I am so excited to participate as a vendor at Race to a Million –even more excited because this year, Geek Kreativ is a sponsor!

The work of the Greater Cleveland Food bank is something near and dear to my heart. They have an excellent mission. Not only are they continually working toward their goals to alleviate hunger and food insecurity in Northeast Ohio, but they’re making a huge effort to make sure it’s healthy, nutritious foods that are getting in to the hands of those who need it most –especially in food deserts. A food desert is a place, generally urban, where you have no direct access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Either because places are too far away (i.e., not easily accessible via public transportation), they’re too expensive, or the few places people have access to don’t carry the healthy staples that they really need to live well.

But the biggest reason I love volunteering with the Food Bank? Because I’ve been there. I know, I know. I’m not what people expect when they think about hunger in our society. I don’t fit the “type”. I’m college-educated. I’m employed full time (and was at the time this occurred, as well). But a few years ago, I was at a point where I didn’t have enough money to buy groceries. The year I graduated (2009) was touted as the worst year in recent history for college graduates because there was so little work and the only jobs that were available were low-skill and low-wage. Couple that with student loans and an old, barely-working car that was regularly in for expensive repairs just to stay on the road, let alone drive safely, and you’ve got a prime recipe for food insecurity. There were days where I would come home from work and just go straight to bed because if I had stayed awake, I would’ve wanted to eat dinner. Off-brand Rice Krispies and pasta were my go-to meals because they were so cheap. I often wondered how my friends with children managed to make ends meet as I was struggling just to feed myself. More and more stories have come out lately about “unexpected” people needing food assistance. It only emphasizes the wide scope of hunger and that putting anyone or any cause in a stereotypical box is ill-advised.

Want to support the Greater Cleveland Food Bank? You can donate OR sign up to attend the race this Saturday by visiting the Race to a Million landing page. And feel free to stop by and see me at the vendor fair while you’re there! I will be selling cards (20% of the day’s proceeds go to the Food Bank), sharing my work, and even passing out discount codes for the Geek Kreativ Etsy shop.

I hope to see you there!