Our November “Do a Good Cooking Deed” is Laurie E. from Kessler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi. Way to go, Laurie!

I volunteer in our Soup Kitchen every weekend and also on holidays. I love doing it as it makes me feel as if I am giving something back to the community which so generously welcomed me as one of their own. I am in the military and that really means a lot. Although the meals served are nutritious, they are pretty bland and I can see on the faces of little ones that they are grateful for the meals but are not exactly thrilled with the choices. I know how blessed I am to be able to feed a variety of dishes to my own children so I wanted to do something special for others. I decided that I would do my part to give every weekend a holiday feel instead of twice a year. Now each month, I pick a weekend and cook up a storm with my 30 Day Gourmet by my side. My daughter comes along to help and we, along with the other volunteers, cook a special meal for all who come through the doors. The look of surprise and happiness, especially on the faces of the children and their parents, make me wonder who enjoys it more! It has become a tradition of a year now and I have 30 Day Gourmet to thank for helping me give back to people who I know enjoy and appreciate the gesture.