It takes a village...

For anyone that came by on Friday and did not get the notice that I put on Facebook that I had to leave town due to a family emergency, I apologize.  I didn't have access to a computer to update the blog while I was gone.  A HUGE thank you to everyone who helped make things happen last week.  It was a greater group effort than usual.  It really does take a village! 

This week we have several needs:

35 peanut butter (18 ounces)
41 ritz cracker sleeves
1 easy mac envelope
15 cans green beans
35 fruit cups
11 applesauce
36 apples

I am planning to look at the stuff that was donated for the birthday bags and reschedule the party with a list of what we will need for the year.

Hunger Action Month and a Birthday Party

September is Hunger Action Month?  Yea, I guess that means that we're supposed to raise awareness about hunger in America.  Some don't realize what a big problem it is here in our backyards.  Current statistics indicate that 1 in 5 kids in the US are living in homes that don't have enough food for everyone living there. It's such a contrast to hear that fact and contrast it with the fact that the US is one of the richest countries in the world.  Those two things don't make any sense together, do they? 

That is the entire reason that we do what we do at Bear Necessities!  Week after week, God calls our community to give as they feel called showing His love and provision to these kids and because of that, THEY DON'T GO HUNGRY.  praise God! 

One other thing you can do to help support Hunger Action Month is to wear orange.  Someone somewhere designated orange as the color for this cause and so our sweet little bear has changed this month and is sporting an orange shirt and an orange balloon to show his support for no child being hungry!





Our list this week isn't too huge so I'll update when everything comes in so that if you're wanting to buy, you can buy from the general list of items that we always need. 

This week we need:

47 cans tuna
15 ritz cracker sleeves
12 cans soup
37 apples

Finally, I wanted to invite you all to a birthday party.  Yes, Bear Necessities is officially TWO YEARS OLD and to celebrate, you are invited to help put together birthday bags for our kiddos!  We've already had two kids celebrate their birthday this school year and that means we will need 45 more bags.  So, here are the details:

Friday, September 13 at 10 a.m.
118 Wimbledon Ct.
O'Fallon, MO 63368

Each bag will need:
cake mix
icing
party plates
party napkins
Happy Birthday Card
school approved individually wrapped treats to share with classmates. 

CLARIFICATION:  NONE OF THE ABOVE ITEMS HAVE BEEN PURCHASED AND IF YOU ARE ABLE TO PURCHASE SOME AND BRING ON FRIDAY OR DROP OFF BEFORE, IT IS APPRECIATED.  WE DO NOT HAVE FUNDS CURRENTLY TO DO THIS MANY BIRTHDAY BAGS. 


Please let me know if you will be able to make it by commenting below.  I am planning to grab some bagels and coffee for us to enjoy as we stock the bags and fellowship.

They'll come in, mom...

On Wednesday morning I was walking my middle schooler to the bus stop because I am THAT mom.  She hasn't objected yet and I will continue to doing it as long as she will let me.  Anyway, we were talking about things that needed prayer and at that moment, when I mentioned that we were short 20 soups for Bear Necessities the following conversations occurred:

"Oh, they'll come in, Mom."

"I think so too but why do you think that?"

"Well, because God wants it to happen and he always brings whatever is needed for Bear Necessities because it's his.  Besides, week after week, there's always whatever we need."

Sigh.  She's getting it.  It (Bear Necessities) is His and that's why we can have faith that those last 20 soups will show up.  They did, by the way, and about 20 extra.  Whatever we need is always provided.


With the holiday weekend, it's going to be a little weird.  It always is on these weekends.  So, the following is what we need:

46 chili (at least 1 vegetarian please)
43 beefaroni
1 spaghetti-o
14 easy mac envelopes
42 cans peas

On another note, all of the volunteer slots have been filled.  If you are signed up but have not personally corresponded with me, please send me an email at dorinda_peyton@yahoo.com with your phone number in case I need to change something at the last minute.  I don't expect to have to do that but things do come up.  If you are signed up and need to make a change, please call or text 314-540-4718

If you signed up to deliver the bags to the school, please contact me even if you've helped before.  Our procedures for that have changed this year.

Have a blessed weekend!

Wow! What a week!

Wow.  What a week!  Actually, what a wild ride it is serving God in this community!  Just a week ago we learned that our numbers for this year were double what they have been in the past.  "Do you think you can do it?"  I was asked and after a deep breath responded, "This has always been God's.  He's provided every week before and there's no reason to believe He won't be able to do this!"  The motto for the week has pretty much been that if Jesus fed over 5,000 people with just five loaves and two fish, a mere 50 kids would be no trouble at all and it wasn't!

Bags will go home for 49 kids tomorrow and we have been served by familiar faces and some new faces this week.  It's so exciting to see people jumping in to do what they can do.  None of us can do everything but when we all put what we've got together, it's enough! 

Before I get into what we will need for next week, I am excited to share that we will be partnering with Operation Backpack during this school year to provide for our kids.  They are donating shelf stable milk and cereal for our kids each week!  With the increase in our numbers, this is absolutely an answer to our prayers!  We are so grateful to be able to work with them to make sure that Child hunger is not happening in our school.

Now, for what we need next week.  The deadline is WEDNESDAY. 

5 breakfast cereal bars
20 cans soup
10 ravioli
30 cans corn
10 raisins
47 applesauce
25 13 apples (or other firm produce that won't get smashed in a backpack)

At this moment there are only THREE spots left available for this semester for those who want to pack bags.  If you're hoping to do that with your family, now is the time to grab a spot!

We NEED you!

One of the great things about serving God is you never ever get bored!  This begins our third year serving the kids at John Weldon Elementary and we are so grateful that we are able to do this.  After a couple of years, a lot of bugs have been worked out of the process and by the end of last school year, operations were pretty smooth week after week.  We even served about the same number of kids both our first and second years but there's a quote I once heard:  "The only constant is change."  Well, that's true for us this year too!

We learned this week that our numbers for Bear Necessities have gone up this year quite a bit.  In fact, they have nearly doubled... yes, DOUBLED.  Currently, we have 44 students signed up to be served and expect a few more to come in over the next week or so.  The last two years we have served right around 25 most every week.  With the numbers where they are today, we are planning to serve 50 kids this next week.  It might sound like a dauntingly big number but one thing is for sure; God is BIGGER!

If you've served or donated in the past, we still need you so much!  If you have not served or donated in the past, we definitely need you now!  If you have been a little nervous to tell others about Bear Necessities and how they can help these kids, NOW is the time to do it!  God allows every one of us to work together to serve others just like Jesus did and that is what Bear Necessities has always been about!

So, without further delay, the following is what we need THIS WEEK:

19 14            7 peanut butter
14 6 ritz cracker sleeves
22 19          12 cans green beans
20 4 fruit cups
16 applesauce
2 individual snack sized bags of cheez its
44 35          7 apples

If next week comes and goes and there are not 50 kids signed up... if we land somewhere below that, we will adjust our numbers at that time but we want to be prepared for whatever number God brings to us.

The volunteer sign-up is also ready for you and can be accessed at the link below:

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

Volunteers are absolutely VITAL to this community so please, sign yourself and your kids up to come pack or deliver the bags! 

Remember that donations are brought to 118 Wimbledon Ct., O'Fallon, MO 63368 and left in the tub on the front porch. 

If you are new to this community or if you just have a question, please feel free to comment below and let us know. 

Back to School 2013!

Well, that went by quick!  Time seems to fly by no matter what season it is.  Each season is so much fun with kids.  This year begins our third year supporting and loving on the kids at John Weldon.  The volunteer schedule will be up within the next week so look for a post on that coming soon. 

While we haven't received exact numbers from the school on how many kids will be participating in Bear Necessities, we are expecting similar numbers to the last two years.  With that, the following is what we will need to get through the next couple of weeks:

62 individual cereal boxes
40 peanut butter (18 oz size please)
27 ritz cracker sleeves
66 easy mac envelopes
40 cans soup
40 green beans
40 corn
38 fruit cups
64 applesauce
35 raisins
17 bags cheez its (snack size)
20 pudding cups
80 apples

Please pass this list on to anyone you know that might have a heart for helping kids!  If anyone has any questions about the program, please comment and we'll get back to you ASAp!

This week's needs

Bear Necessities still needs by 7/15
:

7 cereal
2 soup
22 easy Mac envelopes
6 fruit cups
14 applesauce


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