Drive, drive, drive! Holiday Helpings in high gear.

What a tremendous outpouring of support we've seen from the community this year! More than 50 organizations have committed to organizing a Holiday Helpings drive, and more folks are contacting us daily. That is by far the most that we've ever had!

While we can't thank our supporters enough, we also can't help but wonder: Can we reach 75 partner organizations during Holiday Helpings 2010??

There's less than a week before Thanksgiving, but keep in mind that Holiday Helpings runs all the way through Christmas. We expect almost 5,000 more families to turn to us for support in the coming month -- you can help us help them.

I'm often asked what the best kinds of community drives are. First of all, the best kind of drive is one that everyone can have fun and participate. That said, canned food drives ( a traditional favorite) can sometimes pose more difficulties than organizers would expect. For one, it's hard to transport large amounts of canned goods and other groceries. And organizers also have to keep in mind Bread for the City's new nutrition guidelines, which stipulate what kinds of groceries we are looking to distribute, and which kinds we can't accept for the sake of the health of our clients.

In many ways, a Holiday Helpings cash drive is a more effective option. It's simple, and easy -- people can give by cash and check, or by credit card online. By request, we can even set up an online donation page specifically for your organization's drive - complete with your group's name in the URL. (Check out the page for our corporate partner, Alston+Bird: https://www.breadforthecity.org/alston+bird -- cool, huh?)

Some people assume that a cash gift is somehow a "cop out," not quite the tangible assistance that a can of food represents. But I want to assure you that a cash gift is the most effective way you can help us during this holiday season. Not only will 100% of each dollar go to stocking our food pantry, but (since we're the Capital Area Food Bank's largest client) we can stretch each of those dollars much farther than you can at a traditional grocery store.

So visit our Holiday Helpings page for suggestions, tips, and guidelines (see also our 2010 Holiday Helpings Brochure and Food Drive Kit) or contact me at nlaborie@breadforthecity.org or 202.386.7611 today and help make this our most collaborative Holiday Helpings ever.

If you're interested in organizing a Holiday Helpings drive at your workplace or community center, it's not too late! Contact me at nlaborie@breadforthecity.org or 202.385.7611. You can also visit www.BreadfortheCity.org/HolidayHelpings for more information.