Spring is in the air! Besides state festivals, gardening, and fresh flowers, what does that mean to you? Here at True Couponing, Spring is synonymous with bringing awareness to the importance of donating. Over the next few weeks you will notice a heart on our True Deal 
and Shopping Cart 
icons on our grocery lists. The hearts serve as a reminder that those items are at stock-up prices and suitable for donating.
Throughout the year we couponers work feverishly to build our coupon stash and anxiously await the upcoming sales for items that will make our family stockpile spectacular! If only I had some of THAT ~ (fill in the blank for whatever that item may be in your own pantry kingdom).
It’s ever sooooo easy to get on the emotional roller coaster of getting stuff just because it’s free or almost free. We’ve all been there at some time or other in our couponing life, buying things we really don’t use because it’s super cheap or free.
Good news! There is hope for those things that fill our shopping carts and our pantry shelves. Local food banks and food pantries are desperate this time of year. The holidays have passed and with that, the food bank shelves have been depleted. All too often, folks tend to focus on donating to food banks only during Christmas and Thanksgiving. The sad truth is, thousands of people in our own communities go hungry every night! Many people have to make the decision to buy medications or utilities versus buying food. A food bank participant made a profound statement: he said, “Don’t assume everyone is a beggar, sometimes people are just down on their luck and are courageous enough not to commit suicide but willing to fight even if it means hanging their head and standing in lines. I once worked for the State but developed a brain disorder; and medical bills almost took everything from me. Had it not been for the generosity of the food pantries and people willing to help I could very well be dead right now or have turned to crime. We take so much in life for granted never realizing it could all be gone tomorrow.” This is one testimony in a sea of thousands upon thousands. A recent national study reports that 45.6 million Americans received help from food banks in 2014. 45.6 MILLION! It’s not just an astounding number, it’s a call to action!
This is my family dropping off donations for Feed The Bay 2014:
America feeds the world – let’s set the trend by feeding our neighbors at home,
one coupon at a time.
As a dedicated community of couponers, we have the power to make a positive impact on hunger not only across Florida, but all across the nation with very little effort above what we are already doing. One thing we know for certain is; try as you might, you just cannot outgive God. It’s our motto! Luke 6:38 “Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
At True Couponing our mission is to lead in the example that Christ set for us by giving and sharing with others. Others could mean our extended families, neighbors, friends and very importantly, food banks! Stockpiling is not about hoarding. No! Stockpiling is about buying enough of what we need at its lowest price to get us through till the next sale, with some to donate. When is the right time to share? Always!
My family places an ongoing donation box in our dining room. As we unload the groceries from shopping, we put donation items in the box (or items that come out of our pantry to make space for the new stuff coming in). This box is a catchall for items intended for donation. When the box is near full we promptly deliver to a local food pantry. Ours is easy we have a “Blessing Barn” at our church. To find a food bank near you, check out Feeding America.
As you are building your normal shopping list for the week, look for those hearts on our Shopping Cart & True Deal images, signifying items suitable for donating. Now, like every Spring, we would love for you to take these few weeks and stock up, and then donate them to your own church’s food pantry, local shelter or food bank.
Here is a list of items that are great to donate: (Basically anything non-perishable or non-breakable is good, and they will be noted on each of our store lists to make them easy to identify.)
To find your store list for the latest deals, click HERE.
Have kids? Don’t miss out on this perfect “teaching moment”. What a great way to show our children how we can truly help someone in need!
Remember! We can help the food banks in more ways than just by donating items. We can connect with others one-on-one when we volunteer our time. Now there’s a great way to share your stockpile and teach your kids! I’ve never met a person who left a food pantry that did not exclaim the personal blessing they received from helping others.
Take a few photos when you drop the stuff off and/or volunteer and send them to us! Share them in our Facebook Group or on our Facebook Page! We will feature them on the website as one of our testimonies to inspire others!
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink,” Matthew 25:35
Now, let’s get busy building and donating those stockpiles!
It’s time to be a community of Difference Makers.
See you in the aisles!
