Our First Annual Friendsgiving for No Kid Hungry
Hosting Thanksgiving has been a bit of a tradition in the Messy Kitchen, but this is the first year we’ll be hosting two Thanksgiving feasts, less than a week apart nonetheless. It may sound like a daunting task (it is), but it’s all for a good cause. On Saturday night we put the emphasis on the giving, hosting our first ever Friendsgiving to benefit Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign.
Before I start sounding too altruistic, I should go ahead and admit it: hosting friends and family for a meal in my home is one of my greatest joys. But I recognize that it’s not just a joy, but also a privilege. As I discovered while doing the SNAP challenge last fall, hosting a dinner party, even a modest one, is cost prohibitive for many families living on a tight budget. In fact having family or friends over for dinner could easily eat up the food budget for the entire week, which averages just $33.79 for an individual in D.C. living on SNAP benefits. This year Share Our Strength introduced Friendsgiving for No Kid Hungry, a way for folks like myself who love to host to pursue that passion while also raising awareness about the realities of those facing hunger right here in the United States (did you know that one in four kids right here in Washington D.C. struggle with hunger and 15,772,000 children across the United States face food insecurity?) and raising money that goes directly to our efforts to connect children across the country with healthy meals.
It was an incredibly successful night. We had 30 amazing friend in our small town home, sharing countless laughs, countless calories and countless bottles of wine (if my recycling pile was any indication, the number is high). Together, we raised over $1,850 for No Kid Hungry, from nearly 40 individual donations and a live auction where friends bid on a home cooked meal from yours truly and a home brew session with Courtney. (If you would like to donate, it’s not too late! The fundraising page will stay open through the holiday and every little bit counts!) I was overwhelmed by the generosity and positive energy in my home on Saturday night, and as I told my guests: while I’ve been known to do some pretty silly things, when it comes to surrounding myself with phenomenal human beings, I’ve got it down.
Okay, enough talk. Let’s look at some moments from Friendsgiving!
Check out all the photos here!
It looks like fun, right!? Great news! You can sign up to host your very own Friendsgiving for No Kid Hungry!
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[…] pie was actually a last minute addition to the menu. I had a vegan pal joining for Friendsgiving, and realized it didn’t look as if we’d have any vegan dessert options. Despite it […]
[…] I finally launched my 2nd Annual Friendsgiving Fundraiser! After having an amazing time hosting last year, I set my goal ridiculously high… so I need your help! 100% of the proceeds go toward […]
[…] Donate to local charities – Donating your time and money to those less fortunate is the ultimate way to appreciate what you have. No Kid Hungry has an awesome Friendsgiving fundraising campaign that I just found out about. You invite friends to come celebrate at your home, and they’re able to make a donation towards ending child hunger in America. I’m thinking about hosting a Friendsgiving next year. You can also donate or volunteer at your local food bank – two food banks local to NJ are The FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties and Food Bank of South Jersey. Friendsgiving photo from Notes From a Messy Kitchen […]
[…] see, at Friendsgiving last year, these guys went in on an auction item: a three course dinner for six. However, after […]
[…] it’s Thanksgiving time, the theme is easy. (You can see how one blogger did a Friendsgiving here.) For other times of the year, you can do a pie social, spaghetti dinner, or gourmet mac and cheese […]
[…] What replaced it? A Vegan Wellington (again, Google it). Having already made a full bird for Friendsgiving the Saturday prior, we decided to skip in in favor of this […]