A Canned food drive..... the kind of charity worth helping with, and here's a bleg

The school where I teach is having a canned food drive.
My class is taking part.

The thing is.... I believe in food banks. I go out of my way
to help out when I can, and thats something I'd like to
show my students. On Monday I'll back up my truck
and unload ten cases. My partner in crime..... er.... teaching
will match that. That's our beginning. That's how we
begin showing our students we are serious about this.
Over the next week I plan on blowing much of my paycheck
doing the same thing. We teach by modeling.

I'm not a generally charitable guy, not in the accepted sense.
For my students, I'll move mountains. For my family, I'll
move them by hand. Beyond that I believe in personal
good deeds on a case by case basis, by my own standards.
What are my standards like? Maybe a bit strange by many
perspectives.

I'll drive right past a broken down car if I think it's likely
a result of neglect (I can usually tell). For a woman with
kids, or someone in trouble, I'll stop and give it everything
I have. My family knows this and will jump to help
in an amazingly organized fashion when it's required.

As much as I live by the law of true tithing, I am picky in how
it's applied. That being so.... why am I willing to dive in
on a food drive?

The simple fact is.... I've been there.

When I was young, there was a time my family had very little.
How little........ I had a mattress on the floor and that was pretty
damn good. Mom figured out how to cook three meals a day
in an electric coffee pot and we didn't go hungry, not really.
It didn't last forever, but I never forgot.

With this food drive...... I have a scene in my mind.....

I see not just cases of food, but pallet loads. Stacked head high
in bay after bay.

I see the folks from the food bank there.... staring at the results
with their mouths open.... and I see a few of them with tears
in their eyes.

I see the school administrators at a loss for words, and a local
reporter taking pictures of what my class has done.

I see my students learning it's possible to pull together and
do something so good they'll never forget it. For the rest of their
lives they'll talk about the time they....... and they'll remember
they can each make a difference if they try.

The canned food drive is over on November 20th.
That gives me only days to make this happen.
I already told my children's mother that
'my' Christmas present will be canned goods,
and it will arrive early this year...
As in before the 20th.

Just by chance, if you want to take part in this, I would
welcome the help. I'm not good at accepting help for
myself, but I'm a whore for my students. To teach them
what they need, or help them out, I'll happily toss my
own pride in the gutter if that's what it takes.

We are located in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
If you wish to help out by donating canned goods, just
E-mail me and I'll make it work. From a can of peas
to a truckload, I'll make it work.

If, by any chance, you would like to chip in with $,
I've finally managed to make a 'donate' button that works.
It will go away for good on the 20th. Or.... you can just
E-mail me.

If money comes in, here's my promise (and that's all I can offer):
It will be spent in the best way I can swing to get canned goods piled up
for this food drive. That's all I can do. No more, no less.
If a donation comes in too late to help out, I'll refund it.
I don't know how to make this tax deductible and I don't have time to.

I would really like to show my students what can happen......
If you want to be part of that, you are welcome to join in.