Finding Louisiana Home School Style : Blessing Bags

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Blessing Bags

Blessing Bags

I'm wanting to host a blessing Party in October of this year 2019! See below for more details!

WHAT ARE BLESSING BAGS?

If you are unfamiliar with the concept of a blessing bag, this is just a simple way to be a blessing to those you come across who might be in need (we mostly give them out to the homeless standing on the side of the road with signs). A blessing bag is a small assortment of basic toiletries and snacks in a ziplock bag. Orr directly to homeless shelters.

Have you ever driven past a person in need and wondered what you could do to help? Keep one or two of these blessing bags in your car to have on hand!

The best part is, your children can be involved in creating the blessing bags and will most likely be present when handing them out as well. And it’s a great way to utilize coupons and freebies!

Gallon Size Ziploc Bag – This is key for several reasons:

Helps to keep everything together & in one place so they can easily access the supplies in their bags/backpacks
Keeps the items from spilling/leaking onto their personal items in their bags
The bags can later be used for other storage options within their bags – storing toiletries, snacks, etc

Hand-Warmers – we put a couple packs in, especially during the winter, but even for those chilly evenings in the spring/summer/fall these would be very welcome.

Bag of Quarters – These are nice to include for washing clothes at the laundromat

Bottle of Water – Mini water bottles work great so they don’t take up too much space or if you can fit a regular size water bottle

Band-Aids – these are something that may often be needed but may not be something they would be able to spend money on or think about having.

Baby Wipes – a small pack of baby wipes would be a great one to include to help with feeling clean & fresh

Hand Sanitizer – another great option to help them feel cleaner

Wash Cloth – buy an inexpensive washcloth to include

Toiletries:

*If you have a lot of items to include in your bags, travel-size toiletries work great

Toothbrush
Toothpaste (travel size if you have a lot of items to put into your bag)
Floss
Soap (we bring home soaps from hotels if we don’t end up using all of them)
Deodorant
Shampoo/conditioner (these are also great products to save from hotels if you don’t use them as they’re the perfect size for these bags)
Comb
Personal hygiene items if you’re making a kit for a woman (tampons, pantiliners, pads, etc)
Sunscreen (depending on time of year)
Chapstick

Personal Items:

New Socks
New Underwear
Inexpensive gloves

Non-Perishable Foods:

Granola Bars
Energy Bars
Tuna/cracker packs
Trail mix
Raisins
Peanuts
Fruit cup/ applesauce cup (& include a spoon)
Gum/hard candy
Hot Cocoa/Spiced Cider Mixes or on-the-go coffee mixes

GIVING GIFT CARDS TO THE HOMELESS

One way we have tried to responsibly give is by giving gift cards for food rather than cash. I used to include a $5 bill in our blessing bags with the intention that the person could buy themselves something to eat. Because the majority of people that we meet on the road asking for help are in a high-traffic shopping center and within walking distance, I normally give a $5 gift card to McDonald’s now. Walmart is right on the corner as well, so that would be another good option.

MONTHLY MINI BLESSING BAGS

We decided to make mini blessing bags to keep in our car and hand out as we saw someone in need. Anytime we see someone holding a sign, we roll down our window and hand out a bag. My kids love being part of such a simple way to show compassion.

Blessing Bag checklist via another blog

Click here for pinterest blessing-bags ideas

Blessing Bag Stuffing Parties:

A fun idea is to have a bag stuffing activity at a party or group meeting if you’re looking for a community outreach project. Gather a group together & create a list of items needed for people to purchase ahead of time. Then everyone picks one or a few items to bring – buying in bulk just one or two items, they can save more money than buying all the individual items. Set out a few tables & create an assembly line to assemble the bags quickly. These are a great way to add a service/community aspect to a get-together, especially around the holidays or if you’re looking for a project for a group or meeting as they’re very easy to organize & quick to put together. Participants can then either take a few bags to keep on hand in their vehicles or donate them all to a homeless shelter or organization.