Carts of Kindness

David and I both love grocery shopping.  In fact, going to the grocery store was part of our very first date!

But we are privileged.  We can basically put whatever we want in our cart and know that, come pay day, we should have enough to cover it.  That being said, we are thrifty shoppers, always hunting for deals and using coupons.

Yeah – COUPONS.

A grocery store in our area, Harris Teeter, built a new location.  They mailed people in the area coupons – usually a set of 4, one for each week of the month.  They vary in amount, but normally they are $10 off a $30 purchase.  Isn’t that a great deal??  As grocery lovers, we have made a game out of spending as close to exactly $30 as possible each trip (so after coupon, $20).  One time David hit it RIGHT ON THE NAIL (and danced a jig as we giggled at the register).

But in these very uncertain times in our country there are many households where grocery shopping is NOT fun.  Many people are laid off, furloughed, or simply out of work because of the pandemic.  So, I got the idea to use some of the Harris Teeter coupons for others!

First, I asked neighbors if they had any of the coupons they were not using and coupons poured in!  Then the fun part started – figuring out who to grocery shop for!!  Two people were easy to identify; they are both out of work right now yet are still volunteering to help OTHER people in the community as much as they can!!!  Their kind hearts amaze me.  Another neighbor told me about someone else who needed assistance, so they got added, too.

I asked them to write out shopping lists.  Whatever they wanted – totaling $30.  I said there was no judgement – if they wanted to spend the entire $30 on a fancy steak that they had been craving, or on bags of Doritos, it was their choice. 

And off we went!!  We got bacon, cheeses, eggs, waffles, tortillas, honey, ground turkey, ground beef, chicken, juice, bread, butter, cottage cheese, green tea, ricotta, and so much more!!  Whatever was on the lists, we put in the carts.  One recipient made me realize how fortunate we are when they told me, “We’ve been able to get eggs, rice, beans, pasta, milk, potatoes etc. from the free food distribution sites, but they don’t give any meat so this is such a great help”.  That made me think about how little CHOICE they have had in their food these last few months.  It is not like walking down grocery store aisles – it is taking whatever is given.  These are not families that are used to waiting in line for food assistance.  These are strong, proud, contributing members to our country who have been thrown for a huge loop with this pandemic.

I am glad the families were willing to accept the help.  Asking for assistance is not easy. 

We are looking for 5 or 6 more families in the Arlington area that could use a special grocery shopping delivery.  I feel like this is the perfect use of money raised at the Kindness Yard Sale.  If you know someone who is out of work and could use some groceries, please message me. 

Total of Kindness Yard Sale money spent on grocery deliveries so far - $79.66

P.S. - this would be a great act of kindness for you to take on, too!!  If you know someone out of work right now, have them write out a grocery list!  Pick up the food.  Deliver it to them.  It takes a village.