giveBIG turns giveHUGE

When The Seattle Foundation started giveBIG three years ago the creators probably hoped it would be a success but I doubt they dreamed that in year three it would raise $11.1 million for area nonprofits in just 24 hours.

At Northwest Harvest, giveBIG 2013 was an adrenaline filled day that started at 5 a-m. That's when four staff members from the Community Engagement and Donor Relations teams showed up at Colman dock in downtown Seattle to kick off the day with a free concert for commuters.  Our amazing friends, Creme Tangerine, agreed to an early morning concert as people headed to work and school from the ferries.  An added bonus for us was that students from Revolutionary Studios at Art Institute of Seattle are working with us on a couple of projects this year and woke up early to get some shots of the event.  We haven't seen them all - but we love what they captured in the sneak peek they shared with us.

 

Northwest Harvest staff (Todd, Catherine, Matt and Andrea) with Creme Tangerine guitarist Tim Mushen

Northwest Harvest's social media Manager,
Andrea, dressed for an intense day

The morning event kicked us off but then we focused our attention online Tweeting and Facebooking.  We reused the great signs volunteers had made for the morning event by posting them outside our Seattle Campus so traffic on both Cherry and James might get a glimpse while stopped at lights or as they walked by.  On one floor of our offices excitement buzzed as our Barb, our grant manager pulled hourly totals, I shouted out what I was seeing on Twitter feeds and The Seattle Foundation announced updates and golden ticket winners.

Volunteers made a giveBIG sign
that hung along James - between 7th & 8th

Things slowed down during the evening hours but giveBIG spirit was still buzzing at all six Hop Jack's locations around the region.  It offered free appetizers to anyone who chose to giveBIG to Northwest Harvest yesterday.  

Food drive coordinator, Catherine, hanging a great handmade giveBIG sign

Despite a lull, the giving didn't stop and event went past the midnight deadline!  In all, more than 900 people chose to giveBIG to Northwest Harvest yesterday putting us in third place for all of giveBIG, THIRD PLACE!  We couldn't be more humbled by the amazing support.  The Seattle Foundation has an amazing event going and we are so happy to be a part of it, but without YOU - it wouldn't come close to this level of success.

THANK YOU for givingBIG!

Posted By: AEFlatley

Recipe of the Week: Onion Bombs

Social media can be pretty addicting but it is great in so many ways.  You can stay updated on friends around the world, you can find out neighborhood news as it is happening and you can discover amazing recipes.  I recently had one of those great finds when I came across Onion Bombs.  It was something my sister shared on Facebook and my mouth watered at first glance.  I apologize to the original creator though, this recipe has been shared, retweeted and pinned so many times my Google search didn't turn up its origin.  Whoever you are though, thanks!  This seems like a fun and easy thing to prep for your Memorial Day camping trip or even a cookout in the backyard.  Just remember to grab some other veggies to go with it - if you don't have any good camping veggies recipes, I'm sure social media will throw one in your lap soon.

Ingredients

• large onions
• ground meat
• seasonings to taste
• tin foil

Directions:

1. Peel your onions and cut them in half as equally as possible.
2. Prepare your meatballs how you want them
• I used Italian seasoning, oregano, chili powder, minced garlic, ketchup, worcestershire sauce and some bread crumbs
3. Size your meatballs so that they can be squished between two pieces of onions. Some meat will push out the ends and that is okay!!! Just make them as compact as possible!!
4. Wrap each onion bomb in tinfoil-- might want to double them since they'll be tossed in the fire! Make sure not to poke holes in the foil!!
5. Toss in the fire and try to get them in the coals.
6. Cook for about 10 minutes, flip em around and cook another 10 minutes or so.
7. Carefully remove, let cool, unwrap and enjoy using a camping fork and the tinfoil as a plate.

Posted By: AEFlatley

Life changing life moment

I'm an auntie today!  My little sister welcomed her first baby into the world on Mother's Day.  Little Liam was a little early but everything went great and luckily my sister has some pretty good insurance and worked hard to save up to help cover the cost of the medical bills.

Grow your gift, giveBIG

One week from today you can grow your gift to Northwest Harvest through giveBIG.  The online campaign through Seattle Foundation happens May 15.  For 24 hours you can choose to donate to Northwest Harvest, or more than a dozen other area nonprofits, online and a prorated portion of matching funds will also help fight hunger in Washington.

Please save the date, set aside some funds and help spread the word.  This online day of giving is meant to inspire and help make the region a healthier and more vital place to live.  That wouldn't be possible without your support.

Posted By: AEFlatley

8-year-old's hot chocolate feeds a family for 4 months

Eliana just turned 8-years-old. Maybe that's why she still really sees the hungry people asking for help that she passes on the street instead of looking through them or averting her eyes. Maybe that's why she thought she could do something about what she saw.

Eliana, 8, traded hot chocolate for donations
to Northwest Harvest to fight hunger.

She told her mom that she wanted to sell hot chocolate and donate the money to help feed people. Her mom said, "That's nice, dear." Eliana persisted--a lot. Her mom took her to Metropolitan Market to buy a thermos so she wouldn't scald herself. The staff there were impressed and wanted to lend Eliana a thermos, so they asked their manager. He, too, was impressed by this little girl with the big heart and compelling vision. He backed the project with a thermos and really cool chalkboard sign.

One Sunday in April, Eliana set up outside the market to hand out hot chocolate and collect donations for Northwest Harvest. On May 1, she walked into Northwest Harvest with 107 pounds of food and $320 dollars.

We're known for our ability to stretch a dollar pretty far; still Eliana and her family were astounded to hear that her efforts would feed a family of four people for 128 days. We were pretty astounded with Eliana.

Eight years old is young. Too young even to volunteer at our food bank or packing food at one of our warehouses. For that, you have to be nine. But it's not too young to know that if you have good food to eat every day, you are luckier than a lot of other people. It's not too young to make a huge difference in their lives.

Maybe the rest of us aren't too old to learn what Eliana already knows.

Thanks, Eliana.


Posted by: Deb Squires

Recipe of the Week: Hang 10 Salad

One of my favorite Spokane restaurants is Picabu Neighborhood Bistro.  It's tucked into a corner of Spokane's South Hill and has some fantastic pasta selections but also has some great salads.  Served Memorial Day through Labor Day it offers choices like the Picabu Summer Salad, Sweet Spinach and the Hang 10.  Salads that are perfect for the warm weather we're experiencing right now.

GiveBig and stretch your dollar

Once again The Seattle Foundation will be holding its one-day online giving event and Northwest Harvest can benefit.  From midnight until midnight, on the west coast, Wednesday, May 15, 2013 you can donate to help fight hunger and Northwest Harvest could receive even more.  For each credit card donation made online a portion of matching funds will be added to Northwest Harvest's total.

This year Northwest  Harvest is hoping to raise $100,000 during GiveBig.  Last year, generous donors helped us provide more than  290,000 meals.  Our goal this year will allow us to provide more than 445,000 meals to hungry people around Washington.

More than 1,400 nonprofits are participating in GiveBig this year and we hope that all of them, who do such great work around Western Washington, have a very successful GiveBig day.  So please, Save The Date.  We hope you decide to GiveBig on May 15.

Donate Here On GiveBig Day