Those of us in NYC were spared by Hurricane Irene (although we may have gained a pound or two from all the cooking), but many of the farmers upstate who provide us with amazing local produce weren't as lucky. In case you were wondering what you can do to help, here are some ideas:
One of my favorite organizations, Just Food, is hosting their annual Let Us Eat Local event on Wednesday, September 21st at The Altman Building. This event honors local eating and those who support it. This year's honorees include Joel Salatin of Polyface Farm (you may have heard of him if you've read The Omnivore's Dilemma
If you're going to eat out in NYC, make sure you do so on Sunday, September 25th, when an ever-growing list of restaurants will be participating in Dine Out Irene. They will donate up to 10% of their sales that night to Just Food and GrowNYC to benefit NY area farmers hard hit by the hurricane. The only tough decision is where to go!