Edible Avalon

Okay, it's Mitzvah Day again here on ye olde blog! Remember, a mitzvah [MITZ-vuh] is literally translated from the Hebrew as "commandment," but it's taken to mean "good deed."

And this is an easy mitzvah to perform: please vote for one of my very favorite non-profit organizations -- Ann Arbor's own Avalon Housing, which provides homes for those with extremely low incomes who often have mental/physical disabilities further complicating their lives -- to receive an orchard to help feed its residents.

Here's a summary of what you need to do, with many thanks to Jude from Avalon for letting me borrow her very succinct phrasing for this explanation. (We all know that I'm usually found way, way over on the opposite end of that spectrum, long past "verbose!") Unfortunately, it's not just a "one click"-er, but it's still not too much trouble:

Please go to: CommunitiesTakeRoot.com.

After you have logged in or registered, click the "Vote Now" link. Select the "List By State" tab at the top of the map that appears. Scroll down to "Michigan" and you'll see us listed as Edible Avalon. Just click to plant your vote!

You can vote every day, and help us win an orchard of 20 fruit trees. In just a few years, the trees will produce enough fresh fruit to distribute amongst our tenants, helping to stabilize their food security with tree fruits - in addition to the many vegetables and fruits already grown through the Edible Avalon program.


According to Avalon's website:

If we win, we'll select 20 fruit trees & shrubs to plant around our Carrot Way Apartments. In just a few years, the orchard will produce fresh fruit for our tenants, to be distributed through our network of Community Centers and Food Pantries. You can help us transform our one lonely peach tree into a full orchard!

The orchard space will also enhance the community, providing a picnic and meeting spot, and acting as an outdoor classroom!

Please vote every day until May 31, and pass this along to all your loved ones, as well!!! This means a very great deal to me, as Avalon Housing is a cause very near and dear to my heart ... :)