Creating Mitzvah Meal Bags for the Homeless is easy, fun and so meaningful, for children or adults. And what a difference this small bag can make to the person who receives it!
It’s a Mitzvah!
In December I love focusing my lessons, both in the classroom and at home, on mitzvot, on helping others. We are usually so focused on ourselves, on presents, on all the intensity of the holidays that it feels really good to shift that focus to helping others. And as with so many things, if you begin the tradition of doing mitzvot, or helping others, now, then it becomes part of your December holiday tradition for the future.
In my classroom the Mitzvah Meal Bags for the Homeless activity came after a short review of tzedakah and mitzvot. Check out the full post, with my lesson plan, here!
Before making the bags, we reviewed how creating Mitzvah Meal Bags for the Homeless is the perfect example of both practicing tzedakah and performing a mitzvah:
- Tzedakah: We used some of the money the children donated to buy items to make these mitzvah meal bags. Each family also brought one type of item that class session. The end result was many wonderful and nutritious options, and an opportunity for each child to fully participate in practicing tzedakah.
- Mitzvah: The Torah commands Jews to feed the hungry. Since a mitzvah is the conscious act of kindness, of a good deed, feeding the hungry by making these Mitzvah Meal Bags is a wonderful way to perform this mitzvah.
We are commanded to “share [our] bread with the hungry and bring the homeless into [our] house.”
Isaiah 58:7
The activity can be done quickly if you’re in a time crunch but the impact is huge, on both the children involved and the receivers of the bags.
What You’ll Need
- Gallon size ziploc bags
- Variety of non-perishable small items that can fit in the bag: cans of soup
, tuna cans
, peanut butter crackers
, protein bars
, raisins
, cups of fruit
, applesauce
, nuts
, water
. And maybe a sweet treat to bring some extra sweetness to the receiver’s day. Most of these items can be found at Dollar Tree. If not there, your local grocery store will of course have them. I’ve found that Costco has the tuna cans in bulk for a great price. And, as always, Amazon can come through too!
, tuna cans
, peanut butter crackers
, protein bars
, raisins
, cups of fruit
, applesauce
, nuts
, water
. And maybe a sweet treat to bring some extra sweetness to the receiver’s day. Most of these items can be found at Putting It Together
1. First you need to gather your non-perishable items. As I mentioned, I purchased some of the items (ziploc bags and water bottles) with the tzedakah money the class had raised thus far. The rest of the items were donated by the families the day of class. I sent a sign up genius with suggestions so the parents wouldn’t all bring the same items.
2. As children brought in their donated items, I organized them by type (protein, fruit) and placed them around the tables we use in class.
3. After our first circle where we reviewed tzedakah and mitzvah, the children lined up and proceeded around the tables placing one of each item into their ziploc bag. This assembly line style worked really well for our class. Some kids needed help closing the ziploc bags at the end but other than that, it was a completely hands-on and kid-made activity.
4. At the end of class we divided up the bags so each child took home the same number of bags.
Finished and Loving It
The children were so excited to create these bags. They knew they were practicing both tzedakah and mitzvot. And they felt so good doing it! And for myself as a teacher, it felt wonderful knowing the kids were so happy doing good deeds for others.
The next class one of my students proudly shared that she already gave both of her Mitzvah Meal bags to homeless people in the last week. Here we are, living tzedakah and mitzvot! And by doing these things, we are also practicing tikkun olam, repairing this world. It’s such a wonderful feeling!
This tzedakah and mitzvah Mitzvah Meal Bags for the Homeless activity is:
- super easy
- can be cheap for the classroom, especially if families bring items as donations
- very meaningful as the children experience practicing tzedakah, mitzvot, and tikkun olam themselves, hands-on, and fully involved with the entire process (decision for the tzedakah focus + using their tzedakah to purchase items + bringing items as a form of tzedakah + preparing the bags themselves + giving the bags to the needy themselves as well)
- fun and engaging for all the children, at home or in the classroom
An Easy, Fun, and Meaningful Activity to Do at Home Too!
I of course brought the idea home to my own kiddos and they loved putting together these bags as well. If you do this activity at home, the set-up doesn’t have to be as formal. Grab extra non-perishable items the next time you are at the grocery store. Put the items on your kitchen table and let your kids grab one of each item and put them in the ziploc bag.
Add a little extra: Play songs about tzedakah and mitzvot while you do this activity (check out my One Mitzvah lesson plan for some ideas!). Read a book about mitzvot or feeding the hungry before or after the activity (PJ Library has a great list!).
Super simple, but still a very meaningful and fun activity for your own children!
This was a wonderful way to review the concepts of tzedakah and mitzvah and engage in an interactive and meaningful activity that was enjoyed by all.
For more information on the mitzvah of feeding the hungry, check out this PJ Library article and this Religious Action Center article.
Check out the lesson that went with this activity in my post, One Mitzvah: A Short Tzedakah and Mitzvah Review Lesson Plan.
Have you made Mitzvah Meal Bags for the homeless? What other ways have you participated in a community activity for tzedakah or mitzvot?
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