Capital Area Food Bank of Texas | Feedback | Summer 2011

feedback May - July 2011

Summertime: Feeding children when school is out p2 . Nourishing meals, minds and families for Central Texas elementary students p3 . Thank You and Upcoming Events p4 & 5 Youth and Family Night p6 . SNAP to it p7 . Message from the President & CEO p8

Our mission: to nourish hungry people and lead the community in ending hunger.

Learn how you can help at austinfoodbank.org

Summertime: Feeding children when school is out.

During the summer, when school is out, a child who qualifies for free or reduced-priced meals may lack access to healthy nutritious food. Through the USDA’s Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), non-profit organizations like the Food Bank can provide meals to sites where children can go to receive a free healthy, nutritious lunch.

During the summer, many children struggle to find their next meal.

Teachers know how important nutrition is for children’s academic performance.

In the Austin Independent School District, more than 60 percent of students receive free and reducedpriced lunches during the school year. During the summer, many children struggle to find their next meal. The SFSP, which started in 1968, is designed to address the lack of nutrition during the summer season by reimbursing nonprofit organizations who sponsor feeding sites in areas where at least half of the children receive free and reduced-cost lunches.

Last year, the Capital Area Food Bank participated in SFSP, sponsoring 23 sites in Travis County. Partnering with Boys & Girls Clubs, YMCA Learning Centers and Sierra Ridge Foundation Communities in low-income apartment complexes, as well as Partner Agencies and programs based in schools, CAFB provided more than 34,000 meals to children who needed a nutritious meal.

A typical meal distributed by CAFB: sliced turkey breast on whole wheat pita bread, part-skim string cheese, pineapple chunks, carrot sticks with low-fat ranch dip, and low-fat milk.

For more information, visit www.austinfoodbank.org/SFSP

Special Thanks

Thank you, LCRA Employees’ United Charities and LCRA Credit Union, for your generous food drive donation of $10,400 to our Mobile Food Pantries! The “Wheels of Sharing” Mobile Food Pantries fill geographic and service gaps in emergency food assistance, and provide basic staples, fruits and vegetables, and frozen foods to hungry Central Texans. For more information, visit austinfoodbank.org/how-we-help

Nourishing meals, minds and families for Central Texas elementary students.

In January, the Capital Area Food Bank began a partnership with Target to bring the Meals for Minds program to two high-need elementary schools in our service area: East Ward Elementary in Killeen and Pickle Elementary in Austin.

Meals for Minds is a Target sponsored program designed to increase parental involvement in schools by bringing families together for fun educational activities and a nutritious meal. Every month, the Meals for Minds event invites parents to enjoy a meal with their children at their school, participate in educational activities, and then receive nutritious food to prepare at home.

The first event, February 17 at East Ward Elementary, was a tremendous success. The theme “Love your Libraries,” encouraged families to enjoy fun reading-themed activities facilitated by teachers dressed as characters from popular children’s books and a spaghetti dinner. The Food Bank’s “Wheels of Sharing” Mobile Food Pantry, staffed with volunteers from Target, also distributed food to the participants.

Pickle Elementary premiered the Meals for Minds program on March 3. This science-themed event offered interactive presentations and science experiments, with dinner and bags of nutritious food for the families to prepare at home.

For more information, email Karla Cantu, senior director, agency relations, at kcantu@austinfoodbank.org or call 512-684-2506.

Thank you, Target!

cafb community e Photo courtesy CAFB

Thank you, Central Texas, for making thes January – March 2011

Kraft Huddle to Fight Hunger Campaign Raised more than $10,000.

CROP Hunger Walk Raised more than $17,000.

Give to Game Raised more than $2,700 and 300

Raised more

2011 Hunger Heroes Dinner Thank you for breaking new ground and building hope.

Year-long Giving Opportunities Learn more about our year-long giving opportunities, including Ink Out Hunger, NabTheDeal, Pampered Chef and much more! Visit: http://www.austinfoodbank.org/how-to-help/ongoing-fundraisers.html

21st an Raised mo

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Get the facts about hunger at HungerIsUNacceptable.com

For more info on our events, follow us on Twitter: @events4good

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join us for these upcoming events that raise awareness about hunger in Central Texas: H-E-B’s Help End Hunger Campaign H-E-B stores throughout Central Texas May 12 - June 28

Visit your local H-E-B and help end hunger by tearing off one of the $1, $3 or $5 coupons displayed at your local H-E-B register and add the desired amount to your final grocery bill. All funds collected benefit the Capital Area Food Bank to help hungry Central Texas families.

Rudy’s BBQ Raised more than $2,700.

Souper Bowl of Caring e than $15,000 and 600,000 pounds of food.

nnual Friends Feeding Friends Food Drive ore than $1,400 and 21,000 pounds of food.

cars & Coffee Old Town Leander (200 West Willis St.) June 5 Start your engines! John Eagle European is back and partnering with the town of Leander to host the hottest event in Austin. The unique car show showcasing fine motors from the 40’s & 50’s era will take place the first Saturday of every month from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. in classic Old Town Leander (200 West Willis St. Leander, TX). Family and friends can enjoy an up-close look at classic, vintage, antique and exotic automobiles sure to satisfy any automotive enthusiast. The event is free with a suggested donation of $5 per person for the Capital Area Food Bank. For more information, please visit: http://cafbtx.convio.net/cars-calendar

KEYE TV Food Drive Austin-area Randalls July 17 - 31 The 2011 KEYE TV Food Drive takes place this summer to help nourish hungry Central Texas children. Central Texans can make donations for the KEYE TV Food Drive at area Randalls grocery stores. Randalls is offering prepackaged food donations, plus scan coupons at checkout for $1 and $5 cash donations. Randalls will place collection barrels at its stores starting Saturday, July 17 through Saturday, July 31.

For a complete list of upcoming events, visit austinfoodbank.org/events

“The thought of other families suffering from hunger keeps our family coming back [to volunteer at the Food Bank]. Knowing that these resources are available brings me hope that there’s a cure for hunger in our community."

Kristin Wolter, mother of two Youth and Family Night Volunteer

Volunteer: Youth and Family Night The first Tuesday of every month from 6 to 8 p.m. is Youth and Family Night at the Food Bank. This night is specifically set aside for youth between the ages of eight and eighteen, and their families to volunteer.

This special opportunity gives families a “behind-the-scenes” look at how donations from the community get to hungry Central Texans. We offer a variety of volunteer tasks from inspecting, cleaning and sorting canned items to repackaging bulk foods. Families can also tour the Food Bank to learn more about our programs and operations.

All volunteers must sign up ahead of time at http://cafb.volunteerhub.com. Groups are welcome to sign up together.

If you have questions about Youth and Family Night, please email Amelia Long, volunteer resources coordinator, at along@austinfoodbank.org or call 512-684-2551.

Our mission: to nourish hungry people and lead the community in ending hunger.

CAFB Board of Directors Matt Dow, Chairperson, Jackson Walker, L.L.P. Catherine P. Thompson, Treasurer, Motion Computing Michael J. Tomsu, Immediate Past Chairperson, Vinson & Elkins Vanessa Downey-Little, Secretary, City of Austin, Retired Melissa Anthony, AnthonyBarnum Public Relations Heidi Baschnagel, National Instruments

message from the President & CEO

In the past year, this Food Bank has been called upon more than ever before to help our hungry neighbors, and we are proud of how we have been able to respond and provide a lifeline to many.

This tough economy has affected more families, creating longer food lines as many struggle to get by. One in seven Texans are now receiving SNAP (food stamp) benefits and one in four children in Texas, today, is at risk of hunger.

John Cyrier, Sabre Commercial, Inc. Mark Downing, Silicon Laboratories Ken Gladish, Ph.D., Seton Foundations Deborah Kerr, Ph.D., Consultant Melissa Mitchell, Ernst & Young David Montoya, University of Texas School of Law Sue Snyder, Jackson Walker, L.L.P.

In times like these, low-income families and individuals need both short-term support and long-term solutions, which this Food Bank provides. Our strategy is to not only provide emergency food assistance, but to also help in income support through increasing enrollment in nutrition assistance programs, while also providing more fresh produce and nutritional education to children and adults alike.

Paula Soileau, Affintus Leslie Sweet, H-E-B

Feedback?

Questions, comments, or suggestions?

Change of address? Receiving duplicate copies? communications@austinfoodbank.org

Read it online Download & subscribe to CAFB publications at austinfoodbank.org

Subscribe to our blog blog.austinfoodbank.org

The one thing most of us have in common is we all have a family. We are a part of something bigger, comprised of those people we love and care for. Family (and community) is the powerful glue that binds our lives together, and every day I am reminded of how our work here supports and strengthens families from across the 21 counties we serve. We aim to limit the devastating effects of the recession, and provide a recovery lifeline to many of the working families we serve, when they need it most. As the saying goes, “other things may change us, but we start and end with family.”

Finally, I’d like to say that I’m extremely excited about leading the Food Bank on a permanent basis. Despite being involved from a board perspective for seven years prior to last September, I still wasn’t prepared for the extent of hunger in Central Texas today and the passion with which the 70 employees here are attacking that issue. Because hunger is unacceptable and with your support, we will continue to nourish hungry Central Texans and lead the community in ending hunger.

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Connect with us on @events4good

HANK PERRET President & CEO

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The Capital Area Food Bank of Texas 8201 S. Congress Avenue Austin, Texas 78745

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(512) 282-2111