Crazy Love Week 2: Grocery Goodness

Thanks for all the support last week!  All the soon-to-be-high-schoolers have been matched with a note writer.  I'm really excited to get all the letters in the next few days and then ship them off to Ghana.  Unfortunately the results for the BECE tests don't come out until mid to late August, but I'll be sure to send an update before then.

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Welcome to week 2 of crazy love month!  This week we're looking back to the story that inspired this effort.  (We would have started with this effort, but the BECE notes had a deadline.)  If you remember, it all started with the gift of groceries.  Such a practical gift can make a huge difference -- lifting a burden, encouraging an effort, supporting an individual.  So this week, we will be giving the gift of groceries.

So here's what you do:

1)  Think of a person that might really appreciate a gift of groceries. Maybe it's...

• That college/grad student prepping for mid-terms
• That grandchild just figuring out how to be on his own
• That person in your congregation who is sick or can't leave their house any more
• Those new sleep-deprived parents
• That single/military parent in your neighborhood
• That friend struggling to make ends meet this month

None of those suggestions grab you?  Contact your local college group, church secretary, or leader of the preschool play group.

2)  Think about how you might deliver that gift...

• Pick them up yourself and leave them on the doorstep
• See if a local grocery store offers a delivery service.  I've done some research: Safeway/Von's offer free first-time delivery. And in some areas Schwann's might be your best bet.
• Gift cards are a great compromise.  Sure, it doesn't save the recipient any time, but it's still a great gift and makes the same statement!

3)  Choose a budget.  Can't afford to gift $30/$50/$100? Me either.  So some friends and I pooled our money to gift groceries to an undergrad.  Another idea I considered was asking a few friends to give 2-3 things in their own cupboards.

4)  Leave a note.  Food is great.  Taking care of each other's needs is great.  But offer an encouraging note of explanation even if you do so anonymously. 

As you can see there are LOTS of ways you could tweak this effort based on your own restrictions.  Crazy love certainly calls for generosity, for going the extra mile -- but that mile could point in a couple directions.  So get together and get creative.