Share free food with others

A great way to help others fill their bellies without spending a dime, though it requires some time, is to pick fruit from trees in your backyard and donate them to a local food pantry. That's exactly what Natasha Boissier does, according to a recent story in the NY Times.

The story explains how Boissier expanded her idea into North Berkeley Harvest, a group of "fruit philanthropists" that make sure their home grown food does not rot on the ground.

"There was all this fruit going to waste," she said of the apples, pears and plums in her midst. "It seemed like such a natural way to deal with hunger."

Not a bad idea when in this tight economy food pantries are suffering. In Los Angeles the LA Food Bank is accepting donations. Or you can use this page at Feed America to find a food pantry near you.