Care FP: Giving Thanks — and Love — to Philabundance
Philadelphia’s largest hunger relief organization, Philabundance is providing sustenance to more members of our community than ever. Find out how you can help the people in your area.
I find that the subject of gratitude is often reserved for stories that are being published in the days leading up to Thanksgiving. I’m not sure why… I guess for the same reason that eggnog gets talked up in December. You don’t pour yourself a tall cold glass of eggnog in May just for the heck of it. It’s a holiday special, as gratitude is often revered as something you share in the company of friends and loved ones toward year’s end.
I made three trips to the grocery store in the past week to stock up on (mostly) essentials. On my last visit — today — I hunted down and purchased 8 cans of black and garbanzo beans. They, along with bread, basically all paper products, pasta — they’ve been nowhere to be found. So realizing that chili could actually be a thing this week made me feel as though I’d won the lottery.
I was happy. And I was grateful.
This week, Free People donated $25000 to local hunger relief organization, Philabundance. Perhaps that’s why gratitude hit me a little harder today. 1 in 5 people in Philadelphia — and 1 in 9 across the US — are considered food insecure, and certainly not at liberty to satiate a craving. I reached out to Philabundance’s Director of Communications, Stefanie Arck-Baynes, to find out how we as a community can give back to those who need it, now more than ever.
Can you tell us how Philabundance got its start? And does Feeding America provide similar outreach nationwide?
There are many ways to get involved with Philabundance and other food banks, most of which can be done from afar:
Donate money.
Food banks buy in bulk as at wholesale prices, stretching your dollar further. We also know what’s needed most in the communities we serve.
Restaurants and stores: Donate food.
Follow us on social media and spread the word.
Volunteer.
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