8 Ways to Tackle Hunger with Souper Bowl of Caring

It’s that time of the year again – time to join the biggest youth-led food and fund drive in Central Texas.  Each year we like to mix it up and encourage more people to participate.  Last year, Tyson Foods challenged you to comment on their blog , which triggered a 100-pound food donation.

This year, along with Austin’s competing television networks, radio stations, print publications, grocery stores and other community  partners, we’re teaming up with the Boy Scouts of Central Texas to reach our goal of one million meals.  We can achieve our goal with fun activities for you online and in your Central Texas community. Here’s how you can get involved:

1. Join a team. Search online to find your team or start a new team and get registered.

2. Register your team for MLK Day. When you register online, you’ll receive your monthly e-newsletter and a free Resource Kit to help promote your event.

3. Enter the CAFB Souper Bowl of Caring Blog Contest.

Show off your creative talent by sending us a blog post with a photo gallery or video about your work with Souper Bowl of Caring.  Winning entries will be featured on our blog at blog.austinfoodbank.org and on our Facebook page.

You’ll also get a limited edition Hunger is UNacceptable t-shirt and water bottle, as well as a special guided tour of the Food Bank for you and your friends.  This is a great opportunity for youth to build their resume, for college applications, and to demonstrate leadership in your community. Click here to enter.

Contest Rules

• It must be about Souper Bowl of Caring.
• It must mention our goal of raising 1 million meals.
• It must include the words “Hunger is unacceptable.”
• Videos must be no longer than 3 minutes.

4. Donate online. Take a virtual shopping trip by putting food items into your online shopping cart. Then click “Donate” to donate the cost of those items to the Food Bank. It’s a fun way to help end hunger!

5. Support the “Scouting for Food” Food Drive

The Capitol Area Council Boy Scouts will be conducting a Food and Fund Drive in many areas throughout Central Texas. Scouts will leave door hangers on your door the week of January 22 – 29 and return to pick up non-perishable food items the following Saturday.  Your donation will support a Capital Area Food Bank Partner Agency in your community.

On February 5, you’re invited to join us for the 101st anniversary celebration of the Scouting movement at the 62nd annual Boy Scout Parade and Report to the State of Texas in conjunction with the Souper Bowl of Caring. Watch the Boy Scouts State Parade on Congress Avenue where the scouts will collect healthy, non-perishable food donations for our Central Texas neighbors in need.

7. Donate at your local Randalls, H-E-B and Central Market’s

While you’re shopping for snacks for game day, consider sharing a meal with those in need. Purchase pre-packaged bags of most-needed items or look for tear-off coupons in the amounts of $1, $3 and $5 at checkout stands in area Randalls, H-E-B and Central Market grocery stores.  Your purchase of a pre-packaged bag at either retailer provides two meals for a family of four.

8. Participate in Souper Bowl of Caring and save on Harlem Globetrotters tickets

The Harlem Globetrotters “4 Times the Fun” World Tour is coming to Austin on Friday, January 28.  When you support Souper Bowl of Caring you’ll save $7 on tickets. Learn more.

Thank you, Partners:

HEB, Central Market, Randalls, FOX 7, News 8, KEYE TV, KVUE-TV, TeleFutura, Telemundo, Univision, The CW, My Austin TV, KVET, KASE 101, AM 1300 The Zone, Buena 104.3, La Jefa 107.7, Relevant Radio 970 AM, The Statesman, The Jewish Outlook, Ahora sí, Capitol Area Council Boy Scouts of America, and Harlem Globetrotters.

Documentary: CAFB Volunteers share the impact of their experience.

Beyond providing the community with the opportunity for the physical act of “community service”,  our greatest role is that of inspirer.  If after an afternoon volunteering in Product Recovery sorting cans, or volunteering at one of our signature events, you find yourself talking or thinking about the causes and possible solution to the hunger crisis, then we’re on the right track.

Ryan Jackson, photojournalism major at the University of Texas at Austin, recently produced this documentary on CAFB’s volunteer program.

Did your volunteer experience spark a larger hunger discussion? Tell us about it.

O CAFB Friends, Where Art Thou

Head to the Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar on Thursday, December 16 for the best movie combo you can imagine: a screening of O Brother, Where Art Thou; a delectable gourmet dinner; and the great feeling that a portion of ticket proceeds are going to the Capital Area Food Bank of Texas.

Loosely based on Homer’s epic poem “The Odyssey,” O Brother, Where Art Thou follows three escaped prisoners during their extremely strange but comical journey set in 1930’s Mississippi. While you watch the movie, you’ll be served a delicious (and slightly themed) four-course meal prepared by Alamo Executive Chef John Bullington.

The movie starts at 7 p.m. and tickets are $61. Worried about the price? This is a great chance to help feed hungry families by simply enjoying an incredible film and dinner experience. Plus, it’s only a little more than you’d pay for a normal movie (after ticket, popcorn, drink and candy) anyway.

For more details, click here.

Take a stroll through holiday wonderland at the Wildflower Center Luminations Event

Credit: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

If you’re looking for a great place to take family for the holidays, join CAFB at the Wildflower Center Luminations event this season. More than 3,000 luminarias and 5,000 twinkle lights will transform their gardens into an incredible holiday scene while bands and performances take place around the courtyard. Children can even make their own decorations to take home or enjoy a puppet show, on Saturday at 7:45 p.m.

The event is Saturday and Sunday, December 11 and 12, from 6 to 9 p.m. Admission is free with a donation of two canned food items.

For more information on the event, click here.

In the spirit to help a little more? On December 9, we need volunteers to help build a giant Christmas tree out of canned goods. Not feeling crafty? We can also use your help on December 11 and 12 to help set up activity tables, assist visitors with crafts, and clean up after the event.

Guest Blogger SolarWinds says “Hunger sucks.”

by Josh Stephens (Head Geek at SolarWinds)

Me and hunger just don’t get along very well. It could be hypoglycemia or maybe I’m just a big ole’ cranky guy, but if I don’t get something to eat for lunch every day, you probably don’t want to be hanging around me. Many days, it’s not too big a deal as I’m spending the afternoons in the lab or in meetings and it’s OK to be grumpy, but on a day like today where I’m filming I really need to be able to put on a happy face and my hungry face always seems to trump my happy one.

So, as I was working through lunch today, I decided to see what was in the refrigerator. I admit it – I stole someone else’s food. Turns out it was my brother’s (yeah, he works at SolarWinds, too), but either way I took it. Being hungry sucks. And while I can make a joke about stealing my brother’s food, the hunger many folks face day-to-day isn’t funny. SolarWinds’ Geeks that Give community outreach program decided to step up and help out the Capital Area Food Bank of Texas’ “Turn Hungry Holidays into Happy Holidays” food and donation drive this season in a BIG way.

With today’s economy there are more people struggling to put food on the table than ever before. So far here at SolarWinds we’ve raised over $13,000. The stats on what that can do are amazing. For every $5 donated, CAFB can provide $25 of food. SolarWinds’ donation will provide 28 children with nutritious after school meals for a year, provide 122 families with food for a meal per day for a year, and provide food enough to feed 62 seniors a meal a day for a year. Those are some pretty amazing things when you think about it.

So, Zach, sorry about stealing your lunch. I guess I owe you one. But now that you know what it feels like to be hungry maybe you should visit this site and donate some more? For everyone else out there, I hope that you too will help either the Capital Area Food Bank here in Austin or a local food bank in your area. Be part of the solution.

To help SolarWinds and the Capital Area Food Bank “Turn Hungry Holidays into Happy Holidays,” learn more at http://www.solarwinds.com/donate/ and donate online at austinfoodbank.org through December 26.

Flame on…
– Josh

Follow me on Twitter

Children nourishing children for the holidays through A Legacy of Giving

The day before Thanksgiving, A Legacy of Giving held its second annual Day of Service at the Food Bank where more than 300 students unloaded food and coats collected during their month-long donation drive.

A Legacy of Giving is a non-profit that teaches students the value of philanthropy as part of their school curriculum, and encourages them to become involved in improving their communities and world.

Students from 35 Austin-area  faith-based, private and public schools participated in the event and raised more than 2,158 pounds of clothing for the Junior League of Austin’s Coats for Kids drive and 55,587 pounds of food for the Food Bank (surpassing their goal of 35,000 pounds of food).

Thank you to A Legacy of Giving, the participating schools, the LINKS of Town Lake,  Southside Storage, PODS, the Junior League of Austin, Southwest Airlines, Austin Toros Basketball, KASE 101, KVUE and Jack Brown Cleaners for your generous support.

View photos from the event.

CAFB collaborates with Extreme Makeover Home Edition

The Capital Area Food Bank in collaboration with the Texas Association of Builders, Tilson and Temple Inland is committed to serving one lucky North Central Texas family and the community where they live. A family worthy of a hero’s welcome will have their lives changed forever when the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition bus rolls into town. With your help, we’re turning hungry holidays into happy holidays and inspiring our community to help our hometown heroes.

Join us at the Heart of Texas Build Pep Rally, Tuesday, November 30 at the Corbin J. Robertson Center – Southwestern University, Georgetown from 6 – 8 p.m. This event is FREE to the public with a suggested donation of two healthy, non-perishable food items.

Click here to RSVP.

Stay tuned for more exciting news about our work with Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

The CANstruction “Viewer’s Choice” winner is…

STG Design, Spaw Maxwell – “I think I CAN!”
Team: Brittney Couch – Captain, Carrie Clemons, Ashley Elgie, Ashley Hargrove, Denisse Valle
Cans Used: 2,513

Last week we posted a CANstruction “Viewer’s Choice” contest for the annual CANstruction event. CANstruction brings together teams of design and construction professionals and students to build fantastic sculptures from thousands of cans of food.

This year, CANstruction collected 25,906 pounds of food—more than 6,000 pounds from last year’s event! Thank you again to all of the teams, sponsors, and volunteers for your creativity, great design, and commitment to ending hunger. A special thank you to our sponsors: Austin Monthly Home, Chick-Fil-A, MOVECORP, Barton Creek Square Mall, Society for Marketing Professional Services, Ridgways and Panera Bread. Your efforts helped provide more than 19,000 meals to hungry Central Texans.

Click here for pictures from the event.

Ready, Set, Bag! is coming to Austin.

Ready, Set, Bag! is a documentary that celebrates the unsung hero of the grocery store world – the grocery store bagger – and showcases the talents of the best baggers in the country as they compete for the title of “Best Bagger in America.” Watch the trailer.

Through the power of social media, and Groupon, the filmmakers are raising money for food banks across the nation including CAFB!

Ready, Set Bag! is playing on Monday, Nov. 22 at Alamo Lake Creek (13729 Research Blvd., 78750) and Tuesday, Nov. 23 at Alamo Ritz (320 E 6th Street, 78701). Showtimes are 7 p.m.

Here’s how you can make an impact on hunger:

• $1 of each regular-priced ticket at the theater will go to CAFB
• Save $1 on your ticket price by bringing your donation of three non-perishable food items to the theater
• Participate in their Virtual Food Drive.
• Shop online and 10 percent of the proceeds benefit Feeding America.
• Revenue from the videos on their bliptv channel (I highly recommend the “How to Be a Good Bagger” clip) goes to Feeding America.

CANstruction update – vote for your favorite!

More than 25,500 cans were used to make these amazing structures and will help nourish the hungry in central Texas.  Now it’s time to vote for your favorite! Be sure to proudly display your “I voted” badge you’ll receive after voting as your avatar.  More CANstruction photos are available in our Flickr album.

Thank you to all of the teams, sponsors, and volunteers for your creativity, great design, and commitment to ending hunger. A special thank you to our sponsors: Austin Monthly Home, Chick-Fil-A, MOVECORP, Barton Creek Square, Society for Marketing Professional Services, Ridgways and Panera Bread.

STG Design, Spaw Maxwell – “I think I CAN!”
Team: Brittney Couch – Captain, Carrie Clemons, Ashley Elgie, Ashley Hargrove, Denisse Valle
Cans Used: 2,513
Thank you Royalty Clearinghouse, Ghostland Observatory,  Wommack Associates, Austin Fit Magazine, Senior Financial Securities, El Arroyo, Dynamic Reprographics, Cory Morrow, J Black’s Feel Good Lounge, Butterfield & Shore Custom Homes and our STG Family.
Winner: Jurors Favorite

SHW Group – “A Cornucopia of Sweet Taste”
Team: Emily Potts – Captain, Audrey Marcella, Alison Bin Ford, Rory Estes, Megan Wetzel
Cans Used: 1,624
Thank you to our other team members, Scott Wilcox, Benedict Kim, Edward Napier, Ryan Dellinger, Citizen Schools, Beth Hannon, Garry Davis, Jasmine Martin.  Thank you to our sponsors, Shah Smith & Associates, 4b Technology, Architectural Masonry Products, Cunningham Allen, DBR, Flynt-Phelps/American Standard, JMK/HG Rice Food Facilities Planning & Design, Panel Specialists, Inc., Ramming Paving, CMTA Consulting Engineers, Interface Flor, Studio D Consulting, Maxwell, Locke and Ritter, LLP, Coleman and Associates, Ridgway’s.

PBS&J an Atkins company, Satterfield & Pontikes Construction – “Princess and the Can of Peas – Let’s Give Hunger a Fairy Tale Ending”
Team: Stacey Gould – Captain, Lauren Alexander, Kristen Klein, Kym Livingston, Bob Rowe
Cans Used: 4,019
Thank you,  Sal Baeza, Karissa Basse, David Buzan, Kathleen Canavan, Janice Hillenmeyer, Logan Imbornone, Drew Isaak, Lynn Isaak, Ann Kelly, Marty Livingston, Keith Monnerjahn, Debbie Moore, Lisa Ruth, Cindy Scott, Brad Shearer, Tara Snell, Ben Wagner.
Winner: Honorable Mention – Best Meal

KGA Architecture & Workman Commercial – “Let Them Have CANcake”
Team: Cathrine Cleavinger – Captain, Tracy Guthrie, Luma Jaffar, Tara Kammouna, Audrey Wernecke
Cans Used: 1,725
Thank you to our other team members, Nick Bergman, Michael Engen, Graham Mendel, Bethany Shields.  Thank you to our sponsors, C & Z Enterprises, LLC & Cunningham Allen, Inc.
Winner: Best Use of Labels

Encotech Engineering, The Beck Group – “Keep Austin Fed”
Team: Katie Harris – Captain, Elizabeth Haynie, Brian Miller, Brady Van De Wiele, Eric Zissman
Cans Used: 3,336
Thank you to our other team members:  Dwayne Dow, Rachel Hawkins, Jamil Hossain, Mark Hutton, Bryan Jones, Ali Khataw, Christin Menendez, Miguel Morales, Steve Nguyen, Brandi Reger, Marcus Sandoval, Paul Sexton, Vinayak Sharma, Keith Simon, Ryan Therrell, and Joanne Torres.

Schneider Halls Design – “Put a Lid on Hunger”
Team: Katie Marchand – Captain, Elizabeth Clarke, Kelly Halls, Julie Schneider, Jeff Schneider
Cans Used: 1,500
Thank you Rogers-O’Brien Construction Shropshire Construction, Rockford Business Interiors, Flynn Construction, Furniture Marketing Group, Bridget and Stephen Harris

CJG Engineers & PBK Architects – “Lonestar of Texas”
Team: Sarah Willis – Captain, Jenny Beckman, Brian Bowden, Tyler Grote, Luis Salazar
Cans Used: 3,800
Thank you Ross Eubanks (CJG), Luke Esser (CJG), Kerri Ranney (PBK), also ESA, HEB, Daltile, Randall’s
Winner: Structural Ingenuity – Lonestar of Texas & Peoples Choice

Hardin Construction Company, LLC, Bury+Partners, Inc., Structures PE, LLP – “Rock ‘CAN’ Roll”
Team: Scott Hanyzewski – Captain, Sarah Gentry, Marcus Edwards, Chris Randazzo, Shane Tanner
Cans Used: 3,025
Thank you to Nations Roof;  Keenan, Hopkins, Schmidt & Stowell; A.J. Kirkwood and Associates and Fun N Sun Pools of Austin for their generous donations.

GS&C/JQ/SpawGlass – “Roller CANster: Riding Hunger Out of Town”
Team: Megan Felker – Captain, Jessica McLarty, Franklyn King, Marcus Gibbon, Mark Harrington
Cans Used: 3,969
Thank you to our firms and other team members: Cara Salling, Meredith McKennedy, Scott Somerville, Trevor Maddy, Dennis Testa, and Mason Finley. Big thanks to our sponsors:  Dynamic Reprographics, CAD Supplies Specialty
Winner: Honorable Mention