Recently we were sitting and talking about our backpack program and we came to the conclusion that the reason it has not received the support that it should be getting is that everyone has a backpack program which usually consists of two cans of prepared food of some type and a box of "mac and cheese" and we thought, "Wow, no wonder we haven't gotten the type of responses we need." Let me explain why. Our weekend survival kit is not only for children, but it represents food that does not require heating or refrigeration. Why? you might ask. The answer is the recipients of this back pack may live in a car, a shelter, share a room at someone's house, on the street, in an abandoned house of which many of these do not have access to refrigeration or heating.
So we sat down and put together a survival kit that feeds a family of three. Why a family of three?
The answer is relatively simple in that most homeless families usually consist of two children and one Mother/Father/Caregiver. So in planning our weekend survival kit, we had to create sufficient food so that this combination could eat something over the entire weekend. Here is what we came up with:
6 containers, 8 oz of shelf stable milk
1, 12.6 oz of cereal
3 juice boxes
1 loaf of bread
1 - one pound easy open ham
2 - easy open chicken sausages
1 jar of peanut butter
1 jar of jelly
3 - individual fruits
3 - boxes of raisins
3 - health bars
bowls, plastic utensils, and napkins.
With the exception of the bread this fits into a backpack and the bread is carried in an individual bag so as not to be crushed.
Once a month we deliver tooth paste, tooth brushes, cookies (3 per meal, except breakfast) and a very small amount of candy. Even homeless children love sweets and should be able to have a small amount.
This ensures that the family can eat together and have something to eat during the weekend. It is not the traditional cans and boxes of product that require cooking, but three meals per day so the child and the parent can enjoy the weekend.
Help us to continue this program so that families who are not eating this weekend can continue to do so. Make a donation to Heart's Place Services, Inc. - 2640 St. Paul Street - Baltimore, MD 21218 and mark it for the weekend survival kit, the only one that provides foods for the really homeless families in Baltimore City that they can prepare and enjoy wherever they are located. We need more to feed more.
