Since 2006, readers of my “reality” columns, op/ed essays in papers, and of this blog, have been kindly and generously donating to my annual fundraising drive to benefit All Faiths Food Bank.

Every year, I add to the drive myself, by personally donating any money I receive from print publications during the month of November — most years, it hasn’t been that much, but this year, I’ll be able to donate all my earnings from my new Sarasota Herald Tribune column called “After Hours” which appears in the TICKET section of the paper. I’m proud and happy to know that because my hometown local newspaper has helped me by hiring me as a weekly freelance contributor … I, in turn, can turn around and help others.

In prior years, I’ve never set a goal in terms of how much I hope I and my readers can contribute and collectively raise to help feed the hungry in our community during the months of November and December, but this year — 2010 — marks the fifth year I’ve run the MC Reality campaign and so it seems fitting to mark this five-year anniversary with a special effort.

More importantly, this is the year of the greatest need in our community.

Toward that end, I’m setting a goal to try to raise at least $4,400. If we’re able to pull this amount together to help heal hunger for the holidays in 2010 — that would bring our collective contributions for all five years to an amazingly generous $15,000. (Since 2006, “Reality Readers” have dug deep each year, raising $10,604 so far.)

If you’d like to help feed an individual or a family during the holidays this year, when so many are facing very lean times — here’s how you can get involved:

A donation of any amount, even $5, will help; $12 will provide enough food to supply a holiday meal to a family of five; $100 will provide 159 meals; and $500 will supply 794 meals.

All you have to do is make a donation to All Faiths Food Bank in any amount from $5 to $25 to $50 or $500 or more if your pocketbook allows. On your donation, if you want to participate in the MC Reality Readers drive, simply write “MC Reality Reader.” The only reason to make the notation is to track how much readers of this blog raise — so we can know collectively what impact we’re able to make in giving assistance to the folks — our friends and neighbors — who need it most.

You can make a donation online at All Faiths with your credit card and it’s safe and secure (at least they say it is!) — just put the words MC Reality Reader in the “Enter Special Instructions Here” box. Or, you can mail a check to

All Faiths Food Bank
8171 Blaikie Court
Sarasota, Florida 34240-8321
941-379-6333
Just be sure to put the words “MC Reality Reader” on your check.

If any reader is interested in doing a matching funds donation, that would be, of course, a huge boost in terms of amplifying what folks are already giving. It could be in any amount — for example, if you’re able and want to match funds for the first $100 or $250 (or any other amount large or small), that would be phenomenal. Drop me a blog post or an email if you’re interested in supporting the drive in that way.

Fundraising starts today and will late November/early December. Then, All Faiths will let us know how much we were able to raise — I’ll report it here on the blog! Of course, they don’t supply names or individual amounts to me — they will just tell me a final tally of the total raised.

I know times are tight for nearly all of us right now … if you can participate in this year’s drive — that would be great; if you can’t donate and need help yourself — just know that we’re all here trying to do our part … keeping the faith … for each other.

Gobble, gobble … in gratitude.