Today is our prep day...
Today we will be heading out to the store and purchasing everything we need to pack our bags full of a great meal for a family in need. With the help of 3 San Antonio area organizations/businesses, we have identified 5 families who are food insecure and could use some help providing meals for them and their children. And, over the next couple of days we will be delivering our brown bags filled with everything needed for a great Thanksgiving meal to their doors.
I have been excited about this project from Day 1, but have become more passionate about it as I have spent hours reading information from food bank sites and charities using all their resources to feed those in need. Having food on the table for my wife, my son and I is never something I've had to worry about, but for many people it is a cause of daily concern. I get a knot in my stomach thinking about what it would feel like to have to send my son to bed hungry because I don't have food to give him. This is something I hope I never experience and something I wish no parent had to experience either.
I get excited knowing that what we're doing will make sure that for at least one night a family out there doesn't need to worry about food and can take comfort in knowing that all of their children are going to bed full and happy. We may not be solving the problem entirely, but every bit helps and what we're doing does make a difference. What we're doing will bring joy to the families we help.
I know there have been times in my life where I have struggled with issues and what I remember most about those times are when friends would do something to take my mind off of my problems so that I could just relax and enjoy life without worrying. If all we do is create a happy time and a happy memory for the families we help, we will have done a wonderful thing.
I know this comment is kind of a haphazard rant, but I hope it at least partially explains the reasons I am excited about this event and why I am so glad that those of you participating with us have chosen to do so. I am really looking forward to reading the posts about your experience!
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Brown Bag Project
Give the gift of food to those who are hungry. Take a needy family a meal or donate to a local food bank on 11/21/09. Then, use your blog to inspire others!
Hunger is an issue that affects millions of people around the world. This year, on 11/21/09, BlogCatalog.com and HalfHourMeals.com are asking bloggers to help someone in need by packing a meal and delivering it to a family in need, holding a food drive at your school or church or business, or donating food or money to your local food bank. Then, use your blog to raise awareness about hunger, share your what you learned from giving, or motivate others to help someone who is hungry. BlogCatalog.com and HalfHourMeals.com staff will be hand delivering meals to families in San Antonio on the day of the event. We will be delivering them anonymously and attaching a card that says "from someone who cares about you." If you are unable to physically deliver a meal to someone or deliver food to a food bank, there are ways to donate online. Our local San Antonio Food Bank has a virtual food drive that makes donating food or funds as easy as clicking a few buttons. You can donate to their virtual food drive here: http://vad.aidmatrix.org/vadxml.cfm?driveid=537. Or, look for a virtual food drive sponsored by your local food bank.
11/21/09 AngieA wrote:
Well…we did it, Jason.
It was a very busy day here at BlogCatalog & BloggersUnite, which started out kind of slow because of the heavy rains we had been experiencing. As the time clock kept moving forward I decided to go head out anyway and do the shopping even if it meant getting all wet. Jason and I were soaked as we made so many trips back and forth to the car and up and down the stairs to organize our bags that were going out. By the end of the day we were pleased and happy to have been a part of something that made a hand full of families smile. One family in particular who had a few kids under the age of 10 took one look at the pumpkin pie and cookies I was handing to him and started to say “oh, thank you, I love pumpkin pie and I never get to eat it”.
I then said, “in that case, you get two pies, one for tonight and one on Thanksgiving day”. His smile seemed a mile long. : D