Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival

Food banks have reported a 30% increase in requests for aid since 2007, and it's estimated that one in eight Americans doesn't have stable access to sufficient food. Leave it to do-gooder foodies to find a way to feed the hungry by stuffing their own faces. At the second annual Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival, some 25,000 people will raise more than $1 million for hunger-relief organizations through sales of tickets to talks, tastings, and cooking demos by celebrity chefs/Food Network stars including Bobby Flay, Rachael Ray, and Ina Garten. This four-day festival shows that opening the heart -- by way of the mouth -- can sure be tasty. -- KR