Like many of my friends, I struggle on a daily basis to get my kids to eat. As a friend recently posted on Facebook, "Why do I feel like Monty Hall at dinner time?" I try to limit the choices and always have favorites on hand, and still I end up with wasted food and a feeling of frustration. I know that in the end, my girls are healthy and growing and getting the nutrition they need; but that isn't the case across the country.
Many parents don't have the ability to give their kids options or dinner at all. Times are tough and more and more people are finding it difficult to put food on the table. This exacerbates my guilt about wasting uneaten - untouched! - food, but feeling guilty isn't enough.
ShopRite, my parents' favorite grocery store, has a program called Partners in Caring dedicated to helping get food on the table for those in need. As part of this program, they have put out a call to bloggers to spread the word about hunger. In addition to highlighting participating bloggers on boxes of Honey Nut (or HoneyBunny as LP calls them) Cheerios, General Mills and ShopRite will donate one box of cereal to a food bank in ShopRite’s trading area for the first 30 people who comment on my post.
I have never had 30 comments, but now would be a great time to beat my record! I highly encourage any of my lurkers and all of my regular readers to leave a note about what they do or plan on doing to help get food to the more than 35 million Americans that live in households considered “food insecure,” including 12.4 million children.
I participate in nearly every food drive I encounter, from the girls' day care center, to my office, to my in-laws' synagogue. This year, for the first time, I dedicated some of my weekly shopping budget to exclusively buying food for donation. With grocery stores constantly having 10 for $10 sales, I don't have to set aside a lot of money to have a big impact. I have also blogged before about my frequent donation to the Norwalk Emergency Shelter, which provides assistance and a soup kitchen for those in need locally.
What are you doing?
18 comments:
My CSA has a box where you can donate food that you don't want or need that goes to a local soup kitchen. It's nice for that facility to get fresh, organic veggies, not just canned food.
Like you, I also participate in every food drive I can.
Good luck getting to 30!!!
We try to donate as well. We used to do it through school when we worked but now do it by contributing to the US Postal Service drive and local drives as well.
D & M
Great cause Amy! and Great Blog!!!
I also support the Norwalk Emergency Shelter and have organized several larger collections to support it!
Zvi
Super idea - will be participating in the summer Feds Feed Families effort (now I just need to remember to bring in the food to the office): http://www.fedsfeedfamilies.gov/
Talk soon, LN
It is disturbing that there are so many children in the US that go hungry every day! When we have so much available here..
Our family also donates in many different places: at S&S, the postal drive, my company is a huge supporter of the NES & we do food drives & clothing drives for it 2X a year. We also donate through the schools to the holiday drives. But we can always do more! Thanks.
-DM
Thanks for doing what all us should be doing!
Thanks for doing this, yes it is a shame to waste food. I remember my GMA growing up tell me "Waste not, want not"! I could never relate to her when she would get upset about wasted food, not I get it. Good luck with getting your 30!
-DS
Yay, Amy - keep up the good helping hand
Thanks for the reminder to do what we can! I am currently trying to teach the concept of "waste" to the girls, but I don't think that I have gotten the point across yet.
RTC
Great post and YAY for ShopRite. I've been sending donations to my local food bank ($) for the past several months because I have sensed the increased need in our very own suburban backyard.
Thank you for your post today - and for introducing me to the NES. Carol also told me about Malta House - where you can donate baby items for needy new moms.
-MLH
I volunteer at the local food pantry and we have seen an increase in families in need the last six months.We all must continue to do what we can-- your heart as usual is in the right place.-- uncle barry
What a generous spirit you have and what an excellent example you are for your girls. We also try walk to walk by having a "donation allowance" each year. Our hope is that one day our kids will participate in selecting where the donations go. We're big fans of kiva.org. When they get a bit older I want to get them involved in a local soup kitchen so that they understand it's time AND money that make a difference. Go Amy!
I hope you get the 30 responses you need!
Great idea, Amy. Anytime my words of wisdom can help out a cause, I'm happy!
I was pondering going to the 4H Fair this weekend that wants food donations. Perhaps I will make more of an effort to do that.
For our food wastage? I put less food on their plates. I would rather the kids ask for seconds then throw food in the garbage. If they seriously don't eat it(like 1 or 2 bites) then I throw it back in the fridge for another meal. We aren't rich enough to be wasting food.
Awesome effort!
Our supermarket (publix) offers many buy one, get one free. Since two large jars, cans etc. are waytoo much for us, I put thefreebie in a box for donation to the food bank. Use your coupons for the set! You surely will get to 30 GG
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