Monthly Archives: January 2008

I was packing a box of donated food the other day, to give to a homeless couple who are currently staying in a hotel, and I couldn’t find a lot of the kinds of things they needed. And I realized that people who donate food are probably just thinking “canned” or “non-perishable.” Here are a few more things to think about when donating food to a food pantry or a homeless ministry:

• Not everyone has a can opener, so buy pop-top cans or other easy-open containers, if you can.
• Not everyone has milk or butter, so buy the macaroni and cheese that includes the cheese packet, or the just-add-water instant mashed potatoes with butter already in them.
• Buy other “complete” foods, too, like the spaghetti dinner that includes the sauce and cheese in the box.
• Don’t forget proteins. Canned tuna, chicken, and ham. Peanut butter, black beans, kidney beans, etc.
• Mix up your fruit and vegetable can sizes. Big families need the extra-large can size. Or single-serving cans for one person.
• Look for microwavable meals that don’t require refrigeration first. (Great for people in hotels!)

If you’d like to donate food for NightWatch, please contact us here. Greensboro Urban Ministry and Salvation Army also have food pantries.