From Ellen Christmas, Second Harvest Program Manager
Sadly ,our annual efforts to raise pounds and dollars for the Grand Rapids Food Shelf lags far behind where we were last year at this time. In fact, our totals to date hover around $26,000, compared to about $41,000 collected by this time last year. We are not sure what all the factors are but the most obvious is the state of the economy. Donor fatigue and smaller gifts to charitable organizations likely play a part as well. The difficulty lies in that we know demand will continue to rise as we hear of more and more people being laid off from all levels of employment. Already we have seen many first time visits to the food shelf by families who not only ever thought they would need such a service, but in the past were donors themselves.
My request to each and every one of you is to keep the conversation going among your friends, and within your congregations, businesses and organizations about the need to support the safety net the food shelf provides to so many of our local people. Hunger hurts everyone in our community. We need to stand strong and keep working together to find the resources needed to continue feeding as many people as we can - many of them, children.
An interesting parallel to the March Campaign is the Hunger in America Study we are currently involved with. Trained volunteers have been traveling to many of our agencies to conduct face to face interviews with clients. Our goal is to achieve close to 300 surveys. Within the questions people are asked what they would do if the food pantry/shelf they currently use did not exist. Almost all surveyed indicate it would be a major problem for them and they would have nowhere else to turn for help.
So, in conclusion, if you can help or know anyone who has not given a donation, big or small, to the March Campaign, now is the time to ask…
We thank all of our wonderful friends and volunteers who not only support us with their financial gifts, but with their valuable time as well. You are such an important part of everything we do here at Second Harvest Food Bank.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
Good News for a Change
Amid all the gloom and doom of the economic crisis, it’s important to remember that although the need is increasing, we are helping many people. Last year Second Harvest North Central Food Bank distributed more than 3.3 million pounds of food to directly to low income people and through 145 hunger relief agencies in this region.
Total number of people served by Second Harvest North Central Food Bank entire region in 2008:
· 40,621 household visits to food shelves
· 137,106 individuals served by food shelves including 52,302 children
· MAC & NAPS- 25,048 commodity boxes distributed to children and seniors
· Itasca Holiday Program- 1,700 families received Christmas food baskets
· Kids Café - 1,827 meals fed to children at after school program
· Kids Packs to Go – 12,221 backpack meal sacks distributed to elementary school children
In January of this year, we were able to acquire more donated food than any other non-holiday month in our history. This is great news, considering the increasing need we are experiencing due to the economic downturn. The food shelves, soup kitchens, shelters and other hunger relief agencies striving to help our neighbors are doing the best they can to provide emergency food assistance in these difficult times. Many people are stepping up to help. This is good news for a change.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Stimulus for Hunger Relief
The Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act that was signed into law by President Obama last week will provide much needed stimulus to hunger relief organizations and the people who depend on us. Additional funding of $19.9 billion for the food stamp program that is called Food Support in Minnesota (and SNAP in the rest of the country) will most likely begin as soon as April. This is good news for the more than 31 million Americans who rely on Food Support each month.
For food banks, an increase of $150 million for the TEFAP program will provide more good quality commodity food for food banks to distribute. This additional food comes at a time when we are struggling to find the food resources to meet the increasing needs in our communities.
The stimulus will also provide additional funding for WIC, the Emergency Food and Shelter Program, and for grants to states for senior nutrition programs like Meals on Wheels.
This is good news for hunger relief organizations as we try to meet the increase in need with limited resources. The safety net is thin, but the stimulus will help fill some of the holes.
For food banks, an increase of $150 million for the TEFAP program will provide more good quality commodity food for food banks to distribute. This additional food comes at a time when we are struggling to find the food resources to meet the increasing needs in our communities.
The stimulus will also provide additional funding for WIC, the Emergency Food and Shelter Program, and for grants to states for senior nutrition programs like Meals on Wheels.
This is good news for hunger relief organizations as we try to meet the increase in need with limited resources. The safety net is thin, but the stimulus will help fill some of the holes.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Itasca County Food Shelf Coalition
Today a new coalition was formed - the Itasca County Food Shelf Coalition. The leaders of the food shelves from Bigfork, Deer River, Warba and Grand Rapids met with the United Way of 1000 Lakes at Second Harvest Food Bank this morning. The new coalition will seek funding from the United Way to meet the increasing needs for emergency food assistance in Itasca County.
The numbers of people receiving food from these food shelves has increased by almost 50% since 2003. The current economic crisis has caused even more people to turn to food shelves for help feeding their families. The Itasca County Food Shelf Coalition will seek funding from the United Way to help meet this most basic of needs - food.
Without increased funding, food shelves will have a difficult time providing enough extra food to for the people who now find themselves needing help. Unemployment, job layoffs, cuts in work hours and the increasing costs for housing, transportation and food are causing more people than ever before to seek assistance. Additional funding for food shelves is crucial this year.
Meeting at Second Harvest today were Kathy Thompson and Kathy Nelson from Deer River Food Shelf, Pearl Barter from the Warba Food Shelf, Bonnie Cole from Northern Itasca Food Shelf in Bigfork, Ellen Christmas from the Grand Rapids Food Shelf, Jody Hane, Executive Director of United Way of 1000 Lakes and me, Sue Estee.
The Itasca County Food Shelf Coalition will continue to provide food to low-income people in Itasca County until all citizens are able to meet their own needs and a safety net is no longer needed.
The numbers of people receiving food from these food shelves has increased by almost 50% since 2003. The current economic crisis has caused even more people to turn to food shelves for help feeding their families. The Itasca County Food Shelf Coalition will seek funding from the United Way to help meet this most basic of needs - food.
Without increased funding, food shelves will have a difficult time providing enough extra food to for the people who now find themselves needing help. Unemployment, job layoffs, cuts in work hours and the increasing costs for housing, transportation and food are causing more people than ever before to seek assistance. Additional funding for food shelves is crucial this year.
Meeting at Second Harvest today were Kathy Thompson and Kathy Nelson from Deer River Food Shelf, Pearl Barter from the Warba Food Shelf, Bonnie Cole from Northern Itasca Food Shelf in Bigfork, Ellen Christmas from the Grand Rapids Food Shelf, Jody Hane, Executive Director of United Way of 1000 Lakes and me, Sue Estee.
The Itasca County Food Shelf Coalition will continue to provide food to low-income people in Itasca County until all citizens are able to meet their own needs and a safety net is no longer needed.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Economic Stimulus
Everyone is talking about the economic stimulus. How will it affect the people that depend on food banks and food shelves? We know that the House passed economic recovery package will increase funding for food stamps known as Food Support in Minnesota and SNAP elsewhere. Putting extra resources into food stamp allowances will put much needed food on the tables of low income people.
There is also additional funding for the WIC program and The Emergency Food Assistance Program. The TEFAP program is very important for food banks. This program provides high quality commodity food for food banks to distribute to food shelves and soup kitchens.
The economic crisis has significantly increased demand at our food bank. New faces are visiting us every day due to rising unemployment, layoffs and increasing costs for basic needs like housing, food and heating.
The Senate's American Recovery and Investment Act includes increased funding for these extremely important programs. It is critical for food banks that these funds are available so that we can meet the needs of low income people who are disproportionately affected by the recession.
There is also additional funding for the WIC program and The Emergency Food Assistance Program. The TEFAP program is very important for food banks. This program provides high quality commodity food for food banks to distribute to food shelves and soup kitchens.
The economic crisis has significantly increased demand at our food bank. New faces are visiting us every day due to rising unemployment, layoffs and increasing costs for basic needs like housing, food and heating.
The Senate's American Recovery and Investment Act includes increased funding for these extremely important programs. It is critical for food banks that these funds are available so that we can meet the needs of low income people who are disproportionately affected by the recession.
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