Cans for Comments: Shopping Trip!

Tonight Jeff and I had the best time going shopping for the cans you all helped us raise through Cans for Comments. In case you missed it, starting just before Thanksgiving and ending the first weekend of December, we did a Cans for Comments drive right here on the blog — for every comment readers left, we donated one canned good to Harvesters in Kansas City.

A big, big thank you goes out to my friend Betsy in Connecticut for rallying her blog readers to leave comments on this blog — thank you so much to all of Betsy’s fans who took the time to leave a comment and help raise more cans for the people who need it right here in Kansas City. 

And thank you to everyone else who jumped in, left a little love note for us, and in return, donated a can to Harvesters.

So tonight, Jeff and I went shopping at the local Cosentino’s Price Chopper and filled a cart with 135 cans. That’s three stacks of 45 cans, in case you’re wondering. I have to share with you that doing something as simple as buying a cart full of canned goods made the people around us ask questions — which allowed us to share how awesome you all are for pitching in and donating to the awesome organization (which is Kansas City’s only food bank).

The Price Chopper where we shop has a Harvesters drop-off, so we were able to load up our cart, check out, and go straight from the check-out line to the barrels for donations. We had the cashier thinking we were pretty crazy (but enjoyed checking out the cans once she found out what we were doing), along with two or three people who usually bag groceries helping to load up the barrels with cans, and the guy behind me in line offering to help unload the cart. It was honestly one of my favorite things we’ve done this holiday season. I don’t think I’ll forget what it felt like to have everyone around joining in and getting excited about being a part of the fun. 

I snapped a few photos of the cart with my iPhone, since store managers get nervous if you walk in carrying a big Nikon. I couldn’t update you all on the final product without photos, though, could I? So, here are a few iPhone photos of the shopping trip:

I’d encourage you all to do something small to help ignite the spirit of giving in those around you. I’ve heard stories about people paying for the Starbucks order of the car behind them in the drive-thru. Try it. Or pick up a few extra canned goods on your next shopping trip, and drop them in the blue barrel to donate to Harvesters. Or bake some cookies for your neighbor. Whatever it is, I guarantee that you’ll remember that moment more than anything else. It’s awesome what we can all accomplish when we have a united effort to give.

Thank you for helping me give back. Your participation was the only way this happened! THANK YOU!