ASAP!  We have a few students who have been unable to afford what they need to be successful at school this year.  Having been a teacher in the past, I know that our staff will be tempted to go out at purchase these items but I know that we can all pull together to keep the teachers from doing that.  If you are able, please get these items to me as soon as possible:   (UPDATED 8/11:  DONATED ITEMS HAVE LINE THROUGH THEM.  tHANK YOU TO THOSE ALREADY SHOPPING FOR OUR KIDS!!!)

1-3 subject notebook

1-orange folder
1- complete third grade supply list

2- complete fifth grade supply lists

Third Grade List

48 sharpened #2 pencils

Covered pencil sharpener

4 solid color spiral bound notebooks (red, blue, yellow, green)

2 composition notebooks

2 red pens

1 yellow highlighter

16 count box of crayons

1 large eraser

Washable markers

1 large heavy duty zipper pouch

2 large glue sticks

1 box colored pencils

5"-7" scissors

5 two-pocket, three-pronged solid color folders (red, blue, yellow, green, black)

1 personal favorite two-pocket folder

1 package dry erase markers

plastic magazine holder

1 3-ring binder (1-1 1/2 inch)

$5 party money

large box tissues

paper towels

Fifth Grade List

1 large heavy duty zipper pouch

2 packages wide-lined, loose-leaf white notebook paper

1 composition notebook

24 count crayons

3 boxes of #2 pencils

glue stick

scissors

1 box washable markers

3 different color 70-page spiral notebooks

3 folders with brads

3 dry erase markers

2 black sharpies

1 highlighter

1 three subject spiral notebook

calculator

zipper binder

4 folders with holes

$5 party money

Food Needs by NOON on August 16

breakfast bars

ravioli

easy mac envelopes

corn

raisins

applesauce

I know it's a lot of stuff but if we all pray and pull together, I know it will come in!  

First Week of School's Need List

Can you even believe that school starts tomorrow?!  This will be our second year at John Weldon and I'm so excited that we get to start serving our kids WEEK ONE! 

This week we need by THURSDAY:

1 oatmeal envelope
5 jelly
9 easy mac envelopes
5 cans green beans
2 cups applesauce

We also need TWO KINDERGARTEN MATS.  I have been unable to find them anywhere.  If you see two, please pick them up and call me.  314-540-4718

Next week our numbers are likely to go up since new enrollment forms will go out soon.  I'm excited to be serving with each of you in our community!

A HUGE THANK YOU to Dawn Turner for taking over everything for me at the drop of a hat last week when I had to unexpectedly leave town!