Teach Children Generosity With Printable Lenten Almsgiving Lessons

Catholics, Orthodox and some other Christian denominations entered the penitential season of Lent on Ash Wednesday. From now till Easter, we practice Lenten virtues of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. We give up things in imitation of Jesus's temptation in the desert. We pray to draw closer to God. And we share with those in need. Here are 40 ways kids can give, one for each day of lent. Teach Children Generosity With Lenten Almsgiving Activities, Donations

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

Bible Almsgiving Activity for Lent

In the gospel, Jesus tells a story about a man who gave each of his servants a certain number of talents (money in those days). Catholic teachers, parents, homeschool families--use this parable in your lent devotions with an easy almsgiving activity. Here's the conclusion of the parable plus lesson plans to accompany.

In the Bible story, the master instructed his servants to find ways to make the investments he gave them grow. He wanted to see how his servants would use the money. He gave out sums of 10,000, 5,000 and 1,000 based upon his trust in each servant. The servants who were given the larger amounts each doubled theirs, but the third servant hid the money in the ground because he was angry with his master. The master was pleased with the first two and gave over to them all the money they had made. The master took the third servant's sum away and rebuked him for his vengeful spirit. The 1,000 was given to the other servants. Read  more Bible Almsgiving Activities for Lent

Free Printable Lenten Devotion Activities for Operation Rice Bowl

Catholic Relief Services is the single largest non-governmental relief agency in the world. Each year at Lent CRS initiates what is called 'Operation Rice Bowl'. Operation Rice Bowl is a program which focuses our attention on the cardinal aims of the Lenten season: prayer, fasting and alms-giving. Here are activities to use your Lenten Rice Bowl. Read more