From my earliest days in the hotel business, I was made aware of the work that Philabundance does in feeding the hungry in the Philadelphia region (including New Jersey and Delaware), collecting leftover food from restaurants, hotels, colleges, universities and school districts and processing it into cooked meals for a network of over 500 shelters, soup kitchens and other charitable organizations that minster to the poor, homeless and hungry that live among us. Bill Clark and the staff of Philabundance are the closest thing we have to living saints in our midst, and over a million people are able to stave off hunger for another day because of their selfless efforts 365 days a year.
Back around the turn of the century (we can actually use that phrase these days, weird), 11 years ago this month actually, the sporadically active Dangerous Dining Club that I restarted in 2000 collectively decided to pass a basket after each of our monthly dinners and gatherings and donate what we collected to Philabundance. We gave $5000 that year to Philabundance, partly owing to a member's pharma company employer matching what we raised. With less frequent dinners and gatherings there have been smaller donations, but my heart still has a huge soft spot for the work and people of Philabundance.
Now comes word of Glenside. PA's Keswick Theatre and a much-needed fundraiser for Philabundance, during the theatre's run of Jesus Christ Superstar, April 14-23. God bless the good people of the Keswick.
To quote the Montgomery Newspapers' Glenside Times article on Monday:
Those interested in participating in the food drive can drop off non-perishable and non-glass goods during the show or in the lobby during regular business hours. The Keswick Theatre is located at 291 N. Keswick Ave., Glenside [PA]. [Suggestions include] canned foods like tuna, beef stew, chili, pasta, beef ravioli, peanut butter and jelly, macaroni and cheese, canned fruit cocktail, green beans, corn, and breakfast or hot cereal in plastic containers or boxes.
So, let's all do a good deed today. Use your blog, your Twitter, Facebook, About-Me and Tumblr accounts. Let's get the word out.
And bring some food over to the Keswick, too.
