It's easy to help feed a family in need at a grocery store near you

Kraft kicked it off, but now it's up to you: The Kraft Check Out Hunger campaign for the Hawaii Foodbank got started earlier this month with a $5,000 gift from Kraft Foods Hawaii.

You've probably heard that with disaster relief efforts in the U.S. and around the world sopping up donor dollars like spilled milk on a paper towel, local charities are fearful of feeling a greater-than-usual holiday pinch. Shoppers can help by simply tearing off a green giving coupon in checkout lines at Safeway stores, Times Super Markets on O'ahu, Tamura's stores and Kokua Market Natural Foods Co-op. Coupons are for $2.74 (enough to feed a family of four for a day, with the Foodbank's economies of scale) or $19.18 (food for four for a week). The checker scans the coupon, and the amount appears on your grocery bill (don't forget to keep it for your tax deduction). The campaign continues through Jan. 6.

THE PICKLE LADY

EXPANDED 'PASSION' COOKBOOK PACKS MORE FAVES

The Pickle Lady is at it again. Just a short time after issuing the first edition of her cookbook, "The Pickle Lady's Pickle Passion," Leonora Ching released a new, expanded edition ($14.97) with lots of new recipes — including the turnip and carrot pickles for those popular Vietnamese sandwiches and her own version of taegu — Korean-style preserved codfish.

The Kane'ohe woman also added a more personal introduction that explains a bit more about her background and her love of all that is pickled and preserved, plus family photos. The book is in some stores or can be mail-ordered; call 256-4070 or see www.PicklePassion.com.