Food Pantry Blog Project: Finale

My plan was to make it seven full days on this project, but I ended up with five days under my belt total. And I wasn't the only one to learn that sometimes life steps in and changes our plans.

There may be more words to write after a few days of reflection, but life has stepped in and stolen my attention: I'm about to do some traveling; I've just gotten a dog out of the hospital, narrowly avoiding surgery to remove part of his small intestine; and there was family drama many miles from here (thankfully) that involved a gun. I didn't even blog Day 5.

But I would not have traded my time participating in this project for anything. Along the way I learned so much, not only about myself, but also about our community and people I don't even know.

This project has spurred change in me: My composting class is Wednesday.

I learned that more people than I ever realized -- myself included -- need a lift and some support from time to time, just to find comfort in knowing where their next meal is coming from.

For both Cole and me, this project cemented the decision we made long ago to make the Capital Area Food Bank one of the organizations that we support as a family, through regular financial donations, volunteering, and going to great events like the Empty Bowl Project every year.

There are a few cans leftover from the original bag of food pantry items I brought home. They'll be going into a large paper bag to be left for our mail carrier for Stamp Out Hunger on May 8.

When we first met with Lisa to get this project started, she said that the mission of the food bank is two-fold: To feed hungry people. To end hunger in Central Texas. By making donations of money and food, and by volunteering, I can help with the former. But it will take all of us working together to accomplish the latter.