At Living Outside, we strongly believe that homeless people are dignified humans worthy of love and care. This manifests itself every day, in everything we do, but especially in the contents of the bags we create and distribute.
Granola bars, postcards, and colorful bags are cornerstones of our aid to people in need. We include them for specific and unique reasons, all of which are thoughtfully rooted in our overarching values.
Granola bars are a healthy, delicious, and filling snack. They are pre-packaged, convenient, and on-the-go, which is why we like to include them. When Living Outside first started, we often included Nature Valley granola bars and other crunchy items. However, we began to receive feedback directly from the people we serve that crunchy bars were too hard for sensitive teeth. We listened, asked questions, and learned. Today, we deliberately include only softer bars including chewy granola bars or Nutrigrain bars for this reason. We are grateful to the generous individuals who have helped us change the contents of our bags to be as helpful as possible.
Pre-stamped postcards and pens are another item we love to include in our bags. Just because someone might be living outside does not mean that they do not have family, friends, or other connections to reach out to. The opportunity to connect with loved ones cannot be understated, and we are proud to play a hand in facilitating this connection for so many. We encourage you to consider including multiple postcards if your bags if there are multiple people someone would like to reach out to or if they would like to give a postcard to one of their friends for them to reach out to someone.
Finally, the bags we use are not only reusable, but they are bright and colorful. These bags show the love and dedication we pour into the creation of our carebags as opposed to a repurposed plastic bag that might wrongfully imply that the recipients of the bags are a second-thought. The bright-colored, new bags may put a smile on someone’s face or make their day just a bit brighter, and we know that every human deserves this, homeless or not.
As you begin to make your own bags for people in your community, we encourage you to consider these items as well as adding your own personal touch. We would always love to hear your ideas on new items to include as well as any photos you have of your carebag distribution journey. We are always here to help guide you in your journey of direct distribution!
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