Honor the spirit of giving that followed 9/11, and “bake a difference.” All hands, big and small, can join in this international project to provide basic food and messages of hope to those who need it or an EMT worker, fire fighter, or police officer.

Here’s what you’re doing:

Baking bread, decorating it with inspirational messages, and distributing it to an organization that helps people in need or people who serve.

Here’s what you need:

• A Spread the Bread starter kit: http://www.spreadthebread.org/
• Baking supplies/ingredients
• Your own bread recipe
• Cards, bows, ribbons, colored plastic wrap

Here’s how you do it!

1. Reach out to the community to find volunteers to help you. Individual groups and families can make their own loaves to be donated in one large delivery.

2. Estimate how many loaves you will be donating.

3. Reach out to a community organization like a shelter, food pantry, Meals-on-Wheels, or a nursing home. You could also reach out to a firehouse or police station. Let them know the size of your donation and schedule a good time for delivery.

4. Bake your bread!

5. Collect bread, discard any undesirable loaves, decorate plain ones, prepare them for delivery.

6. Deliver to your community organization and thank your volunteers.

Interesting fact:

In 2009 50.2 million people lived in food-insecure households. While these people might have access to a food pantry, they seldom receive homemade food. (USDA, 2011) [http://www.ers.usda.gov/briefing/foodsecurity/stats_graphs.htm]

Reflection questions:

• What is different about donating homemade food versus store bought items? What message does it send?
• What did you learn while doing this project?