For the first time, I’m participating in Menu for Hope, an annual giving program in its 6th year started by the indefatigable Pim of the award winning blog Chez Pim, in partnership with the UN World Food Programme, an organization that raises money to help feed hungry people worldwide. The WFP is the world’s largest food agency, working with over 1000 other programs in over 75 countries.

This year Menu for Hope is supporting a new initiative called Purchase for Progress (P4P), working with small farmers to supply food for the WFP’s global operation. You can read more about the program and how Menu for Hope works with this agency here.  First Giving manages the funds and is where you will securely place your bid.

What: Each December, food bloggers from all over the world join the campaign by offering a delectable array of food-related bid-items for the Menu for Hope raffle. Anyone – and that means you too – can securely buy raffle tickets to bid on these selections.

For every $10 donated (tax-deductible), you earn one virtual raffle ticket to bid on an item of your choice. You can bid on as many items as you like, or buy raffle tickets as holiday gifts for your loved ones. The more you buy the better chances you have at winning. At the end of the two-week campaign, the raffle tickets are drawn and the results announced on Chez Pim on January 18th.

When: This year’s campaign goes live December 14th through December 25th at Chez Pim. You can browse an amazing array of items by type, or find one near you by searching by region. Please check back to see the list of bid-items starting on Monday, Dec 14th.

Bid Items: My publisher is donating a copy of my book and if you bid on my prize (code number UW14) and win, for example, you will receive not only a SIGNED COPY of My Nepenthe, but DINNER FOR 2 @ NEPENTHE (value $100), PLUS a pound of my HOMEMADE GRANOLA from Nepenthe’s Cafe Kevah and a jar of APPLE BUTTER, both recipes in the book. Shipping included. But don’t limit yourself to my small corner of the universe, there are a host of other delicious and surprising items on offer, and from all over the world.

Share: Please, consider passing on my link, share on Facebook, or twitter, or via your email list in order to spread the word and help in our own small way to provide the gift that keeps on giving, to those in need.