In the event of a major disaster, it stands to reason there will be many who were unprepared for it. A fair number of those folks, assuming they’ve survived the initial crisis, will be forced from their homes due to damage, looting, or other reasons. They’ll be on foot, tired, hungry, and scared.

There’s a prevailing school of thought in the “survival” world that says anyone who shows up at your door looking for help should be turned away, with force if necessary. A subset of that line of thinking says they should just be shot on sight. For many preppers, though, the idea of just shooting someone outright for daring to ask for help just isn’t workable. I would guess that the majority of preppers would rest easier at night knowing they were able to lend at least some small degree of assistance to a needy family, especially one with young children in tow.

That’s where the charity bucket comes in. The idea here is to assemble a small collection of supplies that you can position in a hidden spot nearby. If someone shows up looking for help and you feel compelled to do something other than bury them in the backyard, you can direct them to the charity bucket.

What should be in the charity bucket? Well, that’s up to you. It at least partially depends upon what you have available to spare as well as how much you are willing to give away. It should go without saying that by parting with these supplies, you are reducing your own stores. Here are a few suggestions, though, of what you might consider tossing into the bucket.

Food and Water
1-2 cans of soup or stew
1-2 granola bars
2-3 bottles of water

Shelter
Emergency blanket
Knit hat
50′ paracord
1 pair socks

Fire
Small bag of strike anywhere matches
Small bag of dryer lint or other tinder

Tools
Inexpensive folding knife
P-38 can opener
Small soup pot
Spoon or other eating utensils

Hygiene
Small bag baby wipes
Toothbrush
Travel size toothpaste
Small bar of soap
Hand towel

Also, if you know of any community shelters, whether set up by local government or churches, include a list of them as well as directions on where to find them.

Many of these items, such as the soup pot, utensils, and clothing, can be had dirt cheap at thrift stores and rummage sales. The food items shouldn’t cost you more than a few dollars if you shop around.

The container for these items need not necessarily be a bucket. Originally, the idea was to use a five gallon pail, such as those you’ll find at delis and bakeries. However, given the popularity of those handy devils, you might find it difficult to obtain them. Seems like someone always gets there before us, right? The bucket would be ideal simply because it would help prevent animals and bugs from getting into the goodies.

Alternate containers, should buckets be unavailable, would include thrift store backpacks or canvas shopping bags. But, bear in mind, those sorts of things will not protect the contents from the weather or animals so you’ll need to be creative in where you position them for pickup.