I've never heard of this but would LOVE to do this - what a great idea.

I like that idea...don't know that I've run across it at least thus far in LA. Some years when I was back in Minnesota friends at work and I adopted a family and bought gifts and brought food, etc for the holiday, and I've volunteered in places on holidays where meals were served to groups.

I remember our workplace did this - we contacted a church and they assigned a needly family to us. Mostly our group purchased goods for them. DH gave the dad a weekend job helping around the house for a few days.

I donate food to the food banks (and to the animal rescue), but never a cooked meal....how nice!

We have a community soup kitchen once a week and local organizations take turns making and serving lunch. And they do holiday meals. I do make food for those.

I know Island Harvest - they are wonderful. I was involved with City Harvest when I worked at 21 Club.

We donated canned goods to a soup kitchen. How nice to prepare the meals!

Before I moved north, my then partner and I used to go on an annual 'tin run', along with thousands of other motorcyclists. We'd donate as many tins of food (assorted) that we could carry on a motorbike. These were collected by the Salvation Army and distributed to the needy.

We used to do the Blood run, the Blanket run, the Christmas Toy run and any other run that was going, too. They were heaps of fun, aside from the 'do-goodery' involved.

My son has continued the tradition, though he confines himself to the Christmas run.

Before I got ill, I've given my time and skills working for assorted charities for many years. Now I'm on the receiving end - I'm getting Meals on Wheels!

Here is a link that might be useful: toy run!

Daisy, when did you get ill? I've been away so long...

I have always donated and volunteered. I blame my parents for bringing us up so well. They started us when my brother and I were kids and I've never stopped.
I prefer hospice, and that has been where I donate or volunteer.
Since moving, I have donated to hospice, homeless garden project, several women's groups and that is it so far.
I haven't done any thanksgiving stuff this year, I like the idea of preparing a meal for a family, that is awesome!
Right now, funds are not flowing as much as I'd like them to. Next year, more to do...
I am very thankful of the things all of you do, I don't consider it bragging, I consider those things important and worth mentioning.
I do have a best friend who started a few years back with a practice that involves doing good acts--donating, volunteering and other things--but instead of mentioning it to anyone, she keeps it to herself. I am such a big mouth, I'm not sure I could do it!! I did it for two things this year, but mostly I can't keep that stuff to myself...:)
Thanks for starting this post, I think it gives us all ideas on what we can be doing.

Having been on the receiving end of this type of volunteerism when I was a child, I have always felt compelled to help and have spent many years of involvement in charities. I always keep my distance from the recipient because my mother hid from us that we were poor. It was always Aunt Jane or Aunt Betty who was coming by for a visit and "Oh, I had this extra (fill in the blank) and thought I would bring it by." I remember one Christmas when we were invited to the Elks Club annual dinner with Santa. My mother told us that we weren't suppose to be there because it was only for poor kids. I giggled and kept telling my brother through out the meal and presents not to tell anyone.

Cathy

Adnama, I've been ill all this year. Had several rush-trips to hospital in an ambulance before they discovered what the problem was, and they've been trying to find the solution every since. There is none - I'm stuck with it. It's not a good thing to have, though it's not usually a killer in itself, though it came close to it. It's the other things it causes that will kill me. Don't really want to give more details.

Cathy, we were very poor when I was a child too, but I didn't really know it because everyone else around us was too.

I do a lot of volunteering and donating things, but I've never made a home cooked meal for someone I didn't know, and I think that is a great idea. I didn't grow up doing that type of thing - my family was pretty much in survival mode when I was a child - but community service-type projects are pretty much what keeps me believing in humanity as an adult.

Wanna feel like a million bucks..........try this its just so rewarding it made my holiday!

I donate to the families in my school, as do many other staff members. We put together baskets for entire meals for the families, soup to nuts. This year, we made too many baskets, so we're going to do it again before winter break.

I bring in meals or desserts to the Ronald McDonald House. I spent 5 weeks at one and it was a lifesaver. It's nice to be able to give back.