Last night my children and I attended the opening of a gluten free food bank at the House of Neighborly Service in Loveland, Colorado. To my knowledge, this is the first such dedicated food bank. And all of us in attendance are going to work to make sure it won’t be the only one.
Several wonderful companies and lots of great individuals were there but I wanted to highlight one of them.
Denver based Raquelitas Tortillas has created a tasty new gluten free flatbread called Sandwich Petals. They had delicious chicken filled wraps for those attending the Opening. Available in three flavors, these whole grain blend wraps are delicious and good for you too!
The really special thing worth highlighting is that owner/creator Rich Schneider is donating 1 percent of all sales of the Sandwich Petals to gluten free food banks in Colorado and during December when you purchase a box on Monday, you will get a box free. You decide where the extra box will go but the shipping to send it will be covered by Sandwich Petals. Mr. Schneider is challenging other gluten free food companies to also begin a program to regular provide gluten free options to those in need.
I must also add that attending the opening was one of those surprising parenting success moments – the kind you wish you had more of and don’t usually realize fully is happening until its over.
I had hemmed and hawed all day about attending in person verse sending our donation since I would have to take both the kids to the event by myself during their typical dinner time. Our youngest would likely cry most of the way home since it would also by that point be past his bed time.
However, as my 3 1/2 year old celiac daughter helped decide on the final items to go in our donation bag and commented for the third time that she was glad we had enough food to eat at our house, I decided to risk the melt downs. It was indeed worth it!
She asked when we arrived if she could now eat the food in the donation bag and upon hearing my explanation again about it being for others who did not have enough to eat, she asked why their mommies didn’t just go to the store and buy more food. I then explained that their mommies didn’t have money to buy the food. She pondered this for a minute and then brightly told me “The money maker just needs to bring their mommies more money.” Don’t we wish it were that easy!
Later as we were leaving, she looked wide eyed at the shelves filled with clothing and toys and asked if the food bank folks didn’t have their own of those things at home either. I replied no, often there are people who are both cold and hungry. She sort of shivered. Then promptly returned to being three by pronouncing loudly that her brother seemed to have a dirty diaper and she would like to go so she could watch a show before bed.
Showing a child through one’s actions and the actions of other caring individuals, like those in attendance last night, is so much more powerful in teaching about the ideas of generousity, sharing and charity than words alone. Plus it simply feels good, particularly during the crazy consumerism that is the holiday season, to be giving to those really in need!
