The Spaghetti Project

**Daisygirl** · 10-12-2009, 05:47 PM

This year food bank donations are down to an all-time low. Lots of people are without jobs, and people are hungry. We aren't talking in some distant dusty desert far across the ocean. This is happening a couple of doors down from my house and yours.

On any given street, if the percentages hold true, in every 7th house, people are hungry. If you beleive the evening news, anywhere between 11-20% are living below the poverty line. There is no Thanksgiving turkey, no pie, no mountain of mashed potatoes on their table today.

My recent change in lifestyle made me see how easily any of us could cross that line that defines having enough and going without. Except for the grace of God, while we were waiting for the money to start coming in, that could have been us.

At that time, I was thinking, "if pickings get much more slim, I am going to have to go to the food bank". But then I saw the disturbing photo in the newspaper of the empty shelves at the Salvation Army Food Pantry. I really began to think about hunger here in North America. I decided then that when I began making money again, I had to do my part to keep people from being hungry, one box of spaghetti at a time.

I have one simple change that I have made. Instead of picking up one of those goofy magazines or a candy bar at the checkout counter, I am going to spend that $2-5 on that food to donate to those that have less than I do. With $2 I can buy a pack of pasta and a can of sauce and that is dinner for some other family. I call it "The Spaghetti Project."

I'm going to encourage my friends and preach from the rooftops - just spend an extra dollar or two every week on food to donate. You will never miss it, but if you don't spend it some hungry kid certainly will.

One of the keys to personal happiness is knowing that you are doing what you can for others. A self-centered life is rarely a happy one.

Make yourself smile one box of spaghetti at a time.

**mauimagic** · 10-12-2009, 05:52 PM

I love The Spaghetti Project - have chicken skin just reading your post.

A friend just told me that if you buy two jars of Spaghetti sauce (2/$5), you will get two boxes of pasta free!! Works for me for this week's donation. I am literally down to living on change this week, but know I have enough to cover this.

Mahalo for the great idea!!

**lisaflex** · 10-12-2009, 06:16 PM

what a great idea!

we are going to shop for a family of 5 (7 yr old dtrs idea) and deliver it to a food bank.

we are going to do pasta, sauce, soup, tuna, peaunt butter, ....enough for one week.

**pollypurebred39** · 10-12-2009, 06:28 PM

Yeah me too Maui, but I've got some pasta and some potatoes I can send to the pantry. 1 in 7 houses!!! I assume those are households that fall above the food stamp limits but still don't have enough for food after paying for shelter, electric, car payment, car insurance, medical bills, ect.

I expect they will be cold this Winter too, I think my Mom had an afgan she wanted to give away, I'll see if she still has it.

thanks for the post, it always helps to remember that no matter what you're going through somebodies going through something worse and you can be a blessing to them with very little effort or $.