Doing Good the Ding Dong Way

Ahhhhh…you’ve just shut the front door, stored away the bounty of your latest shopping trip. You have everything you need for an extended staycation, thanks to the COVID 19 social distancing mandate. What to do now besides relax, watch movies and enjoy life?

How about thinking of others? Those who couldn’t go shopping or got to the store too late to even scratch their meager shopping list. Those who may not be able to afford to go shopping.

Become a Ding Dong Dining Volunteer!

You don’t have to give everything away…or even a significant fraction of your pantry. Just enough to make someone’s day.

Here’s how to do it.

1. Wash your hands (of course)
2. Now lay out your supplies as follows
   1. Bags (plastic, cloth, paper or whatever is convenient) – you’ll only need two or three but even one will make a difference
   2. Toilet paper – one for each bag
   3. Canned goods – two for each bag
   4. Dry goods (rice, pasta or beans) – a ziplock bag
   5. Other items as you think of them…remembering it is best to only include packaged nonperishables. These are more likely to be accepted and used considering people may be wary of accepting home-made goods from a stranger.  
3. Write a short note to let your recipient know who the bag is from. 
4. Wash your hands again.
5. Package it up and drive to the home of your recipient. Knock on their door and stand back ten feet. Have a neighborly conversation making sure to ask if they are okay. Keep in mind this can be a one-time delivery or you can sporadically continue to make drop-offs. It’s all up to you.
6. By the way if you have (as I do) a garden or laying hens, you might want to find a way to distribute your excess to those who need it most.

Wanna Give? This is Your Brain on a ‘Helper’s High’