It's time again for Menu for Hope, the initiative to help end hunger created by Pim from Chez Pim. This campaign has been wildly successful - the food blog community has raised over $250,000 since Menu for Hope's debut five years ago. As in the past, all money raised goes to the UN World Food Programme. This year, we are supporting a new initiative at the WFP called Purchase for Progress (P4P). P4P enables smallholder and low-income farmers to supply food to WFP’s global operation. P4P helps farmers improves farming practices and puts more cash directly into their pockets in return for their crops. This will also help buoy local economy by creating jobs and income locally. We food bloggers understand the importance of buying locally and supporting our local farms, P4P helps do the same for farmers in low income countries around the world. You can learn more about P4P at http://www.wfp.org/purchase-progress.
I'm happy to be taking part this year in Menu For Hope. My bid item is a sampler of some great items that are Atlanta based or Southern inspired! It's a great way to show the world some of the fabulous things about the city I live in! All of the details on how to bid on this item are explained after a quick rundown of the items included:
I have been absolutely LUSTING for these aprons since I saw them online a few months ago. The designer, Ashley, has a fabulous company called Ice Milk Aprons. Her super-chic heirloom aprons have made everyone who has seen them swoon. She has kindly donated one of her Rollings in Cinnamon aprons, shown here. (I'm thinking about bidding on my own prize so I can win this thing. Seriously.)
My friend Shameeka turned me onto Low Country Luxe candles. All of their beautifully packaged candles have a Southern spin - many named after coastal towns. They have created some special scents in collaboration with the March of Dimes - they've pledged to raise at least $10,000 for the organization by donating $3.50 from each candle sold. They've given one of their Sugah candles to Menu for Hope.
One thing that people are always shocked by when they come to Atlanta is how many FABULOUS restaurants we have here - you can seriously eat your way through town. My friend Melissa Libby has curated a cookbook called Atlanta Cooks At Home that includes recipes that local chefs - including Iron Chef winner Kevin Rathbun and James Beard winner Scott Peacock - would make in their home. You'll receive a copy of this book if you win this sampler.
One of Mike's friends, the lovely Sabrina, has started a bakery here in Atlanta called Crumb. She is focusing on cupcakes and French-style Macarons. Her stunning macarons are gluten free and come stylishly packaged. She has generously donated one of her gift boxes of 14 assorted flavors.
Next, there is Hot Squeeze. I was sent a bottle of this stuff to try not so long ago and I have to say...I'm hooked. It's the perfect condiment for, well, everything. I've put it in soup, ramen noodles, and on sandwiches. I heard a nasty rumor that it's pretty wickedly delicious over a block of cream cheese and smeared on crackers. The winner of this bid item gets a bottle to experiment with themselves.
NEWLY ADDED! Taste of Atlanta, the city's premier outdoor food festival, has donated FOUR VIP TICKETS to the event next October 2010. You must be in Atlanta next year to redeem this prize. Winner of this bid item will receive a certificate valid for your four tickets, which are valued at $260.
Now for all of the important details:
I do not handle any of the money during Menu For Hope - that is thankfully done by a copy called FirstGiving. Your donations to the Menu For Hope program are tax deductible. Each bid on an item is $10. The code specific to this Taste of Atlanta bid item is UE24. You must specify this code when you make your donation at FirstGiving. Due to the fact that there is perishables and food items in my bid item, I have to limit shipping this item to those in the United States.
To Donate and Enter the Menu for Hope Raffle...here's what you need to do:
1. Choose a bid item or bid items of your choice from our Menu for Hope main bid item list.
2. Go to the donation site at Firstgiving and make a donation.
3. Please specify which bid item you'd like in the 'Personal Message' section in the donation form when confirming your donation. You must write-in how many tickets per bid item, and please use the bid item code.
Each $10 you donate will give you one raffle ticket toward a bid item of your choice. For example, a donation of $50 can be 2 tickets for EU01 and 3 tickets for EU02 - 2xEU01, 3xEU02.
4. If your company matches your charity donation, please check the box and fill in the information so we could claim the corporate match.
5. Please check the box to allow us to see your email address so that we can contact you in case you win. Your email address will not be shared with anyone.
Thank you to EVERYONE that donated items to this Taste of Atlanta bid item...and thank you in ADVANCE to everyone who will be donating to this wonderful cause! Check back on Chez Pim on Monday, January 18 for the results of the raffle.
