Think outside of the box when choosing stuff to donate!

Do you have trouble deciding what to donate when you get ready to drop off a donation at your church or local food drive?

My problem is more deciding what not to donate. It's important to remember a few things when making your donation box:
Chief among them is that when someone becomes homeless or financially challenged they don't lose their tastes for nice stuff. It's not like suddenly you go from enjoying sleeping on 400 thread count sheets and PREFERRING that nice lumpy cold sidewalk.

I have never been homeless but I have been so hungry that if it weren't for handouts I would not have eaten. Once you go down that path of being REALLY needy it changes you in some really basic way that is really hard to explain.

I recently took a donation for some homeless folks to a friend who is friends with the homeless both in Tent City in Nashville and the families at the campground in Lebanon (Both in TN.) I can't remember everything that I donated but here are some things you might not have thought of donating before:
Some of this i have donated other places like through the church as well. I just remember taking it somewhere in the past few weeks :)

Cereal
Ketchup
Mustard
Pickles
velveeta cheese (it's shelf stable and if you buy the small packs they can use it all up in one meal!!)
tuna
rubber gloves
Rubbermaid drink containers
crystal light
kool aid singles
I have some benefiber drink mix singles i meant to send.
toothpaste
dental rinse for kids
dental floss
paper plates
paper cups
charcoal
tuna, chicken & hamburger helper
cough drops
fruit snacks (fruit roll ups, gushers, fruit by the foot etc)
granola bars
pop tarts
canned fruit/jarred fruit
shampoo
conditioner
body wash

stuff i wish i had available to donate:
hand sanitizer
diapers (i need the ones i have of these unfortunately)
baby wipes (again with the above)
baby formula (↑)
clothing ↑
tylenol
ibuprofen
cough medicine
canned veggies
crossword puzzle books
sudoku books
pencils
pens
school supplies
backpacks
razors
shoes