The holiday season can bring added stress, but the foods you choose may help create a calmer, more enjoyable experience. Dr. Uma Naidoo, a Harvard-trained nutritional psychiatrist, professional chef, and author, suggests simple dietary changes to reduce anxiety and promote well-being during Thanksgiving and beyond.

Dr. Naidoo emphasized that eating to reduce stress doesn’t have to be restrictive. “You can still enjoy the foods you love by making thoughtful additions,” she said. For those feeling unsure where to begin, her book, “Calm Your Mind with Food,” provides a comprehensive guide to these principles.

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For over 50 years, the Mozel Sanders Foundation has been a lifeline for those facing food insecurity across central Indiana, keeping thousands from going hungry. As Thanksgiving approaches, the foundation is gearing up to serve more people than ever, with a goal to provide 10,000 hot meals to families in need this holiday season.

The foundation secured a network of commercial kitchens to help prepare meals across the city. Volunteers are already in place, but Sanders says the organization needs experienced chefs to help lead the effort.

This year, the foundation is adding more locations to reach even more people. Friendship Missionary Baptist Church will serve as the primary hub, with self-prep kitchens set up at New Directions Church, Tabernacle Presbyterian Church, Roberts Park United Methodist Church, and a new location at The Hangar.

Each of these self-prep sites will play a critical role in getting meals ready to go.

To get involved, volunteers can sign up on the foundation’s website. Sanders highlighted that the website lists all volunteer opportunities, as well as the locations of the 12 satellite kitchens around the city.

With demand higher than ever, the foundation aims to serve 10,000 meals—a record for the organization. While this scale of effort brings challenges, the foundation’s expanded network of kitchens and satellite locations makes the goal achievable.

For those who want to help but can’t volunteer, Sanders says financial support is just as crucial.

Just $5 feeds one person or a family of four for $20.

Donations can be made via text by sending “MOZEL” to 53555, or checks can be mailed to Mozel Sanders Foundation, which is located at 709 N. Belmont Ave., Indianapolis, Indiana, 46222. For a quicker option, donations are also accepted through Cash App at $MozSanders.

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A garden has become a lifeline for central Indiana families in need. What began as a modest, corporate initiative has blossomed into a remarkable collective effort.

In 2023, Roche’s Garden produced an impressive 300 pounds of fresh, organic produce. This year, the garden’s operators hope to double that number.

Roche’s Garden is known as one of the oldest gardens in Indianapolis. It’s evolved to playing a critical role to provide nutritious food, and preventing disease while food insecurity is high.

The bounty of vegetables is not destined for corporate cafeterias, but rather the shelves of a local food bank, The Resource Hub, where it goes to families in need. It’s an initiative aligning with the American Heart Association’s Food is Medicine initiative.

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