Hello Friends,
We did it! A Simple Gesture has now provided over 3 million meals in Guilford County. Wow!
When I think back to some of our first pickups, we weren't even sure if this whole green bag thing would take off. Would people commit? Could we get to 10,000 meals? 100,000 meals? The community did commit, and in a big way.
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Now with our food recovery and SHARE programs, we're collecting even more food, and faster than ever. We're already barreling our way toward 3.5 million meals. Simply amazing.
Hooray for our food donors, our drivers and volunteers, our financial supporters, and our friends. You did it!
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PS: Have you seen our new promotional video? Check it out here! You may see a few faces you recognize!
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Coming Up: Giving Tuesday is on November 28
The Tuesday after Thanksgiving traditionally is a day to take a break from the holiday hoopla and support a few of your favorite nonprofits. We hope you'll consider supporting A Simple Gesture this year!
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Virtual Green Bags: Click to Donate Food
Not a fan of going to the grocery store? No problem! Fill your green bag virtually or support our food recovery program by shipping an order from Walmart.com. Our wish list has basics such as cereal, soup, pasta, and peanut butter; baby food; and foil pans for food recovery. Prefer shopping on Amazon? An Amazon Subscribe & Save order will keep your donation coming on a regular basis, chosen by you. So easy!
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Food Waste Education Recap: Biggest Lessons
We had a very engaged crowd, ready to learn at our education session "Is It Okay to Eat This? Wasting Less Food—and Saving More Money," which was held at the High Point Library on October 24. A few ASG staff members share the most important info they learned:
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Laura Oxner, Director of ASG Food Recovery: "I learned that the white flaky stuff on the outside of a hard sharp cheddar is most likely calcium lactate, NOT mold!"
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Leslie Loyd, President & COO: "If I'm worried about dairy going bad, just heat up some of it. If it curdles, throw it out. It helps that I don't have to rely on my nose, which has been unreliable since I had COVID a few years ago."
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Karen Brudnak, High Point Outreach: "I can eat baby carrots with white stuff on them, it's probably just the carrot drying out a bit. That's what I've been telling my kids, but I was never really sure!"
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Honor Your Loved Ones: ASG Holiday Cards on Sale Now
Perfect for December holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, and thinking-of-you moments, A Simple Gesture's honor cards are an easy way to celebrate someone you care about. Make a donation in any amount, and we'll mail the honoree a beautiful honor card alerting them to your kind gift. Choose from three designs:
- Food Is Love
- Van Gogh Red Poppies
- Merry Christmas ecard (coming soon)
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Food Recovery Update: SHARE Refrigerators Are a Popular Stop for Students
Our ASG Food Recovery SHARE refrigerators are up and running across Guilford County Schools, and SHARE Coordinator Julia Osborne has been busy visiting schools to provide information and support. "Most schools that I've visited so far have placed their SHARE refrigerators in or adjacent to the cafeteria for easy student access," Julia says. "Several folks have shared anecdotes about students asking if they can go see what is in the refrigerator during the school day, just like they would at home!"
As a former school principal, Julia is a big believer in the SHARE program, both for providing extra food for kids who are hungry and for keeping food waste out of landfills. The SHARE program is a win-win!
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Well, Shucks: ASG Wins Top Nonprofit Award
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You're Invited! ASG and BackPack Beginnings Partnering for Holiday Open House
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Ready to Run? Enter the Valentine's Heartbreaker Marathon & Relay—ASG Friends Get a Special Discount
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Looking Ahead: Gearing Up for This Year's Hope Fest 4 Hunger
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Mark your 2024 calendar for this amazing once-a-year event! Hope Fest 4 Hunger features dancers from a wide variety of cultures, coming together to celebrate community. This event is one you won't want to miss!
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Sending a few extra-special thank-yous to:
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Lexi and her team at the Early College at Guilford for hosting a food drive. They collected 821 items that weighed 913 pounds.
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Southwest Guilford Elementary, which will be hosting a different food drive every month during the school year. In October the children donated a portion of their Halloween candy so other kids could have a special treat, and in November they are collecting popular Thanksgiving foods.
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Rehab Without Walls for offering its Wednesday Tai Chi classes to the community for free with a donation of food. Classes are at 6 pm at their office, 4008 Mendenhall Oaks Parkway Suite 101. Give it a try!
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River Landing, for joining our ASG Food Recovery program. Donated food is going to five different nonprofits!
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The Wow Women's Circle of Oak Ridge Presbyterian Church, who collected nonperishable food at their Craft Extravaganza.
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The Academy at Lincoln for collecting food for local pantries at their fall music concert.
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Immaculate Heart of Mary Faith Formation Class for filling green bags as a service project—and for inviting the whole school to do the same!
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St. Francis Preschool for hosting a food drive.
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General Dynamics, for collecting food and recommending ASG for the company's community investment program. Fingers crossed!
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Hartley Drive YMCA, Piedmont Trace neighborhood, Junior League of Greensboro, Fleet Feet/Trivium Greensboro Half Marathon, GO FAR, Jamestown Presbyterian Church, High Point Farmer's Market, Wesley Memorial Church, City of High Point, Pennybyrn, and High Point Young Professionals for inviting us to recent festivals, craft fairs, expos, and races.
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YOU, for filling a green bag, volunteering to drive, sorting food as it's delivered, making a financial gift, and telling your neighbors about A Simple Gesture. Thank you for being part of the ASG community!
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Share this newsletter with your friends and family to increase awareness about local hunger and ways to help.
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