Local Farmers Feed Hungry Neighbors

About half of the 591 billion pounds of food produced in America each year is wasted.  Meanwhile, more than 50 million Americans are at risk of hunger.  That might mean going to bed hungry or having to make the choice to either buy food or keep the power on.  Being food insecure is painful, physically, mentally and emotionally.

The Capital Area Food Bank confronts the disparity between hunger and food waste in our community by organizing food pickups from local H-E-Bs, Walmarts, and other grocery stores.  Central Texas Food Rescue coordinator Jessie Curran explains, “Food Banks were founded on the model of matching excess food with hunger relief charities.  Most people understand that the problem of hunger in the US is not due to a shortage of food, but rather people in need not having access to it.  CAFB’s mission in running a Food Rescue program is to provide businesses with a way to reduce waste by donating unsalable, but edible food to the Food Bank.  This is a win-win for everyone; stores reduce their waste costs and increase their employee morale, and much needed food is distributed to people who need it.”

Bryan Bickham of Springfield Farm with CAFB Central Texas Food Rescue Coordinator, Jessie Curran

The program’s newest initiative, Market Harvest, picks up the unsold produce from farmers markets. Although farmers are vigilant about composting their unsold product, they are eager to participate in a program that connects their food to those in need.  The project is being piloted at the Sustainable Food Center’s farmers market at the Triangle on Wednesday evenings.  Participating farmers fill boxes with leftover kale, arugula, peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, persimmons, and more which is then transported to a Food Bank Partner Agency (specifically soup kitchens) to be prepared the following morning.

SFC Farmers' Market

 

VISTA volunteer Catherine McKinney who builds capacity for CAFB programs Healthy Options for the Elderly (HOPE) and Kids Cafe comments, “People are always asking for fresh produce. In particular, our older adult clients are thrilled when they have the chance to cook fresh produce.”

According to a 2009 study by the Center for Disease Control, only 17 percent of low-income Texans consumed the recommended daily minimum of five or more servings of fruits and vegetables. This consumption is lower than any other income bracket. No wonder that data also shows a higher prevalence of chronic disease such as diabetes and poorer overall health in low-income Texans compared to those in higher income brackets.

Market Harvest participant Bryan Bickham and owner of Springfield Farm says, “We are so happy to give to people who care about people.  The last thing we like to see is food going to waste.”

The Capital Area Food Bank sincerely thanks the Sustainable Food Center and the following local farmers for their partnership in helping nourish our neighbors in need:

Engel Farms

Harvest Time Farm Stand

Lightsey Farms

Milagro Farms

Ottmer’s Family Farm

Springfield Farm

Johnson’s Backyard Garden

Hillside Farms

If you are interested in being a Market Harvest volunteer please email Volunteer Resources Coordinator, Amelia Long, at amelialong@austinfoodbank.org or call 512-684-2551. Click here to view a description of this volunteer position.

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

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Calling all geeks: SolarWinds challenges you to turn hungry holidays into happy holidays.

by SolarWinds

SolarWinds has teamed up with the Food Bank to help feed families in need this holiday season. In addition to underwriting the fundraising campaign, “Turning Hungry Holidays into Happy Holidays,” SolarWinds employees donated more than $13,000 in cash and food during a two-week period in late October and early November. But then we decided to take it a step further and issue a challenge to local tech companies and the greater community to make this our most successful food drive to date.

So far, Microsoft has stepped up and committed to taking the SolarWinds challenge.

Companies interested in joining the challenge can call Molly Robbins, Community Events Manager, at (512-684-2531) or email mrobbins@austinfoodbank.org, or visit the SolarWinds campaign webpage at http://www.solarwinds.com/donate/

“This year, the need in our community far exceeds what one company can tackle – and so we thought what better way to put Austin’s love of a little friendly competition to really good use. Regardless of who wins or loses, we want to ensure the Capital Area Food Bank of Texas, and our neighbors in need, benefits in a big way,” said Kevin Thompson, SolarWinds CEO. “The SolarWinds family exceeded its goal, but we’re anxious to see what Austin as a collective can do when put to the test.”

Get the story from the geeks who give:

About SolarWinds

SolarWinds (NYSE: SWI) provides powerful and affordable IT management software to more than 95,000 customers worldwide – from Fortune 500 enterprises to small businesses. We work to put our users first and remove the obstacles that have become “status quo” in traditional enterprise software. SolarWinds products are downloadable, easy to use and maintain, and provide the power, scale, and flexibility needed to address users’ management priorities. Our online user community, thwack, is a gathering-place where tens of thousands of IT pros solve problems, share technology, and participate in product development for all of SolarWinds’ products. Learn more today at http://www.solarwinds.com.

Lift Up America & CAFB Partner Agencies Share the Power of a Truckload of Tyson Foods.

Last month, Tyson Foods and Lift Up America came together to donate more than 30,000 pounds of protein to the Food Bank.  Volunteers from Austin Aztex, Austin Toros, Lift Up America and Tyson Foods helped load the donation onto the trucks of CAFB Partner Agencies.

Watch Lift Up America volunteers and CAFB Partner Agency, Joseph’s Food Pantry, share the urgency and impact of hunger relief in central Texas.

“This significant food donation from Tyson will allow us to impact lives when the need for food has never been greater,” said Adrienne Longenecker, chief development officer for Capital Area Food Bank. “Donations of high-protein foods are especially valuable as they allow us to provide our agencies with more healthy, nutritious options.”

Our mission requires that we nourish those in need of emergency food assistance, not simply provide food.  With so much at stake – 41 percent of our clients are children – donations like these bring us closer to a well-nourished community and a brighter future for our youngest clients.  Thanks to all who participated to help make this event a success.

Hunger Action Month Way of the Day: Let your Randalls Remarkable Card Help End Hunger.

Randalls Good Neighbor Program allows you to make direct monetary donations to the Food Bank. Link your Remarkable Card to the Food Bank by completing a Remarkable Application Form at a Courtesy Booth within your local Randalls store. Complete the top portion and the “Good Neighbor Program” section by designating #212, the Food Bank’s account number, as the recipient of funds. If you have an existing Remarkable Card you can link it to the Food Bank’s account number at anytime by completing the steps above. Randall’s will donate 1% of each purchase you make throughout the year (which adds up and really helps the Food Bank).  It’s that easy – and it doesn’t cost you anything! Click here to download an application for the Randalls Remarkable card. For more information, visit http://www.randalls.com/.

Hunger Action Month Way of the Day: “Shop for a Cause” with Macy’s

Visit the Macy’s at Barton Creek Mall and purchase a $5 coupon book at any register or from one of our Food Bank volunteers and you’ll receive an all-day savings pass to use in-store or online on October 16.  Enjoy 20% off most clothing, jewelry, accessories and home, or 10% off furniture, mattresses, rugs, electrics and electronics storewide.  You’ll also receive 25% off a single-item purchase of any regular, clearance or sale item online or in-store!  Macy’s will donate all of the proceeds of every $5 ticket purchased in-store to help the Food Bank nourish hungry Central Texans. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets online.

Target gives nationally, and acts locally.

This past Friday, 50 Target employees volunteered with us as part of their National Day of Giving.  Volunteers from ten Austin-area Target stores sorted food donations, made family food boxes and repacked frozen peas, processing nearly 10,900 pounds of food.

Target, a long-time Feeding America partner, recently launched a “Meals for Minds” program, providing $2.3 million to fund a school food pantry pilot program and its future expansion nationwide.

“Through ‘Meals for Minds’ and our ongoing partnership with Feeding America and local food banks, Target is helping children focus on learning and their educational future – not on how or when they will get their next meal,” says Laysha Ward, Target’s president of community relations.  “Early results of the pilot are encouraging and we’re excited to expand the program to even more schools.”

The company also pledged an additional $1.2 million to local food banks across the country and is projected to donate more than 20 million pounds of food to children and families in need this year.

Thank you, Target, for nourishing hungry Central Texans. If you happen to see any of these smiling faces at your local Target, please thank them.

Even if you don’t have millions to give back like Target does, you can still take the Happy, Healthy Summer Pledge to help nourish hungry children this summer. Since every $5 donated provides $25 worth of food, your support makes a big impact.

Social Media Feeds Hungry Central Texans

Ed Nicholson & David Davenport

You may remember that a couple weeks ago, Tyson Foods pledged to the Capital Area Food Bank 100 pounds of food for every comment left on the company’s hunger relief blog. http://hungerrelief.tyson.com/

We turned to our Web friends for help. We posted the challenge on Twitter, Facebook and our blog. You tweeted about it and added the challenge to your Facebook pages and blogs. So did your friends.

Once the word spread on social networking sites, the blog surpassed the 350 comments needed to fill the truck within six hours, and continued to receive more than 640 comments!

On Monday, Tyson Foods delivered the truckload of food, and pledged to donate another truckload of food in recognition of the more than 640 comments received. Special thanks to Ed Nicholson of Tyson Foods, and Mike Chapman and David Neff of the 501 Tech Club and Social Media Club Austin, for helping make this opportunity possible. And of course, thank you all for raising 70,000 pounds of food for hungry Central Texans.

Yesterday, Ed added this video he shot at his visit to the Food Bank to the Tyson blog. View photos of this event on flickr.com.

 

HAM-up Update

HAM-up Tweet-up

We have some new HAM-up details to share. Thanks to the generosity of the Austin community, we invite you to participate in:

Tyson Foods “Gift of Protein” Delivery and Presentation
Monday, September 8
10:00 a.m.
Capital Area Food Bank, 8201 S. Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78745 map

Thanks to your comments to the Tyson Foods Hunger Relief Blog, Tyson Foods will deliver 35,000 pounds of much-needed protein items to the Food Bank. We invite you to attend the “Gift of Protein” media event at the Food Bank and learn how the social media community made a difference in the lives of hungry Central Texans.

HAM-up Grill-up Happy Hour Kickoff
Thursday, September 11
5:30 – 8 p.m.
Whole Foods Market, 525 N. Lamar Blvd., Austin, TX 78701 map

Help kick-off the HAM-up. Listen to the sounds of Gina Chavez and her band while enjoying grilled items prepared by Whole Foods chefs. $3 pints of Live Oak Hefeweizen on tap, and other beer specials as well. Proceeds from the sale of grilled items benefit the Food Bank. Have a photo taken of you holding your own “Hunger is Unacceptable” sign. Learn more about HAM-up events we have scheduled for Saturday, September 13. RSVP online.

HAM-up Tweet-up
Saturday, September 13
Noon – 4 p.m.
Capital Area Food Bank, 8201 S. Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78745 map

In addition to the “Food Drive Drive Through”, Food Bank tours, and volunteering in product recovery, you can join the Stalelife and Adomatica Bike Ride Food Drive.

Help nourish hungry Central Texans while laying down less of a carbon footprint! Stalelife and Adomatica will transport food and financial donations via bicycle straight to the Food Bank. The convoy will leave from Burnet Road and Justin Lane area and pick up any donations (and riders) between the highways on the way to the Food Bank. If you live East of I35 or West of MOPAC and can collect in your area, join the convoy! To schedule a pickup, please email Joe at HAMup@stalelife.com.

No Show Ponies are donating their musical talents to keep the spirit of giving fun as you participate in HAM-up events at the Food Bank. Brothers Jeff and Ben Brown create music inspired by the best aspects of rock and roll. The energy of Elvis, the truth-telling lyricism of Dylan and Leonard Cohen, the operatic vocals of Roy Orbison, the swagger of Motown, the irreverence of Paul Westerberg, the unique vision and integrity of artists like Bruce Springsteen, Morrissey, and U2–all of these qualities are present in the songs of No Show Ponies.

No open-toe shoes

Just a reminder, if you’re planning on touring the Food Bank, or to volunteer in product recovery, we require all guests to wear closed toed shoes. It’s for your safety, Thank you!

Please, don’t forget to RSVP for the HAM-up Grill-up happy hour and sign up to volunteer in product recovery. See you next week!