Suggestions for Lenten Food Pantry Donations

Do you donate to food banks? It's a great form of lenten almsgiving for Catholic Christians. Food makes good zakat donations for Muslims, too. So what kind of things do you give? I have issues with some items our church food pantry requests: Hamburger Helper, Tuna Helper, boxed macaroni and cheese, boxed potatoes. I don't buy these products and I'm doing people a service not buying it for them. This "food" isn't food at all. It's full of fat and sodium and just convenience junk. If food is going to homeless people, I see why packaged is essential. They have no place to cook. But presumably the recipients of our food pantry do, ergo the Hamburger Helper request. Here's a list of better donations for food pantry donations this lent.   Do You Give to Food Pantries? What Food do You Donate?

Gift Suggestions for Children's Missions, Charities

During Lent, we Catholic practice charity, prayer, penance and fasting. Advent is a lesser penitential season and those same virtues are observed. Many of us give to children's charities, like Toys for Tots or Operation Christmas Child, or church giving trees.

It might seem obvious what gifts are best for kids. But I always remember the "The Waltons" Christmas special. The children received 'missionary barrel' gifts and Elizabeth got nothing but a broken doll. I cried my eyes out as she lovingly held that destroyed doll. I didn't understand why wealthy people would send a broken toy. But packing up gifts for a sister parish in Haiti, I found people still do that, alas. Some donated toys were damaged, others just weren't suitable.

We were pleased by the generosity, but disappointed by the lack of care some showed. We had to go out and buy gifts to supplement those that weren't usable. This gift list is written to clarify what children in overseas and domestic missions can use and what may not be appropriate. Top 10 Gift Ideas for Children's Missions and Charities