Thanksgiving Blessings and THIS week

In just over four weeks we will celebrate Thanksgiving.  I can never decide which is my favorite part of the meal.  Is it the stuffing? No!  It's the green bean casserole!  But then I see the pumpkin pie...  I doubt I'll ever be able to decide and so every year I just eat.it.all and then sit with my belly aching from being so stuffed!  I hope that is how Thanksgiving is for you this year.  I wish that's how it was for everyone... but I know it is not.  With food costs higher than last year and nearly 13% of suburban homes being food insecure, it's highly unlikely that everyone will sit back on Thanksgiving night groaning from too much food. 

Last year we were able to provide all the fixings for a yummy Thanksgiving dinner for all the families we served.  This year we are currently serving 18 families at John Weldon.  It's a few more than we were at this time last year but I know that if we all pull together, we can help these families enjoy the holiday and know that they are loved by God and their community.  If you can and feel called to help, please read last year's blog post on how it will work.  Donations will work just like we did last year. 

The deadline for donations this year will be November 16. 

Now, for this week, we need the following items to fill our bags this week:

12 individual cereal boxes
26 cereal bars
24 soup
6 ravioli
23 easy mac envelopes
26 corn
2 raisins
11 applesauce
5 peanut butter crackers
26 pudding cups

Donation Needs by 10/18

I hope that everyone had a great time of fall break.  We had a great time but I am definitely ready to get back into the routine because all that fun wiped me out!  

Here's a list of what we need for this week:

22 individual boxes of cereal
21 peanut butter
2 soy nut OR almond butter
25 jelly
18 sleeves ritz crackers
3 envelopes easy mac
26 green beans
21 fruit cups
24 applesauce

Let me also remind you that you can still sign up to pack &/or deliver bags:

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0F4AAEAA22A64-20122013

10/1 Update

Just a quick update on where we are on our bags that will go out tomorrow and Wednesday for our fall break... we still need the following:



40 individual cereal boxes
18 peanut butter
19 jelly
4 sleeves ritz crackers
16 soup
16 applesauce


Thank you to everyone!

Before Cycle Break Needs

There are soooo many things that I love about getting to be a part of Bear Necessities so today I made a favorites list.  

Top 5 Things I love about being a part of Bear Necessities

1.   No child at John Weldon Elementary has to be hungry
2.  Our kids feel celebrated and special on their birthday
3.  My children are learning to think bigger than themselves
4.  Parents teaching their children to serve by serving WITH them
5.  Every week God provides enough food... EVERY.SINGLE.WEEK

Thank you to the Machado family!

As we move closer to cycle break, we will be sending bags home twice next week so, here's our list of items we need by noon on MONDAY:

40 individual cereal boxes
9 oatmeal envelopes
20 peanut butter (18 oz)
26 jelly
21 ritz cracker sleeves
43 easy mac envelopes
18 cans soup
14 green beans
8 fruit cups
34 applesauce
11 granola bars

Hungry Kate: The Girl With A Belly Ache & This week's needs

 I came across this video by Feeding America and it was such a powerful reminder of why we do what we do!  Please watch this:

 Every single person who donates prayer, time and food for Bear Necessities is helping a "Kate" in our community!  Some weeks I feel like you all just have to get tired of the constant reminders that food is needed...  I mean, I know that I delete some of the emails I get from some places that just seem to NEVER.STOP.ASKING... 

but then I remember the "Kates" and how their little tummies are THEIR constant reminder that food is needed and if we don't make that extra trip to the grocery store... or sacrifice that cup of Starbucks... or cook at home one night instead of eating out... Kate won't get fed.  When I remember that this is about all of the "Kates" in the community... when I remember that "Kate" may sit next to my daughter or son at lunch... or play with them at recess... or even come over to my house at times for playdates... I KNOW that I have to keep sending the reminders! 

Here's our list for this week:

20 individual cereal boxes
28 cans tuna
16 ritz cracker sleeves
28 cans corn
21 fruit cups

‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ “Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? ‘And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? ‘When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ “The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’

Matthew 25:35-40

Donations and Birthdays

This week's list is pretty short but we are also needing some birthday supplies, so I'm posting those too. 

17 cans chili
15 cans beefaroni
18 cheez its

Birthday Supplies:
Cake Mix and Icing
Classroom Treats (boxes of oreos, rice krispy treats, skittles, etc.)
Birthday plates and napkins
Birthday Gift Bags

While supplying the weekly need for food for these kids is so critical, it is the huge smiles they have when they get their birthday bags that I just love to hear about!  Thanks for helping me make sure that every one of these kids feels special on their big day!

Donation List

Crazy busy here so just a quick list of what we need this Thursday:

23 10 individual boxes of cereal
5 breakfast bars
28 4 cans soup
25 cans ravioli
9 envelopes easy mac
25 14 cans corn
22 9 pudding cups

Updated 9/12

Thanks everyone for your commitment to our kids!

Don't forget to sign up to pack bags:

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0F4AAEAA22A64-20122013