Let’s feed the homeless this Thanksgiving.  I know a lady who can help. 

Conde Rogers’ Real GiftFoundation feeds the homeless in Arizona every Thanksgiving.  Last year, her organization fed 3,500 families in Arizona—that’s 21,000 people! She does it through generous donations received from the community.  I first met Conde during her turkey dinner drive in 2001, when I was doing mornings with Kid and Ruben.  We’ve been friends ever since and I’ve yet to find many people with bigger hearts than Conde. 

Conde has shared her data on Arizona’s homeless with me year after year and I am amazed at the gravity of the numbers every single time.  For instance, there are 13,000 homeless children in Arizona schools right now.  You can watch the stock market numbers fluctuate or the changing price on a barrel of oil.  Maybe your barometer is house values in the Valley metro, or how much a gallon of milk costs.  My economic barometer is simply a call to Conde, asking her what the need will be for this holiday season. 

Arizona is where the homelessgo for the winter.  It’s warm and generally without rain.  The homeless flock here even when the economy is good, so I was afraid to ask Conde today about how it’s looking so far this year.  As I talked to Conde on the phone today, she was driving away from a visit to Watkins Overflow Shelter in South Phoenix.  There’s currently a 6-8 week waiting period to get in and it’s the kind of transition place where a homeless person would only stay for a week or two anyway. Watkins houses 120 single women and 30 families at a time.  When I say “house,” I mean those women get to share one big room together with no privacy.  There’s not much more privacy for the 30 families; they share an area divided by cubicle half-walls.  St. Vincent De Paul feeds Watkins’ homeless for breakfast and lunch while churches cover dinners.

The need for donations is up at the same time the tendency to give is down.  People have a perception in our society right now that they need to hold on to what they have out of fear for the unknown, about what is happening next.  But Conde says she is not decreasing her numbers this year and plans to feed 21,000 people once again.  She says she doesn’t know yet how it’s going to happen, but I know she’ll do it.  Her will is and has always been to do whatever she can to make a direct and positive impact on our community. 

That is why I am writing this blog post for Blog Action Day.  As Conde so eloquently put it on the phone with me today, she hopes people won’t fear for themselves this holiday season and will instead reach out for others in need.  Please tell me you’ll donate $25 so that a Valley homeless family can have Thanksgiving this year.  

There is plenty of time left to donate at The Real Gift Foundation website before the holiday is here: 

https://ssl113.alentus.com/therealgift/donate.html

Other events coming up withthe Real Gift Foundation:

http://www.therealgift.org/events/index.html 

Every other day of the year,this blog is about vegetarian shopping or buying allergen-free foods, vegan shoes, etc.  But overall, my aim has always been to cover conscious consumption.  I think before I buy, probably too much or there wouldn’t bethis blog.  I can’t think of a more conscious way to spend money than to throw $25 towards a homeless family getting a dinner for Thanksgiving they otherwise wouldn't get.  I know times are tight, so if you can only make one donation with your hard-earned money this year, I hope giving $25 to the Real Gift Foundation willbe it.   

A Wheatless, glutenless adventure 

Since I’m attempting a diet now that is as wheat-free andgluten-free as possible, I thought I should address where my eating is.  I went beef-free nearly four years agoand vegan 3.5 years ago.  Just overa year ago, I allowed fish and eggs back into my diet when eating out.  Now that I am going wheat andgluten-free, I’m finding it hard to go completely vegetarian at home as I havein the past. 

All killer, no fillers

There are lots of wheat and gluten fillers used in “fakemeat” products I’m used to using and I’ve been told by a fellow gluten-freechick that even microwave chicken dinners have wheat fillers in them.  So this leaves me down to beans, rice,eggs, fish, and I think tofu is OK, but I am not sure.  I’ve been buying $7.99 bags of scallopsat Fresh & Easy, gluten-free soy cheese Amy’s Pizzas at Sprouts, and now,organic eggs at both stores.  SoI’ve been making scallops at home again for the first time in a good fouryears.  (My going veg directlycoincided with my mother’s death from CJD in November 2004). 

Eating eggs again

This weekend was the first time I’ve bought eggs andprepared them at home in 4 years. Yesterday, I made scrambled eggs with almond milk some spinach thrown inwith basil.  It was reallygood.  Today, I magically rememberedhow to make eggs over easy topped with chipotle Tabasco sauce.  While I still don’t eat foul, forwhatever reason, I just like eggs and don’t mind eating them.  I need protein from somewhere right nowand my body is freaking out a little less now that I’m sticking close to agluten-free/wheat-free diet. 

Getting tested for celiac disease

I got tested for celiac disease with two different teststhat test for the autoimmune disorder and both came up negative.  So my body isn’t having an autoimmuneresponse to wheat and gluten. However, this isn’t the same as getting a food allergy test done.  I’m currently looking into whether ornot my healthcare provider covers the type of test I am interested in…then maybe we can figure out once and for all what I may be allergic or intolerant to.  

Just picked up some fantastic new chips at Sprouts—excuseme, “krisps.”  They are Mr.Krisper’s Sea Salt and Pepper Baked Rice Krisps.  They boast “great multigrain taste,” being “made with brownrice,” and having “no wheat added/Gluten Free.*”  The asterisk goes to the fine print that reads, “made in aplant that also produces wheat products; contains less than 100 parts permillion of gluten.”  I can hardlyput down the 4.2-ounce bag.  Thisis partly because these krisps are delicious and partly because I’ve been astranger to carbs since going as wheat-free and gluten-free as I possiblycan.  So is 100 parts per millionof gluten OK if you are trying to go gluten-free?  I am new at this.