Menu for Hope VI - a call for participants

I am proud to say that I am the Canadian host for this year's Menu for Hope, the annual campaign to raise funds in benefit of the United Nations World Food Programme and its Purchase for Progress initiative.

It's a simple idea with extraordinary results; from December 14-25, we will be holding a worldwide raffle full of amazing, wonderful, one-of-a-kind prizes related to food, travel and wine. Each $10 donated will count as a bid towards the prize of the donators choosing. The more you give, the move chances there is to win, with the proceedings going straight to the United Nations.

Easy peasy. But I'm getting ahead of myself. First, we need those prizes.

If you are a food blogger, a producer, an artisan with a food related work, a publisher or restauranteur, we are looking for your help. Please consider donating a prize to be put up for raffle, one that you believe would garner at least twenty bids at $10 each. We are relying on your help in making this year's campaign a success.

If you’d like to participate, please send your prize information (plus two images 75×75 thumbnail and 200×200px) to your local host so that they can give you a prize code (important!) and more instructions on what to do for the Menu for Hope launch.

Here are your local hosts for this year's Menu for Hope:

US: West Coast (If you are closer to SF than you are to NY then you belong here.)
Shauna of Gluten Free Girl and the Chef (glutenfreegirl[at]gmail[dot]com)

US: East Coast
Helen of Tartelette (mytartelette[at]gmail[dot]com)

Europe *and* the UK
David Lebovitz (david.lebovitz[at]yahoo[dot]com)

Canada
Tara of Seven Spoons (tara[at]sevenspoons[dot]net) - that's me!

Asia Pacific, Australia, New Zealand
Ed Charles of Tomato (gastrotom[at]gmail[dot]com)

Our special Wine Blog Host
Alder of Vinography (alder[at]vinography[dot]com)

Event Co-ordinator (lots more information here)
Chez Pim

For those unable to donate a prize, we still could use your help. Please consider passing on this information to anyone you might think interested, or spreading the word on our own site. Of course, you can also bid for prizes, so check back on December 10 for further details!

Help us help the World Food Programme end world hunger.

Note: Please check back often for further information on prizes, bidding and the campaign's progress. I'll also be elsewhere with updates.

91,188 thanks

I do not believe any one of us could come up with words to sufficiently express our awe and gratitude for those who contributed to the success of this year's Menu for Hope campaign. In an astounding increase of 50% over last year, Pim has reported a final tally of $91,188 to benefit the United Nations Food Programme.

So kudos are deserved to those who organized the event, cheers to those who participated with some amazing prizes, and finally thanks to all those who were generous enough to bid. Last, but surely not least, congratulations to Eriko Frank, the recipient of a box of treats from yours truly. Please contact me at sevenspoonsbaking@gmail.com so that we can organize the details.

All the best to all of you, what a brilliant effort!