The Inaugural Giving Back Gift Guide
Your Friend in Food #6: December 20 2023
Hi friends! It’s the most wonderful time of the year!!! Well for some. Tbh, I’m not in the Christmas spirit this year. Maybe because it has been a devastating year and with all the destruction and war, I don’t feel a particular sense of being holly and jolly. I’ve started playing Christmas songs to cheer me up and slowly making a few holiday dishes here and there but I’m also coming to terms with the fact it’s okay to not be so festive.
Like everyone with a Substack, I’ve been asked to make a gift guide showcasing food things that would make for great presents. I love gifts. I love giving them, I love receiving them, and I love helping people find gifts for their nearest and dearest.
Growing up, my family ensured we gave as much as possible, especially during the holidays. Extra donations at the food bank, making gift hampers for families, or even dropping off food to elderly neighbours reminded me that the reason for the season isn’t in consumerism but in community.
This year, I wanted to think differently about the gift guide. Consider how cool would it be to send a meal in honour of your grandmother or make a recurring donation for your college-aged cousin who is passionate about social causes.
Here is the inaugural Your Friend in Food Giving Back Gift Guide. I also want to add before you donate to an organization, do your research! Read their annual reports, impact statements, and find press on their work. Now, let’s get into the giving!
Thank you to the 6 new subscribers who’ve joined this week! Welcome! I hope you enjoy it :)
P.S. To fully experience Your Friend in Food, I would highly recommend downloading the Substack app. It’s the best way to read the newsletter and explore other Substacks similar to mine :)
ANERA
For the last few months, I’ve felt this intense heartache for Palestinian civilians. We’re watching a culture slowly fade and families going days, weeks, and months without the necessities that many of us take for granted.
ANERA is an organization that is committed to mobilizing resources for emergency relief as well as for sustainable, long-term health and economic development. They have a great FAQ response on the situation in Gaza and I check their response log frequently for updates. DONATE HERE and I would highly encourage you to make it recurring if you have the means.
BLACK FARMER FUND
Black farmers represent 1.34% of farmers in the United States while the Black population hovers around 13.4%. Additionally, Black farm ownership declined from 10 million acres in 1930 to just 4 million in 2012. Black farmers are essential to American foodways in that they can preserve and harvest crops essential to African-American cuisine and also lead the conversation on how to solve food apartheid in our communities.
I’m so inspired by the work of the Black Farmer Fund, an organization that is committed to nurturing Black community wealth and investing in Black agricultural systems in the Northeast. Through their investment fund, the Black Farmer Fund provides alternatives to financial services that help Black farms grow as well as offering support to Black food businesses and land stewards. Since their inception in 2017, they are onto their 2nd fund to deploy $20 million through grants, patient debt, and technical assistance.
If you have the means to invest in Fund 2.0, check out their personal finance worksheet. DONATE HERE to support their grant and emergency relief programs.
DIG DEEP
What is food without water? As you read this, there are more than 2 million people in the United States who don’t have access to running water and DigDeep is on a mission to ensure that everyone has access to this right. Through their WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene programs), Dig Deep has been working on restoring water for families in the Navajo Nation, Appalachia, and Texas colonias with more projects on the way. They are steadfast in partnering with community leaders and inform their projects with detailed research. DONATE HERE!
EDIBLE SCHOOLYARD PROJECT
Alice Waters, chef and owner of Berkeley’s Chez Panisse, is one of my heroes and I’m so inspired by her commitment to fostering a healthy relationship with food, especially for children. For the past 25 years, the Edible Schoolyard Project has been dedicated to transforming public school education through hands-on experiences that connect students to food, nature, and each other.
I’ve volunteered with Edible Schoolyard a few times and found it so enriching. I was fortunate to attend schools with cooking classes and vegetable gardens and I wish this for every child. DONATE HERE to support this dream!
FEEDING AMERICA
Through a robust nationwide network of food banks, food pantries, and community-based organizations, Feeding America is on a mission to eradicate hunger. It’s a great place to find local food banks where you can donate goods or volunteer. Every $1 you donate helps distribute at least 10 meals. The National Food Bank database is here. DONATE HERE
FOOD EDUCATION FUND
The future of food is not in robots or lab meat but in the youth. Food Education Fund is a non-profit dedicated to supporting the education of culinary-focused NYC public high school students and alumni. 85% of the students who benefit from the fund live below the poverty line and commute over 1.25 hours to get to school. Some of the initiatives include job placement at some of the city’s best restaurants, operating the student-run cafe, and learning from the country’s best via the Visiting Chef Program.
I have had the pleasure of meeting some students involved with the Food Education Fund. They are so smart, and talented, and have a deep appreciation for food and its cultural impact. I’m so inspired by them and can’t wait to keep supporting their journeys! If investing in the future is your jam, DONATE HERE!
FOOD FOR SOUL
Massimo Bottura is one of my favourite chefs not just for his inventive take on Italian classics but also for his commitment to giving back to the world. Food for Soul is committed to promoting social awareness about food waste and hunger through a global community of innovative and empowered actors.
Their 12 reffettorios are beautiful physical spaces designed as community hubs where those under unfortunate circumstances can receive nutritious meals that are made with surplus ingredients. They partner with architects and local food organizations to ensure that the spaces are comforting and enriching. The one in Harlem is located at the majestic Emanuel AME Church. Food for Soul also hosts educational programs, offers culinary arts certification, and provides medical support services.
Support their work with a financial donation HERE OR learn more about their global and U.S. (Harlem NYC & San Francisco) volunteer opportunities! I think I’m going to spend time volunteering at Reffetorio Harlem in 2024.
GOD’S LOVE WE DELIVER
This NYC-based organization’s mission is to provide nutritious and delicious meals to people who are too sick to shop or cook for themselves. For almost 40 years, they have delivered over 2.3 million to nearly 10,000 individuals. From 4-7 pm this week, they are looking for volunteer bakers to help scoop and package baked goods or maybe there is another food prep task they might need. More information and other time slots can be found here! If you’re unable to volunteer, DONATE HERE!!
GrowNYC
GrowNYC is an organization committed to building community gardens, supporting zero waste initiatives, and ensuring equitable access to local healthy food through its network of Greenmarket farmers markets. As a result of budget cuts, the city is halting community compost programs. They have several volunteer opportunities if you’re 18 and above and if you want to financially support their incredible and necessary work, DONATE HERE!! GrowNYC is passing along a petition to urge the Mayor to revert this decision. Sign here if eligible!
NO US WITHOUT YOU
An unfortunate truth is that some of our most disenfranchised people are hospitality workers and especially during the pandemic, there were several workers impacted who are still recovering. Damian Diaz and Othon Nolasco, co-partners of Va’La Hospitality Group, started No Us with You when they discovered that they could feed a family of 4 for just $33 per week. They
transformed their office into a food distribution centre and as of December 2023 have provided food security for over 700 families monthly.
If you’re based in LA, specifically Boyle Heights, they have volunteer opportunities here and you can DONATE HERE. Thank you to friend of the newsletter Larisa Kline for sharing this org with me.
THE PASTRY PROJECT
Nothing sparks more joy than a mission rooted in sweets. Seattle-based Pastry Project is on a mission to break barriers to employment by making pastry education more accessible. They offer a free 20-week baking and pastry program where students learn in-demand technical pastry skills, time management, and teamwork. Once students graduate, they support them with job placement with local hiring partners.
To support Pastry Project’s mission, you can get a subscription to their monthly pastry boxes. They’re $35 a month and come with recipe cards and pre-measured mixes. They often partner with bakers like friend of the newsletter Erin Jeanne McDowell! You can take classes at their studio in Pioneer Square. More information about subscriptions and classes can be found HERE.
WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN
When is someone giving José Andres a Nobel Peace Prize? The DC-based, Spanish-bred and his incredible organization World Central Kitchen seem to be the first to respond offering hot and nutritious meals in places where disaster has struck. This quarter alone, WCK has opened field kitchens in Gaza, Acapulco, Tennesse, and Iceland just to name a few. It’s my dream to volunteer with them but in the meantime donating to support their efforts is the next best thing. DONATE HERE
Thanks for reading and I hope this guide inspires you to give back in any way that you can! If there are charities or organisations, please let me know in the comments below, I can’t wait to read about them and donate throughout the year!
Eat well and be well!
Your Friend in Food
Abena
Love this soooo much abena!!!
This is so great, thank you for this list!