We've spent the last 27+ Hours talking about hunger in America, about how one out of every eight Americans will have gone to bed tonight without eating enough to be nourished, and how hunger reaches into every community, nook and cranny of this great nation of ours.
We've told you time and time again that you can visit this link, and make a donation on your credit card that can literally help feed a family for a week with one dollar. You can also visit this link to find other ways to make donations.
What I'm wondering, though, is have you actually made a donation yet?
Now I'm not a rich man by any measure, but I consider myself vastly wealthy when compared to those who don't have a roof over their heads, or are working two jobs and still are struggling mightily to put a meal on the table for their children. So I'm going to make a donation after I'm done posting this diary. I'm going to donate a dollar for every meal I've eaten in the last week. And I'm personally challenging you to match my donation.
That's right, I'm challenging you, yes, you, dear reader, to match my donation of $21 to Feeding America. I want to see how many people will stand with me, and say that they're willing to pay one dollar for every meal they've eaten this week, and, in the process, provide four bags of groceries to 21 different people.
Can't find the $20, you say? Bull-twinkies. If I can do it, so can you.
Let me call your bluff. Give up smoking for a week. Stay at home and don't see a movie this week. Buy "Two-Buck Chuck" instead of fancy wine for your next party -- or buy a six-pack and have friends over instead of going out to the bar next weekend. Pack your own bag instead of eating at McDonald's for lunch. Take a bus, ride a bike, or walk to work instead of driving and paying for parking this week. Wash and iron your own shirts instead of taking them to the laundry service.
While we're at it, I'm not only challenging you, yes, you to make a $21 donation to Feeding America, I'm also challenging you to challenge your co-workers, friends, and family members to make a donation too. Get up at church next Sunday and dare your fellow congregants to give.
Another thing I'll be doing this week, and I'm going to challenge... no, strike that. I Double-Dog Dare you to do it too. I'm going to go to Costco, and buy packs of toothbrushes and tubes of toothpaste, and I'm going to deliver them to my local food shelter. I might pick up a 50-pack of toilet paper and some bulk bars of soap while I'm there, too. You see, you can't buy sundries like toothpaste and toilet paper with food stamps, and if you can't afford food, you sure as hell can't afford sundries.
And when I arrive at my local shelter, I'm going to volunteer for a few hours, to help them stock shelves, fill food bags, or sweep the floor -- whatever they need me to do, I'll gladly pitch in. And please note, if you're unemployed or truly unable to make a contribution from your treasure, then make a contribution of your time and/or talents.
They need you to help too.
So... what are you waiting for?
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Filling Empty Bowls Participating Diarists (all times Eastern):
Saturday, February 14, 2009
12 noon: noweasels
3 p.m.: Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse
6 p.m.: Hardhat Democrat
9 p.m.: boatsie
Overnight: JellyBearDemMom
Sunday, February 15, 2009
9 a.m.: blue jersey mom
12 noon: rb137
3 p.m.: Timroff (You Are Here!)
6 p.m.: Meteor Blades
9 p.m.: srkp23