Mel Alfieri’s Post

According to the USDA’S Economic Research Service, in 2023 consumers in the United States spent an average of 11.2 percent of their disposable income (income after taxes) on food. The proportion of income spent on food by those living in poverty, without any additional federal assistance is very different.  In the eight states that make up Head Start Region IV, a family of four, earning 100% of the FPG (federal poverty guidelines) spends between 30.4% to 50.2% of their income on food.

Helping grow community gardening project 🌿 We have donated vital funds to a growing project that is creating garden planters from recycled materials. Up The Garden Bath Community Interest Company, based in #Peterborough, successfully applied for a Community Champions grant from Persimmon East Midlands, to support their growing initiative which has seen them upcycle 74 baths – along with other household items – to create planters that are installed in schools, community gardens and care homes. As well as reviving items that may otherwise have gone to landfill, Up The Garden Bath also delivers educational workshops teaching children about the importance of recycling and the multiple benefits of gardening and growing your own vegetables. We invited Co-founder Dave Poulton to the Hampton Woods development in #Peterborough to share his journey before presenting him with a cheque for £1,400. #PersimmonHomes

Time is running out but ways to make an impact are plentiful! As the year comes to a close, we want to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude for your support and share the many ways you can continue to make a meaningful impact right here in our community. Your generosity helps us cultivate vibrant community spaces and empower a growing network of passionate gardeners.  Here are some great options for supporting GROW today, or in the year ahead:  Donor-Advised Funds: Make a donation directly from your DAF for an immediate impact.  Monthly Giving: Consider setting up a recurring monthly gift to provide ongoing support throughout the year.  Employer Matching: Many employers offer matching gift programs. Deepen your impact by checking with your company!  Qualified Charitable Distribution: If you’re 70½ or older, consider directing a distribution from your IRA to support GROW’s mission.  Legacy Gifts: Plan for the future and leave a lasting impact by including GROW in your estate plans.  Volunteer: Join our board to support gardens, expand your network, and make the most meaningful impact on the future of gardening in Seattle! As you reflect on your giving this year, we hope you’ll consider GROW in your plans. Your support fuels our efforts to create inclusive and sustainable community spaces.  Thank you for being a vital part of our community. Wishing you a joyful and prosperous New Year! https://lnkd.in/gKhAEN8K

Volunteers Week 2024 🫶🏼 This week is National Volunteers Week -time for us to celebrate the amazing contribution people make to the community. 🙌🏽 Volunteering was a gift to me after I moved abroad. It is something embedded in Western societies: it is made a lot more accessible and possible than it was in Hungary (maybe just life struggle was too draining, or I was too young and didn't care to do it? not sure). Either way, volunteering became a big part of my life since 2015. A few great experiences I had, just in case you need ideas: - Sundays in Durrell Zoo: I truly miss being surrounded by animals🐻, cleaning up their areas💩, food prep, or manning butterfly house 🦋 - Bat monitoring: I fell in love with bats big time while in Jersey, so recording their sounds and monitoring bats was a great experience 🦇 -Water testing in Citizen Science Program in Jersey: shocking but hugely important results... Let's not even mention water quality and sewage spillage going on in UK (disgrace)💩 - Sussex Wildlife Trust: I enjoy the HIT squad days clearing hedges, wood chopping, planting native wildflowers or litter picking🚯 - Brighton Permaculture Trust: orchard planting in hail and gale force wind wasn't on my list but I did enjoy it nevertheless! 🍎🌳 - Parkrun: the thing is I am NOT a runner, just tackling a beginners-course, but I either join as marshal (cheering) or tail-walker.🏃🏽♂️➡️ - I try and join lot of beach cleans organised by Leave No Trace, Marine Conservation Society, the Sussex Dolphin Project (their boat trips are fab by the way, if you haven't been yet!) 🐬 I know a lot of people who help other charities, support wonderful initiatives and are doing great things. Huge thank you to all of those who dedicate time and effort to volunteer!👏🏼 Share your volunteering experiences- maybe someone else is just looking for inspiration. Volunteering actually helped me hugely when I struggled with my mental health: so can highly recommend it as a remedy. It gives purpose, perspective, and it is a joyful focus time. 🫂 #volunteersweek #volunteering #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness

You’re never too young to start volunteering! ✨ AARCS is proud to offer the opportunity for young people to get involved in our growing community of volunteers. Any young person aged 10-15 can volunteer with a guardian, and any person aged 16-18 only needs a guardian to sign off on volunteering. 🙌 There’s many benefits to being a young person volunteering with AARCS, here are just a few: 1. Gaining Job Experience: Volunteering at AARCS offers a hands-on opportunity to develop a diverse set of skills. From animal care to communication and teamwork, volunteering creates learning experiences that enhance a young person's skill set and look great on a resume. 🖊️ 2. Learning Empathy and Responsibility: Interacting with animals in need cultivates empathy and responsibility. 💞 Learning to understand and then respond to the needs of animals teaches young people compassion while providing a sense of purpose. 🌎 3. Networking and Community Engagement: Volunteering connects young people with like-minded individuals who share their passion for animal welfare. It's an opportunity to build meaningful connections, and learn to engage with their community in an impactful way. 🐶🐱 4. Making a Difference: Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of volunteering at AARCS is the profound impact you can have on the lives of animals. No matter how young a volunteer is, anyone who donates their time to AARCS makes a huge impact on the lives of animals in need. 💚 If you’re looking to volunteer with AARCS or know someone who would be interested, you can learn more at aarcs.ca/volunteer. We hope to see you soon! 👋🐾 #VolunteerPower #AnimalWelfare #YoungAndImpactful #YYCVolunteer #YEGVolunteer #YouthVolunteers #JobExperience #Networking #ChangeMaker #NonForProfit #Volunteer #VolunteerHere #Community

🌱👩🌾 Young Cooks Dig Into Community Garden Project! 🍅🥕 Exciting things are happening at The Kind Kitchen Group! Our Young Cooks have rolled up their sleeves and gotten their hands dirty (quite literally!) as they begin building planter beds for our community garden project. This initiative is about more than just growing fresh produce - it's about cultivating a sense of ownership, responsibility, and pride in our young people. By involving them in every step of the process, from building the beds to planting the seeds to harvesting the vegetables, we're helping them develop valuable life skills and a deeper connection to their food and community. As they assembled the beds, our Young Cooks demonstrated incredible teamwork, problem-solving, and perseverance. It was inspiring to see them encourage and support one another, share ideas, and work collaboratively towards a common goal. This community garden project is a perfect example of the hands-on, experiential learning we believe in at The Kind Kitchen Group. By engaging our students in real-world projects with tangible outcomes, we're helping them build confidence, resilience, and a lifelong love of learning. We can't wait to see how this garden grows and its positive impact on our students and community. Stay tuned for updates as our Young Cooks continue to nurture this project from seed to harvest! If you'd like to support initiatives like this that empower youth and strengthen community bonds, please consider donating https://lnkd.in/dRe_YDu8 Every contribution helps us plant the seeds of change! #CommunityGarden #YouthEmpowerment #ExperientialLearning #GrowingTogether #SustainableFuture #CulinaryStorytelling #FoodMemories #YouthEmpowerment #VirtualLearning #GratefulForOurCommunity #Durham #Food #FoodAccess #resilience #WhereFoodMeetsPurpose #KindKitchenGroup #CulinaryImpact #SupportYouth #YoungCooksSociety #ChefSicilyJohnson #CulinaryArts #SocialImpact #YouthEmpowerment #CommunityBuilding #CulinaryArts #YouthEmpowerment #CommunityBuilding #KindKitchenGroup #ChefMelanieWilkerson

Ever considered volunteering? Why not drop Nitasha an email at vmt@verifyhumanity.org and find out a bit more? Here are some of the reasons people volunteer with us: - I love animals - make a difference - to meet like-minded people - to give something back - to learn new skills - improve your CV - retirement activity It might surprise you to know that the top 3 things we look for in an animal-loving volunteer are enthusiasm, commitment and availability. Maybe that is you? 🥰 🥰 🥰 #volunteer #volunteering #volunteersmakeadifference #volunteeropportunities #volunteeropportunity #animals #animallover #AnimalAdvocates #animaladvocacy #animaladdicts #socialmedia #socialmediamanager #socialmediastrategy #socialmediamanagement #campaigning #writer #researcher #research #retirementgoals #learnskills #makeadifference

We all want to make a positive impact in our communities, and National Good Neighbor Day is the perfect opportunity to start! 🏡 Here are some ideas to help you get involved: 1️⃣ Find a Cause That Inspires You: Choose issues that resonate with you and motivate you to take action. 2️⃣ Offer Your Unique Skills: Whether it's tutoring, gardening, or organizing, use your talents to help others. 3️⃣ Try Something New: Step out of your comfort zone and explore new ways to contribute to your community. 4️⃣ Balance Volunteering and Personal Time: It's important to give back without burning out, so make sure to also prioritize time for yourself and your loved ones. 5️⃣ Bring Friends Along: Volunteering is even more rewarding when you share the experience with friends and neighbors. 6️⃣ Research Your Impact: Look into how your efforts can make a meaningful difference and choose activities that align with your goals. At Team Zach Plackemeier, we believe in the power of community and the importance of being good neighbors. Let's work together to create positive change and build a stronger, more connected neighborhood. How are you planning to make a difference today? 📍1060 Country Club Rd., Suite 100 St. Charles, MO 63303 ☎️ (314) 921-7900 📍 3026 Mid Rivers Mall Dr., St. Peters, MO 63376 ☎️ (636) 875-7346 #nationalgoodneighborday #goodneighbor #statefarm #saintpetersinsurance #saintcharlesinsurance #missouriinsurance #youragentzachplackemeier #zachplackemeierinsurance

🎄 Christmas Countdown Day 23 : The Value of Volunteering During the Holidays 🎄 The festive season is a time for giving, and what better way to give than by donating something truly priceless: your time. Volunteering not only makes a difference to others but also brings benefits to you. Here’s why you should consider lending a hand this Christmas: ✨ Enhance Your CV Volunteering showcases your compassion, dedication, and initiative—all qualities that employers love. It’s a great way to stand out while doing something meaningful. ✨ Develop New Skills From teamwork and problem-solving to learning about animal care or logistics, volunteering offers opportunities to build skills that can benefit your career and personal growth. ✨ Give Back to the Community The holidays can be a tough time for many, including animals in shelters. By volunteering, you can make a direct and positive impact on their lives and the community around you. This season, we encourage you to consider volunteering at local shelters or community projects. Have you ever thought about volunteering at an animal shelter? Your time could help care for animals in need and bring them comfort during this special time of year. Remember, the greatest gift you can give is kindness. ❤️ #bekind #giveback #kindness #animalhealth #petindustry #recruitment Chris Whatling Katie Fletcher Waheeda Jafferali

Building community value 🤝 Local gardeners' continue to flourish thanks to funding from OnPath Energy 💛 Middleton St George Allotments Association received £4,000 through the Moor House Wind Farm fund 💛 The funding has allowed the group to create four raised beds, enabling local people with disabilities or mobility issues to continue their much loved gardening hobby 💛 Our Moor House Wind Farm fund provides more than £39,000 annually in grants for the local communities the live closest to the six-turbine project in Darlington Read the story 🔗 https://bit.ly/3YVpfHj Darlington Borough Council