Chodesh Tov. Are we all feeling happy?! (Here’s a link to my favorite Purim song, just to get us in the mood!)
If you have been reading KOAB since last Purim, you may remember my Matanot l’Evyonim Challenge. It was so successful last year that I wanted to reprise it – especially since KOAB has so many new readers and an even bigger audience.
What does Couponing Have to Do with Purim?
One of the most exciting parts of couponing for me is that it significantly expands my ability to donate to those in need. For just pennies on the dollar, I can buy canned goods, boxes of cereal, school supplies, children’s toys, diapers – the list goes on and on.
Some of these amazing deals find their way to my basement stockpile, and help me create margin in my budget so I can still afford costly items like kosher meat.
But a number of these deals also go into a box marked “GIVE”. It sits in the basement storage room and as soon as I come home from a big coupon run, a few items get placed inside.
Through the marvel of coupons, I am able to “afford” to give hundreds of dollars worth of food and non-perishable items to food pantries and other charitable organizations. That’s a donation far beyond what my family would typically be able to afford.
I want to encourage all of you to use your couponing prowess (and I know you’ve got mad skillz!) to give more generously this Purim season.
Therefore, for every non-perishable food item that you donate between now and Ta’anit Esther, my husband and I will donate 25¢ to Meir Panim in Israel, up to $250.
That’s 1,000 items donated by KOAB readers.
In just under 2 weeks.
Think we’re up for the challenge?
I know we are!
Meir Panim is an organization that I really believe in. They do great work feeding the hungry across Israel – and there are a lot of hungry to feed. Did you know that one in four Israeli children live below the poverty line?
To help me help Meir Panim, simply donate items of need (food, toiletries, cleaning supplies, etc.) to your local food pantry or other charitable organization, then leave me a comment on this post with the number of items you donated.
Feel free to comment more than once – as often as you donate!
I know we can do this! About 1,500 people visit KOAB every day. If just two out of three of you donate ONE CAN each, we can easily meet the 1,000 goal!
And PLEASE, help me spread the word about this campaign by sharing this post on your Facebook walls, emailing it to your friends and talking it up to your neighbors.
Tizku l’Mitzvot!
For all those based in NYC, there is a kosher pantry named Masbia (with Boro Park, Flatbush, Williamsburg and Queens locations) that I’m sure will be glad to accept items!
Mara, I love this idea and I’ve been saving up couponing freebies (stuff that was free but we don’t use!) for just this purpose- thanks for giving me the kick in the pants to get the job done!
Thanks Toby.
I just Googled Masbia and came up with this website for anyone needing more information.
http://www.masbia.org/
Yasher koach Mara! For all of your Denver readers, please give your kosher, sealed, unexpired, non-perishable products to Tomchei Shabbos of Denver. Donations can be brought to the East Denver Orthodox Synagogue (EDOS) at 198 South Holly Street.
Thank you Susie – and for giving the information about where to donate in Denver.
I just donated two items to the Tomchei Shabbat pantry where I live.
Yay! Thank you Elana!
In the Five Towns…JCC Food Pantry, 1012 Central Avenue, Woodmere. 516-295-5678.
We used some tzedakah money and brought them can goods and cereals at the end of January. They were very appreciative.
I’m sending 2 boxes and 2 cans with Jay to the BIAV Yachad box. Thanks for doing this!! Yachad really needs our help.
Margie
Thank you! Tizki l’Mitzvot!
I donated 6 cans. I also donated 2 shampoos and 3 toothpastes, but I am not sure you are counting those.
Yes, definitely counting those! 🙂
Tizki l”mitzvot!
We are making Purim baskets filled with food and household items to be donated to Yad Ezra (in Detroit) on Purim. This has become our annual tradition. Instead of spending lots of money on junk food that our friends don’t really need or want, we make bigger baskets filled with enough food to feed a family for their seudah for Purim :). In the past we’ve only given food, but now that I have a pretty nice stockpile we are adding personal care and house hold items this year!
10 toiletry items donated to my town’s homeless coalition, mostly servicing homeless families. Thanks for doing this!
Thank you, Rachel 🙂
We donated 5 toothpastes, 2 deodorants (I think I went a little overboard buying up good deals on these), 1 bag of split beas, 2 cans of soup, and a box of the Emerald Breakfast on the Go packages to the Squirrel Hill Food Pantry.
Thank you Michelle! Tizki l’Mitzvot!
Thanks @Susie Sharf & @Elana Shapiro, @MARA, too!! :
Tomchei Shabbat of Denver just rec’d 3 more cans to help feed the hungry in our community.
Thank you Eddie & Beth! Tizku l’Mitzvot!
We are donating 5 cans and two boxes to the Food Bank of Western New York!
Thank you, Marian! Tizki l’Mitzvot!
I just donated 13 more cans. Thanks so much for doing this!
Thanks again, to you Lori!!!!