Charity Request: Miracle Boxes for Troops (through Jan 15)

Would you like to put some of your extra items (you know, the ones you purchased at a great price or snagged for free!) toward a great cause?

As part of the Desert Angel Project, Jarvis Construction and Commissioner Kathy Vosburg have a goal of sending 500 boxes to our men and women serving overseas in Afghanistan and Iraq. We are looking for donations of money to pay for shipping (which will cost $6,000!) as well as items to fill the boxes.

Suggested items include:

• Candy (hard candy, Lifesavers, chocolate, etc) and Gum
• Hot chocolate, Coffee, Tea, Flavored Dry Creamer, Tang, Powdered Gatorade and Instant Breakfast Drink Mix
• Breakfast-type Foods (Instant Oatmeal, Pop Tarts, Cereal bars)
• "Pocket" Foods (Granola bars, Sandwich crackers, Rice Krispies Treats, Dried Fruit, Nuts, Beef jerky)
• Personal hygiene products
• Hand sanitizer
• Flannel sheets
• Warm (new) socks
• Playing cards
• Foam sports balls
• Toys (for the children in Iraq and Afghanistan)
• Cards and letters of hope and encouragement
• Chapstick
• Baby Wipes
• Hand warmers
• Blankets

Please submit names of those serving to receive a surprise miracle box.

Donations may be dropped off Monday through Friday (8 am - 5 pm) through January 15 at:
Jarvis Property Restoration (click here for a map)
41800 Executive Drive
Harrison Twp, MI 48045

The packing party will take place on at Jarvis on Saturday, January 16, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. For questions, call Kathy Elliott at 586-873-9239 or email kitkath@sbcglobal.net.

Would you like to spread the word? You can print a flyer here and share the details with friends and co-workers!

MY NOTE: One of the BEST things about being a smart shopper and taking advantage of deals with coupons is that it allows me to be generous in responding to requests like this one! I'm excited to take a look at my stockpile and find some items perfect for the cause! How about YOU?

Scouting for Food: November 14 in Macomb, Oakland & Wayne Co.

We received a bag on our door last week (since we're in Macomb county) and thanks to past coupon deals, we were able to fill it to the brim with non-perishable items. You might be interested in learning more just in case you have extra food to donate!

The following information comes from the Gleaners Community Food Bank Website:


“Scouting for Food” is Scouting’s community stewardship project aimed at addressing the problem of hunger in the community in which we live and work.

Bag Drop-Off: November 7 - 13
Boy Scouts of America, Venturers, and Cub Scouts will be distributing plastic grocery bags to homes in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties on November 7 - 13. Please help by donating boxed or canned goods only. Nothing perishable, frozen or in glass.

Bag Pick-Up: November 14
On Saturday, November 14, Scouts will go house to house collecting plastic grocery bags filled with donated food. If possible, please have your bag waiting on the porch by 8 am.

IF YOUR BAG IS NOT COLLECTED
Scouting For Food is a huge initiative involving 3 counties, 800,000 bags and thousands of Scouts. With a project this big, we occasionally miss a food pick up. We apologize if your food was not picked up but hope you will take a moment to locate a food pantry near you where you can drop off the food. Please go to http://www.pantrynet.org/ and click on the pantry locator on the left side of the screen. Type in your zip code and a radius and a list of local agencies will be provided. PLEASE CALL BEFORE YOU GO TO DROP OFF YOUR FOOD DONATION.

Thank you for helping to feed our hungry neighbors! You can also make a financial donation to help us provide food for our hungry neighbors. Every dollar equals 3 meals!

Click here to receive an email reminder to place a bag of nonperishable food on your porch by 9 a.m. on Saturday, November 14. Pick-up will be for residents living in the Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties.

Scouting for Food is a project rooted in the very foundation of the Scouting movement. Through initiative and hard work, the Boy Scouts have developed a framework that can help feed tens of thousands of needy local residents with emergency aid.

Charity Request: Michigan Harvest Gathering

The following information is taken directly from the Michigan Harvest Gathering website for those of you who are looking for ways to donate those extra groceries:

What is Michigan Harvest Gathering?
Michigan Harvest Gathering is an annual event (September-November) during which food and funds are raised to support our members—the state’s nine regional food banks. The regional food banks serve agencies such as food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters in all 83 Michigan counties. Food and funds collected during the campaign are used to keep the food banks' shelves stocked and to assist in the high transportation costs incurred in moving food around the state.

Michigan residents can drop off nonperishable food items at Secretary of State branch offices. People are asked to donate items such as peanut butter, canned tuna and other meat, and canned fruits, vegetables and soups. All nonperishable food items are welcome. Donations will be accepted at all branch offices through Friday, December 12.

What Can You Do with Your Free Items?

Photo Credit: Jen from Anxiously Searching

Jen, a faithful blog reader and blogger in her own right, has an interesting (and charitable!) idea on what to do with all of the free toothpaste, deodorant (and more!) from the deals that she finds. Read more about it here.

CVS: Glucose Meter Moneymaker (and charity request!)

The following deal is listed in the CVS July Clip-Free Booklet (and is valid through the end of July):

$19.99 Bayer Contour Glucose Meter (limit 2 offers per card)
-$30.00/1 Bayer Contour coupon (from 2-1 RP or 3-22 SS), coupon will need to be adjusted down to item price
FREE after coupon, plus you'll get a $5 CVS Extra-Care Buck (ECB) to spend on your next transaction! Thanks, Mommy Snacks!

Note: You'll need a CVS ExtraCare Card for this deal, available in the store if you don't already have one.

Various local charities (plus nursing homes, free clinics and more) would love to be able to share medical equipment with those less fortunate. If you're able to participate in this deal, please consider sharing some glucose meters with others! If you don't know of a local charity that could benefit, simply drop the meters off at the front desk of Trinity Lutheran Church in Utica (45160 Van Dyke at Hall Road). Trinity's Social Ministry director will gladly direct them to local ministries for you.

Stamp Out Hunger: Saturday, May 9, 2009

The following information is taken from http://www.helpstampouthunger.com

ABOUT STAMP OUT HUNGER
On Saturday, May 9th, letter carriers in more than 10,000 communities will collect food items and deliver them to local food banks to help some of the millions of Americans, including an estimated 13 million children, who face hunger every day.

Since 1993, families have donated more than a half-billion pounds of food to Stamp Out Hunger. You can help make this year our most successful ever.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

1. Place bags filled with nonperishable food items next to your mailbox.
   Donate items like canned meats and fish, canned soup, juice, pasta, vegetables, cereal and rice. Please do not include items that have expired or those in glass containers.
   
2. Your letter carrier will pick them up and deliver them to local food banks!