Here’s a little background on We Feed Our People (WFOP) with a surprise ending:

When WFOP was first launched in 1988, programs that provided food for the homeless, including most shelters, did not provide meals on Sundays and holidays.  As a result, the MLK Holiday would harm those that he dedicated the last days of his life attempting to help: poor people.  Originally, the WFOP effort involved three students donating the money they would receive for the paid holiday to prepare and serve a meal to the 12-15 people who lived in the park next to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library in downtown Washington, DC.

As these students shared this idea with family and friends, the desire to be a part and to contribute began to grow.  Volunteers came by the dozens with freshly-cooked meals and warm clothes.  The simple idea of three students cooking food in their homes for 12-15 homeless people turned into an event that provided meals and warm clothing for over 400 people and had the support of nearly 100 volunteers.  This was all accomplished within one week of the inception of the idea.

Here’s the surprise: those three students were Walter McGill, my sister Marya McQuirter, and me!  Together with our family and friends, we were inspired to make it happen.

Now, two decades later, WFOP has grown into a local institution, providing an opportunity for hundreds of people each year to serve and fellowship with the increasing numbers of homeless people living in the nation’s capital.  WFOP is still an all-volunteer organization and 100% of donations go directly to supporting the annual event.

To donate your time and funds, check out WFOP at wefeedourpeople.org and Facebook.  There are lots of ways to help in the days leading up to, during, and after the event.  Thank you and I hope to see many of you there!

©2012 byanygreensnecessary.com. All Rights Reserved.

Just register for the program to receive daily emails of tips, recipes, encouragement and more to help you eat vegan for 21 days.  I bet you’ll feel better and have more energy within the very first week.  So why not give it a try?

©2012 byanygreensnecessary.com. All Rights Reserved.

Central Union Mission is the oldest social service agency in DC, opening in 1884 to serve the needs of homeless men.  Today, the organization operates an 18-month rehabilitation program for men with life-controlling issues, a free meals program, and other community services.

I had a wonderful experience sharing vegan dishes with so many people who said they were trying them for the first time.  The health fair was open to the community, so lots of people came through.  I also had a Spanish translator, which was a first (and a bit humbling because I oughta be fluent by now). 

I made Blueberry Smoothies (with a leaf of kale added), Mediterranean Chick Pea Salad, Spicy Kale Salad, and a no-bake Apple Crumb Pie.  The dishes were a hit, especially with one little girl who kept coming back for more smoothies.  A few people said they were going to buy the ingredients for the Spicy Kale Salad tonight and fix it for dinner.  And some folks said they were going to make the Apple Crumb Pie for Thanksgiving.  That was really gratifying.  Special thanks to our team at UDC: Marshelle Hailstock, Hoora Taheri, and Paul Brown, Jr. 

Here are the recipes, except for the Spicy Kale Salad, which you can find in a previous blog post.  Enjoy!  (You can see more photos from the health fair here.)

Blueberry Smoothie

1 cup of water

1 cup of soy milk, almond milk, or rice milk

3/4 cup of blueberries (fresh or frozen)

1-2 ripe bananas

1 apple

2 medjooj dates, pitted 

1 leaf of kale

2 TB nuts (optional: walnuts, cashews, pecans, etc.)

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.

Mediterranean Chick Pea Salad

1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight, drained, and rinsed (or canned organic chick peas, drained, and rinsed)

3~4 cups water

1 small red onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

½ tsp curry powder

2 TB nutritional yeast (optional; cheesy taste and a great source of B vitamins)

1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped

5 leaves fresh basil, chopped

1 TB Grapeseed Oil Vegenaise (egg- and dairy-free mayonnaise)

2-3 TB Bragg Liquid Aminos

1 avocado, peeled, seeded, and chopped

Place the chickpeas and water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 2 to 3 hours until soft. Drain and transfer the chickpeas to a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and stir gently. Cover and let the ingredients marinate for 5 to 10 minutes.

Apple Crumb Pie

Crumb Pie Crust:                                          

2 cups dry almonds or pecans, unroasted and unsalted                                         

1 tsp sea salt                                                         

8 medjool dates, pitted                                            

Syrup:

2  medjool dates, pitted

1 orange, peeled and sliced

1 tsp of water (or more, as needed)

Filling:

4 apples, thinly sliced

1 TB cinnamon

Crust: Pulse nuts, sea salt, and dates in food processor until a crumbly mixture is formed. Set aside.

Syrup: Blend orange and dates in blender.  Add water as needed.

Filling: Stir chopped apples with syrup and cinnamon.  Spoon the filling into pie crust. 

Sprinkle crust on top of apples and serve.  Note: the Apple Crumb Pie is an adaptation of a recipe by chef Sandra Mederos (adding an orange was brilliant!) and my Fresh Peach Cobbler recipe, posted in a previous blog post.

©2012 byanygreensnecessary.com. All Rights Reserved.

So while Elijah is showing you how to prepare his delicious vegan “go-go” greens, I’ll be talking about why they’re so good for you.  (By the way, look out for a special version of Elijah’s ”go-go” greens recipe in my book.)

So, come join us in DC on Saturday, October 24th from 1-2pm at the Josephine Butler Parks Center, 2437 15th Street, NW, for a great vegan food class.  For more info, go here.

And across the street in Malcolm X/Meridian Hill Park (16th and Euclid Streets, NW), take part in the overall 350.org International Day of Climate Action rally from 12-5pm, including a march to the White House, sponsored by Green the Block, the Hip Hop Caucus, and more.  For more info, go here.

The “350″ in 350.org stands for the safest upper limit of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere.  Beyond 350 parts per million of CO2, the planet faces both human and natural disaster.  On October 24th, nearly 2000 countries are holding actions about the threat of climate change to our planet. 

Hope to see many of you Saturday!

©2012 byanygreensnecessary.com. All Rights Reserved.