It is probably the harvest food aid boxes that Harvest for the Hungry is most well known for. Every year since 1999 we have invited individuals, schools, churches and businesses to help us fill these small cardboard boxes at harvest time, to provide some help to the poorer members of our society in nearby Eastern Europe.

So why do we collect food and put it in boxes and then ship it across Europe? "Surely it would be more cost effective and 'greener' to buy the food locally where it is to be consumed?" I can hear you say. Of course it would and if we thought we could get as much of our community involved in the harvest project just by collecting money we would do that. But this isn't just about providing food aid, it's about community involvement. Collecting food for the boxes provides a point of focus. It gives the donor a practical way to show that they care aside from putting a hand in a pocket.