HerbCare Packs

Sharing HerbCare

Herbal medicine can truly be a medicine by and for the people.  Now more than ever we need to roll up our sleeves and provide herbal support in our communities.

Making HerbCare Packs is an easy way to distribute simple and safe remedies.  At the Herbalista Free Clinic, we’ve made HerbCare Packs for distribution in all sorts of situations: at local soup kitchens as basic health and seasonal support for the unhoused; to support activists and folks in occupation situations; for refugees living in direct provision; for post-vaccination support; and even at health fairs where folks could build their own customized HerbCare Packs.

Quick Tips for Creating HerbCare Packs

  • The remedies you choose to put in your HerbCare Packs will depend on the community you serve.  Remember, different strokes for different folks! 
  • These packs should be geared towards self-care.  Avoid alcohol when possible, and offer remedies that have minimal contraindications.
  • Try to utilize a local materia medica that is recognizable, affordable, and accessible (such as items you might find in the grocery store or growing around you).
  • Focus on making the remedies easy to use, such as offering tea bags instead of loose leaf tea blends.  
  • Create inserts for your Packs to help folks understand more about the remedies you are sharing.  Informative inserts will empower folks to learn more.  You can find examples in the Toolkit. 
  • Check in regularly with the community, ask questions and get input.  Notice what folks like.  Stay creative, have fun, and take care!
A table is set with all the different groupings of remedies that will go into HerbCare Packs. There is a large stack of brown paper lunch bags with an Herbalista logo stamped on top.

Share the Herbal Love

What better way to show folks you care, then to give the gift of herbs? HerbCare Packs are an easy way to share a little bit of healing and some herbal delight in your community.

HerbCare Packs are easy and fun to make. We’ve put together this little guide to help you along, from planning your packs to sanitation and safety concerns. We also include several example packing lists that we’ve used for different situations.

Making HerbCare Packs Guide

Making HerbCare Packs

Making HerbCare Packs Video

What better way to show folks you care, then to give the gift of herbs? HerbCare Packs are an easy way to share a little bit of healing and some herbal delight in your community.

In this video we will share guidance on creating these herbalistic care packages, including pack lists and examples of the many we’ve created over the year, just in time for winter.

Elderberry Fire Cider Recipe

ELDERBERRY FIRE CIDER WORKSHEET

Making HerbCare Packs: A Guide

HerbCare Packs Guide

Taking it further

HerbCare Packs are a great stepping stone to an HerbCare Station. The remedies we use in both are quite similar, as they are both geared towards self-care and empowering folks with herbs.

Please check out the HerbCare Station project page for more.

HerbCare Station Project Page

HerbCare Packs Gallery

Several Rows of HerbCare packs in brown paper lunch bags, stapled shut, with an Herbalista logo stamped to the front.
Hands packing up an HerbCare Pack with large sets of remedies on the table. A basket filled with small zip lock baggies of vitamins and next to it stands several rows of 1 oz. spritzer bottles.
A table is set with all the different groupings of remedies that will go into HerbCare Packs. There is a large stack of brown paper lunch bags with an Herbalista logo stamped on top.
Lots of people stand around a long table assembling remedies and packing up HerbCare Packs.
A basket filled with ziploc Allergy Re-Leaf HerbCare Packs. In green letters the headline reads "Some Ideas for HerbCare Packs"
The contents of a Holiday HerbCare Pack are on display. The content includes a bottle of BRAVE tincture, a bag of ginger chews, several tea bags, a packet of vitamin c, and otehr items. The logo on the package content menu is the Dublin Herb Bike.
A gloved hand holds a small Allergy Re-Leaf Care pack with large bowls of the included remedies in bowls behind. One bowl holds green aromatic inhalers with a couple bottles of Olbas Oil next to it and the other holds ziplock baggies filled with Super Quercetin capsules.
The Content of a De=Stress HerbCare Pack are on display. The content includes Lavender and Chamomile Tea bags, a Rose Water spritzer, a bottle of Chamomile Comfort, a Lavender aromatic inhaler, and an insert Card that tells about the herb Lavender.
A tray displays the contents of a Cold Care HerbCare Pack. There are several rows of HerbCare Packs lined up behind the tray. The contents on the tray include teas, cough drops, tinctures, and electrolyes.
A row of HerbCare Packs in brown lunch bags with a packing contents list stapled to the front. The Headline reads "After-Vaxx HerbCare Packs"
A tray with the contents of an HerbCare Pack displayed on the top. The contents are a couple packets of electrolytes, a few ginger chews, a Pain Re-Leaf Salve, A bottle of Chamomile Comfort Tincture and a small spritzer of Rose Water.
A hand holds up an HerbCare Pack that has the content mene stapled to the front. It reads "AfterVaxx HerbCare Pack" and then lists the contents and instructions for use. In the background are rows of more bags.
A row of HerbCare Packs in brown lunch bags with a packing contents list stapled to the front. The Headline reads "Jail Support HerbCare Packs"
The contents of an HerbCare Pack are on display next to a brown paper lunch bag. The content include a hand sanitizer, a bottle of Fire Cider and a packet of Vitamin C.
The contents of an HerbCare Pack are on display in front of a row of brown paper lunch bags. The contents include a couple of handouts, a jar of Garlic + Herb powder, a hand sanitizer, a small tincture and a lavender sachet.
Two piles of inserts lay on table. One is an herbal word game and the other is an HerbCare Pack Menu.
The Content for an HerbCare Pack are on display in front of a row of brown paper lunch bags. The contents are a pack of vitamin C, a green aromatic inhaler, a hand sanitizer, a bottle of ElderBerry Fire Cider and a bottle of BRAVE tincture.
A row of HerbCare Packages with hearts on the content menu. The Logo is the Dublin Herb Bike.
The contents of a Valentine's HerbCare Pack are on display. You can see through the clear large ziplock bag several items including teas, chapstick, a pot of lotion and a spritzer.
Mini HerbCare Packs with only two items each. One is a hand sanitizer and the other is a bottle of Fire Cider.
Two crew members stand in front of a garage at tables several feet apart. They both wear bandanas on their faces and are packing up HerbCare Packs.
A crew member with a red bandana across her face stands at a table outdoors, while packing up herbcare packs. In front of them on the table are lots of remedies arranged in groups.
Two stacks of inserts for the HerbCare packs. One is titled "Relaxing Breathing Exercise" and the other is titled "Tense and Release"
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