Giving Back at the Capital Area Food Bank

Flipping through December’s “Cool Issue” of Austin Monthly, I found something decidedly not cool. Tucked in the issue, along with listings for the city’s hippest shops and newest restaurants, was an article by Sarah Thurmond focusing on Austin’s low ranking among America’s “most generous cities.” How could that be? I thought. Not my city, this city that I love, where I have met some of the most generous people in the world? The rankings were done by Convio and based on the amount per capita each city donated online. And yet, despite Austin’s position as one of the most tech-savvy, nearly recession-proof cities, we ranked two points lower in 2010 than we did only two years ago.

I think Austin deserves a place in the top 10 most generous cities and I’m asking you to help me get us there. I invite you to join me in making this the year that Austin gives back in a big way – and not just through online donations! Through our philanthropy programs this year, we’ll be reaching out to help those less fortunate in our community. We’ll be helping spread the word about fundraising for important causes such as kids’ cancer research. We’ll highlight volunteer bakers and cooks in our community who give hope to some of Austin’s least-served communities.

This year, the Austin Food Blogger Alliance will be kicking off our philanthropy campaign with a return to one of our first community collaborators – the Capital Area Food Bank. In February, our members will spend an evening working with the staff of CAFB, sorting through donations and helping get food into the hands of Austin’s hungry. Giving back couldn’t be simpler – just RSVP to our Eventbrite invitation (hitting mailboxes after the first of the year) and show up ready to work. The Capital Area Food Bank does have a few guidelines for volunteers that we must adhere to: 1. All volunteers must wear closed-toe shoes (no sandals) and 2. This evening work shift is only open to volunteers aged 18 years and older. More comprehensive guidelines will be emailed to participants the week before the event.

Invitations for this event will be going out in early January so keep an eye on your inbox and RSVP early. See you in February!

Michelle Fandrich, Philanthropy Chair
The Kid Can Cook