Luxury Pear Overload

At the end of the holidays, we may find ourselves contemplating the New Year and the one that is to pass; more so, many of us just wonder what we should do with the mass of Harry and David Baskets we’ve acquired from every relative, co-worker, boss, and board. The H&D offerings are lovely and do make lovely presents, but there are only so many pear pies we can make, dried apricots we can eat, and Moose mix we can munch.

Instead of letting the fruit go to waste or regifting the Moose Munch, consider sharing your specialty stone fruits with the less fortunate. Kick of the New Year with a good deed. There are a number of easy ways to give to local food banks and food drives.

The Food Bank for New York City works to collect food and distribute it throughout the five boroughs of New York City. You can help by donating your pears, or anything else in its original container or a sealed jar, directly to the organization.

You can also host a mini-food drive by rallying your friends together to collect a larger donation to give to the organization.

If you didn’t get any Harry and David goodies this year but still want to donate something, participation in their "virtual food drive" is an option. Select various foods from the Food Bank’s website and choose where you’d like it donated. Pay using your credit card, and voilá: a good deed!

For more information about donating food, you can contact Amarilis Gonzalez at 212-566-7855 ext. 2221. For all information regarding the Food Bank for New York City, visit www.foodbanknyc.org.

The New York City Coalition Against Hunger has an extensive website that tracks and locates soup kitchens and food pantries where your perfect pears—and your other sundries as well as your helping hands—will be much appreciated.

If you don’t want to give away your “fruit of the month,” you can always get involved with Street Project New York, an organization that helps serve up meals every Saturday to underprivileged New Yorkers. Check out www.streetproject.org for more information and you’ll be on your way to the first good deed of 2007!