Feed The Hungry (From Home): MM #2

 

Charitable work is so easy with lots of little ones, isn’t it? As stay-at-home-moms, we have an overabundance of time. Plus our children are perfectly behaved on volunteering trips and family outings.

Just kidding!

 

When getting to the pediatrician, church on Sunday, or even just the grocery store feels like World War III, it’s hard to find ways to give back to others. Here are some ideas to get you contributing to feed the hungry, without ever leaving your home.

Using your hospitality as ministry

Have a hunger awareness event instead of a potluck meal. Ask the invitees to bring a donation equivalent to what they would have spent on their typical party dish. Serve only water, or perhaps a dish from the CRS Rice Bowl recipes.

 

Catholic Relief Services shares meatless traditional meals from 20 developing nations. You can enjoy a simple vegetarian dish like Vary Amin-anana, or a Laotian rice and lentil mash. Thousands of people may eat one of these today as their only meal.

 

Steps to take with family

Decide to fast from desserts or a favorite snack all week as a family. When you break your fast on Sunday, make it a sabbath celebration. Explain it to your kids.

Raid your pantry for unopened, unexpired nonperishable foods to donate to local food banks. (More on this next week.)

 

Things you can do alone

Write to your local political representatives, telling them you support legislation to reduce hunger. Voice your approval for whichever programs you deem best, this isn’t political advice.

Many politicians want to work with their colleagues across the aisle. Bipartisan cooperation is the only way to enact real change. But elected officials are afraid of losing their constituency. Ensure them that they will still have your vote, even if they brave the partisan gap.

 

Reduce kitchen waste.

• Meal planning to reuse items. How many recipes call for half an onion? Or 2 tablespoons of tomato paste? Plan ahead to use up the entirety of a perishable ingredient.
• Store fresh fruits and vegetables in clear containers, visible spots. Get to them before time does!
• Conduct a waste audit. For a week or two, take a note of what you throw away. Find the weak links in your kitchen.

Start Somewhere

 

You may feel like what little you’re able to do isn’t enough. It doesn’t count. It can’t actually contribute to solving world hunger, can it?

 

 

For more ideas, check out these beautiful checklists from Divine Mercy Moms. They’ve compiled dozens of ways busy moms can practice the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy.