Both of my parents were the children of coal miners and grew up quite poor in northeastern Pennsylvania. I remember my mother always praising and supporting the Salvation Army because without the food baskets this organization delivered to her family’s doorstep, she and her brother wouldn’t have experienced any type of Thanksgiving abundance.
So I was very interested in a recent LA Times editorial by John Arnold and Katherina M. Rosqueta, the former executive director for Feeding America West Michigan Food Bank and the founding executive director of the Center for High Impact Philanthropy at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy & Practice.
They suggest that the best way to help families suffering like my parents’ did is not by donating cans of food or bags of rice to traditional food drives. On the contrary, they propose a much better way to amplify your giving and help the millions of hungry people in America. And it’s very simple:
GIVE CASH.
According to their article, for every $10 worth of food that gets placed in a food bin during a traditional food drive, research shows that as much as half may not be used because needy families can’t use it or don’t know how to use it.
So instead of grabbing items off your pantry shelves or purchasing an extra $10 of food at your next visit to the grocery store, consider making a cash donation to a charity that feeds the hungry.
Why? The authors give three good reasons:
1) You can give more. Your $10 cash donation could cost you as little as $7.50 if you itemize your taxes and claim a charitable tax deduction.
2) Needy families are free to choose. Instead of receiving a basket of food on their doorstep with food they may not enjoy or may never use, many charities accepting donations for the hungry display food in “stores” that allow needy families to “shop” for items that are most needed and welcome in their households.
3) Food banks have leverage. Because of their relationship with the food industry, which donates many of its surplus goods to these charities, your personal donation is leveraged. For every $10 you are able to give to the charity, the charity may be able to acquire as much as $200 worth of food!
With over 48 million Americans in families that are struggling to feed themselves, maximizing our efforts to assist them is more important than ever.
Today’s VPOD features a gorgeous Art Deco diamond cornucopia, also known as a Horn of Plenty, which symbolizes abundance.
At Thanksgiving, as always, let’s be grateful for the abundance in our lives and consider how we can share our abundance—be it time, money, possessions, education, or influence—with our fellow citizens. Remember, it’s only by sharing with others, by giving something away, that we can truly experience the abundance and richness of our own lives.
And this is the Attitude of Gratitude that fuels a Vintage Crusader.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
Available at Jane Vining Antiques.
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