Thankfulness

A note from our Executive Director, Rev. Sally Allocca

Someone said to me the other day, “Thanksgiving is my favorite time of year.  Everybody focuses on Halloween or Christmas for decorations and cards and parties, but Thanksgiving just doesn’t get the attention it deserves.”

I agree.

We all know that we have much to be thankful for, we just forget sometimes.  We get in too much of a hurry, or have too many things going on.  The work of P.E.E.R. does a great job of keeping me on track for remembering to be thankful.  I am thankful for the hard work and commitment of our local farmers.  I am thankful for the bounty of the food we have and the willingness of neighbors to share together.  I am thankful for the volunteers who are willing to give of their time to deliver food, cook food, set up a farmers market and teach children.  I am thankful for children and their parents who are willing to come together with neighbors and share in learning.  I am thankful for a community that is committed to working together and sharing all the blessings we have been given.  Don’t forget, don’t go to fast, or do too much to stop, remember and be thankful.

On behalf of P.E.E.R., “Thank you, for the gift of community.  Happy Thanksgiving.”

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Give the GIFT of Community!

Donate $10, or more, to P.E.E.R., Inc. in honor of your friends, relatives, neighbors, co-workers, or others this holiday season, and we will send an Angel Donation Card in acknowledgement of your gift.  Your gift will go towards the support of our neighborhood projects in the East Lake Community!

It’s simple…just fill out this order form, make a donation, and we will mail cards to your gift recipients!

 

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Harvest Gifts are HERE!!

Go local this holiday season!  Give a gift that keeps giving!

This summer, while the farmers at the East Lake Farmers Market were busy growing their produce, we were busy canning select items from the season!  P.E.E.R., Inc. is pleased to announce that our locally produced items are now available as holiday gifts!!  All proceeds go towards supporting P.E.E.R., Inc., a community development group in the East Lake Community that operates a local farmers market, after-school program, health programs, and more!   (Order early, items only available while supplies last!)

Choose from a vast selection of the season’s best!

Taste of Summer ($7)

Choose from any 8 oz. jar of jam, relish, or salsa, wrapped and ready

Taste of the Harvest ($10)

Choose from any 32 oz. jar of soup, sauce, or pickles, wrapped and ready

Double the Fun ($14)

Choose two 8 oz. canned items, packaged with decorative tissue paper in a small peach basket

Tasty Treats ($17)

Choose any two 8 oz. canned items,

with a pack of cheese straws, packaged with decorative tissue paper in a small peach basket

Classic Sampler ($19)

Choose any three 8 oz. canned items,

packaged with decorative

tissue paper in a small peach basket

Bounty Delight ($28)

2 (8 oz.) canned items

1 (32 oz.) canned item

1 bag of coffee

With tissue paper in a medium decorative basket

Cornucopia ($42)

3 (8 oz.) canned items

1 (32 oz.) canned item

1 loaf of bread/cake

1 bag of coffee

1 bag of cheese straws

With tissue paper in a large decorative basket

Add cellophane wrapping to any basket order for just $1!

Choose one of the above, or make your own!

Cost per item (add any of these items to create the perfect gift!)

$5 – 8 oz. canned item: Strawberry Jam, Blackberry Jam, Peach Jam, Squash Relish, Tomato salsa

$8 – 32 oz. canned item: Grandma’s Veggie Soup, Spaghetti Sauce, Pickles

$3 – Cheese straws (baked by market vendor Samuel Cheathem)

$5 – Cake/Breads: Sour cream pound cake, banana nut bread, or cranberry walnut bread (baked by market vendors Juanita Jones and Samuel Cheathem)

$6 – Locally roasted coffee (roasted by market vendor Woody Wiginton, at FinerGrind Coffee Roasters)

The featured “Red Sea Blend” is a blending of 3 different beans; Ethiopian Harrar (dry processed) and Yirgacheffe (wet processed) provide lots of fruit in the cup (blueberry, strawberry, melon), and a flowery aroma, while the Yemen Mocha Sanani is full of spice (deep rich bittersweet chocolaty with spice)

$8 – Note card set: Set of 10 cards/envelopes designed by children in the community!

Also available, in addition to gift basket options:

$8 – Sweet Potato Casserole (serves 4-6)

$8 – Old Fashioned Squash Casserole (serves 4-6)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s how to order:

1. Choose your gifts

2. Fill out this Harvest Gifts Order Form

3. Send in your order

EMAIL: peerincbirmingham@gmail.com

or

CALL: 205-836-3201

Items are only available while supplies last!

Please allow three working days for order processing/packaging.

Pick up ALL orders at East Lake UMC, 7753 1^st Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35206

Can’t find what you are looking for?  Check out a diverse range of basket options, wrapped and ready, at The Market Place!

The Market Place is located inside the main building of East Lake UMC (7753 1st Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 36206)

open Monday – Friday

9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

(with a special sale on Saturday, November 20, at the East Lake UMC Holiday Bazaar, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.)

(Note: The Market Place will be closed, for walk-ins, November 25-December 3.  To make an appointment to shop during this time, please send us an email: peerincbirmingham@gmail.com)

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Farm Tour this week!

Our market farmers, Andy and Paula Kemp, are hosting a tour of their farm this Saturday, as part of the Birmingham Food Summit.  If you haven’t been to the Kemp’s farm, we highly suggest Saturday’s tour!

Read below for details…

Come join us on Saturday 11/13 for a farm tour of A&P Farms and Jones Valley Urban Farm at Mt. Laurel!  The tour starts at the lovely Mt. Laurel farm, where we’ll explore the farm and learn about JVUF’s efforts to bring fresh, healthy food to more of Jefferson County’s residents.  Then we’ll travel to visit Andy and Paula at A&P Farm, located in a beautiful valley near Horse Pens 40.   We’ll tour their fields and new hoophouse, and hear about how they provide fruits and vegetables through P.E.E.R.’s East Lake Farmers Market and market basket program.  Tickets for this tour, which is part of the 2010 Food Summit, are $25/person and include transportation and a local food lunch.   To register, go to www.foodsummit.org.

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