Join me in a month long celebration of good times and a chance to make a difference.

During the month of August, pick a day to gather your friends and family around the table for a meal together. Simply ask that each person bring $10 worth of food to donate to your local food bank. Thats it! Something so simple can have a BIG impact. Every little bit counts!

Last year I held a long-table dinner at a barn in Carnation, WA. It was the first Enchanted Evening, a dinner that I planned for a few months, celebrating the re-launch of my personal chef business in a new location. Since I was getting so many people together I thought, why not take this opportunity to do something to help a local food bank while we’re at it?

Several friends and family gathered, we ate a simple farm-to-table meal I prepared of herbed pork loin with plum, fig and port wine chutney; wild rice pilaf; mixed greens with pear, blue cheese, caramelized walnuts and balsamic dressing, artisan bread and plum cakes with fresh whipped cream. Most of the food was procured from local farms in the area. We ate, drank wine and local beer and had a fabulous time until the sun went down and the stars came out.

I requested every guest bring approximately $10 worth of groceries to donate to a local food bank. We also had fun raffles with some donations from local vendors. The outcome was more than I could imagine: my amazing friends and family raised over $250 and we accumulated about 40 bags of food to give to the food bank. 

This year I want to see an Enchanted Evening in every city across America!

Sometime during the month of August, pick a day to gather your friends and family around the table. Request that each person bring $10 worth of food to donate to your local food bank. That is it!

Just do it – pick a date. Have 4 people, 40 or 400. Have a potluck or a full blown fabulous feast.

Lets start a movement for change – do a small thing to make a big difference!

Here is how you start:

1. Pick a date. Invite friends. I have created a Facebook invite page with a template for you to simply copy, add in your dates, times and location and invite away! Here is a basic template for email or other forms of invitations:

An Enchanted Evening – A Chance To Make A Difference

One night. Family, friends, good food and good times.
The chance to make a difference and raise donations for your local food bank.

*HOSTING YOUR OWN ENCHANTED EVENING? CUT AND PASTE THIS ENTIRE POST. THIS IS WHERE YOU PUT YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION TO INVITE YOUR FRIENDSAND FAMILY – GOOD LUCK! I ENCOURAGE YOU TO KEEP THE NAME OF YOUR EVENT AS AN ENCHANTED EVENING TO SPREAD THE WORD! PLEASE LEAVE THE REST TO HELP OTHERS KNOW WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO PASS ON TO GET MORE PEOPLE TO CREATE THEIR OWN ENCHANTED EVENING! *

Want to host your own Enchanted Evening?
Go To www.mesadevida.com/anenchantedeveningtomakeadifference/ to find out more!
4 people, 40 or 400. Potluck or fabulous feast. JUST DO SOMETHING to help end hunger in your own backyard. EVERY LITTLE BIT COUNTS!

2. Pick your food bank you will be helping. Need help finding a food bank? HERE is a list of food banks across the country.

3. Share with us! Let us know what you will be doing for your Enchanted Evening! Share your thoughts, pictures, menus, results and more by leaving comments on this page or on the Facebook invite page and on Twitter. @mesadevida #enchantedevening

4. Enjoy your own Enchanted Evening. Enjoy your friends, family, food and celebrate your blessings. YOU ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE! 

5. Deliver your food to the food bank. Feel amazing.

6. Share some more! I will be posting pictures on my Facebook page for Mesa de Vida and I would love to share your news, pictures and events!

Here are some pictures from my Enchanted Evening 2011. We had fun raffles to help raise even more money also! I invited the director of the food bank I chose last year. It was absolutely wonderful to be able to have her see and be a part of such a wonderful night that surpassed my expectations! Can’t wait to share this years event!

Other suggestions:

• I encourage you to choose local, sustainable food for your meal from farms that are very active in donating to food banks and other philanthropic matters.

• Don’t just think dinner! If you don’t have time to entertain a group for dinner, get creative! Have a few friends over for brunch or lunch – remember, every little bit counts!

• Ask some local vendors or friends with businesses if they would consider donating items for a fun small raffle (even 25 cent tickets add up!) to help raise some monetary donations for your event! Bigger event? We had about 20 people and raised over $250 last year – it really adds up!

P.S. Have you subscribed to my blog yet? I’ll send you a free gift “Mesa de Vida’s Guide to Healthy Family Favorites” – don’t miss it! Sign up HERE!  Want help reaching your goals – putting healthy meals on the family table or losing weight, once and for all? I lost over 100 pounds by transforming my life – let me help you reach your goals too! Check it out!