One of the most frequent questions we get at Operation 143 is, “How can I help?” People see the statistics surrounding childhood food insecurity and want to take action, but they aren’t always sure where to start.
The good news is that fighting childhood hunger doesn’t require a massive financial investment. In fact, you can make a major difference during your next routine trip to the grocery store.
Because the children receiving our bags often need to feed themselves without adult supervision, we rely entirely on shelf-stable, kid-friendly, and easy-to-prepare items. We specifically look for individual portions that don’t require heavy cooking or a stove.
The next time you are shopping, consider picking up a few extra items from our high-priority needs list:
- Tuna or Chicken To-Go Packs
- Microwavable Meals (like Chef Boyardee or Hormel Compleats)
- Macaroni & Cheese Cups
- Nutri-Grain Bars & Granola Bars
- Pop-Tarts & Individual Cereal Boxes
- Fruit Cups & Applesauce Pouches
You can drop your donations off directly at our Pottstown headquarters or look for our blue collection bins hosted by incredible community partners, like Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church. Every single can of soup or box of granola bars helps ensure that a child in our neighborhood has a happy, healthy, and hunger-free weekend.
Ready to fill the bags with hope? Check our website for a complete list of approved food donations and drop-off locations, or make a secure monetary donation online to help us buy supplies in bulk.
