Have you ever been discouraged from doing a good deed for a single person, because what can you do by yourself or what good does it do to help just one? I’ve certainly felt that way, until someone explained to me it was like ripples in a pond. It starts small, from one single event…then spreads out to be more and more, causing more changes in it’s wake. So with the project #GivingBackPacks, I want to be the difference for one child in my community.
This year, I was invited to participate in the #GivingBackPacks campaign where several sponsors sent a group of bloggers a new backpack, water bottles, snacks and a $25 gift card so that we could bless a child with school supplies.
Being a homeschool family, this turned into a family event, not just my own! LOL
I sat everyone down and we discussed a few things, like what school supplies they needed (or thought they did) this year, saving money when we shop for those items, and most importantly, what about the kids that don’t have them when school starts next week?
The last one was definitely the biggest point, and I was so very thankful that my kids have such caring hearts. After I explained the premise of stuffing the backpack with as many supplies for school that we could manage/afford, that we would donate it to the local crisis shelter.
My family is familiar with the local shelter as we’ve donated there in the past; not just money but clothes, blankets and gifts at various times of the year.
And so we headed to our local store to check out the deals, since back to school shopping is in full swing!
We already had the backpack so that helped us concentrate our money on supplies. We decided to focus on a middle/high school age child’s needs and used a local school’s supply list as a guide. We talked about shopping for brand name items versus generic ones, items with characters and those without, and how buying a pack of the same 10 pens was cheaper than a 3 pack with black, red and blue pens.
This was a great chance for the kids to learn about a bargain and how to stretch a buck!
We headed home with our bounty and set it up to see just how much of a difference we would be able to make. The kids were as surprised as I was at just how much we were able to put together, even if for just one child…and I hope others will do the same thing in our communities!
Obviously we weren’t able to see the student that received our backpack, but we talked about it and how my kids said they thought they would react if it happened to them. And we discussed the ripple effect and how if every family participated in #GivingBackPacks, how much of a difference that could be.
I want to give a huge THANK YOU!! to our sponsors for this project!
- Fiji Water – Refreshing water straight from Fiji (no joke) that fits nicely in those side pockets of the backpacks or in a lunch box. It’s a great way to keep from guzzling down soda or too much coffee at soccer games and family events.
- Wonderful Almonds – Almonds make for a delicious and healthy snack option. Plus they are full of Vitamin E and fiber! The new packaging lets you simply tear off a corner and enjoy on the go!
- Wonderful Pistachios – These now come in flavors like Roasted & Salted, Sweet Chili and Salt & Pepper! These are always fun for the kids because they can crack the shells themselves and I know they are getting a decent snack.
Whether you fill a backpack to participate in the #GivingBackPacks challenge, donate a meal to a needy family, or just starting making a difference, be the difference for one child, one person, one family. And soon, you’ll start seeing the difference in the world around you.
Disclaimer: I was able to participate in this project with the help of sponsorship from Fiji Water, Wonderful Almonds and Wonderful Pistachios.
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