Season of giving

Tis the season for giving and every year I totally procrastinate on this part of the holiday. It's not that I don't feel generous this time of year, it's just that it all starts to feel like a lot of stuff. So it got me to thinking about where I'd really like to put that good earned money.

So of course I thought... give food!

And what better than to give food where it's needed locally?

The result of this idea is in no way a complete list, but I have attempted to come up with some local food based organizations that would benefit from charitable donations or the gift of volunteering this year.

Here are a few to start....

Central Virginia Food Bank

Meals on Wheels

Community Kitchen

Food Not Bombs

Virginia Buy Fresh Buy Local

Neighborhood Resource Center Kitchen & Garden

Freedom House

Tricycle Gardens

Shalom Farms

Also, think about the gift of membership to a local food based organization like Slow Food RVA

Or join a local CSA or Food Club.

And contact your neighborhood churches to learn about how to donate to their Food Pantry.

Please help us expand our list, feel free to comment and propose any other opportunities.

Happy giving!

More Nice Ideas For The Holidays

A few weeks ago I wrote a post about alternatives to the shopping mall style gift mania that seem to characterize the holidays these days....
Anyway, a few days later I was invited to a Christmas open house where the host asked that their guest bring food items to donate to the local food bank in lieu of bringing the usual hosts gifts. I thought this was a great way to celebrate, and enjoy the company of friends and family while at the same time sharing some of what you have with others . All of the food brought by guest was taken by the hosts to the food bank the following day.

Another great idea involving food and the holidays came from my friend Liz when we were discussing holiday gifts. She said that for Christmas a couple of years ago she sent her grandmother a homemade, baked treat along with a card that promised a different fresh baked goodie would be sent at intervals throughout the year. (She sent something about every 6 weeks). What a great thing to look forward to all year! I loved the idea of her grandmother receiving something Liz had been baking in her own kitchen just a day or two before. It really seems to dissolve the distances.