Not to get on a New Orleans tear this week, but let me tell you about another cool thing I got to do recently: volunteer at Second Harvest Food Bank of New Orleans and Acadiana.  My friend was taking a group from her work to spend some time packaging produce for distribution and I hopped a ride — super glad I did. The mission of Second Harvest is to lead the fight against hunger in south Louisiana through food distribution, advocacy, education and disaster response, and does so through multiple programs. In any given week, 41,800 different people access emergency food services through their network. It’s wonderful.

So we started our Saturday in a temperature controlled warehouse with dozens of other volunteers — some from groups, others just individuals that wanted to help — cleaning and bagging pallets full of cabbage (not gonna lie, was a little relieved when we walked right through the room full of onions).  Sometimes you forget how good it feels to step outside of yourself for awhile, and it reminded me that I need to do it more often in my life.

When I put down two coats of China Glaze Gaga For Green I really wanted to pay homage to this wonderful organization, so used some acrylic to paint in parts of their logo (because of course it’s built around a fleur de lis — we are in New Orleans after all) and then the “Food Bank” letters (still practicing, and it feels like the rounded parts of letters are getting a little bit easier).

If you’re in New Orleans, I encourage you to check them out and see if there’s a program that you’d like to give some of your time to — the warehouse is only a hop and a skip outside of the city, your coffee will still be warm when you get there.  If you’re not here but still want to help, their website accepts (tax deductible!) donations as well.  Giving feels good.