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Years ago, Grandparents’ Day was a day when lucky grandparents could look forward to cards and visits with their grandchildren. For many grandparents today, however, it has a different meaning. For a variety of reasons, many of them – especially grandmothers – have now become the sole provider for one or more of their grandchildren.
Before I go on, please let me introduce myself to you. Prior to joining Your Grandmother’s Cupboard, I was pastor of a local Lutheran parish for six years, and it was in that capacity that I first became aware of the changing role of today’s grandparents – especially that of grandmothers. I saw more and more of them coming to food pantries and soup kitchens seeking food for their grandchildren.
While this has been a growing problem in in our larger cities for a number of years, now it is spreading to smaller communities and even rural areas as well.
Most of these grandmothers are living on a fixed income, and I’m sure you can easily understand why so many of them are finding it difficult to meet their grandchildren’s needs. That’s why I’m asking for your help today, and why I wanted you to know about Your Grandmother’s Cupboard.
Your Grandmother’s Cupboard was founded by nine Lutheran men and women who were concerned about the plight of the needy in their communities and had accepted God’s challenge to "tend my flock - - feed my sheep."
As the number and needs of poor and hungry Americans continued to grow, these nine churchgoers and religious leaders recognized that working with soup kitchens and food pantries to help meet their unmet needs was the challenge God had called them to undertake. This has become the primary focus of Your Grandmother’s Cupboard and why I was called to help direct this program.
As I met with the directors of these food pantries and soup kitchens, I listened in sorrow as they described the plight of these often now elderly grandmothers who are facing the challenge of caring for their charges.
I witnessed firsthand the difficulties these directors were having, trying to meet the basic food needs of the ever growing numbers of persons coming to them for help, much less any items for children. These meetings really made me wonder what we could do to help. Then I realized that who better than other grandmothers could empathize with this problem.
And so I decided to ask the mothers and grandmothers who are not facing these problems themselves to participate in this special GRANDMOTHERS’ CHALLENGE. Here is what I’m asking:
First, that every mother or grandmother help provide "Grandmother’s Boxes" by contributing two dollars (or more, of course, if they wish) for every child or grandchild of their own.
These dollars will be used to create age-appropriate Grandmother’s Boxes containing some of the "extras" that most food pantries and soup kitchens don’t provide. For example, a box for an infant would contain diapers, baby wipes, and lotion. The box for an older child would include a toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, soap, a comb or brush and possibly a coloring or puzzle book and crayons.
Second, if possible, that you match these contributions with a gift from the women's group in your church. This will double the amount of these supplies you will be providing. In some instances we may be able to obtain an additional match from Thrivent, a local service club, or a foundation, making your gifts even more of a blessing. These contributions could then be used to provide soup kitchens and food pantries with these children’s items not normally available from neighborhood food drives and congregational donations.
And lastly, but just as important, that you observe a brief moment of prayer for our sisters who are dealing with the new and unexpected responsibilities they are now facing.
This simple challenge from one Lutheran woman could make such a big difference to one or more struggling grandmothers faced with feeding and raising a second family on a fixed income. In fact, with your support, this Grandparents’ Day could once again, be a happier one.
Sincerely,
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