Eat Local Challenge Kicks Off
T
he local food movement is growing at a rapid rate across the U.S. and New Orleans is staking its claim as a pace-setter with the fourth annual Eat Local Challenge kicking off on May 31. This year the goal is to register 1000 locals to commit to eat only locally sourced foods for the 30 days in June. This year the Eat Local Challenge is joining forces with the Crescent City Farmers Market to produce the Eat Local Challenge. Local food celebrity and cookbook author, Poppy Tooker, will take the role of official spokesperson. In addition to Rouses Supermarkets, the King Creole Sponsor of the event, Cleaver and Co, Good Eggs NOLA, Hollygrove Market and Farm and New Orleans Food Coop will play supporting roles. Over the four years it has gotten easier to find not only produce and seafood, but a greater variety of locally sourced meats and poultry, plus Louisiana now boasts six alcohol distilleries producing rum, gin and vodka from locally sourced agricultural products. The Challenge is meant to be fun, with a variety of activities offered throughout the month of June, including related classes, workshops and social events. The challenge is to eat only foods locally grown, caught or raised within a 200 mile radius for the 30 days of June. The $30 registration fee ($25 before May 1) includes an official t-shirt and 10% discounts from Hollygrove Market & Farm, GoodEggs. com and Cleaver & Co., plus an invitation to the kick off and finale parties. Sign up at NOLALocavore.org. The site is loaded with information to help one be a locavore, including resources, events and participating restaurants.
GiveNOLA and Give More
O
n May 6, from midnight to midnight, the Greater New Orleans Foundation will be hosting the first annual GiveNOLA Day, a community-wide, 24-hour online giving day. Every donation made on the GiveNOLA.org website will be amplified through national funds and a local pool of incentive dollars for participating organizations Both large and small 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in the Greater New Orleans area can earn their share of up to $250,000 in cash awards, including up to $10,000 for nonprofits who bring in the most individual donors and the most gifts on behalf of their cause. According to Giving USA, that tracks charitable giving in the United States, online giving grew by 10.2 percent last year. GiveNOLA Day is an initiative to increase philanthropy in the Greater New Orleans area through online giving to the region’s charities. GiveNOLA Day is tied to a national event called Give Local America, where hundreds of community foundations across America ask their communities to give back on May 6, 2014. Sponsored by the Council on Foundations and technology partner Kimbia, Give Local America is raising funds for a national pool from which each participating foundation will receive funds to amplify local gifts raised in the 24-hour period. For more information, logon to the GNOF website at www.gnof.org, and to donate on May 6 visit GiveNOLA. org. Area nonprofits interested in participating must fill out a one-page profile on the website and attend a workshop at the Foundation.
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New Orleans
NOLAHealthyLiving.com