Archive for September, 2010

September 28, 2010

It’s Not Too Late to Take Action

Author: Sasha Hausman

I can’t believe that this is the last week of Hunger Action Month! It has been such a great September. From our kick off at CRAVE to yummy cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory, we had a fun time fighting hunger in Central Florida.

 Here are some ways you can help this week…

 Way #29: Organize a food drive to help feed people in Central Florida. Click here to read our “Gathering the Groceries” document. Also, make sure to check out our frequently asked questions page.

If you can’t organize your own food drive, participate in one of ours! Bring your food items to AARP’s National Event and Expo, Orlando@50+, on Thursday, September 30, Friday, October 1 or Saturday, October 2 for a FREE 1 day admission to the Expo as a thank-you for helping to feed those in need in Orlando. Check out the speakers and people performing…you want to be there! Pretty cool, right?

Also, don’t forget about our last event of Hunger Action Month, Way #30, our Portraits of Hunger Photo Showcase at Eden Bar! The winner of the photography contest will be announced along with a display of the photo submissions that we received.

Our photo judges are Henry Maldonado, President of Enzian Theater; Josh Garrick, Fine Art and Culture Writer for a series of news and online venues and Dave Krepcho, President/CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida.  

 Remember, Bring a bag or box of food donations (non-perishable) and receive one ticket for a free bottle of Peroni. One free Peroni per person. We hope to see you at Enzian’s Eden Bar - 1300 South Orlando Avenue – Maitland, Florida. Program starts at 7:30 p.m. 

Just because this is the last week of Hunger Action Month, doesn’t mean that we should stop taking action in the fight against hunger. Families, kids, seniors, and our neighbors need our help more than ever.  I hope that everyone had a chance to do something this September that not only helped someone, but made you feel good too. I know I did.

To our friends who shared, tweeted, liked, ate, shopped, pledged, and took action this September … thank you. The only way we can truly end hunger in Central Florida is to shed some light on the invisible problem in our community.

We are already excited thinking of new things for next Hunger Action Month! But until then, I encourage every one of you to continue taking action each and every day to help fight hunger in Central Florida.

Until next time,

Sasha Hausman
Development Manager

September 23, 2010

Walmart Awards Second Harvest Food Bank $2000 Through Their VAP Program

Author: Lauren Moskowitz

This week Walmart awarded Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida a check for $2,000 through their Volunteerism Always Pays (VAP) program.  In April, Walmart Associates completed over 100 volunteer hours sorting and boxing donated product at our Food Rescue Center.  Today a group of 20 devoted Walmart Associates headed back to our facility and volunteered their time again! 

In addition to the VAP program, Walmart has donated the equivalent of over 1,600,000 meals since partnering with the food bank over one year ago. 

Beyond that, Walmart also gifted Second Harvest Food Bank with a beautiful, brand new refrigerated truck last year as part of the company’s annual holiday giving campaign.  The truck has served as a lifeline that has helped us to safely move the thousands of pounds of perishable and nutritious items donated weekly by Central Florida Walmart stores.

We are tremendously grateful to our partners.  Thank you, Walmart, for your dedicated support!

Lauren Moskowitz
Grocery Alliance Program Manager

September 21, 2010

Urge Congress to Pass a Strong Child Nutrition Bill

Author: Maria Diestro

Congress has less than two weeks to improve and pass a child nutrition bill before the programs expire September 30. The House shouldn’t wait another day to take action on child hunger, and neither should you.

The child nutrition bill passed by the Senate made significant improvements to nutritional quality, but it didn’t go far enough to make sure low-income children are connected with the programs. The bill was also paid for with future benefit cuts to SNAP “food stamp” program participants, half of whom are children.

House leaders are running out of time to move their own bill and face increasing pressure to simply take up the Senate bill. We have a small but critical window of opportunity to make sure the House strengthens the child nutrition bill before it goes to the President. Call your Representative to ensure  Congress makes ending child hunger a priority!

• Go to www.hungeractioncenter.org/fastaction/
• Fill in your name and address to identify your Congressional District.
• The next page will provide a toll-free number and PIN that will connect you directly to your Representative’s office
• Dial the toll-free number—866-548-0332. 
• When prompted, enter your PIN.
• When the office answers, state that you are a constituent and provide your name and hometown.
• Tell them that you are calling about Child Nutrition Reauthorization and deliver this message:

“The House should pass a better child nutrition bill. Please urge Leadership to support a bill that increases children’s access to programs – especially during weekends, summer, and breakfast – and is paid for without cutting SNAP.”

Background Information:
Far too many low-income children lack the nutrition they need to be healthy and successful. The risk of hunger is often greatest during gap periods when children are away from school like weekends and summers. The child nutrition bill before Congress provides an opportunity to change that, but the improvements that are needed won’t happen without your support.

Congress has struggled to identify funding to pay for the child nutrition bill. The Senate bill did not make the investments needed to connect hungry children to the programs and paid for their bill by cutting future SNAP benefits.

With less than two weeks before the bill expires, House leaders are working hard to find funding – both to increase program access and replace the SNAP cut. But the House is facing increasing pressure from the White House and the Senate to simply pass the Senate bill.

Representatives need to hear from you TODAY that until the child nutrition bill is good enough for hungry kids, it shouldn’t be good enough for Congress.

September 21, 2010

Agency Spotlight: Collins Cupboard

Author: Maria Diestro

This week we are spotlighting Collins Cupboard at the Lighthouse Christian Church in Deland, Florida, run by Robin and Gene Campbell. The pantry distributed food to 674 households and 2334 individual people last quarter.

Collins Cupboard sends volunteers every Monday to the Volusia Branch warehouse to help unload and put away the truckload of food that arrives from Second Harvest’s main facility in Orlando. We have never asked for this, but are grateful for the help.  

In addition to being a first class partner agency, Collins Cupboard falls into the super volunteer category. They volunteer for Scouting for Food, Wesh TV’s Share your Christmas and pretty much anytime we could use a hand … they are always ready to help us out.

 Here are some photos of Collins Cupboard in action:

 Below is a photo of them unloading a trailer full of food.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
A happy recipient leaving the pantry with bags of food.

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 
Collins Cupboard crew serving a spaghetti meal. The proceeds went to their pantry. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Second Harvest Food Bank distributes food to over 600 feeding partners in six counties. Collins Cupboard is 1 of 90 agencies that we currently partner with in Volusia County. Their passion for fighting hunger and helping their neighbors is truly unmatched. We salute Robin and Gene and all their friends at Collins Cupboard, and all our partner agencies in Volusia County—keep up the incredible work!

 If you are a Volusia resident and would like to visit our facility, and a learn a little bit more about hunger in Central Florida, please sign up for a Food for Thought Tour at our Volusia branch.

Maria Diestro
Online Services and Communications Manager

September 20, 2010

My Word by Dave Krepcho: We Can Make a Difference

Author: Dave Krepcho

Source: Orlando Sentinel

Many people today are overwhelmed and frustrated with what seem to be unfixable problems, or things out of their control. Just look around at the Gulf oil spill and its long-term effects, a Gainesville pastor’s stance on the Quran, congressional issues and so many more examples, including in our own personal lives. Wouldn’t it be great if we could find something we could wrap our own hands around and make a difference?

There is a pressing problem that we all can rally around and do something about: hunger in our community. The ongoing economic situation, unemployment, under-employment and plummeting retirement accounts and property values have all created a perfect storm for emergency food assistance among a large portion of the population.

Last year, Second Harvest Food Bank’s Hunger Study showed that about 25 percent of Central Florida’s population received food assistance. That’s 732,000 people, and nearly 300,000 are children. That’s a problem. What can you do about it?

September is Hunger Action Month, an effort to fight hunger. The only way we can close the gap is with continued community assistance. You can seek out a number of local organizations that could use your support in terms of volunteering, financial assistance or food donations

At Second Harvest Food Bank, we offer you “30 Ways in 30 Days,” with activities ranging from food drives and a Junior League Harvest Hustle to our Portraits of Hunger photo contest.

All are designed to provide support for people in need and offer a variety of levels of engagement. If you can’t take action in September, the problem will still be here in October.

Everyone can help. Here’s one poignant example: One day an elementary-school girl named Alli saw some of her classmates Dumpster diving. That night, she cried to her mom that they must do something about the situation. Alli came up with a plan and in a few months raised $5,000 to help start a new Second Harvest Kids Café downtown.

To this day, that café continues to provide thousands of meals to children. Alli’s a reminder to all of us — young and old, wealthy or not — that each of us can find a way to take meaningful action in the fight against hunger. It’s a problem that can be solved.

We can make a tangible impact upon hunger relief because every can of soup, box of cereal, volunteer hour or dollar donated translates into one of the most basic needs of every person — food. Please consider taking action; it’s good for the community, and it’s good for the soul.

Dave Krepcho is president and CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida.