This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Deep River Snacks for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.
I’m confident that I’m not the only mother who wants their children to grow into loving and caring adults. The kind of adults who think of others, who find ways to give back and pay it forward when they can. All throughout pregnancy, I imagined the kind of baby, child, teen and eventual adult that they would grow into. It’s overwhelming to think of all they will go through and how there’s only so much we can do to prepare them and model for them the kind of caring and decent person they should be. During the holiday season the act of giving and paying it forward becomes so much more pronounced. It’s almost unfortunate that we only consider these acts during certain times of the year because the need never goes away. It’s no surprise that our family prefers fresh ingredients and wholesome foods. It also shouldn’t come as a surprise that eating foods that are more natural can result in less of a need for doctor visits, medications and the like. So then I ask, why do we continue to donate “junk” foods to our local food banks? Why is it okay to feed our families top-notch brands but not to give to others the same caliber of ingredients and flavors? There are simple ways that we can change things and how and what we donate to local food banks and other charities.
Give A Chip
It all starts with simply caring about what you give and how you treat others. Deep River Snacks cares deeply about creating the world’s best tasting chips using simple, non-GMO ingredients, and if they can do it – so can we. Before you can give or pay it forward, you have to care. You have to understand that in your local community, there are hungry families. You have to realize that the need for a meal could be as close as one of your child’s classmates. Coming to that realization is the first step towards making a better choice when donating.
Start Small
If your family has a tradition of donating a few things at the holidays because the grocery store has a big collection bin, don’t stop giving! When you have the ability to give, don’t reach for the cheapest can or box that you can. If it’s good enough for your family, then another family will benefit from the flavors, variety, and quality of things such as no preservatives or non-GMO ingredients. If you’ve never seen a food bank’s shelves, many of the items available are very basic and very bland. Yes, these foods are GREATLY appreciated as they feed the hungry, but it’s just as easy to pick up a few cans of flavorful soup, or one of our family favorite box meals. If you’re already shopping for those items for yourself, why make extra effort to find cheaper versions?
Find a cause you can support
Your desire may not be to give material items like food or clothing, but rather help to raise awareness or to get physically involved in something where you can build. Giving will mean so much more when you can feel a connection to the charity. Deep River Snacks donates 10% of net profits to charity each year – you’ll notice that each of their products features a different charity partner on the packaging. Those charities are there because employees of Deep River Snacks have a personal connection to them. It’s a no brainer for the company to support those who have supported and provided relief to their employees. You can take this same approach and make your cause something personal, something that may be connected to you or a family member. Consider your local area and what opportunities are available to you, do your research and you’ll find a cause that pulls you in. For my family, we find that causes that work with children and women are the most important to us. We find ways that we can volunteer within our community food banks, soup kitchens and women’s shelters. When the kids outgrow clothes, we find places we can donate them to rather than just toss or try to sell them. Even things like household items, small appliances, and toys can be donated when replaced with something new. Be inspired by Deep River Snacks and how they Give A Chip and read about their charity partners to learn about possible charities you can support. You can also use this coupon offer to save $1! Deep River Snacks can be found at Walmart, online at Amazon and at these retailers: https://www.deepriversnacks.com/find-us/. Each one of the charities listed is something their employees have a personal connection to, making their support mean even more. It’s okay if you don’t have a personal connection to a cause, you can still care enough to give your time, energy, or resources.
There’s no reason that we can’t extend our household values to those that we give to. We can show our children from an early age that if we can care enough about ourselves to feed ourselves only the best, we can certainly give to others with the same respect. There’s also no need to only donate near the holidays, donate and do what you can throughout the year. Yes, the holidays can be harder on so many, but our kindness shouldn’t have a timeline.
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