ideas for congregations:

Hold a pet food drive; some folks are struggling to keep their pets with the economic downturn. Programs like the Humane Society of Fairfax County Ani-Meals program assist with pet food to those that need it. Imagine how much pet food an entire congregation could donate to a program like this! Many pet supply stores have a drop off box for food, if your municipality doesn't have a program.

Have a vegetable gardening program. It can be hard the first time someone plants a veggie garden. But seeing it done, trying it out a little bit, and asking questions helps a lot. Your congregation could have a garden for people to work in to learn. Kids will love it. Raised bed gardens (like "square foot gardening") are good for older folks that don't like to bend over or kneel down.

Have a shoe drive; Soles4Souls can provide materials.