A UNIQUE WAY TO DONATE FOOD
March 27, 2009
How nice it would be to walk through the produce section of the supermarket and pick through seasonal, fresh vegetables. To many, this is an every day, natural thing to do. For most of our clients at the food bank, this is a luxury and for many, is only a dream as it is beyond their means to buy such fresh food items like: carrots, green beans, onions, cucumbers, and potatoes. Would you not just feel wonderful if you could make this a reality for some of our clients? But perhaps you are just not in a financial position yourself to buy these items and donate to the food bank.
There may be a unique opportunity for you to help you fellow human kind, and it is right in your back yard. Ever thought about a vegetable garden? If you own a home and have some backyard space, perhaps you already grow some vegetables for your family. Why not set aside just a few square meters of your plot and grow some of the named vegetables to donate to the food bank at harvest time? Or if you have thought about a garden, now is the time to act. What a great sense of satisfaction you would have on nurturing the food to ripeness, picking it and donating it to the food bank, knowing that a very hungry person would be receiving your gift of kindness with much appreciation. And what a great way to involve your children in an outdoor family activity.
You may have the land, but are not able to work in the garden yourself. Get your family members, friends, neighbors, and church members involved. A great way to build a sense of neighborhood community with many people helping to till, plant, nurture and pick the vegetables. Many hands make for light work. Or, perhaps this could be a summer “project” for the older children in which to participate by helping to organize, and help with the work. Some neighbors could donate the seeds, while others could help nurture the plants one evening a week and help pick at harvest time. And make it into a neighborhood social event.
Or perhaps, you or your neighbors have one or more fruit trees on your property. How often in the fall do you see the amount of fruit that falls to the ground and go to waste as there is more than you need? Why not pick that fruit, wash it and donate it to the food bank instead of watching it wrought on the ground? Just like the garden, get your neighbors and friends involved and make it a community event.
Some have said that this is only good for a few weeks of the year? That is true. However, it does mean that for those few weeks, the Food Bank does not have to purchase as much food and so we can save that money to buy food items much later in the fall as the colder weather arrives. Every donated food item, whether bought, grown or purchased counts. If 5,000 people grew just one carrot, one potato, one green bean, etc. it would go a long way to help alleviate hunger. So please do not think that your efforts may be small and so would not make a difference. No donation is too small. Every donation is greatly appreciated by our clients and by our volunteers.
These are but a few alternatives to donate the much needed food that is required at the Lansing Food Bank each week. You may have your own ideas. Act on them and help us to help those who are in the greatest need.
Thank you,
The volunteers of the Lansing United Church Food Bank