First, big ups to Blogtownie Jesse for coming in with a huge donation last Friday! For his efforts, he was hooked up with some serious schwag.
We’ll hook you up too, if you drop in with some non-perishable food for our Blogtown Flash Food Drive to benefit the Oregon Food Bank. Sure, we like to talk about boxes and bags full, but really, any amount is hugely appreciated. I know you’ve got some extra cans in your cupboard that you haven’t touched since you bought them for the Y2K apocalypse, so why not bring them by the Mercury office at 601 NE 21st, suite 200 (right behind Club 21), and help some hungry folks who are suffering an actual financial apocalypse.
Don’t have any cans? I did a little experiment last week to see just how much a bag of food might cost. After going to Whole Foods and picking through the shelves, I walked out with a good selection of canned goods and boxed meals for just about $20, and if that’s what I got away with at Whole Foods, just imagine what you could get at say, Safeway or something. Just sayin’.
At any rate, we look forward to seeing your shiny faces and armloads full of food for the Oregon Food Bank. Let’s kick the week off right! By the time we get to Wednesday afternoon, I want to be forced to rent a van to get all of the food to the Food Bank. Go ahead! Make me rent a van! I dare you!
I give to the Oregon Food Bank, though I usually just write a check, since I actually don’t have a lot of cans sitting around in my pantry.
But I’m pretty certain that if you’re willing to give cash, it’s better to donate it directly to the Food Bank. According to their site, they get matching funds for donations, so your $20 might become, I don’t know, $40. Not to mention that I’d bet they can get a lot more food for $20 than you can at any supermarket, much less Whole Foods.
I think it’s great you’re encouraging people to give, but let’s also encourage people to give wisely. Myself, I’m cutting them a check pretty soon, in addition to my yearly Christmas “gift” to them.
Thanks, tODD for the comment! I encourage folks to give however they see fit.
If you can’t bring in a can or two, then follow tODD’s example and send the Oregon Food Bank a check! But we still have boxes at the office that could use more food in them if you want to clean out your pantry.
The donations will hit an emergency food depot on Wednesday night for distribution.