August Volunteer Voice

A few years ago, Karen Strohschein attended a workshop presented by Catholic Charities on how to incorporate service projects into the curriculum at the school she taught at. Part of that workshop included a tour of Emergency Services. During the tour, something caught Karen’s eye and stuck in the back of her mind –Birthday Bags. When Karen’s family was planning a small gathering this summer, she remembered the Birthday Bags and decided that assembling some would be a great way for her family to spend that time together and give back. This small but mighty group of 17 people, ages ranging from 4 to 68, spent time shopping for items, hand decorating bags, and assembling some pretty lovely birthday parties for children in need. These bags will be kept at Emergency Services for visiting families that have a child with an upcoming birthday. The children in the family helped with the shopping, which provided some very valuable life lessons for these young people; purchasing toys they would very much enjoy for themselves, they instead had to put them in a bag and hand them off to a child they will never know. A true act of kindness and selflessness.

Birthday Bags are just as their name suggests – a birthday in a bag! Each bag includes the “essential” elements of a cake with the trimmings, and a gift. Karen’s family created 17 bags full of joy for young people in our community. Their bags included cake mix, frosting, candles, party plates and napkins, and gifts for boys and girls of all ages. While Karen’s family spent time decorating some pretty great looking bags, traditional gift bags are acceptable as well. Other items to consider including; books, a birthday card with a personal message, and allergy friendly products, e.g. gluten, dairy, and nut free.

Not everyone is privileged enough to have a place to call home. Being homeless can make it a struggle to fulfill basic needs. Homeless Blessing Bags can be filled with various personal care items and snacks to help ease difficult times for those facing homelessness. Suggested items to include; first aid kit, hand warmers, socks & gloves, tissues, wash cloths & wipes, floss, toothbrush (cover) & toothpaste, bar soap, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, razor, deodorant, lotion & chap-stick, feminine hygiene items, small non-perishable snacks. One-third of women under 25 have struggled to afford the appropriate hygiene products. You can help make it accessible for EVERYONE with a Period Purse. (Suggestion: Host a Girl’s Night to assemble purses!) Suggested items to include; tampons & pads of various sizes, cleansing wipes, hand sanitizer, bottle of pain reliever, panty liners, small purse or toiletry bag.