Saturday, February 13, 2010

Helping Out Our Neighbors with Coupons

Since I have been couponing, I have racked up quite the stash of vitamins and Bayer Glucose Monitors. As a matter of fact, they are 'breeding' in my guest bedroom closet. These are items that I have 'bought' because they gave me overage to pay for my real groceries. But, what do you do when you have so many vitamins and Bayer monitors that you don't know what to do with them? I have been feeling very guilty for having so much stuff and not using them. It's wasteful, greedy, and not to mention taking up space.

I already donate my extra food to the local food pantry Helping In His Name, but have not been able to find a place to donate medical supplies... Until now!

Hands of Hope is in our 'backyard', located at the Henry County Medical Center. They provide free medical care to the low income and uninsured residents of Henry County. I called them this week to ask if they could use the glucose monitors and vitamins. The receptionist was very sweet and very grateful. I had Tim drop them off for me since I was at school all week. He had 50 monitors and 5 bags full of vitamins. He said they were so 'taken back' by the generosity and couldn't believe that someone thought of them.

I was very proud that I could do something to help. I coupon because it helps my family, so I was glad that my couponing skills were helping others. These people are OUR neighbors and with the state of the economy, these people could be someone you KNOW.

I would like to challenge everyone who reads my blog and coupons to take that extra step. Don't just simply get rid of your extras, make sure you are donating them to a place that uses them. For instance, instead of taking your extra shampoo/nail clippers/body wash to Goodwill or throwing them away, take them to the Food Pantry. Did you know that if you are on food stamps, you're not able to use the food stamps to buy toiletry items? Again, with the state of our economy, why not donate these items to people who are in need.

My plan is to put together a box/bag of items that will be donated at the end of each month. Do I know what will be in the bag? Of course not. If I'm buying 'three' items, I'll buy 'four' and put the fourth in the bag. I will also make an extra effort to shop at CVS more. Almost every week, you are able to get 'free' toothpaste/toothbrushes/shampoo/bodywash, etc..., so why not take the extra ten minutes to do this? Since I have stopped working, I'm not able to write checks each month to donate, but I can use my resources and thriftiness to still do my part. Will you?

5 comments:

Leah Maya Benjamin said...

thats awesome! someday maybe we will hve these cool couponing stores around us, we have a walgreens not a super one or anythign but thats the only one you mention thats even here.

Over-Caffeinated said...

If only I could figure out how the heck you do this, I'd gladly give away the extras! Ugh, I haven't clipped a coupon is three months.... talk about guilt!

Suehaad said...

thanks for finding hands of hope. i have a ton of glucose monitors and vitamins sitting in my closet b/c i wasn't sure who to give them to.

Suehaad said...

Update on Hands of Hope. I called them and they told me that they don't want anymore glucose monitors (that someone:) already donated some) and that they can't use them because it's the test strips their clients can't afford to buy. They would still welcome vitamins.

starbucksgirl said...

50 monitors! Oh my. :) Those vitamins must be from all of the couponing that you have done over the last year.