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Helping Others on Halloween

Posted by Sprouts Staff

Fall; it’s the time when the weather gets cooler and people come home to visit family and friends. Loved ones will gather around a dining table with plenty of food to go around. Sadly, a lot of families don’t have the luxury of enjoying a nice dinner with family and friends, let alone any meal at all. This is a disheartening thought, but there is something we can do to help.

This Halloween, instead of collecting candy from neighbors and friends try collecting non-perishable food. When you are out taking your kids around from block to block ask if the residents can spare any non-perishables. If your plans do not include kids, get dressed up and go around with a few friends and collect canned goods and other dry food items. People are already expecting trick-or-treaters and in most cases they have a spare can of food lying around they can give.

This also makes a great party game if you are throwing a Halloween Party. Gather your guests together and split them up into teams (no less than two for safety reasons), and give them a time frame of 15 to 30 minutes. Whoever comes back with the most food items wins! To have an incentive you could offer some sort of small gift (such as Sprouts plantable greeting cards).

: Sprouts Fall Cards

Click the link to order: http://www.sproutem.com/category/Fall

Here are a few tips on collecting canned and other food items this Halloween. Make sure you have a few friends with you. This is for both safety and you can carry more food this way. Also, make sure you use canvas bags, backpacks, or even a rolling suitcase to carry the items. Most people tend to give canned goods and too many will break plastic and paper bags (plus reusable bags are better for the environment). If you have access to a wheelbarrow, use it! It will mean few trips to the car or house to unload the goods. And last of all have fun; it’s Halloween!

Don’t know what to do with the food after you’ve collected it? Most local grocery stores like Publix and Winn-Dixie usual start collecting for food drives starting around October through December. Also try places like your local YMCA and community churches usually have a collection going too. If you still cannot find a place to donate the food try the internet to find local drop off locations.

Click the link to find out about Feeding America: http://feedingamerica.org

Here are some specific locations in South Florida:

Palm Beach Warehouse 426 Claremore Drive West Palm Beach, FL 33401 (561)659-5070

Broward Warehouse 2970 NW 27th Street Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311 (954)486-7226

Administrative Office and Main Warehouse 5850 NW 32nd Avenue Miami, FL 33142 (305)633-9861

Reclamation Center 1363 NW 155th Drive Miami, FL 33169 (305)474-8805

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