Affinis kicks off food collection for reStart

We all know about the tough economic times we’re in. No doubt, many of us have watched our 401K accounts shrink, and the constant barrage of bad news can be a downer. The rising unemployment rate has made life a lot harder for many in the metro area. Donations to charities people rely on for food and shelter have slowed nationwide.

So the question becomes, “What can we do to help?” Affinis stepped up to meet the need by starting a year-round food collection to benefit our partner, reStart. Our first collection last month was a big one – we filled an SUV!

Donations feed our community directly through reStart’s daily food service. They also help stock reStart’s pantry, which gives residents the ability to stock their own pantry free of charge.

Here are a few ideas we came up with to make donating fun and easy. Join in!

• Make it competitive. Our first collection was a competition among our workgroups. While the end result was a tie, and no prize rewards were given, all our groups donated and everyone had a lot of fun in the process.
• GIY (Grow It Yourself). Broccoli, tomatoes, and green beans are reStart’s favorite veggies. Plant a few extra plants and donate the produce when it’s ready. Your sweat equity will put smiles on many faces as they enjoy your fresh produce!
• Add On. When you do your own grocery shopping, pick up a couple extra items for donation. Purchases of $5 to $10 each week add up to nice donation over a whole year.
• A Bag A Month. Make it a goal to donate a full bag of groceries each month. The shopping will take less than 15 minutes and purchasing sale items make that bag a bargain.
• Reprioritize. Instead of a night out on the town or that impulse purchase, give the money you’d spend to charity. You will feel better for doing it, and did you need that DayGlo orange, solar-powered personal fan anyway?

For more information on reStart, check out their Web site at www.restartinc.org