Midori Clark has worked for nearly 20 years as a journalist, public relations officer and fundraising professional. She’s currently the Director of Community Relations and Development for Pueblo City-County Library District. Enjoy her first post about the Food Assistance Challenge!

Heading in to day two of the #FoodAssistanceChallenge, I can honestly say is the most I’ve thought about food in years. This is my fourth year of Weight Watchers—so believe me when I say I already spend more time than the average person thinking about my meals! I’ve been nervous for weeks, wondering if I’d have enough food and what kind of quality I’d get for $22.50. I opted to prioritize quantity. I spent several hours researching prices and item availability. My strategy was to buy a bunch of staples and do my best to create delicious meals. I boiled up a giant pot of black beans on day one, to turn into a salad with oil and vinegar, process with oatmeal and pasta sauce for veggie burgers, and put into corn tortillas for tacos. I also cooked up an entire bag of brown rice to sauté with corn, peas and egg for fried rice, boil with sweetened soy milk for rice pudding, and eat plain as a side. Sweetened soy milk will be mixed with oatmeal for breakfast and frozen into cubes to blend into dessert. I found a blended soy/olive oil I’m very happy I bought. I used it to flavor salads and fry up tortilla chips. I bought garlic salt, oregano and pepper for flavor. I miss fresh fruits and vegetables, which on a normal day constitute about 60 percent of my overall daily intake. I’m not a vegetarian, but I decided to cut out meat this week, opting for two cans of tuna instead. Spending so much energy on how to stretch my food has really opened my eyes about how lucky I am, and how much work this is. I’ve always believed in what Care and Share does, but now I understand first-hand how this amazing nonprofit impacts people in need.

See Midori’s, and our other celebrity council members’, posts on our Facebook page!