Service Project Idea: Overflow Thanksgiving Food Boxes

Thanksgiving is next week… Next week… NEXT Week… I’ve been working on Overflow for several months now and that still seems surprising to me!

Overflow is a simple easy way to involve our families – even the littlest ones!

If you don’t know much about it, where have you been?! Just Kidding! For real, if you don’t know much about it – here’s a  quick overview and be sure to find out more from the website (www.overflowspartanburg.com) Overflow food boxes are distributed to community families in need of Thanksgiving assistance. You fill a food box that you pick up from FBS, bring it back filled with the specific items,  it’s delivered to families on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (which is NEXT week!). It’s that simple!

Here are some ways to make it fun!

1. Let your little one help you buy the items needed and pack the box with you. Let them buy one or two items with money from their piggy bank. They will take great pride in picking it out, paying the cashier, taking it home and packing it – unless, it’s macaroni and cheese and you are three and can’t seem to part with that super healthy box of yummy cheesy goodness (?!?)
2. Let your little one  be creative with the Food Box. Pull out those paints and markers and let them write a message, draw a picture, just be little. I’m sure the families will smile big when it is delivered to them. Who doesn’t smile at a turkey hand?!?
3. Take time to let your little one write a note to the family, encouraging and praying for them. And actually spend time praying over your box and the family that will receive your food box once you pack it.
4. Of course – bring the box back! Let your little one see ALL the boxes that will be coming back. We have given out right at 1200 boxes – that’s a LOT of boxes – representing lots of families in our community in need.
5. Let your whole family deliver boxes together. It takes about one to two hours to deliver about 5 boxes. You will be given the family’s information and you put the boxes in your car and go!  You can sign up to volunteer at the website (which again is http://www.overflowspartanburg.com )

It’s really that simple and easy and FUN too and helps our little ones see a bigger different world out there, while learning great lessons on serving others.

Have you been a part of Overflow or something like it? If so, share with us your experience!