Don’t Eat It. Donate It!
That’s the message at the Double D Diner which opened its (virtual) doors on January 13, 2010. The Double D, operated by One Less Meal Inc., believes that if everyone ate just one less meal on a regular basis and donated that meal to a hunger related charity, together we could make great strides towards stomping out the hunger and food insecurity problem that exists in the United States. One Less Meal opened the Double D – a virtual diner – to make the process of giving a bit more fun; hoping fun leads to bigger and more giving. – and not just during the end of year holidays. Hunger exists year round.
And speaking of hunger….. Hunger is defined as an uneasy feeling due to lack of food. Food insecurity refers to the lack of access to enough food to fully meet basic needs at all times due to lack of financial resources. According to the USDA the number of Americans affected by food insecurity was 49.1 million people in 2008.
At the Double D (http://onelessmeal.org) you’ll be greeted by your waitress Earlene, order your meal (like Flapplejacks or Fries for Guys and Women’s Thighs), pay for your meal, and leave the diner. That’s it. You don’t EAT the meal; you DONATE the meal. Those monies are then remitted to a food bank or soup kitchen with a contractual understanding that 100% of those funds will be used to purchase food to feed the hungry. One Less Meal is always seeking out new beneficiaries and hopes to have representation in all 50 states. Current beneficiaries have been identified in CT, LA, NY and AZ.
One Less Meal was the idea of Rich DiGirolamo of Wolcott, CT. Sitting on the beach one day he found himself watching two women munching away all morning long on snack after snack. As the noon hour approached one mentioned to the other she was getting hungry and they should get some lunch. Rich made a snide remark (to himself) about their snackaganza and how they really could do with one less meal. “I thought about the number of people in this country who go to bed hungry, as well as the obesity crisis, and the rest was history” says DiGirolamo. He approached his friend Michelle Gotay of Watertown CT with his thoughts and ideas and together they started One Less Meal.
Gotay had developed the character of Earlene for the amusement of her friends but was looking for the right opportunity to put Earlene to work. “When Rich first shared his thoughts with me, I was pretty sure he was giving me a subtle hint about how I could make do with one less meal. It got me thinking about what REAL hunger is, and how it's easy to forget about the issue when your stomach is full. The diner idea seemed like the perfect fit for 'Earlene', and the project in general was an opportunity for me personally to get involved in a great cause. Rich’s enthusiasm is also quite catchy; so it was easy to jump right in. And besides...who doesn't love a diner?" says Gotay.
So only one question remains…….Are you hungry? Get your web browser over to the Double D right now at http://onelessmeal.org and order up some scrumptious fun. But remember……Don’
For more information about One Less Meal, the Double D Diner or to schedule an interview with Rich DiGirolamo or Michelle Gotay (Earlene) call 203.217.8059 or visit www.onelessmeal.org
