The holiday season is here, and once again, the staff at Random Acts is hard at work spreading kindness and joy in communities all over the world. This is one of our favorite times of the year, where everyday kindness takes on new meaning amid holiday celebrations. The holidays are also an important time for fighting food insecurity, which leads us to Boise, Idaho, where Finance Manager Suzanne Scrivner reconnected with one of her favorite organizations, the Idaho Food Bank.
Sowing Seeds
Suzanne, an avid gardener, says she frequently has an overabundance of produce by the end of the season, so she donates the extra fruits and vegetables to the Idaho Food Bank. When given the opportunity to do a holiday act in her area, she chose to continue supporting the food bank even during the winter when she does not garden. And just as she gets her kids (ages 4 and 1) involved in gardening, she brought them along to shop for the food bank, too!
Picking the Best
On the day of the shopping, Suzanne and her kids visited two different stores, piling their vehicle with plenty of shelf-stable canned goods, but also spiral ham, brisket, and even turkeys! The kids entertained many shoppers while Suzanne found the items on her list. She remarked that the cashier at one of the stores was surprised that she was donating meat but was happy to know that. Partnering with a food bank who can easily get meat to hungry families makes a big difference.
Delivering Hope
Suzanne also brought her kids with her to the food bank delivery. She reports that the kids were very excited to see the warehouse, along with the scales and forklifts. They filled two of the food bank’s carts with food, while the kids held doors open and helped load the carts when they could. Her older son even said he wanted to work at the food bank! The Idaho Food Bank provides shelf-stable and fresh food to families and children throughout the state of Idaho, where 1 in 6 children and 1 in 8 adults face food insecurity. With your help, those families will have a happier and healthier holiday.