Giving Back

For several years now, Cole and I have been supporting the Capital Area Food Bank as our local charity of choice in a few small ways. I don't think I've missed an Empty Bowl Project in the last five years, we donate cash to them during City of Austin Shred Days, and I always buy at least one pre-priced bag of groceries when HEB is involved in a food drive.

Well this morning, we took that support one step further: We volunteered our time sorting donations at the food bank itself. I'm hoping we can make it a regular part of our schedule, volunteering a couple of Saturdays each month.

For three hours today, we sorted, inspected and cleaned 4,500 pounds of food that was donated through the recent Stamp Out Hunger drive. (One of the leaders we were working with gave us that number. We were curious, so we asked.)

As we were placing food on the conveyor belt that would take it to be sorted, weighed and soon distributed, I was imagining the family that might get the food at the end of the line. For some reason, I had a single mom with three kids in my mind all morning. And I'm proud to know that they'll be eating well when they get this food.

In my mind, they were having meals like pancakes with blueberry syrup and applesauce on the side for breakfast. For lunch, peanut butter and apple jelly sandwiches with some chicken and stars soup. For dinner, baked beans and freshly baked cornbread. Maybe after dinner the mom would make sugar cookies with the sugar and flour we saw.

If you've been considering supporting the CAFB with a couple of dollars or a few hours each month, I definitely encourage you to do so. It's a great feeling to have such a direct part in something that is going to make a huge difference to a local family's day.