Homeless Kits

Every year at Christmastime, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints releases a program called “Light the World.”  It is basically weekly ideas to give service during the month of December. If you click on the link, there is even a printable you can have to look at and remind yourself to do good.  Here I will talk about a simply way to help out — making Homeless Kits.

Light Your Community

The second week focuses on Lighting Your Community.  Our family decided to put together “homeless kits” to give out to people who are standing on street corners.  We’ve done this in the past and had a positive experience with it, so we wanted to include the kids this year.

Basically they are Ziploc bags filled with hygiene essentials that someone would need, and then a few extras.  What you include is totally up to you!  Some years we have made huge 5 gallon bags with many cans of chili, wash cloths, a book, etc.  This year we decided to keep it simpler.  

We made 4 bags, and each containted:

• Can of chili (that does not need a can opener) and fork
• 3 pairs of socks
• razors
• toothbrush
• toothpaste
• deodorant
• handful of root beer barrels 

The kids really enjoyed putting these together, and we had a great conversation about how some people don’t have homes and how we should help those people.  And that we should always be grateful for what we have.  

I recommend putting these in your car near the driver’s seat where you can easily grab one when someone needs one.

When I was a kid, my mom and some friends made these kits.  We lived in Anaheim California and encountered homeless people on street corners every day.  I still remember, that one day there was an old man on an intersection median, and my mom opened her window and handed the man the kit.  Right then and there he dropped to his knees and said “Thank you God for this!  Thank you!”  It really touched me that we were able to be God’s hands on earth in that moment.

I am hoping to go out there and Light The World this December, and continue in that trend throughout the new year.

How are you Lighting The World?