A Powerful Experience
By Katie Beatrice
mothering Mother
Recently, I’ve been looking around for a soup kitchen or homeless shelter where we could donate many of our extra bags. After doing a bit of research, I spoke with an extremely positive woman who loved the idea of a big product donation from mothering Mother. She put me in touch with multiple organizations, and each call was better than the one before. Everyone was so grateful that I didn’t mind the fact that I was going to have to spend hours and hours sorting through piles of bags to create these donations. After more than 5 hours, the boxes were packed up, and we had successfully put together 2,300 bags to donate.
The first big organization was for a bag lunch program at a shelter nearby where 1,600 of the bags in various sizes were going. Every day they go through multiple packages of brown paper bags, because that is the most financially practical solution for them. When Laura and I arrived, the older women I had spoken to the day before were over the moon when they saw the bags. One in particular told us how much she hated using paper and plastic because of their effects on the environment. Her energy was contagious and I felt this thrill when speaking with her in the office. They understand how important it is to reuse bags, and have even been teaching the children in the day care and pre-school how to reuse and recycle to reduce waste.
Laura and I made our other stops, and I just couldn’t get over how excited these women were to receive the bags. They wanted to use them to hold toiletries for new arrivals at their shelters, or package food for children and adults. They asked about caring for the bags, and the best way to use them. Each office was extremely grateful to have these bags in their possession, and they were all so appreciative.
It makes you think about people who can afford to buy reusable bags, but choose the convenience of plastic, throwing it out after one use. Or those who buy food in large quantities, and let it sit in their refrigerator until the expiration date, throwing it out without a second thought. Next time you go to the grocery store, stop and grab some cotton bags. If you’re already in the car, but still in the driveway, go back inside and get them. Buy what you need, and only what you need. Think about these women running the shelters and how a few bags can change an entire program, think about how they rely on food donations to keep everyone fed, and think about how fortunate you are. NEVER take that for granted.