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Health Options
Alan Titchenal |
Yule charity ranges
from soup to CDsIn Hawaii the aloha spirit keeps the season of giving going year-round. But things crank up a few notches during the holidays as we all focus more on giving.
This season, consider a gift for those who most need our generosity. The possibilities are virtually endless, and what appeals to you will likely depend upon the time or money you can spare.
If you have little time and no spare cash, help at a national level through the Campbell Soup Co. Web site, www.chunky.com. Click on "Tackling Hunger" and then on "Click for Cans" to have the company donate a can of soup in the name of your favorite professional football team. NFL teams are competing to see which can generate the most in donations. About 6 million cans are donated each year through the program to food banks around the country. Support your favorite team, donate good food and boost your awareness of the national hunger problem in just a few minutes.
For other options to help on the national level, check out America's Second Harvest at www.secondharvest.org.
To focus on the local problem, Safeway, Tamura's, Times and Kokua markets all are taking Hawaii Foodbank donations at their checkout counters. Feed a family for a day with just a $2.74 donation or for a week for $19.18, and do it as you pay for your groceries.
Another easy way to help is to take five cans of fruits or vegetables out of your hurricane stash to a Jamba Juice location. You'll get a coupon for a free smoothie, and Jamba Juice will give the canned food to the Hawaii Foodbank.
Yet another quick way to donate to the food bank (and get a present for a music lover at the same time) is to buy the Ohana Records CD called "Our Ohana's 1st Christmas." A portion of the proceeds goes to the food bank.
Or, go to www.hawaiifoodbank.org and make a quick and secure donation online, or call Aloha Harvest at 537-6945 to donate over the phone.
Are you throwing a big party and that will generate loads of extra food? Call Aloha Harvest to pick it up afterward -- your donation will be tax-deductible. Aloha Harvest is a nonprofit organization that gathers quality donated food and delivers it free to social service agencies in Hawaii.
If you have more time than money, many agencies can use your help. Volunteer at the Institute for Human Services, the Salvation Army or a church program (Catholic Charities, for example) that distributes food to those in need.
To keep the spirit up past the holidays, consider organizing a food drive. Attend the Hawaii Foodbank kick-off breakfast Jan. 7 to learn how easy it is and obtain the materials you need to make it happen. Call 836-3600, ext. 240.
See the Columnists section for some past articles.
Alan Titchenal, Ph.D., C.N.S. and Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S. are nutritionists in the Department of Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, UH-Manoa. Dr. Dobbs also works with the University Health Services and prepares the nutritional analyses marked with an asterisk in this section.