November is a perfect month to practice gratitude with your family. Try one of these activities with your family to encourage your young ones to give back to their community.

1) Peruse your pantries and closets for unused items to donate to a food pantry.

Hygiene products, such as toilet paper, tampons, soap, and deodorant, are not covered by SNAP. Lower income families often rely on food pantries to meet basic hygiene needs.

In addition, non-perishable items are always being collected by food pantries. A local pantry recommended canned fruit, pasta boxes, and canned soups as donation items.

Families can also volunteer at local food pantries. Food pantries are in need of help stocking shelves, assisting shoppers, and checking families in to begin their shopping. Consider picking up a shift at your local food pantry to give to those who are in need.

2) Once a day through the month of November, write down one thing you are grateful for.

My family likes to express one thing we are grateful for each day. Sometimes, gratitude can be for large or significant things, like warm food and a roof over our heads. Other days, it can be as small as gratitude for the changing leaf colors or a pretty bird that we saw. You can keep this habit going throughout the whole year by creating a Gratitude Journal. 

3) Make a dessert to share with loved ones.

What better way to say “I love you” than through a dessert? Try baking something simple with your family, like pumpkin bread, cookies, or an easy to share dessert. Give your tasty creation to your neighbor, your kids’ teachers, church family, a local nursing home, or to other loved ones.

Local Food Pantries

Have extra food around your house and want to bless others? Consider taking time with the family to gather supplies to drop off at a local food pantry. Below are some pantries in Hendricks County.

Amo:

Storehouse Food Pantry

Avon:

Faith Lutheran Church

Light & Life Food Pantry

Our Shepherd Lutheran

Mary Lee Maier Community Pantry

Brownsburg:

Messiah Lutheran

Camby:

Active Grace Food & Hygiene Pantry

Clayton:

Mill Creek Christian Support Center

Coatesville:

Coatesville Food Pantry

Danville:

Abundant Life Food Pantry

Hendricks County Senior Services

Shared Blessings Food Pantry

North Salem:

North Salem Christian Church

North Salem United Methodist Church

Pittsboro:

Shepherd’s Shelves

Plainfield:

St. Stephens Lutheran Church

Plainfield Church Federation Food Pantry

Stilesville:

Stilesville Christian Church Food Pantry