Past Catholic Charities Appeal -- reducing grocery bill to US average???

sirprizeme13 · #1 Jun 21, '12, 1:02 pm

I remember seeing a campaign on Catholic Charities to families to reduce their food consumption to the national average. I've looked but haven't found the link. Does anyone have it saved, or have more information? Did anyone follow this campaign at the time?

Iheartcoffee · #2 Jun 22, '12, 6:40 pm

I haven't heard of it, but I think it is a good idea for people to reduce their food consumption. Too many people overeat these days and a lot of people also over-buy and end up wasting their food. With so many in our world that go hungry-we need to conserve food so that we can help the less-fortunate eat, too.

I think if everyone with a yard actually used it to grow fruits and vegetables then we would be a much healthier and more environmentally-friendly world. I feel like a lot of backyards are wasted. There is lots of space to grow healthy food and it goes unused.

My mother teaches in a very poor neighborhood. Many of them are on public assistance and they use food pantries. When I have driven through that neighborhood and I see the old houses that have rather decently sized yards I wonder why they do not grow some plants in those yards. Seed packets are cheap and food scraps can be composted to improve the soil. Gardening can be done as expensively or as cheaply as one wants. My mother teaches her students to garden in their school garden. If only their families would do the same. They would be healthier and they would have more food.

3DOCTORS · #3 Jun 22, '12, 9:40 pm

Some Sisters in my town have a community garden for the low-income neighborhood that is across the street from the convent.

Bonnie · #4 Jun 29, '12, 8:30 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iheartcoffee

I think if everyone with a yard actually used it to grow fruits and vegetables then we would be a much healthier and more environmentally-friendly world. I feel like a lot of backyards are wasted. There is lots of space to grow healthy food and it goes unused.

Food stamps (EBT) can be used to buy vegetable seeds & plants. Depending on where one lives, berry bushes & brambles would work well in yards & not need the the upkeep that a vegetable garden needs. Other useful perennial plants would be rhubarb & horseradish.

While I wouldn't encourage anyone to plant it, I've read that kudzu is edible. But maybe only by cows, horses, & such. Bad memory. And I'm always looking up stuff to see what my animals can eat.

Cat · #5 Jul 5, '12, 12:16 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iheartcoffee

I haven't heard of it, but I think it is a good idea for people to reduce their food consumption. Too many people overeat these days and a lot of people also over-buy and end up wasting their food. With so many in our world that go hungry-we need to conserve food so that we can help the less-fortunate eat, too.

I think if everyone with a yard actually used it to grow fruits and vegetables then we would be a much healthier and more environmentally-friendly world. I feel like a lot of backyards are wasted. There is lots of space to grow healthy food and it goes unused.

My mother teaches in a very poor neighborhood. Many of them are on public assistance and they use food pantries. When I have driven through that neighborhood and I see the old houses that have rather decently sized yards I wonder why they do not grow some plants in those yards. Seed packets are cheap and food scraps can be composted to improve the soil. Gardening can be done as expensively or as cheaply as one wants. My mother teaches her students to garden in their school garden. If only their families would do the same. They would be healthier and they would have more food.

And then there are people like me who can't make anything grow and manage to kill the few plants in the yard, including the grass, just by looking at them!

If people like you would come to my house and do all the work of the garden, people like ME would be happy to pay you a reasonable fee for your services! Just come to the door and ask, and see how fast you'll be invited in, welcomed with a soda, and contracted to plant and maintain a garden for us!

One of my dreams is for older people who have already "gardened" every square inch of their own yard to show up at my door offering to do MY yard for me in exchange for a reasonable fee and the friendship! I would love that!