Our country is facing a national food crisis. Grocery prices are exploding, and folks who were already struggling to feed their families are now forced to make impossible choices.
We all want to be part of the solution… but what can we do that will make a difference?
The 443 Social Club and the 443 Music Collective are focusing on our local community and launching an initiative to help in our little corner of the world.
QUOTE FROM AUTHOR AND ACTIVIST REBECCA SOLNIT
If you’re a Syracuse resident, you probably know that Syracuse holds the dubious distinction of having the highest rate of child poverty in the country for cities of at least 100,000 people. 48.4% of children under 18 are living in poverty, and Dr. Weeks Elementary School, located just down the street from us, deals with that harsh reality every single day.
Syracuse.com shared an article about the school a few years ago, and it really stuck with me. The teachers there are performing literal miracles… you can read about it here:
A Syracuse School Sits on the Frontlines of the Nation’s Worst Child Poverty
And the follow-up article here:
Our game plan is to run drives addressing various needs throughout the year.
MEAL IN A BAG FOOD DRIVE
“Meal in a Bag” meal kits will be donated to the Syracuse Northeast Community Center, which serves the Dr. Weeks families.
Are you wondering what the heck a “Meal in a Bag” is?
It’s a 2-gallon Ziploc bag containing all the ingredients for a complete meal made with shelf-stable ingredients, including the recipe card.
Yes, it’s more work to put these together instead of just dropping off random ingredients and calling it good.
But most of us have had the experience of coming home after a brutal day at work, sizing up the fridge/freezer/pantry, and trying to figure out what miracle you’re going to conjure up to feed the other humans in the house you’re responsible for.
And that’s with food YOU picked out. I cannot imagine the mental gymnastics required to come up with something from random food pantry items that may or may not have been your first choice.
The “Meal in a Bag” meal kit takes the mystery out of the “What’s for Dinner?” dilemma. It’s a thoughtful, intentional, tangible way to provide a hot meal for a neighbor who needs a little extra help.
We’re using easy, shelf-stable recipes from DOLLAR TREE DINNERS , BUDGET GIRL, THE PIONEER WOMAN, ALLRECIPES, and TASTE OF HOME. The recipes are simple enough for older children to put together if needed.
We’re simplifying the donation process for our Fall 2026 Food Drive. Rather than shopping for individual recipes, just take the master shopping list and grab anything on it. The 443 crew will combine your donations with other items, bag the meal, and add the recipe card. EASY!
SHOPPING LIST
You’ll find the “download” icon in the bottom-right corner of the PDF shopping list if you’d like to save it to your computer and print it.
Our next drive will be October 6 to October 10, and donations can be dropped off between 1:00pm and 7:00pm.
We appreciate your help!
