Hope Filled Bags

Hope Filled Bags helps local churches to respond to food insecurity in their community. It is estimated that 4%-13% of Australians struggle to secure the adequate quantity of nutritious food.

A church running this project provides its members with Hope grocery bags who distribute these to their family, friends, neighbours and others who are motivated to donate grocery items to those in the community who are living tough. The Hope Filled Bags are returned by the happy donors and the donation is then brought to the church where it is delivered to the local Food Bank or another local community service organisation.

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INGREDIENTS

To replicate this project your church will need:

• to assess the need for local food relief services in their community;
• Compassionate church members excited to donate food using Hope Filled Bags;
• a coordinator who will oversee the project;
• order the Hope Bags or source a local printer to supply the bags using artwork supplied;
• designate a date to have the bags handed out to church members and a return date for collection;
• organise for the delivery of the donations to local food relief services;

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METHOD

Steps to run this project

1. Launch the idea in your church community and obtain support;
2. Order a supply of Hope Bags;
3. Appeal to church members to take 5-10 bags, suggesting they distribute them to neighbours, friends or work colleagues;
4. Knock on doors in the local neighbourhood and invite people to participate;
5. Set up a stall outside a major supermarket on a Saturday morning inviting participation, after obtaining advance permission from the Shopping Centre;

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To find out more visit www.sttomshope.org/hope-filled-bags

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“A person acting alone cannot achieve a lot but when many people act together and pool their various skills and talents a great deal can be done.  

This initiative is a good example of that.” - Gil Muir, President, Bennettswood Conference, St. Vincent de Paul Society

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