Unless you've been living under a very large rock, you probably noticed a couple months ago when a million a few thousand rabid conservatives gathered around the country for a "tea party" to protest...well...something. The decline of America the obviously impending socialism Obama's race...I think. Anyway, tomorrow they're planning on doing it again. I can't speak for anyone else, but I was mystified and mortified when they took several million perfectly good tea bags and destroyed them. This time 'round we're prepared for their insanity and it's time we fight back in a constructive way.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Million Can March. The premise is simple: liberal bloggers are collecting non-perishable food items to donate to local food pantries with a goal of donating one million cans of food by tomorrow, July 4. It's our way of responding positively to the teabaggers' insanity and leveraging the power of community to do something helpful rather than something destructive. After all, if you're going to post blog entries all over creation and gather people together, they might as well be doing something constructive, right?
I'm not going to bore you with a lot of statistics. You know what it's like out there. I could tell you that two years ago, 36.2 million Americans lived in households that were food insecure didn't have enough to eat. I could tell you that 20% of American children live in poverty. But you know that. You walk the streets of your neighborhood every day, you see the empty buildings and empty houses, see the yard sales and the panhandlers, all signs that our economy is in trouble and people are hurting.
This isn't the time for partisan screeching or marching in the streets. We're not doing this to get on TV or to get Bill O'Reilly's blessing. It's simply time for those of us who have the means to pitch in and help to get up and do so. Together, yes, we can.
Some Tips for Participating:
-Give nonperishable food items. Canned meat, peanut butter, jelly, canned fruits and vegetables, soup, canned pasta dishes (ravioli, spaghetti, etc.), pasta, pasta sauce, boxed potato and rice mixes, boxed pancake/baking mixes, etc.
-Some pantries also accept and are in need of baby formula and baby food.
-Some pantries also accept and are in need of personal care items: toothpaste, toothbrushes, toilet paper, shampoo, etc.
-Please do not give away expired or old food. If you wouldn't eat it, what makes you think someone else will?
-I'm sure your pickled herring is lovely, but please regift it to Uncle Joe instead. Consider foods that are friendly to kids.
If you're not sure where to donate, do some Googling. I looked around for food banks around me and found the Food Bank Council of Michigan.
Other ways you can help:
-Donate to Feeding America.
-Volunteer some time at a food bank.
-Spread the word. Post at your blog, tweet it, Facebook it, etc.
-For Pete's sake, recommend this diary. </shameless>
This July 4, do something good: help fight hunger.