Menu for Hope VI, December 14-25, 2009

UPDATE: Menu for Hope winners have been announced! Check out the post at Chez Pim to see if you won a prize.

UPDATE: Menu for Hope winners will be announced on January 18 at Chez Pim.

UPDATE: Menu for Hope has been extended to December 31, so you have more time to bid and support the World Food Programme.

It’s time! Menu for Hope starts today and runs through December 25. Each December food bloggers from all over the world work together to raise money for charity, and last year the event raised over $62,000 in support of the U.N. World Food Programme’s work in Lesotho, a model food program that encourages local farming and uses the locally grown foods to feed lunch to local school children

This year the recipient will be a new initiative with the WFP called Purchase for Progress (P4P), a program that enables smallholder and low-income farmers to supply food to WFP’s global operation. These farmers learn better farming practices and increase their income, which helps their local economies and creates more jobs.

The raffle is managed by First Giving and all money passes through their hands. Tickets cost $10 each and each ticket gives you one chance on the item of your choice. There is a wonderful list of bid items to choose from, and Pim has the master list of bid items on her site. There are also regional coordinators who have helped organize the items and donors, and we give hugs and many thanks to:

US: West Coast
Shauna of Gluten Free Girl

US: East Coast (I’m in this group.)
Helen of Tartelette

Europe *and* the UK
David Lebovitz

Canada
Tara of Seven Spoons

Asia, Pacific, Australia, New Zealand
Ed Charles of Tomato

and, last but not least, our special Wine Blog Host
Alder of Vinography

And now for the bid items I’m hosting…

BID ITEM 1 (Code: UE26)

Stonyfield Farm Yogurt is supporting Menu for Hope with a package of Stonyfield Products:

Stonyfield Yogurt cookbook
Coupons for free Oikos yogurt, value US$65
Stirring It Up: How to Make Money and Save the World, by Gary Hirshberg (CE-Yo of Stonyfield Farm Yogurt), the inspiring story of how Stonyfield Farm built their business based on environmental principles and practices.
Stonyfield Fleece Jacket
Oikos Organic Cotton T-shirt
Oikos tote bag
Stonyfield hat

TOTAL VALUE: US$202.78

This item can only be shipped to U.S. addresses.

BID ITEM 2 (Code: UE27)

I am offering a 2-piece kitchen knife set from New West Knifeworks. These are beautiful and functional pieces of knife art. The set contains a chopper and a paring knife with Fusionwood handles, and the winner gets to choose the color of the handles. Each knife comes with its own leather sheath and a lifetime guarantee. For more information on New West Knifeworks knives, take a look at the review on the New West Knifeworks Santoku knife I wrote earlier this year.

VALUE: US$139.00

This item can only be shipped to U.S. addresses.

If you want a chance to win either of these items, go to First Giving – Menu for Hope 6 and enter code UE26 for the Stonyfield Farm Yogurt gift package or UE27 for the New West Knifeworks knife set. Be sure to check out all the bid items available as there are always some great things to bid on!

To donate and enter the Menu for Hope Raffle, here’s what you need to do:

1. Choose a bid item or bid items of your choice from our Menu for Hope main bid item list.

2. Go to the Menu for Hope donation site at First Giving and make a donation.

3. Please specify which bid item you’d like in the ‘Personal Message’ section in the donation form when confirming your donation. You must write-in how many tickets per bid item, and please use the bid item code. Each $10 you donate will give you one raffle ticket toward a bid item of your choice. For example, a donation of $50 can be 2 tickets for EU01 and 3 tickets for EU02 – 2xEU01, 3xEU02. Don’t forget to enter this information!

4. If your company matches your charity donation, please check the box and fill in the information so we could claim the corporate match.

5. Please check the box to allow us to see your email address so that we can contact you in case you win. Your email address will not be shared with anyone.