Donate Your Talents

The front line needs us. The ones unemployed and food needy need us. What can you do? Donate food. Donate your cooking and baking.

If you have a restaurant and extra food, see if you can donate to emergency and front line workers . People still need to eat and a hot meal, whether pasta, pizza or even a burger or BLT is much welcomed. There are non profit organizations out there that are paying for essential workers to eat. Contact your local ones to see if they want to partner with your eatery for this. You can also contribute to feeding those in need of meals' the homeless and the recently unemployed. Again there are non profit organizations that can pay for this and set up a tab. You could also deliver to the elderly's homes too. Donate any fresh food you haven't used to food banks or leave it out in bags for those to take. Any extra, bread, lettuce  and tomatoes can feed a family for a few days. If there's extra cake or desserts throw them in too. It'll be a treat to the kids. Also throw in those fun kids place mats and crayons. These would be appreciated by fraught parents looking for something extra for their kids to do.

If you're a good cook and baker  then think about donating your talent to helping too. You can create large family dinners for essential workers' families whose parents are on the front lines. Create easy to make care packages like lasagnas and casseroles. Rice and pasta dishes are also simple to whip up and pack. Create a few for neighbors who are on the front lines. There is nothing liked fresh baked goods. These offer not just good cheer but a heart felt thank you. Bake a few loaves of bread. It's not only soul soothing but versatile. It can be used for sandwiches, stuffing and even turned into bread crumbs when stale. Experienced bread makers can try different kinds like honey and sourdough. You can even try rolls which always go over big. Another comfort treat is a plate of cookies. There's nothing like chocolate chips , fresh from the oven, with gooey chips and crunchy walnuts. Vary the plate with homemade oatmeal raisin and peanut butter cookies or blossoms.

This is the time for all of us to step up. Donate anyway you can. Use your restaurant's kitchen. Use your own kitchen to help our during this time.