#ygkChallenge: Keep On Giving

Welcome to Kingstonist’s weekly challenge, dare, resolution or whatever you prefer to call it. Each week we establish a new and ambitious community goal, encouraging our readers, followers, friends and families to step out of their comfort zones and do something great, and hopefully a little out of the ordinary. Consider this your official and personal invitation to join us in completing a small but meaningful achievement. By taking part in this community-wide initiative, we hope to make Kingston a slightly better place to live, work and play. And of course, we also hope that you will feel proud of your contribution and achievement.

Today’s YGK Challenge comes to us from our past writer, former Kingstonian and good friend Caitlin Fralick.  This week’s challenge encourages you to:

Donate year-round. While it’s always wonderful for food banks to get the influx of donations during the holidays, it’s never really enough to get through the busy season. What’s more, after the holidays are over, the donation level drops significantly, and there are periods during the year when they really struggle to supply what’s needed to everyone who walks through their doors. Summer is a hard time, since many families who rely on school breakfast and snack programs to feed their children throughout the day are suddenly responsible for putting way more food on the table than they’re able to afford. During September, they’re always in need of school supplies, backpacks and clothing for kids heading back to class. This week’s YGK Challenge is to make a commitment to the entire year: Starting this month, let’s begin making regular monthly donations, making sure to include the items they need most–not boxes of KD and Spaghetti-O’s, but dried beans, feminine hygiene supplies and canned vegetables. We don’t need to spend a lot of money to make a difference. I first posted this idea on Facebook, where I have almost 400 friends. If each one of them only spends, say, a dollar on a can of beans each month, that’s 400 more items ending up in the hands of those who need them. One act can ripple out in amazing ways, my friends. So that’s it. Choose a food bank in Kingston, pick up an extra couple of items during your regular grocery runs, and drop it off. Many grocery stores have boxes right at the front door. Tell your friends, and ask them to do the same, and turn this ripple into a tidal wave.

Sign up and commit to completing this week’s challenge by commenting below with an “I’m in“, “challenge accepted“, “en garde” or something along those lines. Further, help us spread the word via Twitter and Facebook by using the hashtag: #ygkchallenge. As you work towards completing this week’s task, please feel free to lend others a helping hand by providing tips on how you achieved success.