FOOD4FRIENDS

GROCERY GRANT

Thank you for choosing to participate in Food4Friends! The Garden is pleased to offer a $100USD ($135CAD) grant to buy food for a local charity. This is also a wonderful opportunity to teach children that they do and can have an important part to play in helping people in need. By giving to those in need our children can be encouraged and inspired to seek out new opportunities to show compassion.

If you have any questions, please email initiatives@thegardenoutreach.org

*One grant per family. Available to Christadelphians in North America only.

GETTING STARTED

Pray

Prayers can accomplish amazing things. Ask God to guide you to find a local charity that is in need of donations.

Register Online

Once you’ve submitted the form below to receive the grocery grant, we will arrange for $100USD ($135CDN) to be deposited in your bank account, or mail you a check.

Connect With a Local Charity

Find a suitable outreach organization (e.g. food banks and food pantries) in your area, and ask which food and/or fresh produce is most in demand.

Buy Groceries

Time for a family trip to the grocery store! This can be a wonderfully rewarding and confidence-boosting experience for younger children. There are many positive ways your child can grow from this experience – as the parent, you’ll know the best way to make this happen. The aim is to make the act of giving a far richer experience because of your child’s personal involvement in the process.

Donate

Arrange for your whole family to deliver your store-bought grocery items. Once the date is set, if you’re planning on purchasing fresh produce, do the shopping on that date so that the food is as fresh as possible.

Create a Connection

This is a great opportunity to create a connection with the staff at the outreach organization, especially for your children. Your children can be gently encouraged to ask questions to find out more about the work of the charity, who they serve and why, and how your family can continue to support the work of the charity. If the opportunity presents itself, consider inviting the organization to your ecclesia or CYC to explain more about what they do. Please do ask the charity staff for permission to take photographs for your report to The Garden, and confirm The Garden is allowed to share the photos on social media. We’d be happy to include the charity name and a link to their website!

Tell us how it went!

Please send us your report so we can share on our social media as a means to inspire and encourage other brothers and sisters, and so that our community may glorify our Heavenly Father.

The Grocery Shopping Trip (with children)
  • This grant is designed for families with young children, but open to everyone. The goal is to give children the opportunity to feel involved by shopping with them for food items to donate to their local food pantry.
  • Download the free activity book (below) for some fun parent-lead activities, plus colouring pages, etc.
  • Take your children to the produce section. Discuss with your child what fruits and vegetables would be the best to buy. For instance, apples and carrots have a long shelf life and won’t spoil quickly, making them good choices. Berries or mushrooms go bad fairly quickly and tend to be expensive, so they may not be the best choice.
  • Use the shopping trip as a time to ask your child questions, allow them to make choices, and guide them toward good decisions. Discuss what a food pantry/bank is for and who it serves. Finally, after purchasing the produce, take it straight to the donation location, with your child helping to bring in the items.
  • This may seem like a very small and simple Saturday afternoon project, but it will have a profound impact on children. When children are actively involved they both learn by your example, and develop a sense that they are part of something important.

Download the free children’s activity booklet!

DOWNLOAD ACTIVITY BOOK (PreK – Grade 2)      DOWNLOAD ACTIVITY BOOK (Grade 3 – 6)

While we are pleased to be able to provide grants and initiatives to our Brothers and Sisters, there is a real cost associated with these efforts and so donations would be greatly appreciated. The Garden is comprised entirely of volunteers and 100% of funds received are put towards future initiatives and support programs for our North American Christadelphian community. Donations can be made on our donation page or the WCF website.