I was stopped at a traffic light on 20th Avenue in College Point last Friday when a man driving a white pick-up pulled alongside my car. As the driver looked over at me, I saw his eyes widen at the sight of my back seat - which was totally covered with bags of bagels that I had picked up for the soup kitchen in Hempstead.

A moment later, the driver shouted to me, "Need some butter?" I smiled at his little joke. Then he asked, "Is that for the homeless?" I smiled again and nodded, surprised at his accurate guess.

Then the man got out of his truck, came over to my window, and handed me a ten dollar bill. "That's for the butter," he said. We were both smiling when the light changed.

If you're like me and you've had some good fortune in your life, please consider sharing it with those who struggle every day with the burdens of hunger, homelessness, and poverty. Your donation sends a message of hope and compassion to those who need it most.

If you'd like to help families in need, please make your check payable to: The Interfaith Nutrition Network and mail c/o Dave Golbert, 7 Lee Court West, Great Neck, NY 11024. For additional information or to donate clothes or food, please call 917-418-2451.