I am not one to get on my soap box about many issues. But kids (anyone's kids) are very dear to my heart. I have been building shoe boxes for this cause for the last couple of years. I always say I am going to figure out how to more for this cause. But I never have come up with a good way to get organized about it. So one of my goals for the new year is to slowly purchase things for my shoe boxes and if I do it in small batches my pocketbook will never notice it. Because I budget into our plan a certain amount of money for this every year I usually spend way more on stuff to go in the box and am only able to send about 4 boxes each year because we don't have the funds budgeted to ship more than 4 after we purchase the things to go in them.
So I got started early this year. I started with the clearance section at CVS when they marked down their Halloween stuff to 90%. True I only got a couple of things. But a stuffed animal for 10 cents is a good deal. I grabbed the only two that didn't really look like Halloween things, they were just black kitty cats. I have a couple of cute happy meal toys that the kids didn't want, a couple of shampoo samples that came in the mail, toothbrushes & toothpaste from Davids cleaning, and some stuff from Walmart/Target Christmas clearance yesterday. So far I have only spent a couple of dollars and I already have a good start to my boxes.
I have gotten a good size box and have stashed it in the back corner of my closet. My goal for the year is to find things for cheap or free and just toss them in the box. When it comes time next year to build the boxes I hope to be able to send more than 4 boxes. I would ask that you too think about doing this. It is as simple as looking in the clearance section at the stores you go to. Just think of the things you have seen there before and thought well my kids can't use that, but some kid might. I know everyone is not able to do this. But if you do it slowly you would be amazed at what you can accomplish through out the year for just a small amount of money. My husband David put it to me like this once. He normally stops by the Go Gas on the way to work most mornings to get a DDP. At the Go Gas they are $1 much cheaper that the store. If he fixes a drink before he leaves home he could save that $1 and add that to the purchase of something to go in the box. Old Navy has flip flop for like $2 every year. So in a month you can purchase 2 pair of shoes for the box. See adding up already.
So to end my "Soap Box" topic for the month, please pray about this cause and really listen to what God tells you to do about it. I know he spoke to me by me randomly finding a great website to help me with this cause. It is called www.clipwithpurpose.com . They are also on facebook. So head on over there and look at some of the cool ideas she has.
