P.D.C.

Pretty. Darn. Classy. (if you ask me):

Red Hat cancels party; will feed needy instead

"Red Hat recently scrapped plans for a massive holiday party.

Instead, the Raleigh software company will donate the money it would have spent to a food charity chosen by employees.

The move comes as the slumping economy is hurting philanthropic donations and increasing demand among the needy.

"We felt it was the wrong time to be spending a lot of money on ourselves," said DeLisa Alexander, Red Hat's senior vice president for people and brand.

She declined to say how much money Red Hat will donate, but it's enough to pay for about 800,000 meals at food banks run by Feeding America. In the Triangle, the group runs the Food Bank of Eastern and Central North Carolina and the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle."Click through and read the whole N&O article on how this trend can help unite employees in a cause - a great thing when a slumping economy is always dampening moods - and how other groups are doing some good.