Advice needed

[njcouponer]

My 14 year old daughter just graduated middle school. We had a small party and on her invitation she requested local supermarket, small denomination gift cards (instead of gifts for herself) to donate to local food pantries. She has seen people lining up for the pantry next to a church. I am extremely proud of her, she raised almost $400 in gift cards.

Now my dilemma, I have called 2 local food pantry's and a local day care that helps out families in need. No one from the food pantry has called me back and someone from the daycare said that they need juice (Now I would be happy to donate some juice BUT $400 is a lot of money and could really help out a few families)..I would be happy to hand out the gift cards and/or purchase food that would be needed. Actually,if I purchased it I could do better and by more with that money to donate, but there is also something to be said about the pride of buying your own food. BUT no one is calling me back and I have called at few times and emailed the directors....

She has also been collecting small toys (Happy meals) from kids around here that don't use them, in addition to other small toys.

She wants to keep it local, otherwise I would start calling neighboring towns...Any suggestions???

Thanks!

[lindar11201]

How about letting her hand the cards out to the people she sees in line at the pantry next to the church?

[njcouponer]

We asked but they wont let us. They don't want people embarrassed.

[bnkkey]

I would go ahead and buy some juice since that is what they need most.Then I would go to the foodbank in person and ask what they need the most and then take your dd and go buy it.The foodbanks sometimes just get to busy and can't return calls.But thats what I do.You have a great dd.

[jillynoodle]

wow thats the sweetest thing your daughter did!!! i wouold be so amazing proud wow thats so wonderful!!! im not sure what i would do in that situation really because i just drop off donations (stuff i got with coupons)and there you go, seems strange you are having a hard time giving them away...maybe contacting a church and see if they have a family program that they give to families in need is probably what i would do. maybe you could take some of the money to buy free/cheap with coupon things to donate also...lets say fifty or seventy five dollars could go a long way when couponing..just a thought and maybe you can teach your daughter some couponing skills doing this so she can learn to shop with coupons and learn how to spend hardly anything and get so much..well whatever you do i just wanted to say how kind hearted your daughter is and thats really just touched me, thats the sweetest thing ever and to have a teenager do that..im so impressed!!!! you have done a wonderful job raising her i have to say

[CherryPicker]

Well, you made the genuine effort about calling the food pantry....now its time to do this....CouponMom style!!
1. Find out what the pantry is in most need of....
2. Get a LOT of coupons together.....
3. You and your daughter shop for this together (this would be a great teaching moment about how far coupons can really go)
4. Deliver the food together

If you have a Publix near you....Juicy Juice is BOGO this week, which would help out the school.

Keep us posted....sounds like you have a very compassionate daughter.
Best of luck to you both.

[Sylvia]

I agree with CherryPicker. The shopping trip is the best way to go... don't rely on a return call from the pantry... they are too busy trying to fill requests. Just back up to the door with a truck full EARLY one day (have your own volunteers to unload) walk in and say you are making a delivery from Miss Wonderfuldaughter. '

[njcouponer]

Thanks everyone for their great advice..I am going to get some juice and cookies for the day care this week...THEN, I am going to start looking through my coupons, getting the best deals and loading up the van to drop off to the food pantry! We will just show up with lots of bags!!

[Mouse]

The world needs more Children like yours!


Macey

[mckimba]

When I moved I took my stock plie and brought it over to the local food pantry and with my coupon mom training it was alot !!! they were so appreciative with everything. Might be the way to go, sometimes just dropping of the food is best. Funny thing is they told me once I was settled in my new place I could come by and pick up any food that I needed, I thanked them but its not something I needed to do.