It’s a time of year when we are all extra busy getting preparations completed, or at least as much completed as possible. Spare time for preparedness projects is in short supply when available at all. By now our bug out bags, get home bags, car kits, etc. have all been revamped, checked and adjusted for the winter reality.
If you’re anything like me, you’ve also noticed the increased pleas for generosity. It’s everywhere. In the streets, in the malls, at the entrances of big box stores, and even in the mailbox. We’d love to help everyone, especially this time of year, but we simply can’t. Mrs. Denob and I have various charities we give to, mostly those that have somehow affected us personally such as the Canadian Cancer Society, The Montreal Heart Institute, The Orange and Protestant Children’s Foundation to name a few.
This year however, as we were cleaning out the pantry to donate a few items to the food basket drive at our kid’s school, we noticed we had a LOT more canned and dry goods that were set to expire than out kids could possibly drag to school on the bus. The more we looked, the more boxes piled up…6 in total.
This year we started a new tradition, one that every prepper can get on board with. From this year on, at the beginning of December, we will clear out the pantry of soon to expire items and donate them to a local food bank, with a few items also going to the school food drive.
The food bank we chose to give our surplus to was very happy to have it. We assumed that we would be a rare occurance walking in and telling them we had so much to donate that we could use some help emptying the back of the Jeep. Turns out, not so much. Conversations started and the word “preparedness” eaks it’s way out. It so happens that we are not the only preparedness minded folks donatning to that specific food bank, and given where it is located, I probably know one or two of the others who give.
So if you’re looking for a way to dispose of soon to expire food items, now is a great time to think of others that may be in need. AT the same time, it may help you get over not being able to write a check to everyone that asks.
