Meaningful Items During a Difficult Time
Recently, a friend of our site, Ruth Newquist, shared the following with us:
"My husband died 6 years ago. I appreciated everything people did for me. But..... I had lots of paper products and lots of fried chicken. Someone in my husband's office lost her husband two years earlier, so she brought what helped her- stamps. I used the stamps for thank you notes."
We thought giving stamps was such a thoughtful idea that it made us curious as to what other meaningful items people have received during difficult times. Here are some inspiring suggestions from our users:
Food items you can take along:
- Uncooked pasta
- Teabags/coffee
- Breakfast items (bagels/cream cheese, yogurt, granola)
- Lunch items for children
- Special drinks (i.e. apple cider, juice, etc.)
- Basket of healthy snacks
- Breakfast bars
- Mints
Non-food items you can take along:
- Toiletries (hand soaps, lotions, lip gloss/chapstick etc.)
- Toilet paper
- Paper towels
- Plastic storage containers
- Ziploc bags
- Paper plates
- Disposable containers (to transfer meals and send dishes home with meal provider)
- Garbage bags
- Diapers/wipes
- Cleaning supplies
- Tissues
- Treats for family pets
Services you can offer:
- Send an encouraging note
- Mow their lawn *
- Maid service/cleaning *
- Rake their yard
- Snow removal
- Pet sitting
- Rides
- Extra freezer space for food gifts
- Clean up after dinner, clean kitchen
- House sit during funeral and clean while family is out of the house
- Greet visitors
- Plan a birthday party if a child in the family has a birthday during the difficult time *
- Laundry (pick it up and deliver it clean/folded)
- Childcare
- Take a packed lunch to the hospital for loved ones who do not want to leave
- Time for anything that's needed
Gifts you can deliver or send
- Stamps
- Blank cards
- Gift cards for Target
- Gift cards for Lowes
- Gas gift cards *
- Gift card to hospital parking garage
- Gift certificates for restaurants near to home or hospital
- Toys for the children that travel well (coloring books, crayons, etc.)
- Soothing candle
- Magazines
- Rolls of coins (for vending machines at hospital)
- Gift card to local nursery
- Plant to remind family of loved one
Gifts for later
- In the weeks and months that follow: visit, sit and listen
- Let them know you haven't forgotten
- Send encouraging notes
- Give hugs
* These ways to help were a favorite of many of our users
If you have additional items for the list, please send them to us through a comment on this post or post it on our Facebook page. We will add them to the list.
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Welcome! We're thrilled you stopped by. A well-timed meal delivered by a friend is one of the best gifts imaginable. In this space, we share our favorite recipes, meal-taking tips, and other ways to care for those who are dear to you.
You can find our popular You Are Loved spoons in our Gifts & Such store.
