Jennifer Garner's Brilliant Idea for Helping the Homeless Will Inspire You to Do the Same

Published Mar 14, 2022

•

5:30pm

Jennifer Garner boasts a long history of supporting charitable causes, from her partnership with Stand Up To Cancer to her advocacy for early childhood learning. And now, the Queen of Kindness is inspiring her followers to help the less fortunate.

On Instagram, the Peppermint star shared a brief video to demonstrate how fans can help those in need with a with a small act of kindness, and it all starts with a ziploc bag. In the caption, she explained, "Random act of kindness: Gather these essentials in a quart sized Ziplock bag and keep them in your car to give away when you see someone in need. Inspired by my kind friend, @whitneyformt. A pair of thick socks. Kleenex. Hand wipes. Disposable toothbrushes. Chapstick. A couple of granola bars. I forgot this time, but [I] like to add feminine hygiene products, too. Add $5, $10, $20 and a smile."

In the video, Garner packs a few essentials into a plastic Ziplock bag before heading out to share them with people. As she hands one care package to a man camped out on the street, she says, "This is for you, sir. God bless."

In the comments section, Kerry Washington said, "You are just amazing." Celebrity makeup artist Fiona Stiles also wrote, "This is brilliant and deeply kind. Adopting this immediately."

FYI, if you're uncomfortable with the idea of leaving cash, Diane O’Connell, a community lawyer for the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, suggests leaving a gift card for a restaurant. She told UpWorthy, "Simple, cheap foods like bagels and doughnuts aren't that helpful. People who are homeless can usually buy things like that for themselves. Often what people experiencing homelessness need is a hot meal, because that’s more difficult for them to buy."

The site also recommends adding a few other essentials that they may need, including toothpaste, nail clippers, lotions and soap.

Leave it to Garner, AKA the Kindness Queen, to keep us inspired.

Stay up-to-date on every breaking Jennifer Garner story by subscribing here.

Nakeisha Campbell

Associate Editor, News and Entertainment

Nakeisha has been interviewing celebrities and covering all things entertainment for over 8 years, but she has also written on a wide range of topics, like career...

read full bio