While watching Conversations with God, a film about Neal Donald Walsch, I witnessed how humiliating it was for him to dig in dumpsters for food. I was so moved by this that I wanted to spare just one human being from this feeling.
Thus, Bags of Love was created.
Bags of Love began in Nashville, Tennessee in the streets of downtown Nashville. It is very simple. I have children decorate twenty four lunch bags and fill them with food. The reason I have kids decorate the bags is that it gives the kids a sense of helping. And, they are just so encouraging in what they write on the bags, such as “Have a Hoppy Day”or “Your Prince Will Come.” One child even included a pencil and a dollar. Several times I have dedicated a Bags of Love run for a special person, such as a mother who had cancer or in memory such as for my dog Rio.
After the bags are packed, I enlist the help of a driver, and we drive the streets of San Diego trying to notice one way streets and red lights! One person even commented on my HUNGER SUCKS t-shirt. I try to find the homeless people that cannot get to the missions or the churches. There have been many times I have placed a bag next to someone passed out only to drive by minutes later to see them sitting up and eating. I can only imagine their thoughts on how the food got there!
I feed 24 people food, but most importantly, I feed them hope – the hope that someone cared enough to find them. One person can make a difference; ask any of the people eating my peanut butter sandwiches.
Once, we had the opportunity to feed the homeless ice cream out of my stepson’s ice cream truck (I was in AZ and it was hot). We wore our Hunger Sucks t-shirts and passed out about 50 ice cream bars. The homeless were lined up at the truck. We all drove away filled up.
Cool people do care!
