Siblings Aggie and Chatty have suggested a Monastery-wide food drive called HOT Meals.
Siblings are encouraged to donate to their local food banks and report their donations here.
Each penny spent on donated food equals one T.U. (Toadfish Unit),each minute of donated time to charity equals 1 T.U. and each penny (or smallest denomination) equivalent equals 1 T.U. This includes coins placed into a homeless person's hand, dropped into a little charity bucket or any check mailed to any charity.
TALLY HO as of November 17, 2009:
256,414 Toadfish Units Donated!
:)
My kid's school had a drive where we donated boxes of Mashed Potato Mix. Would that count?
Sure! I'm not sure how we want to count this one... let's just keep a running total of items. Remember that volunteer hours count if worked in assistance of the food bank, meal programs or similar (I'm planning on doing some volunteer time with the local food bank this Holiday season). Any other type of food-sharing activities are welcome too (maybe making and handing out sandwiches to people living on the street), so feel free to get creative.
Let's establish HOT as being committed to sharing a meal with those who would otherwise go without. If you're too humble to post your contributions directly, feel free to PM one of the Mods and we'll add an anonymous contribution.
Here's a silly idea that occurred to me in the middle of the night: How much does the average toadfish weigh?
My guess is about 8 ounces, or 240 milliliters. Maybe we could call each of these amounts a Toadfish Unit.
So if I donated a 32 ounce box of mashed potatos, it could be said that I donated 4 Toadfish units.
I don't think we necessarily have to show each donor's name, but the Monastery's donation as a whole.
We might choose to count 15 minute blocks of time as Toadfish Units, or just use real time donated.
The local Assistance Ministry that helps out with food and meds and has a resale shop is closed on weekends. A local woman with two little kids had been in Galveston (3 hours away) caring for her Grandmother who had been sent home from the hospital to die, and was gone for three weeks. After she got back here from the funeral (late last night) her Very Unhappy Husband left--taking the car and the money--and she had 2 kids and no food in the house.
A friend told us about it, and was getting together food for them. We sent 2 pounds of ground chuck, a chicken, three onions, a 2 pound bag of rice, some potatoes, 6 cans of assorted canned peaches, pears & pineapple, teabags, a bag of sugar, 2 jars of peanut butter (smooth--I prefer crunchy) a big jar of grape jelly, a tub of margarine, a loaf of bread and 4 boxes of Jello. (Shelf stable and frozen foods tend to be abundant at my house. Having been without in the past, I make sure there's something there.)
Indications are that Husband may be back, after he goes on a good three day drunk. I bit the inside of my mouth and did NOT say "Throw him out until he sobers up" because that is not my job or my prerogative. I sure thought it, though.
Anyway, there's a start for HOT Meals.
Oh Chatty, that's wonderful. I counted at least 32 Toadfish units there.
You're suggestion about volunteering at soup kitchens, food banks, etc. deserves Toadfish units as well. I'm thinking each hour could be four Toadfish units, or 1 per 15 minutes. If you drive around giving homeless people blankets for two hours, you could report 8 T.U.s
You probably put some time in getting these people this needed food. I am in awe of you, with all your troubles giving to someone else in need.
I'll keep a tally in the first post here.
Oh! I put a can of tuna, jar of peanut butter, a box of mac'n'cheese, a bag of fusilli, an envelope of tomato/basil sauce and a six pack of ramen noodle soup in a donation bag the boy scouts sent around. that's another 7 T.U.'s to go with the previous 4.
To encourage Toadfish to give to charity, we've adjusted the Toadfish Units to read one per each donated minute and one per each donated penny or smallest national monetary fraction.
Here in the state, we have people starrt to appear in front of stores around now with little red buckets asking for coins for the Salvation Army (which helps the homeless). We also see a lot of opportunities to give to charities such as the Cancer Foundation, March of Dimes and Christmas Seals. All of these pennies count! So do the ones you might press into a homeless person's hand on the street.
So if you happen to remember what you've given in food, time or money, please post it here to be counted, or if you're extra humble, you can PM it to one of the admins or mods here to be included.
Thank you for giving!
The weather's about to get colder here, so I grabbed a few extra cans of soup at the grocery store last night and dropped them in the food drive box.
Mark down a few more TUs:
- qty-2 x vegetable soup (8 oz) - 2 TU
- gty-1 x pea soup with ham (25 oz) - 3 TU
Late to the party as usual, but I'm here now. ;D
Thank you, darl!!!!! That'll warm some hungry person!
Plus, we have 200 TU in cash donations just in.
They're not direct TU's, but the officers of the troops that we fed at Thanksgiving took up the idea, and had a food drive for the food pantries in Copperas Cove and Killeen. In 3 days, they collected two pickup truck loads of food, plus over $300 to put into gift cards for groceries, and 27 boxes of disposable diapers. (They've figured out what their food pantries needed most, and went for that.)
Beautiful! What lovely people.
This just in: 3508 T.U.'s from Sibling Vita, who has made very generous donations in time (preparing meals for the ill), food and holiday gift cards to people in need.
We'll be counting cash spent on gift cards and toys for tots, as needy people will be using them for their families instead of their money for food, so it all goes to hot meals, somehow.
:)
I forgot... last week the crazies raided my pantry and took cans for the school drive.
1 can beans
2 cans soup
1 tin tuna
2 packets noodle sidedish
Tomorrow is Brazos Valley Volunteers Luncheon, and there's always a food pantry donation box. (They will NOT take the cost per person of the luncheon and put it into the money for food, no matter how I try to convince them that it's a good idea.)
I have:
4 cans of Chunky Soup, SirloinBurger
4 cans " , Potato (Vegetarian)
6 cans boneless chicken in broth, whole
6 cans tuna
6 cans green beans
6 cans corn
6 cans black-eyed peas
6 boxes Cheerios, asst. flavors
12 boxes of saltine crackers
I was really sloppy with my loose change this fall. I save it up and buy stuff for the food pantry with it, and the manager at Costco figured it out, and sent the chicken, tuna and Cheerios with me free of charge! (Costco's in Houston, we're not, but it's within his discretion to do that with their donated stuff, so he did.)
Toadily excellent, good Kephra and Chatty! I'm upping it by 122 TU's. Is that about right?
I have an aversion to counting 'costs' or credits. It makes my head hurt, as it has to do with numbers, and i'm mathphobic. And lazy. ;D
Me too.
The important thing is to give if you can, and if you happen to remember what, just give us a buzz here, or PM with anonymous details.
I've been popping in some numbers from anonymous sources.
Please add another 200 to the tally, if you would. ;D
It would be my pleasure.
BTW: I love your Beaker avatar. I always loved that muppet. He seemed so ... bewildered!
Yeah, I like Beaker. He and Timmy* from the TV show Dinosaurs should start a support group.
;D
*as in "Looks like we're going to need another Timmy!" - imagine people in dinosaur suits saying that and "not the mama!" and that's the whole show right there.
If there's a need for a little Joomla component for that I can do it. That sounds pretty easy. Just give me some specs. ;D
MB
What are you suggesting here, MB?
Quote from: Opsanus tau on December 12, 2006, 06:25:54 PM
What are you suggesting here, MB?
Sorry. That was way out of context wasn't it.
I was thinking if you folks need a Joomla component to keep track or donations or donated time or whatever I can handle that.
MB
You mean like a counter display or something? Sounds good.
Hey- an anonymous toadfish has just bumped us into the fifth-digit dimension!
Wheeee!
It's that time again (not that it ever isn't that time) to give back to the community. We're encourging toadfish everywhere to contribute to local food drives and other charities.
The good old Boy Scouts came by with empty bags to fill the other day, and I scrambled through the pantry to find some donations. I found so many I tore the bag and had to get them a new one. It wasn't until the bag was picked up that I remembered this thread, so I had to guess how many toadfish units were in it. I'm certain there was at least 20.
Lady with some sort of bucket at the stop light this afternoon on my way back from lunch- some sort of 'childrens program' hope she's honest as she got assorted change from me- probably no more than $1 (USA).
so is that 100 TU's?
Indeed it is! Thank you!
Hi Sibs !,
I just stumbled upon this thread , while looking for a spot to post a question .
Can I count my memberships in Greenpeace and WCWC (an eco group) , and a foster child with Plan International ?
(please excuse the unhumbleness)
Some folk reckon even Goats count BC ;)
Funny you mentioned it :D I was thinking of friends and family as well ( sigh). ;D
Sure, any donated time (as in volunteering) is legit.
185,500
Okelly dokelly!
OK, I checked in with the food pantry here and asked what they needed most in shelf stable stuff.
Then I snapped to the shelf stable milk (real milk, not canned, not powdered) that I buy for Mom. Yes, twice as expensive as 'regular' refrigerated milk, but it tastes right...
Bought a case of 24 quarts, got a case of 24 (each) 2 pound bags of rice, and a 'mixed lot' of baby food from cases that had broken open. So, the milk (at Grocer's Supply wholesale--EEK!) cost $36...I bartered some bow-tying for the baby food (300 jars/packs Phase one, 183 jars/packs of Phase 2, 94 jars/packs of toddler) and the guy gave me the rice.
Don't know the price on the rice, but the wholesale on the baby food would have been around $400. (If you get a commercially packed fruit basket in Houston in the next 12 or so days, I tied the bows. I didn't keep track of the time.)
As far as I can figure, I think that's around 5000 toadfish units. Does that sound right?
:hmmm: I dunno. I ran out of fingers to count on a long time ago. :krabbie:
Eh, we'll put that for now. It's probably tons more, though. Hugs to you, Chatty!
I'll be ringing the Salvation Army bell this Saturday morning with the spouse. That'll be another two hours worth, I guess.
I spent 3 hrs clearing snow on Sunday and Monday...no one owns a shovel but me ?!
Anyway I was just going to do my place and my 82yr old neighbours walkways . But since i travel the short walk to Danforth Rd. I cleared the whole 150 feet of sidewalk .
No one asked me to do this...does it count ?
shoveling and bell ringing count in my book
shoveling is very hard work!
good job getting useable stuff to the food bank Chatty!
Thanks, Bro! I'll add another 180 T.U.'s for you.
I'll add the bell-ringing T.U.'s after I've done them.
Haven't been keeping up much this year (ditto for Christmas gifts, too... ::) ) but put me down for one large (100 oz/2.84 L) can of tomatoes.
10,000 units today went to my home town's pet services board .
1,500 units today .
Bravo Bro!
I've let this fall to the side lately.... :-[
Just sent an unsolicited text message (brain food) to a very sick (ill) friend ..... 9,000 units?
Whoops, time to catch up.
Looks like we've got another 20,600 to add.
A local elementary school janitor's house burned down recently and they lost everything. We just gave them two sets of dishes (used, but in very good shape and nice), plus tableware to go with it. Oh, and a new shower curtain and bath mat.
Since most of it's used, I'll just count the hour's worth of washing the stuff. and add 60 to the total.
We had a major dumping of snow recently , I cleared the walks for the elderly and that nice French Canadian lass next door .
Despite my protestations they gave me a box of truffles , two freshly baked chocolate chip cookies and a big tin of chocolate covered biscuits .
I gave the tin of cookies to Mathesa so I'll just claim 100 units today .
Oh...I noticed valient knave donated last year , I haven't any numbers though .
I'll just add in the 100 units for now, doll-face. :)
Yarr , 420 this week .
Spent $90 on (extra) food and about 25 hours preparing meals and freezing them for some families that will have injured family members returning to Fort Hood soon.
(Ya can't expect me to put together meals without enough 'stuff' to make up fully fleshed out menus. I bought lots of cheese for sauces, and more meat.)
Somebody figure it up. I iz not berry brite at after midnite...
I figure 2400 from Chatty plus the 420 from BC. You guys rock!
Quote from: Opsanus tau on February 22, 2008, 06:41:34 PM
the 420 from BC
:ROFL: Sorry, provincial in-joke. :mrgreen:
Oh no- what have I done?
Nothing naughty or rude at all. Just confirms a reputation that Canada's left coast (i.e. British Columbia) has - if you missed the joke, don't worry about it. ;)
Hey, it's always 4:20 somewhere.
And yeah, I'm an aged hippie. What can I say? :istad:
:cup:
^ ,^^,^^^ LOL !...551 the past week .
Good work, BC! :glomp:
38 hours and about $75 in good knives and a chopper for onions, donated from Sunday through this morning.
We put into a freezer locker on base over 900 pre-made main courses, approximately half for families of four (eight adult servings) and a quarter each for families of 5 or 6 and "large families".
If I ever look at another piece of lasagna pasta, it'll be too soon.
The green chile pork enchilada casserole turned out beautifully, and the garlic teriyaki pork loin with brown rice was a hit, too.
We froze a medium sized prototype of each, then cooked it to get an approx. prep time. What fun.
General Shoemaker and his wife (he's a long time retired guy) are good people. They've been funding a lot of this effort themselves.
Ok, added to the 38 hours and $75 above, I got another 12 hours and $150 in food donated.
A tiny rural community here had a pipeline valve blow, and they needed food, cooks and help transporting folks to doctors and such. I've done stuff in the past couple of weeks to help out, and I stripped down my freezer. (Then, Dan lost his job.)
:fireworks_spread: :pinkelephant: :woohoo: :glommp:
Awright Chatty! That's 25,500 Toadfish Units! You rock!
OKay, the Boy Scouts are coming around to collect for their annual food drive. I put 119 ounces of food in their bag. I think that comes to almost 15 Toadfish Units. Every little bit helps!
Donated to another food bank and rang the Salvation Army bells this morning in front of the grocery store.
I think it comes to about 140 more Toadfish Units.
:update:
It's that time again- the food banks are looking for help.
I am adjusting the Toadfish Unit this year. It used to be that every 8 oz of donated food was to equal I Toadfish Unit, but since I am too lazy to figure out how to do that any more, I've decided to count every approximate penny spent on donated food to equal one Toadfish unit. As before, every penny of cash donated (or whatever is the smallest coin of your realm) equals one T.U., and every minute helping at a soup kitchen, delivering to the needy, elderly, sick or shut-in.
The boy scouts had a food drive here last week and we gave a bag of groceries equaling around ten dollars, so I have added 100 T.U.s to page one (http://toadfishmonastery.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=32&topic=238.msg5102#msg5102) of this thread.
This is not meant to glorify any of us individually, just to inspire us to be charitable as a whole. I remember how inspiring Sibling Chatty was to me. She donated, cooked meals, and helped all she could, even when she was not feeling well. This thread is to continue where she left off.