Bedlam Farm Blog Journal by Jon Katz

We’re almost there, with just a few inexpensive items left on the Cambridge Pantry Food Pantry list. The clock is ticking, and we’re on the hunt. “Awesome,” says the woman who never sleeps, Sarah Harrington, the pantry director. The Army of Good has outdone itself,  eliminating 5 of 8 items Sarah posted for under $2.00 on the Amazon Cambridge Food Pantry Wish List last night and three more in the previous hour.

But we need some help to cross the finish line.

Thanks to your incredible support, we’ve almost cleared the Cambridge Pantry Food Pantry list. Just three items remain tea for $2.86, Onion Soup for $1.72, and Grape Juice for $4.34. Several items not on the list, including peanut butter, have also been donated and removed. Your generosity makes a significant difference, and I hope we can clear the list by this afternoon.

Only three of those are left, and two other items—grape Juice and Peanut Butter—remain on the list, which consists of foods the pantry is out of.

Just imagine the impact of our coming together to fulfill this wish list once more.  We are making a difference.

We are just two items away from making a significant difference in the lives of the families and children eagerly waiting for these items. Let’s make this a beautiful end to the weekend if we can.

Clearing out the Wish List would also be a nod to Sarah, who works day and night (and does not, so far as I know, sleep) to get food to the people who need help feeding their families.  This will make her work in the coming week dramatically easier.

She ensures that they are affordable and easy to donate. I know of no billionaires in the AOG, and I hope it stays that way forever.

Here are the three items  that are left  :

Crystal Light Sugar-Free Sweet Tea On-The-Go Powdered Drink Mix 6 Count, $2.86.

Campbell’s Condensed French Onion Soup, 10.5 Oz Can, $1.72.

Happy Bell Grape Juice, Bottle 64 Fl Oz, (Pack of 1), $4.34.

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The Peanut Butter items are off the Wish List, which means Sarah now has enough of them to take off the list. Thank you.

This is excellent news for families, especially for their children. I love the narrative—good people all over the country stepping up as a community to help people in need. That’s the America I love. Politicians, are you listening?

The people coming to the food pantry will be very happy this week. This support has been a great morality builder for the pantry volunteers and those in need who come to them.

It was exciting to see Sarah Harrington, director of the Cambridge Food Pantry, ‘s message this morning: “The Pantry Wish List now has eight items under $3, and four of those are under $2.”

Sarah did it again. She found healthy and sought-after foods and drinks that cost very little.

Even the smallest contribution can significantly impact, empowering us to make a difference.

As many of you have kindly told me, supporting the food pantry is more straightforward than I imagined.

I plan to browse the wish list over the weekend to see how I can help while spending little money. It’s a simple yet impactful way to make a difference, and I encourage you to consider it, too.

Nothing feels better than this for me. It’s a powerful antidote – helping people knocked down by life stand up – to the awful news that rains down on us.

Saran is notified when something is purchased, and she can track what is coming down the line. If she has enough of an item coming, she might remove it from the list. If it disappears, it means enough are on the way for now. I love thinking about how much good we can do for a few dollars.

The Army of Good has made an enormous difference in the evolution of the Cambridge Food Pantry. “How did we do this without you people?” one of the volunteers asked me the other day.

I’m forever proud and grateful.

Here are the items on the list today and tomorrow. Sarah may remove some if she sees enough being sent to go on her often depleted shelves.

This is a beautiful opportunity to do much good for nickels, dimes (or maybe dollar bills).

I hope you can help. This is one of those opportunities to commit small acts of great kindness and do a world of good.

The items she referred to are all available on the wish list. Here they are.

Act II Butter Lovers, Microwave Popcorn, 3- Count, 2.75-Oz Bags, $1.92.

Chef Boyardee Beef Ravioli, $1.00.

Amazon Fresh Original Saltine Crackers, 16 Oz, $1.79.

Honey Nut Cheerios Cereal, Limited Edition, Happy Heart Shapes, Healthy Cereal With Whole Grain Oats, 10.8 Oz., $2.99.

Crystal Light Sugar-Free Sweet Tea On-The-Go Powdered Drink Mix 6 Count, $2.86.

Campbell’s Condensed French Onion Soup, 10.5 Oz Can, $1.72.

V8 Splash Tropical Blend, Flavored Juice Beverage, 64 Fl Oz Bottle, $2.18.

Happy Belly Grated Parmesan Cheese Shaker, 8 Oz.

You can buy these items or any others on the Wish List or feel good about giving the pantry children and their parents the food they need, want, and ask for inexpensively.

I appreciate Sarah’s concern for the Army of Good. She searches the Amazon landscape for items we can afford to buy and which are also urgently needed so that we can help without harming ourselves.

That’s not easy. Have fun.  Thank you again and again. This will also be the support for tomorrow, Sunday.