Two years ago, we started a project called "The Caring Community." Our idea was to sponsor lunches at Long Island's largest soup kitchen in Hempstead, which is part of the Interfaith Nutrition Network. Every week, more than 1,500 men, women, and children depend upon this soup kitchen for hot, nutritious meals.

For many of the people who eat lunch here, it is their first meal of the day. For some it may be their only meal of the day. We wanted to make these meals really good ones --- with fresh meat, vegetables, fruits, desserts --- the works. To buy the food for each meal, we needed 40 donors willing to give $25 or more.

In our first year (2006), we raised enough money to sponsor six meals. Last year, we were able to provide 13 meals. This year we're aiming for 18.

Since the beginning, it's been the generosity of hundreds of people that have made this project successful. In fact, we've been so successful that other groups are copying our model and sponsoring more meals at the soup kitchen.

If you would like to be part of "The Caring Community" and help us feed hungry Long Islanders, it's easy: please make your check payable to: The Interfaith Nutrition Network. Donations may be mailed to: Dave Golbert, 7 Lee Court West, Great Neck, NY 11024.

Each time I work at the soup kitchen and hand a plate of hot food to someone who's hungry, I feel like I've been nourished too. It makes me feel more like the person my Mom always wanted me to be.

As Mom always said, "Let no one go hungry, while there is food on our table."