WTF?! Wednesday: Why You Gotta Rain on the PFH Parade?

My kids are spoiled.

They're accustomed to getting whatever they want. I don't mean toys. I don't mean candy. They're spoiled because they're able to open the fridge and have milk. They're spoiled because they sleep comfortably in beds in air conditioned rooms. They're spoiled because they don't know a life without beautiful parks, shiny bikes, bowling alleys and big TVs. I get irate when turning off Nickelodeon makes my kids cry. I get disgusted when I have to throw away yet another dinner because "there are green vegetables near the chicken. Gross!" I lose it when Madan tells me how much more money he should get for his weekly allowance so he can buy a Nintendo DS.

How do you teach your kids to appreciate what they have and to not take so much for granted? How do you do this when everything they need is practically handed to them? You remind them of how fortunate they are over and over again. But, it doesn't always sink in. That's why my friend Jen and I hosted Playdate Fights Hunger. If we wanted our kids to act less spoiled and understand charity, we figured other mothers must, too. So, the idea was born. Money was raised. Our expectations were exceeded. Initially, we hoped 10-20 of our friends would donate $10 apiece so we could buy food to contribute to the Cleveland Foodbank's Backpacks for Kids program. We thought we might be able to raise enough money for 30 backpacks, but 50 might be a stretch.

How wrong we were.

Last Wednesday, nearly 100 kids gathered at Centerville Mills to pack 120 bags full of food for needy children in Cleveland. They learned about hunger, the importance of nutrition and why it's important to give back. It's hard to measure the impact the event made on all the young participants, but we do know that our actions will positively impact others. Some stats:

• Approximately 50 families participated
• Nearly 100 kids packed bags
  
• 120 bags of groceries were donated
• Each bag contained enough meals to feed one child for an entire weekend
• More than $1,500 was raised
• This translates into 780 lbs of food donated to the Cleveland Foodbank's Backpacks for Kids program
• All food will be distributed to kids in dire need right now (As Thea, our Foodbank contact said to a group of us, "These kids have nothing.")

I'm so proud of this community. So many families gathered to do something incredibly generous. Even in tough times, it's heartening to see people still digging deep and helping others. Actions like that make all the difference in the world. Thank you to everyone who donated, participated and volunteered. Last Wednesday, we made a difference.

P.S. Lest I be accused of "going soft" again. I'd like to give a HUGE HUGE HUGE INCREDIBLY HUUUUUGE SUPERSIZE WHAT THE WTF?! to whoever made it torrential downpour/hail/lightening/thunder/hurricane/tsunami/end of the world while Jen and I were loading $1,500 worth of groceries into my SUV. What up with that? That ain't love.


Playdate Fought Hunger, but the BJs Tsunami kicked our ass.
There's Jen, running to her car, holding her skirt with one hand and a a
box over her head with the other. Those are some mad skills, Jen!

100 Kids Fight Hunger!

Playdate Fights Hunger raised more money and interest than we imagined!

This Wednesday, 100 toddlers, preschoolers and kindergartners will pack food for delivery to needy families in Cleveland. More than $1,500 was raised and spent at BJs for this charitable food drive. As a result, we will be supplying 120 families with enough meals to feed one child for an entire weekend. It's our hope that, through this event, community kids will become more hands-on to help others. Cleveland Foodbank Programs Manager, Thea DeRosa will also be present to talk to the kids about the importance of charity and providing nutritious meals to families. The event is being organized by two local mothers on a mission: to expand young childrens' horizons and teach them the importance of charity.

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Local Moms Send Kids Packing to Fight Hunger

More than 100 people will be participating in Playdate Fights Hunger: a local effort to feed Cleveland kids in need. Please join the fight!

For many children, summer is carefree. Days are spent in the pool, on the beach, soaking in the sun and not worrying about their next meal. But, for tens of thousands of Cleveland children, the end of school means the end of free and reduced-price school lunches. It's not easy to enjoy summer when hunger sets in. That's why two local Moms have teamed up with the Cleveland Foodbank and want you to send your kids (and theirs) packing to fight hunger.

On Wednesday, August 12th at 3:30pm, a group of area Moms and their children will participate in Playdate Fights Hunger - an event designed to teach kids charity and underscore the importance of being hands-on to help others. Volunteer families will assemble at Centerville Mills to help fill backpacks with food for distribution by The Cleveland Foodbank to low-income children around Cleveland. Each backpack will contain six child-friendly meals including staples like cereal, canned fruits and vegetables and shelf-stable milk. The backpacks will also be filled with personal notes and pictures from participating children.

"I was inspired by an article I read in the newspaper. I thought this was an endeavor kids could really relate to, get behind and actively participate in," said organizer Jen Drozdowski.

"My kids understand hunger, yet take meals for granted. They need to know that not everyone has food at their table and that it's important to help others," said organizer Sonali Morris. "Playdate Fights Hunger is about kids helping kids. It's charity they can relate to because it impacts children their age."

Playdate Fights Hunger is open to all families for a donation of $10. To participate or for more information, please email sonalimorris@gmail.com.

About the organizers:
Jen Drozdowski: An avid lover of traveling, conservation and the environment, Jen is passionate about educating her children on being responsible for the planet and exposing them to different parts of the world. She and her family are traveling to Italy this summer so her children can discover what good pizza really tastes like. Jen lives in Chagrin Falls with her husband and two children.

Sonali Morris: Self-proclaimed humorist, hunger is one of the few topics Sonali does not find amusing. A former marketing manager at USA TODAY and BusinessWeek, Sonali left the world of suits to don sweats and raise two children (and her husband). She's now considering going back to work to escape them. Until that day, Sonali can be found blogging for The Plain Dealer and at Write on, Yo Mama Morris!