Wednesday, December 9, 2009

FUNdraising - match abundance with need

Central Minnesota Emergency Services Chaplaincy (St. Cloud, MN)

Ok, here's my idea. I don't know if it can be done because of liability issues, but it seems as though it would fill a gap in the community.

(1) There are rhubarb and fruit trees all throughout the community that do not get harvested for the gifts they provide.
(2) We have many people in our community who obtain food from the food shelf and who are struggling to make ends meet.

This demographic is documented to eat less fresh produce because of the prohibitive costs. Why not make these two things match up? Let's collect the food around town that is growing in our yards and get it to people who need it.

The project would involve community members looking to have their fruit trees (e.g.: apples, pears, plums, mulberries) and plants (e.g.: rhubarb) harvested, organization and community members to submit recipes, a couple people to design recipe booklets, donation from a paper and/or printing company in exchange for logo on recipe booklets, coordination with local food shelf, and an organization to organize the collection of the fruit (maybe ladders, loaders, containers, bags, baskets).

Money could be raised as pledges per pound raised or per hour invested or as a flat pledge. I was thinking that recipes for each type of fruit harvested would be helpful for the households who are not used to receiving a large amount of fruit at one time. The recipe booklets could also be sold.

No comments: