SERVINGS
4
EastTexasFoodBank.org/GiveMarch
SERVINGS SPRING ISSUE 2017
Your support helps us provide healthy produce to families in need For families who are struggling to make ends meet, the East Texas Food Bank. Caring friends donated walking into a grocery store to purchase food can the acreage and the sheriff’s department oversees be a painful experience. They consistently have to the garden’s maintenance. Smith County inmates choose between purchasing food that will fill bellies prepare, plant, maintain and harvest the garden versus purchasing healthy food like year-round. Doing the field work fresh fruit or vegetables. With one gives local inmates looking for a Providing access to in five adults in our area living with second chance an opportunity to get healthy food options is outdoors and learn life skills. By the food insecurity, providing access to those healthy food options is important to the health end of summer, over two truckloads important to the health of of items—like tomatoes, peas, squash of our communities. our communities. and potatoes will be distributed to the families we serve. At the East Texas Food Bank we’re committed to providing the most nutritious food possible to The high cost of fresh produce those we serve. A big part of that is improving the Through this and other programs the East Texas amount and variety of fresh produce we distribute. Food Bank will distribute almost 5 million pounds of One way we’re doing that is through our Community fresh produce to the more than 250,000 people we Garden program. serve each year. Acquiring, transporting, storing and Partnering with the Smith County Sherriff’s distributing perishable food like produce comes at department, Agricultural Extension Office and a high cost. That’s why we depend on your financial other local volunteers, our Community Gardens support to help us make this possible. plant over ten acres of land for distribution by When the summer harvest arrives, we need to be ready to distribute that produce quickly. Your gift today will help make a real difference to our neighbors who are struggling to provide healthy food for their families. You can give online at EastTexasFoodBank.org/GiveMarch or please return the enclosed reply slip. Thank you for helping us build healthy communities by providing healthy food to our neighbors who are at risk of hunger.
Connect to the work you support!
N e w s f r o m t h e E a s t Te x a s F o o d B a n k EastTexasFoodBank.org/GiveMarch
Thank you for providing food to help us through a rough time My name is Connie and we moved out here seven years ago to be near family, and we attend the church that hosts this pantry. In fact, I’ve volunteered at the pantry, handing out food. It’s a huge blessing to make people feel welcome and to know they’re going home and will have food on their table that night. But coming here to “ We wouldn’t be receive food is much having dinner harder. This is only my second time coming to tonight if it wasn’t the food pantry. I really for the generosity try not to come, because I feel of the people in embarrassed East Texas.” —CONNIE about being here, but sometimes I just have to do it. We wouldn’t be having dinner tonight if it wasn’t for the generosity of the people in East Texas. I run a home day care and my husband is a certified teacher, but we’re going through a rough time right now. My husband has been having medical problems. He had a seizure and wrecked the car, so he can’t drive or work right now. The medical bills are scary and we’re struggling financially. We’re behind on our rent, but thankfully we’ve had a supportive landlord.
The food makes a difference I really appreciate getting the fresh fruits and vegetables and eggs. This food means we can eat for the next few days. It makes a big difference, and we’re really blessed that it’s available.
MY SPRING GIFT—$1 provides food for 8 meals YES, Dennis, I want to help provide fresh produce and nourishing food to East Texas families in need.
To charge your gift by phone, call 800.815.FOOD.
Enclosed is my gift of: □ $150 □ $100 □ $50 □ $25 □ Other $______
Please charge my gift on my credit card: □ VISA □ MC □ AMEX □ DISC
m I want to become a Meal-A-Day donor with a monthly gift of $_________. My first gift is enclosed.
CARD NUMBER
NAME
NAME ON ACCOUNT
ADDRESS CITY STATE ZIP
Please make your check payable to:
EAST TEXAS FOOD BANK 3201 Robertson Road Tyler, TX 75701-2532
(
Connie used to volunteer at the pantry where she now receives food.
I’d really like to say thank you to the people who support the East Texas Food Bank. Please don’t stop giving. If you haven’t been at a food distribution, you might not know what a difference it makes. Every little bit of it matters and it’s a huge help.
INSIDE EXP. DATE
Page 2
An encouraging word from the CEO
)
TELEPHONE NUMBER SIGNATURE
Give online at EastTexasFoodBank.org/GiveMarch Your donation is tax-deductible as permitted by law. The East Texas Food Bank will send you a receipt in gratitude for your kindness to the individuals and families in East Texas who rely on us for food.
3N/17 31048-7
Page 3
Learning to cook healthy meals
Page 3
Volunteers are like family
SERVINGS
2
An encouraging word from the CEO Dear Friend of East Texas Food Bank, As spring comes to East Texas, so does the planting season. It’s a great time of year for us because we know how important it is to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to the families we serve. When people have access to healthy food, they have the stamina and energy to meet the other responsibilities in their lives. Not only did we distribute more fresh produce last year, we’re also continuing to improve the variety of that produce “ Not only did we through partnerships such distribute more as our participation in the fresh produce last Feeding Texas co-op.
EastTexasFoodBank.org/GiveMarch
Join the Pledge to Volunteer Campaign From January through April join the Feeding America Pledge to Volunteer Campaign by volunteering at the East Texas Food Bank. You can sign up at EastTexasFoodBank.org/PLEDGE and find a volunteer time that works for you. We take volunteers age six and up! When you volunteer, take a picture and share your experience on social media using #FeedingAmerica and @etfoodbank. It doesn’t take a big commitment to make a big impact when you join millions of other volunteers working to fight hunger in their communities. Sign up to make a difference today!
year, we’re also continuing to improve the variety of that produce.”
At our community gardens we’ve been working with the sheriff’s department and the volunteers managing the gardens to ensure we plant a variety of vegetables. This year our community gardens are adding acreage, so we can plant even more produce. Our community gardens’ partnerships are a great example of the community working together to get fresh food to our neighbors who need assistance.
In this issue of Servings we’re highlighting the important contributions our volunteers make to our mission. Every product that goes out to a family in need is handled by a volunteer at some point along the way. Not only do we rely on volunteers at our warehouse, but volunteers also run many of our 200 partner agencies. These gifts of time and talent are a real testament to the way you care for families like Connie’s and Kathy’s, as well as so many others who find themselves in a situation where they can’t afford to purchase enough healthy food. While we’re excited about our ability to continue providing the healthiest possible choices for the families we serve, we know it comes at a financial cost. It truly is your generosity that makes it possible for us to provide nutritious food to over 250,000 East Texans every year. We can’t say, “thank you” enough for that. Gratefully,
@etfoodbank
We would like to thank our
East Texas Food Bank Board of Directors David Apperley
Charles Hunt
Bill Bolton
Bryan Jacobe
Carol Bradley
Jay Jelinek
Herbert Buie
Rosemary Jones, Secretary
Edgar Burton Jim Daughtry Gregg Davis, Chair-Elect Rick Ellis John Gaston, Immediate Past Chair
Dennis J. Cullinane, CEO
Kim Lewis Lisa Lujan Cathy Schreiber, Treasurer Mark Scirto Michael W. Stevens, Chair
Verna Hall
Howard Tagg
Diane Heindel
Bob Westbrook
Ann Howell
SERVINGS
SPRING ISSUE 2017
3
Thank you for providing healthy food for my grandchildren and me I have three adult children. I raised them in Tyler. Now I live with my youngest son who works at Walmart. While he is trying to get more hours at work things are tight financially. Thankfully we’re able to get help from the East Texas Food Bank, it help us have enough to eat.
Kathy is caring for her two granddaughters until their mother can sort out her finances. She brought Lanajah and Erykah to the Cooking Matters kids’ class in her community. Both girls enjoyed learning how to cook new recipes and then trying them out at home. Lanajah, age 10 shared, “I saw different things in the cookbook that I’d never seen before—I like to experiment.”
I appreciate the vegetables When I come to the food pantry I like to get fresh vegetables along with the other foods that are available. Sometimes I buy extra vegetables at the store when they’re on sale, and then I put them in the freezer. I like to cook things like spaghetti and chicken or stuffed bell peppers.
My name is Kathy and I get food from the local food pantry once a month for my household, my daughter and her family. Two years ago I was working in home health care, but my knees have gotten bad. I’m still looking for a job that I can do and go back to having a steady income. In the meantime, I’m watching my granddaughters so my daughter doesn’t have to put them in childcare while she works.
“ Thankfully we’re able to get help from the East Texas Food Bank to help us have enough to eat.”
I really appreciate the donors of the East Texas Food Bank. If it wasn’t for them, there’d be times when we just wouldn’t have enough. Thank you for all you do for us.
—KATHY
Volunteer Spotlight
Volunteers make a real difference Sharlette, East Texas Food Bank’s Volunteer Production Coordinator, has built relationships with a lot of volunteers, whether they’re age six or sixty-six. One volunteer, Diana, came to volunteer because she needed to earn community service hours for a class, but she was immediately making plans to come back. “I feel badly for the people who don’t have food and I want to help,” says Diana. Seeing this response from volunteers is not unusual for Sharlette. “Once volunteers come here—from the first day—they become family to us,” she says. “It’s amazing to see the dedication.”
Opportunities for all ages Some volunteers come in weekly, like a group of senior ladies she calls “The Dream Team.” One seven-year-
old girl comes in with her parent on Saturdays and another weekly volunteer brings in homemade goodies to share. After ankle surgery, one regular volunteer came in to help. She said her arms weren’t broken and she could still bag beans.
High school student, Diana, said “I feel badly for the people who don’t have food and I want to help.”
Volunteer groups Three groups of people with special needs come in to help twice a week and Sharlette arranges volunteer work that suits their abilities. “They’re some of our favorite groups because they always have a smile on their face and they’re super excited to be here,” says Sharlette. “There’s no way we could do what we do without our volunteers,” says Sharlette. “I love my volunteers— they’re the heart and soul of the East Texas Food Bank.”
Become part of our volunteer family Anyone over the age of six can volunteer at the East Texas Food Bank. To join our volunteer family, fill out an online application at EastTexasFoodBank.org/ GetInvolved/GiveTime. You’ll be helping us fight hunger in East Texas!
SERVINGS
4
EastTexasFoodBank.org/GiveMarch
SERVINGS SPRING ISSUE 2017
Your support helps us provide healthy produce to families in need For families who are struggling to make ends meet, the East Texas Food Bank. Caring friends donated walking into a grocery store to purchase food can the acreage and the sheriff’s department oversees be a painful experience. They consistently have to the garden’s maintenance. Smith County inmates choose between purchasing food that will fill bellies prepare, plant, maintain and harvest the garden versus purchasing healthy food like year-round. Doing the field work fresh fruit or vegetables. With one gives local inmates looking for a Providing access to in five adults in our area living with second chance an opportunity to get healthy food options is outdoors and learn life skills. By the food insecurity, providing access to those healthy food options is important to the health end of summer, over two truckloads important to the health of of items—like tomatoes, peas, squash of our communities. our communities. and potatoes will be distributed to the families we serve. At the East Texas Food Bank we’re committed to providing the most nutritious food possible to The high cost of fresh produce those we serve. A big part of that is improving the Through this and other programs the East Texas amount and variety of fresh produce we distribute. Food Bank will distribute almost 5 million pounds of One way we’re doing that is through our Community fresh produce to the more than 250,000 people we Garden program. serve each year. Acquiring, transporting, storing and Partnering with the Smith County Sherriff’s distributing perishable food like produce comes at department, Agricultural Extension Office and a high cost. That’s why we depend on your financial other local volunteers, our Community Gardens support to help us make this possible. plant over ten acres of land for distribution by When the summer harvest arrives, we need to be ready to distribute that produce quickly. Your gift today will help make a real difference to our neighbors who are struggling to provide healthy food for their families. You can give online at EastTexasFoodBank.org/GiveMarch or please return the enclosed reply slip. Thank you for helping us build healthy communities by providing healthy food to our neighbors who are at risk of hunger.
Connect to the work you support!
N e w s f r o m t h e E a s t Te x a s F o o d B a n k EastTexasFoodBank.org/GiveMarch
Thank you for providing food to help us through a rough time My name is Connie and we moved out here seven years ago to be near family, and we attend the church that hosts this pantry. In fact, I’ve volunteered at the pantry, handing out food. It’s a huge blessing to make people feel welcome and to know they’re going home and will have food on their table that night. But coming here to “ We wouldn’t be receive food is much having dinner harder. This is only my second time coming to tonight if it wasn’t the food pantry. I really for the generosity try not to come, because I feel of the people in embarrassed East Texas.” —CONNIE about being here, but sometimes I just have to do it. We wouldn’t be having dinner tonight if it wasn’t for the generosity of the people in East Texas. I run a home day care and my husband is a certified teacher, but we’re going through a rough time right now. My husband has been having medical problems. He had a seizure and wrecked the car, so he can’t drive or work right now. The medical bills are scary and we’re struggling financially. We’re behind on our rent, but thankfully we’ve had a supportive landlord.
The food makes a difference I really appreciate getting the fresh fruits and vegetables and eggs. This food means we can eat for the next few days. It makes a big difference, and we’re really blessed that it’s available.
MY SPRING GIFT—$1 provides food for 8 meals YES, Dennis, I want to help provide fresh produce and nourishing food to East Texas families in need.
To charge your gift by phone, call 800.815.FOOD.
Enclosed is my gift of: □ $150 □ $100 □ $50 □ $25 □ Other $______
Please charge my gift on my credit card: □ VISA □ MC □ AMEX □ DISC
m I want to become a Meal-A-Day donor with a monthly gift of $_________. My first gift is enclosed.
CARD NUMBER
NAME
NAME ON ACCOUNT
ADDRESS CITY STATE ZIP
Please make your check payable to:
EAST TEXAS FOOD BANK 3201 Robertson Road Tyler, TX 75701-2532
(
Connie used to volunteer at the pantry where she now receives food.
I’d really like to say thank you to the people who support the East Texas Food Bank. Please don’t stop giving. If you haven’t been at a food distribution, you might not know what a difference it makes. Every little bit of it matters and it’s a huge help.
INSIDE EXP. DATE
Page 2
An encouraging word from the CEO
)
TELEPHONE NUMBER SIGNATURE
Give online at EastTexasFoodBank.org/GiveMarch Your donation is tax-deductible as permitted by law. The East Texas Food Bank will send you a receipt in gratitude for your kindness to the individuals and families in East Texas who rely on us for food.
3N/17 31048-7
Page 3
Learning to cook healthy meals
Page 3
Volunteers are like family