Donate homegrown produce toWestside Food Bank on Sundays

Let's face it, there are times when you can't even give away all thoselemons or zucchini, let alone eat them. Well, now you can give them to individuals and families who desperately need them.

We invite you to add your contributions of fruits and vegetables fromyour trees and gardens to the weekly collection of non-perishable foods wecollect for the Westside Food Bank at our Sunday morning services.

Our contributions will change with the seasons. Right now some of ourSouthern California gardens are producing a bounty of beautiful citrus -oranges, lemons, grapefruit, limes, and tangerines. Cool-weather greens, lettuces, and peas are abundant and will be through the spring. Come summer,some of our gardens will be overflowing with zucchini, tomatoes, and beans.And throughout the year herbs are plentiful in our Mediterranean climate.

In addition to your own gardens, you may know of neighbors who havebountiful gardens. We'll be happy to accept donations from anyone. Just bag the produce and placeit next to the basket for the non-perishables. Ifyou anticipate a bumper crop that might be better transferred from car to car, just let me (SueStoyanoff ) know in advance.

For more information, including easyways for your neighbors to drop off their excessproduce at your residence, please contact me.

-Sue Stoyanoff, Hunger Task Force

The Hunger Task Force needs YOU!

There are many ways you can lend a hand to thehungry and homeless right here in Santa Monica. Ourchurch is involved with four agencies from the WestsideShelter and Hunger Coalition: Westside Food Bank, Daybreak, Turning Point, and Step Up on Second.How can you help?

BRING non-perishable food items to church onSunday for the Westside Food Bank; items are distributed to low-income families and to 65 agencies servingthe homeless in our community.

MAKE a casserole. On the first Sunday of eachmonth we deliver frozen casseroles to the women atDaybreak, a homeless drop-in center in Santa Monica.Bags of fresh fruit are also welcome.

PARTICIPATE when UUCCSM hosts the meal atTurning Point, a transitional housing program for people getting back into the work place. Our church provides a meal three times a year: Martin Luther King Day,Mother's Day, and Labor Day.

DONATE your time by volunteering to serveUUCCSM's monthly meal at Step Up on Second, anagency in Santa Monica working with mentally ill homeless folks on their way to recovery. Our church providesthe afternoon meal every fourth Saturday of the month.

PUT YOUR FAITH INTO ACTION!

To learn more, please contact Denise Helton for Daybreak, Marsha Smith for Turning Point, and/orRhonda Peacock for Step Upon Second.