Divas On A Dime cookbook gives back to community

You learn something every day. I’ve been volunteering at the Path of Hope food distribution program through New Hope Fellowship and learned that many of the people receiving donated food aren’t sure how to cook the food so that it tastes good.

I’ve written a cookbook called “Cheap Eats” that is filled with easy, nutritious recipes using very inexpensive ingredients. The book is designed to make everyone’s food budget stretch farther but it’s particularly important for those on a restricted food budget.

I’ve started a project to get this book published and make this book available at a low enough cost so everyone can afford it. Even if this means offering the book for free.

Imagine being a mother without enough food to feed your children, or a senior citizen with a week left before the next check and the cupboards are bare.

Now please take a moment and be thankful if this is only in your imagination, but for many in our community it’s a reality.

The numbers of families having to choose between buying food and paying the rent has become so widespread the government has come up with the phrase “food insecure.”

This is the term to describe people who regularly don’t know where their next meal is coming from. These people are our friends and neighbors. If this is you, please know: you’re not alone and there’s help available.

Here’s where I need the community’s help. I’m raising funds through Kickstarter.com to launch a locally produced TV show “Divas On A Dime TV” and to support this I’m selling the cookbook “Cheap Eats” with a “get one - give one” business model. You can buy a book for yourself and one or more will be donated, free of charge, to someone who needs it. I’ve partnered with Path of Hope in Pahrump and Three Square in Las Vegas to distribute the books once they’re published. The money raised will help produce the TV show.

A little history; five years ago I made it my mission in life to learn the cheapest way to do practically everything and since then I have researched and written an encyclopedia of all things frugal and fabulous. This is Divas On A Dime.

My husband Bob and I have more than 30 years as professionals in the entertainment industry, so turning Divas On A Dime into an entertaining and educational TV show just felt natural.

We believe that when you receive, you should give back. That’s what we’re doing with this cookbook. To help or find out more about this project please go to kickstarter.com and type “Divas On A Dime TV” in the search bar. Or go to our Facebook page for the link.

The Path of Hope food distribution program always needs volunteers. Call 775-751-1867 for more information. Food distribution takes place at 781 West Street in Pahrump each Wednesday morning from 10 a.m. until noon.

Frugal Food contributed by Patti Diamond, author of Divas On A Dime — Where Frugal, Meets Fabulous! Facebook — DivasOnADimeDotCom www.divasonadime.com Kickstarter — http://kck.st/1Al2aLU