its too late to do it now but do you know those little christmas trees they sell at the grocery stores with the tiny packages...they sell for like $8...well after christmas they are like $2...i buy them all up...and grow them..and then for christmas i give them out as gifts. people are usually surprised...they can plant them outside or keep them indoors for a few years but its a nice gift and cheap too.

you ought to see if your manager will let you put aside a little area for a "town garden" maybe if folks chip in you can plant some community tomatoes etc and that way if there are some poorer or disabled or elderly who can't garden they could enjoy some fresh produce too...perhaps have it so that you need to put in 1 hr of work a week (they could do something easy)

i grow my stuff in planters on my back deck as i don't have much yard.

i like to cook so i plant extra peppers so i can invite myself over to my friends house for dinner and then i'll offer to cook pepper steak or fajitas (easy to make with summer veggiesfrom the garden)...and good for a summer group bbq.

its easier with a group..at work we used to do a communtity coupon box too...everyone would add their coupons and then you could select what you needed etc.

we would have parties and the cost of admission would be say a few $$$ plus a couple of cans for a food bank...you guys could start your own small food pantry...kind of an emergency food staple...in case people fall into a must need situation.

i believe that before we reach out and help the needy of the world we must help the needy at home. and that should start to those within our family and the community.