2007-08 LSS Annual Report

Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida

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2007-08 Annual Report

A Message From The President & CEO This past year will go down in history as a year of economic crisis and our immediate future is uncertain at best. As Vicki Escarra, president and chief executive officer of Feeding America, has noted, “Food banks are on the front lines feeding people, so they typically experience emerging economic trends before they show up in national data.”

Board of Directors OFFICERS Lawrence Huser, Chairman Kem Siddons,Vice Chairman Jerome Crawford, Treasurer Jack Parker, Secretary MEMBERS Julie Buckingham Ted Carter The Rev. Sharon Dorr Brenda Ezell Marie Friedsam The Rev. William Reister Dwane Tyson Melissa Ross

JETSET

(Junior Executives Today Setting Examples for Tomorrow) OFFICERS Mark Stevens, President Melissa Ross, Past President MEMBERS Yinka Ajirotutu Barrett Cook Liz Hartman Carter Henderson Bill Laird Matt Parks Dewayne Rabon Tracy Sadeghian Kimberly Sole Alan Verlander Mike Wachholz Kevin Wallquist

LSS Senior Staff

President/CEO R. Wayne Rieley Director of Operations Dan Ashdon Controller Richard Mochowski Human Resources Eileen Nelson Director of Advancement Karen Rieley AIDS Care & Education Dick Niemann International Adoption Kelsea Eckert Refugee & Immigration Barbara Carr Representative Payee Richard Mochowski Sharing Place Thrift Store Lanny Shultz

As we can confirm here in north Florida, the lines at food pantries and soup kitchens across the nation have grown longer and longer this past year, and unfortunately, we expect to see more and more hungry people coming to us for help as unemployment rates continue to climb. Our Second Harvest Food Bank of North Florida is one of more than 70 percent of all food banks in the Feeding America network that are presently unable to adequately meet the needs of our communities.

We have struggled since the end of this past summer to obtain enough surplus food to meet the demand for food that our member agencies – soup kitchens, food pantries, emergency shelters and after-school programs – are attempting to fill. Simply put, there is not enough surplus food in this country to meet the 30 percent increase in need.

We, as well as other food banks across the country, have stepped up requests for donated food and for financial contributions so that we can purchase food to try to fill the gap. Thanks to the amazingly generous response by our community to our need for money and food to fill our shelves this past fall, we started 2009 with shelves full and funds to purchase additional food from other food banks as needed.

Moreover, the current economy is particularly onerous for people we serve in our Refugee & Immigration Services, AIDS Care & Education (ACE) and Representative Payee Services programs.

The refugees who are sent to us from the U.S. State Department via Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service and Episcopal Migration Ministries are especially vulnerable to rising costs of housing and unemployment. The $425 that we are granted to help resettle each refugee within the first 90 days of his or her arrival does not go far when the average monthly rent in Jacksonville is currently $700-$750. Faced with Jacksonville’s current seven percent unemployment rate, we are finding it harder to help refugees find work, a key component, obviously, to their ability to attain self-sufficiency for themselves and their families.

With increasing numbers of people forgoing basic medical care in the economic downturn, those we serve who are HIV-positive or living with AIDS are particularly at risk. They find themselves having to make untenable choices between affording food and shelter and paying for doctors’ visits and medicine, and yet, successful treatment depends on continuous, reliable supplies of the necessary medicines and related commodities. Throughout this past year, we noticed a growing number of first-time clients who have obviously delayed seeking help until they are beyond help. It grieves us to watch them die when we know that many of them could have lived longer lives if they had been placed on a treatment regimen earlier.

What we know is that now, more than ever, the services we provide to help people in need in north Florida are needed. We are so grateful to our donors for supporting us financially, even in these uncertain economic times. You clearly understand that we must stand together as a community to help those who are most vulnerable. Helping families achieve or maintain selfsufficiency is not only our calling on earth, it is the most cost effective way to ensure that our community emerges from this economic downturn strong and vibrant.

It is challenging work, to be sure, but it is made most gratifying because it is a partnership of talented and faithful staff, extraordinary volunteers, generous donors and a caring community of city and business leaders, media and the network of nonprofit agencies within which we work.

R. Wayne Rieley, President/CEO

Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida Incorporated in 1979, Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida was formed by a consortium of Lutheran churches and Jacksonville community leaders who sought to address the gaps in service to poor families. Lutheran Social Services’ first program was the Nourishment Network, a small food pantry, which has grown to become the only food bank in this region — Second Harvest Food Bank of North Florida.

In the fall of 1980, the Refugee and Immigration Services Program was created in response to the influx of Southeast Asian Refugees into the Jacksonville area. AIDS Care and

Education (ACE) was created in 1992, followed by the Representative Payee Services program in 1995 after the Social Security Administration and the Florida Department of Children and Families approached LSS for help with managing the fiscal affairs of people receiving Social Security and disability benefits.

Lutheran Social Services has grown tremendously during its 29 years of service to the First Coast area and enjoys an excellent reputation for providing innovative, effective and credible programs within the community. Below is a synopsis of the programs operated and funded by the agency.

AGENCY PROFILE: Second Harvest Food Bank of North Florida

+

Refugee & Immigration Services

+ AIDS Care & Education

+ Representative Payee Services

+

The Sharing Place Thrift Store

+

International Adoption

=

u Distributes food to hungry people in an 18-county service area through a network of more than 500 non-profit member agencies. u Leverages government resources, as well as corporate, business and other private donations to secure large volumes of surplus food. u Shares more than 7 million pounds of food annually, which translates to nearly 5 million meals per year served to people in need. u Provides important services for people who have come to the United States and cannot return to their country of origin. u Helps with initial resettlement, integration assistance, employment assistance and youth/family services. u Assists newcomers in achieving acculturation to American society. u Assists individuals and families in reaching self-sufficiency. u Provides assistance to people and families who are HIV-positive or living with AIDS through case management, counseling support and education services. u Assists clients in becoming more active in their medical and social care issues, helping them to maintain their independence, improving their self-esteem and coping skills, and finding housing. u Provides clients with counseling and financial management of their disability benefits (Social Security and Supplemental Security Income) by ensuring that the funds are used to meet basic needs. u Serves people who suffer from chronic alcohol or substance abuse, are mentally handicapped or have been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, as well as those who are too young or old to manage their own finances. u Sells a variety of household goods, furniture, office equipment, collectibles, appliances, clothes, toys, jewelry and other items. u Generates revenue that helps fund the programs and services of LSS. u Provides items to help resettle refugees and their families who have arrived with few possessions, as well as people helped through the LSS AIDS Care & Education program. u Assists families through the international adoption process by managing every detail, including the initial application process, home study and other required documents and processes. u Serves as a member of the Lutheran Adoption Network, a national collaboration of 30 Lutheran social ministry organizations active in international adoptions, which provide a broad base of resources.

Our Mission:

Motivated and guided by the compassion of Christ, we serve and care for people in need.

2007-08 Annual Report

1

36.32%

1.77%

29.05%

The Sharing Place Thrift Store $104,178

Refugee & Immigration Services $1,710,381

Second Harvest Food Bank $2,138,050

Agency Balance Sheet

For Year Ending September 30, 2008BY PROGRAM AGENCY EXPENSES

ASSETS

Current Assets Cash and cash equivalents $1,189,055 Cash and cash equivalents - restricted $955,224 Accounts receivable - service fees $34,564 Accounts receivable - funding sources $545,378 Pledges receivable - short-term portion $9,352 Available from endowment fund - current portion $30,331 Food Bank inventory $42,287 Investments $0 Prepaid expenses $35,674 Total Current Assets $2,841,865

Property and equipment, net $2,753,714

Other Assets Cash and cash equivalents - restricted $337,853 Pledges receivable - long-term portion $74,650 Available from endowment fund - long-term portion $90,994 Total Other Assets $503,497

Total assets

$6,099,076

.40%

Investments $25,017.08

2.45%

Corporate Donations $152,255.09 4.71% Special Events $292,211.06

5.78%

Individual Donations $358,633.79

9.58%

Foundations & Private Grants $595,211.07

60.39%

Federal/State/ Local Grants $3,750,200.42

14.94%

Fees For Services $927,640.72

0.40%

Churches $24,809.52

.39%

.96%

United Way Miscellaneous $24,318.08 $59,555

AGENCY REVENUE BY SOURCE

LIABILITIES

Current Liabilities Accounts payable $131,068 Accrued retirement expense $35,425 Accrued compensated absences - current portion $33,369 Deferred revenues $20,050 Deposits held for others $958,590 Other accrued expenses $67,432 Notes Payable - current portion of long-term debt $0 Total Current Liabilities $1,245,934

Long-term Liabilities Notes Payable $0 Accrued compensated absences - long-term portion $64,776 Total Long-term Liabilities $64,776

Total Liabilities

NET ASSETS

$1,310,710

Total Net Assets

$4,788,366

Unrestricted net assets Temporarily restricted net assets

$3,816,768 $971,598

TOTAL LIABILITIES & NET ASSETS $6,099,076 2

5.35%

6.64%

9.78% Advancement 10.48% AIDS Care $315,127 Administration & Education $638,407 $575,576

Representative Payee $390,981

0.24%

International Adoption $14,026

1.77%

The Sharing Place Thrift Store $104,178

36.32%

29.05%

Refugee & Immigration Services $1,710,381

Second Harvest Food Bank $2,138,050

AGENCY EXPENSES BY PROGRAM

.40%

Investments $25,017.08

2.45%

Corporate Donations $152,255.09 4.71% Special Events $292,211.06

Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida

5.78%

Individual Donat

2007-08: The Year In Review

A monthly recap of the news, events and happenings at Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida

October 2007 November 2007

Second Annual Tin Man Competition Shepherd of the Woods Lutheran Church continued with its effort to help meet the needs of newly-arrived refugees into the Jacksonville community with its Second Annual Tin Man competition on Sept. 30, 2007.

The event, which benefits refugees who have been sent to Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida for help in resettling themselves in the United States, is a take-off on an iron man competition. Participants paid $25 to compete in one or all of three events – swimming, running, and/or biking. Competitors were grouped by age.

23rd Annual Empty Bowls Luncheon In an effort to meet growing needs in our community, special events like the Empty Bowls Luncheon help to promote hunger awareness, raise much-needed funds and show support for one of the nation’s most solvable social issues – food insecurity. The Empty Bowls Luncheon has become a traditional kickoff for north Florida’s holiday season.

Uniquely individual ceramic bowls created by area students, senior citizens, artists and other community groups are displayed prominently at the event. During the event, attendees are served a simple meal by local celebrities, symbolic of the meals served by soup kitchens to which the Second Harvest Food Bank of North Florida distributes food throughout the year.

In November 2007, the Empty Bowls Luncheon welcomed more than 900 guests and raised more than $58,000 in total revenue.

All proceeds from the event were matched by the Jacksonville-First Coast Chapter of Thrivent and donated to LSS to help support refugee families in a variety of ways, such as buying food and clothing, paying medical bills or buying a bicycle for transportation to work.

The Second Harvest Food Bank Mobile Pantry program brings donated food and goods directly to those in need. Second Harvest held seven Mobile Pantry distributions in 2007-08, providing 155,588 pounds of food combined at those events.

December 2007

Mobile Pantries Second Harvest Food Bank hosted a Mobile Pantry in October 2007 at Gerdau Ameristeel in the Baldwin community. Gerdau Ameristeel employees consider themselves as “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” and have partnered with Second Harvest Food Bank as the event sponsor since 2004. Approximately 500 family boxes – more than 25,000 pounds of food – and children’s educational items were distributed at the event.

World AIDS Day The AIDS Care and Education (ACE) Program participated in World AIDS Day activities from Nov. 26-Dec. 1, 2007. The events helped remember those who lost their lives to HIV/AIDS and to honor those who continue the fight each day.

Included in the week’s events were a display of the National AIDS Quilt, the Sixth Annual Community Awards Luncheon, an HIV/AIDS Health Fair and The CONNECTIONS Conference, among others. The week culminated with a memorial service on Saturday, Dec. 1.

2007-08 Annual Report

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2007-08: The Year In Review

As a whole, LAN member agencies place thousands of children in caring adoptive homes every year. LSS and LAN provide adoption services to all qualified parents regardless of faith. As a direct service agency, LSS is the only agency in 11 counties licensed to handle international adoptions and the only member agency of LAN operating in the state of Florida. Due to its affiliation with LAN, LSS is able to help prospective parents adopt children from such countries as: China, Colombia, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Mongolia, Philippines, Russia, Ukraine, and Vietnam.

The Sharing Place offers household goods, furniture, office equipment, knick-knacks, collectibles, appliances, clothes, jewelry, toys and more for sale. Purchases provide much-needed revenue to fund programs and services of LSS to help the people we serve.

February 2008

The Sharing Place Thrift Store Opens The Sharing Place Thrift Store opened its doors to the Jacksonville community in February 2008, helping the Northeast Florida community find great buys while helping people in need.

January 2008

International Adoption Program Launched Lutheran Social Services unveiled one of its two newest programs in January 2008 when it began assisting families in the international adoption process.

LSS is a member of the Lutheran Adoption Network (LAN), a national collaboration of 30 Lutheran social ministry organizations active in international adoptions and who are members of Lutheran Services in America.

March 2008

4

Second Harvest Food Bank Rebranding The Second Harvest Food Bank underwent a total transformation in early 2008, trading in its traditional maroon color and heart-shaped logo for one that features sky blue and gray as its primary colors – as well as a unique place setting that represents the battle against hunger being fought each day. The largest and oldest LSS program also now features a new name – the Second Harvest Food Bank of North Florida.

The rebranding effort was completed at no cost by local advertising agency On Ideas, which also developed a hunger awareness campaign that ran from September 2008-January 2009.

Canstruction® Canstruction is a friendly competition between teams of architects and design professionals who compete to create giant structures made entirely from nonperishable food items, generally cans of food. Held at the downtown Jacksonville Main Library, Canstruction puts a visual spotlight both on the role that food plays in helping families who are struggling to get by and on the architects and design professionals who are helping to make a positive difference in people’s lives.

At the conclusion of the competition, all of the food items are donated to the Second Harvest Food Bank of North Florida. In 2008, 10 teams competed in Canstruction — donating a total of 16,930 pounds of food to the Food Bank. From displaying creative works of art to providing food for a hungry family, Canstruction is truly a competition in which we all “can” win.

Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida

April 2008 NALC Food Drive The First Coast did its part to help “Stamp Out Hunger” in 2008. The Second Harvest Food Bank of North Florida received more than 283,000 pounds of donated food from a four-county area as part of the 16th Annual National Association of Letter Carriers Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive on Saturday, May 10. The record total was more than 40 percent higher than 2007.

Chick Fil-A Summer Voucher Program During the summer months, many children around Jacksonville find their only nourishment through the Second Harvest Food Bank of North Florida Kids Cafe® program and its summer lunch opportunities.

Chick-fil-A at Roosevelt Square in Jacksonville again stepped to the forefront to partner with Second Harvest in an effort to make sure that more than 700 of those summer lunch opportunities came with “udder” enjoyment through its summer voucher program. For each $5 donation, another child received a boxed meal during the summer. Donors also received a coupon for a free Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich for each $5 donated.

Refugee Youth Summer Camp The Refugee & Immigration Services program held its eighth annual “Summer Express” camp for refugee youth from June 16-July 25, 2008, at the Jacksonville Church of Christ. The six-week camp attracted 66 children (36 males, 30 females) from various age groups. The children represented refugee families from nine countries (Afghanistan, Burma, Burundi, Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Liberia, Uzbekistan and Vietnam).

Activities included cultural activities, art, acculturation and diversity lessons, tutoring, mentoring, computer instruction, health workshops, career planning for older campers and lots of recreation and fun.

Panera Bread Truck Rollout Second Harvest Food Bank, with help from Panera Bread, is addressing the problem of childhood hunger with a new initiative designed to provide important meals to thousands of low-income children. Second Harvest is using a special new food delivery truck, provided in part by Panera Bread, to deliver food and refrigerated products used to create hot, nutritionallybalanced meals for dozens of Kid Cafe sites around North Florida. The truck made its first delivery in July.

Panera Bread helped fund the new food delivery truck as a part of its Operation Dough-Nation, Community Breadbox program, which ensures that donations made at Panera Bread are matched by the company and then given back to the community.

June 2008

17th Annual Jacksonville FOODFIGHT Each year, volunteers representing the local restaurant community host an event called “The Jacksonville FOODFIGHT” that features 50 of Jacksonville’s finest restaurants and beverage wholesalers/distributors who are engaged in a friendly competition to “take a bite out of hunger.” The Jacksonville FOODFIGHT takes place annually on the first Thursday in June, raising funds and awareness for the Second Harvest Food Bank of North Florida. In 2008, more than 1,200 guests experienced a glorious variety of the finest foods and spirits displayed throughout two floors of the Crown Royal Touchdown Club East in Jacksonville Municipal Stadium. Live musical entertainment, a silent auction and an exciting raffle rounded out the evening. The event raised more than $75,000 in total revenue.

May 2008

The 2008 NALC food drive produced an increase of more than 81,000 pounds than were collected in 2007 — all from Duval, Clay, Baker and Nassau counties.

World Refugee Day More than 175 members of the Jacksonville refugee community gathered for a local celebration of World Refugee Day on June 20, 2008, at Shepherd of the Woods Lutheran Church’s Lakeshore Property. Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida teamed with World Relief and Catholic Charities to organize the gathering, which allowed refugees in the Jacksonville community to mix and mingle while celebrating their various journeys to America. Publix generously donated refreshments for the event.

2007-08 Annual Report

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2007-08: The Year In Review

Hunger Action Month Hunger Action Month was observed for the first time in September 2008, replacing the previous Hunger Awareness Day that had been observed annually in June.

HAM is an opportunity to engage in the fight against domestic hunger. Second Harvest Food Bank hosted a community-wide food drive, participated in the First Coast News Phone Bank, promoted 30 Ways in 30 Days as a means to fight hunger and benefited from the Jacksonville Jaguars Taste of the NFL as part of the local HAM festivities in 2008.

August 2008

LSS Volunteer Appreciation Event Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida staff honored volunteers who help the agency in its work – individuals, employee and school groups, corporate volunteers, churches, food donors, event sponsors, committee, board, and junior leadership members – at a dinner held at the Haskell Building. (Pictured below: Lutheran Social Services CEO Wayne Rieley presents recognition awards to Sandy Hall, left, and Barbara Miller from the National Association of Railway Business Women at the August 2008 appreciation event.)

July 2008

Bruce Springsteen Concert Event Bruce Springsteen extended a helping hand to the Second Harvest Food Bank during his trip to the First Coast in mid-August. The rock icon performed in concert in Jacksonville on Aug. 15, 2008. During the concert, Springsteen appealed to the audience to make donations to the Food Bank, which had a booth and collection buckets on hand following the event. The night prior to the concert, Second Harvest benefited from “Springsteen Sessions,” a party at the Gas Knob Pub next to Veterans Memorial Arena. The event featured local bands playing many of Springsteen’s greatest hits and a raffle that benefited Second Harvest. The pre-concert party raised $2,654, with 47 pounds of food collected. The concert raised $1,119.

September 2008

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Food Bank Launches Awareness Campaign The Second Harvest Food Bank of North Florida turned heads in Jacksonville beginning in August with the launch of an advertising campaign designed to focus on the issue of hunger in our community.

In an effort to heighten awareness, an integrated communications campaign was unveiled in conjunction with Hunger Action Month. The campaign integrated images of starving children, using north Florida as a backdrop. By placing these hyperbolic faces of hunger at the beach or on a golf course with the headline “Jacksonville’s hunger problem isn’t this obvious. Does it have to be?” the campaign sent a strong message of action to the community and received some passionate responses.

Jacksonville Jaguars Taste of the NFL The Jacksonville Jaguars Annual Taste of the NFL, held at the Crown Royal Touchdown Club West in Jacksonville Municipal Stadium, has become known to be the city’s premier “Party with a Purpose.” The event kicks off the Jaguars football season and features an exquisite six-course dinner and wine pairings prepared

by Jacksonville’s finest chefs. This five-star experience includes live entertainment in addition to silent and live auctions. Proceeds from the Taste of the NFL benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank of North Florida.

Held in September 2008, the Jacksonville Jaguars Taste of the NFL raised more than $156,000 in total revenue benefitting the Second Harvest Food Bank.

Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida

Second Harvest Food Bank of North Florida 2007-08 Annual Report

Jacksonville’s hunger problem isn’t this obvious.

Does it have to be?

WeNourishHope.org

Asking

If Jacksonville’s hunger problem were this obvious, maybe you’d know about it.

There’s a hunger crisis happening right here in Jacksonville, and with the cost of living at an all-time high, it’s affecting more people every day.

When asked to help “the hungry,” people typically imagine a famine in some far-off place, but the reality is that many people who experience hunger are working, productive members of our community.

Many are parents and many more are children.

By working to end hunger, we can all play a part in making North Florida a better place to live, work and raise our families. To volunteer or donate, call 904.353.3663 or visit WeNourishHope.org.

TOUGH

Questions

Second Harvest Food Bank advertising campaign places focus on fight against hunger The Second Harvest Food Bank of North Florida took a bold step in September 2008 when it launched an advertising campaign intended to heighten awareness about hunger in North Florida. The campaign sent a strong message which resulted in an unprecedented response in food donations, community food drives and funds donated over the final four months of the year.

The communications campaign integrated images of starving children using North Florida as a backdrop. By placing these hyperbolic faces of hunger at the beach or on a golf course with the headline “Jacksonville’s hunger problem isn’t this obvious. Does it have to be?” the campaign sent a strong message of action to the community — a message that hit its mark and in the process helped fill a vital need.

With shelves at the Food Bank nearly depleted by the overwhelming increase in demand, the First Coast answered the need

What do employees do when they can’t afford both gas and food?

They drive to work hungry.

904.353.FOOD

by donating more than 35,200 pounds of food per month from September through December, more than a 411 percent increase from the first three months of the year. Financial donations also increased by nearly 52 percent over the same time frame from a year earlier. More than 95 food drives were also held simultaneously in November and December — an all-time high.

“This was the most assertive, creative brand campaign that we have done,” Second Harvest Executive Director Wayne Rieley

said. “People need to know that there’s a hunger crisis happening right here in north Florida. And Second Harvest helps provide solutions to this problem.”

The campaign was created by Jacksonvillebased advertising agency On Ideas, which volunteered its creative services to produce the campaign and a total rebranding of the Food Bank.

On Ideas repositioned Second Harvest with a new logo and tagline “We Nourish Hope” prior to the launch of the campaign. The ad campaign was showcased in newspapers, magazines, radio advertising, billboards and bus wraps through the end of the year.

Joe Zelenka, a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars, also volunteered his time to be a part of the campaign — serving as the spokesperson for all electronic advertising and a special Food Bank video.

www.WeNourishHope.org

Second Harvest Food Bank of North Florida 2007-08 Annual Report

The Mission

The mission of the Second Harvest Food Bank of North Florida is to distribute food and grocery products to hungry people and to educate the public about the causes and possible solutions to problems of domestic hunger.

u Program Director:

History

Wayne Rieley rwrieley@wenourishhope.org

The program began as the Lutheran Social Services food program in 1979 and was known as the Nourishment Network. It became the LSS Food Bank in 1981 as its services expanded. In 1984, the Food Bank became a certified member of the national organization America’s Second Harvest, which is now called Feeding America. The program took on its current name, Second Harvest Food Bank of North Florida, in January 2008.

u Program Founded:

1979 u 2007-08 Expenses:

$2,138,050 u 2008-09 Budget:

$2,840,122 u Employees:

How It Works

There are two basic components to the Second Harvest operation: 1) rescuing surplus food and purchasing food, and then redistributing it to local nonprofit organizations serving the hungry; 2) providing nutritious meals and healthy snacks to children from low-income families through community-based Kids Cafe sites.

Second Harvest is the link between food and agencies serving children, families, individuals and senior citizens in need. The majority of surplus food would be thrown away without this link. Financial contributions from individuals, businesses and special events enable Second Harvest to rescue and store donated food for pick up by more than 500 nonprofit organizations in 18 counties.

These organizations, which include homeless shelters, senior centers, youth and adult daycare facilities and church pantries, save millions of dollars each year by making use of the Second Harvest Food Bank. This allows agencies to spend more money on services to individuals in Jacksonville and surrounding areas and meet more than just basic needs.

Second Harvest receives food in many different ways. The Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is one key food assistance program. Other food contributions to the food banks come from private donors, public and private food drives, corporate donations, restaurants and grocery stores and from grocery wholesalers.

34 u Member Agencies:

516 u Pounds of

Food Distributed: 2007: 6,621,504 2008: 7,650,409

u Volunteers Info: 2007 Volunteers: 2,409 2008 Volunteers: 4,051

2007 Hours: 7,867 2008 Hours: 14,060 u More Information:

904.353.3663 (FOOD) u To Volunteer:

904.353.3663 (FOOD) u To Donate Food or

Host A Food Drive: 904.730.08238

By establishing relationships with large food suppliers like ConAgra, Second Harvest is also able to purchase an enormous volume and stretch each dollar donated to the Food Bank incredibly far.

Key Programs

Kids Cafe - Works in conjunction with agency host sites, such as Boys and Girls Clubs, faith organizations and after school programs, to offer children in low-income neighborhoods a safe place to find nourishment, meet role models and participate in positive activities.

Mobile Pantries - Distribute donated food directly to families in need in their own neighborhoods. A sponsoring group assists in identifying a distribution point and recruiting volunteers to assist in economically challenged neighborhoods.

BackPack Program - Designed to meet the needs of hungry children at times when other resources are not available, such as weekends and school vacations. Backpacks are filled with food that children take home on weekends. Food is child-friendly, nonperishable, easily consumed and vitamin fortified.

Emergency Relief - The Second Harvest Food Bank works within the structure of the Emergency Operations Center in Jacksonville in the event of a disaster. Second Harvest is responsible for providing water, ice and food products to distribution sites that are established by the EOC.

Second Harvest Food Bank of North Florida

2006-08 Poundage Distribution Comparison 2006 Month January February March April May June July August September October November December Annual Total

Donated 378,619 383,770 447,345 386,875 319,189 257,097 252,306 250,948 310,593 348,277 305,657 351,786 3,992,462

2007

USDA 144,886 138,312 295,650 137,701 203,264 406,920 88,989 296,760 104,502 179,012 153,734 112,614 2,262,344

Total 523,505 522,082 742,995 524,576 522,453 664,017 341,295 547,708 415,095 527,289 459,391 464,400 6,254,806

Donated 359,907 275,369 268,243 403,163 488,106 560,576 508,639 394,897 474,340 519,636 395,919 340,339 4,989,134

USDA 175,800 141,840 141,840 125,172 91,560 159,377 98,704 205,905 100,165 181,015 125,090 85,902 1,632,370

2008 Total 535,707 417,209 410,083 528,335 579,666 719,953 607,343 600,802 574,505 700,651 521,009 426,241 6,621,504

u Second Harvest distributed more than 7.6 million pounds of food to its 516 member agencies in 2007-08. That equates to more than more than 147,000 pounds distributed per week and more than 5.1 million combined meals. u The Kids Cafe program again had a successful year, operating at 65 combined sites during the school year and at 37 sites during the summer months. The Kids Cafe after-school snack program served 373,195 snacks from September-May. The Summer Meals Program served 55,408 lunches and 6,757 snacks. The program was recognized by Feeding America as among the largest in the nation for the second consecutive year. u The National Association of Letter Carriers “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive was a rousing success — resulting in the collection of a record 283,000 pounds of donated food that was left by mailboxes around the First Coast and collected by postal workers (increase of more than 81,000 pounds from 2007).

USDA 133,571 97,256 124,754 122,781 176,906 266,638 211,877 119,503 158,550 268,647 174,283 282,952 2,137,718

Total 624,802 524,294 578,970 774,172 587,072 846,627 656,009 427,892 495,274 781,158 573,803 780,336 7,650,409

Second Harvest 18-County Service Area

Notables from 2007-08:

u The Second Harvest Food Bank saw demand increase nearly 32 percent in 2008, with economic factors playing a large role in the increase including elevated prices for gasoline, groceries and utilities, as well as an unstable job market.

Donated 491,231 427,038 454,216 651,391 410,166 579,989 444,132 308,389 336,724 512,511 399,520 497,384 5,512,691

u Of the $3,022,710 in revenue gernerated by the Food Bank in 2007-08, 30.06 percent was from federal/ state and local grants, 24.33 percent from fees for services, 18.2 percent from foundations and private grants, 10.24 percent from individual donations, 9.67 percent from special events, 4.95 percent from corporate donations, 1.97 percent from the United Way and the other .59 percent from miscellaneous sources. u Second Harvest benefited from three special events in 2007-08 — producing record returns at the 23rd Annual Empty Bowls Luncheon in November ($58,000, 900 in attendance), the Jacksonville FOODFIGHT in June (more than $75,000 and 1,200) and the Jacksonville Jaguars Taste of the NFL in September ($156,000 and 250). u America’s Second Harvest, a network of the nation’s food banks of which the Food Bank is a member, underwent a rebranding over the summer and launched its new look and name — Feeding America — in September with the beginning of Hunger Action Month.

2007-08 Annual Report

Alachua Baker Bradford Clay Columbia Dixie Duval Flagler Gilchrist Hamilton Lafayette Levy Madison Nassau Putnam St. Johns Suwannee Union

u Second Harvest held seven Mobile Pantry distributions in 2007-08, providing 155,588 pounds of food combined at the events, effectively helping to reach out to those in need by taking resources to their neighborhoods for direct distribution.

A New Vision For Solving The Issue of Hunger in North Florida Food is fundamentally important to people struggling to get from day to day in the face of financial crises. It is especially important to people in the current economy who have just recently found themselves needing assistance; receiving nutritious food allows them to spend precious financial resources on other basic living needs such as mortgages/rent, utilities and clothing and keeps their home life stable for as long as possible.

Despite our best efforts in the nearly 30 years since we began our mission to end hunger in north Florida, we have come to realize that simply collecting and distributing food will not solve the problem.

We must address root causes and intervene early.

In the past year, we noted a 32 percent increase in demand for food from our agencies to meet the increased need they are experiencing.

At the same time, we experienced a 40 percent decrease in food donations, particularly surplus food from our traditional national suppliers. To meet this increase demand, we have already begun supplementing the surplus food that we are able to recover with purchased food from other food banks in the Feeding America network.

We envision a new future for food banking in our community, one in which the Second Harvest Food Bank of North Florida becomes an integral component to creating a healthy community. The lone homeless person may be the most conspicuous image of poverty in the national media. Less conspicuous, but part of a much larger group, are the families that cycle in and out of poverty. Families most at risk are those that are just a little better off than poor, surviving on low-wage jobs until suddenly they lose their financial footing because the main wage earner’s job has been eliminated or one of the family members has a medical condition, for example.

We have long-range plans for initiatives to help low-income families achieve and maintain self-sufficiency – emergency assistance to those in need, a garden-to-table mission and community outreach.

Emergency Assistance Based on the level of poverty in the 18 north Florida counties that we serve, we should be distributing 40 million pounds of food per year to meet the need. We are currently distributing seven to eight million pounds of food. Within the next five years, we hope to reach 20 million pounds of food. Serving those who are hungry and living in the rural areas of north Florida is much different and more challenging than those living in urban areas. We will need to identify new member agencies and increase the organizational capacity of key agencies to meet both rural and urban needs.

Garden to Table Mission Too many adults and children live in “food deserts,” those areas of our community, most often low-income, where only fast food and “fringe” food are available. As a result, children, in particular, subsist on diets that do not include fresh fruit and vegetables or other nutritious food. The result is higher percentages of obesity in children and adults, resulting in chronic illnesses such as diabetes and high rates of infant mortality, for example.

The Second Harvest Food Bank will develop a Nutrition Education Program to ensure that those in need have access to healthy food, especially fresh and frozen food. We will work with our member agencies to help them stress healthy eating, particularly by children.

We also envision cultivating a Community Garden to increase the quantity of food available to those in need in our community, provide hands-on nutrition education, increase self-sufficiency and promote community service opportunities.

Community Outreach We will collaborate with an area nonprofit in operating a Community Kitchen to provide economically disadvantaged adults with the job skills they need to achieve self-sufficiency. Recognizing that solving the immediate problem of hunger is only half the battle, the Community Kitchen will provide adults with food service skills that will allow them to find sustainable employment, while producing fresh, hot food that can be distributed to agencies that feed children and senior citizens.

Likewise, we will create a teaching environment in the Food Bank warehouse for incarcerated people nearing release and needing to become self-sufficient. We also plan to provide public assistance screening services for food stamps and Women, Infants and Children (WIC), for example, to help more people access services that can help them get back on their feet.

Our dreams are ambitious, as they must be, because the need is great, fundamentally important and increasing every day. The goal is simple, however; use the most cost-efficient means possible to gather the largest amounts of the most nutritious food we can to serve people who are hungry in north Florida.

Gathering food. Sharing Resources.

Serving People in Need. We Nourish Hope.

www.WeNourishHope.org

AIDS Care & Education Annual Program Report

In 1992, Lutheran Social Services expanded into addressing health-related issues in the Jacksonville community. Through a program called AIDS Care and Education (ACE), LSS provides assistance to people and families who are HIV-positive or living with AIDS through case management, counseling support, rent and utility assistance and education services. Through these efforts, great strides have been made in the overall impact of AIDS in Jacksonville’s most at-risk communities.

Notables from 2007-08: u Ryan White and Medicaid-Waiver Case Management Program provided specific services to 484 clients. The client mix consisted of people living in rural areas, single women, women with children, men, racial/ ethnic minorities and communities of color, the homeless, gay, lesbian and bisexual adults, incarcerated persons, people in need of mental health counseling, injection drug users and other substance abuse users. Of the 484 people served in the case management program, 245 were 45-64 years old; 213 were 25-44 years old; 14 were between the ages of 19-24; and 12 were 65 and older. The race and ethnicity breakdown of those in case management was: 317 black or African-American, 142 white or Caucasian, 20 Hispanic, three Asian and two listed as other/unknown. u Regarding income, 324 clients had household incomes at, or lower than, the federal poverty level of $10,400. To stretch their income, ACE clients, when necessary, sought rental, mortgage and utility assistance from the Housing Program or were referred out to other agencies. Additionally, many clients received food assistance from the ACE Community Food Pantry.

AIDS Care & Education

In Brief

u Program Director:

Dick Niemann dniemann@lssjax.org

u Program Founded:

1992

u 2007-08 Expenses:

$575,576

u 2008-09 Budget:

$731,062

u Employees:

10

u 2007-08 Clients:

484

u The ACE Community Food Pantry in the last two quarters of 2008 helped 305 households with canned and packaged food items.

The total number of people assisted in these households was 713. u The Housing Opportunities for Women and Children With AIDS and the Shared Housing programs assisted a total of 167 individuals/families with their rent, mortgage and/or utilities. u All members of the ACE Men’s Support Group volunteered at least once during the year to assist in distributing food from the Community Food Pantry. Additionally, the members of the group helped to distribute Christmas presents to the ACE program’s HIV infected or affected clients. u Through a one-time, year-end unrestricted donation award, the ACE Department was able to provide Christmas presents and gift cards to 36 of its neediest families and individuals.

u Services Provided:

u The majority of the services that the ACE Program offered were funded by the following government contracts:

-Medicaid PAC Waiver Case Management

Ryan White Case Management and Mental Health Jacksonville Transitional Grant Area (Ryan White) via City Jacksonville Behavioral and Human Services Division of the Recreational and Community Services Department which receives the funds as a Transitional Grant Area Part A from HSRA.

- Ryan White Case Management

-Ryan White Mental Health Program -Ryan White HOPWA and Shared Housing Program u More Information:

904.448.5995

Housing Opportunities for Women and Children / Shared Housing Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS Via the federal government to the City of Jacksonville, Housing Services Division, Housing and Neighborhoods Department.

2007-08 Annual Report

11

International Adoption Annual Program Report

LSS started its international adoption program in January 2008 as a member of the Lutheran Adoption Network (LAN). LAN is a national collaboration of 30 Lutheran social ministry organizations that are active in international adoptions and who are members of Lutheran Services in America (LSA). As a whole, LAN member agencies place thousands of children in caring, adoptive homes each year. LSS does not restrict its services to Lutherans. LSS and LAN provide adoption services to all qualified parents, regardless of faith. As a direct-service agency, LSS is the only agency in 11 counties licensed to handle international adoptions and the only member agency of LAN operating in the state of Florida.

International Adoption In Brief

u Program Director:

Kelsea Eckert wkeckert@lssjax.org

u Program Founded:

2008

u 2007-08 Expenses:

$14,026

u 2008-09 Budget:

$16,251

Due to its affiliation with LAN, LSS is currently able to help prospective parents adopt children from the Phillipines, China, Poland and Russia.

u Employees:

1

The children in need of adoption come from diverse backgrounds and cultures and range in age from a few months old to 16 years old. Their histories may consist of short stays in a hospital or extended periods of time in orphanages or foster homes. The amount of information available about the child’s medical, social, and parental backgrounds depends on the children’s countries and individual situations. However, LSS is committed to helping parents obtain as much information as possible about their child.

u 2007-08 Clients:

2007-08 Notables: u The International Adoption Program welcomed two families into the process in 2008.

The families are pursuing adoptions in Russia and The Phillipines, respectively.

- Referral management

2 families in process

u Services Provided:

- Application process - Home study - Dossier submission - CIS application

- Post-placement updates u More Information:

Call 1-877-LSS-ADOPT (577-2367)

12

The Adoption Process u Application - The first step in the adoption process is for families to make an application to LSS expressing their wish to adopt internationally. u Home Study - Next, all families must complete a home study, which includes medical examinations, letters of reference, home visits, a criminal record check and other state and federal requirements. u Dossier - The preparation of the dossier (legal papers that support your home study) is the final step that must be completed before a child can be referred to a family. u Referral of a child - Typically, a specific child is referred to the family. The referral papers are translated into English, and families are encouraged to review the information with a physician or other experts to formally accept the referral. u CIS Approval - All families must apply to Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS), formerly known as Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS), to adopt internationally. u Travel - Traveling to the child’s country of origin is usually required. Prior to departure, the necessary arrangements are confirmed with the representative(s) in the country, who ensures transportation to and from the airport and also serves as an official translator and accompanies the family to any appointments.

Additionally, they will offer sightseeing or other cultural opportunities. u Post-placement - The post-placement period includes several home visits and the U.S. adoption finalization. Reports and photographs are sent back to the child’s country of origin informing the orphanage and birth parent(s) about how the child and family are adjusting.

Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida

Representative Payee Services Annual Program Report

The mission of Lutheran Social Services Representative Payee Services is to provide clients with prudent financial management and counseling from qualified fiscal coordinators. The program is the only one in Northeast Florida that manages Social Security checks for people not capable of spending their money appropriately.

Representative Payee Services

In Brief

u Program Director:

Richard Mochowski rmochowski@lssjax.org

To help establish a healthy environment, clients also receive assistance with employment opportunities, training programs and living arrangements.

2007-08 Notables:

u Out of nearly 1,000 clients served by the

program, 98 percent were helped to secure and maintain housing in 2007-08.

Those helped include the mentally ill, the homeless, persons diagnosed as HIV positive, children and the elderly residing in assisted living facilities. All of the people served last year are considered low income, according to the Federal Poverty Guideline.

u Program Founded:

The people whom this program serves are especially susceptible to making bad spending decisions and are often easily manipulated by others. Before they were required to have a Representative Payee, these people would often spend most or all of their Social Security checks on alcohol, drugs or non-essential items without regard to shelter, food and other basic needs. They were then forced to turn to other community resources as well as federal monies to survive the rest of the month, using the resources of other community services to house, feed or otherwise care for themselves after their money was gone.

$455,317

ing the program’s clients grew by 10 to reach a total of 100.

u Employees:

u The program handled clients who receive

u 2007-08 Clients:

Veterans Administration benefits (10), railroad retirement (4), private pensions and widow annunities (2) — in addition to Social Security.

The eight staff members in the program worked to meet a series of objectives designed to keep the people with whom they worked off the streets and ensure that their basic needs were met. The program ensures monthly payments of rent and utilities as well as regular and appropriate purchases of food, medicine and other necessities.

1995

u The program assisted the majority of its

u 2007-08 Expenses:

clients to secure additional medical insurance through a Medicare supplemental program.

$390,981

u 2008-09 Budget:

7

995

u Services Provided:

- Financial Counseling

- Management of Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits

u The number of assisted living facilities serv-

u The program received more than 120 refer-

rals for new clients in 2007-08. u More than 95 percent of the client-satis-

faction surveys returned provided positive feedback regarding services and managment of their finances through the program.

u More Information:

904.448.5995

2007-08 Annual Report

13

Refugee & Immigration Services Annual Program Report

The Refugee & Immigration Services program is the second oldest program of Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida. It was created in the fall of 1980 in response to the influx of Southeast Asian refugees into Jacksonville.

The program provides critical support for people who come to the United States and cannot return to their country of origin. Of the more than 50,000 refugees resettled annually in the United States, most have been forced to leave their native countries due to political or religious persecution, famine, war, natural disasters or other instability. They arrive in foreign countries seeking a new life and a new start.

LSS helps them acclimate to their new surroundings by providing life skills training, English classes, job placement opportunities and support services for family and youth.

All refugees resettled by LSS are referred by Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) or Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM).

The RIS staff members speak a total of 17 languages and come from 14 countries. They work to pave the way for refugees to learn about the American culture, government requirements, banking and employment processes. The goal of the program is to promote long-term economic self-sufficiency and effective resettlement for refugees, entrants and asylees.

In the next column is a basic explanation of the various services offered by the Refugee & Immigration Services program.

Refugee & Immigration Services In Brief

u Program Director:

Barbara Carr bcarr@lssjax.org

u Program Founded:

1980

u 2007-08 Expenses:

$1,710,381

u 2008-09 Budget:

$2,040,949

u Employees:

31

u 2007-08 Refugee

Resettlements: 221

u 2007-08

Employment, Integration & Youth Clients: 969

u Services Provided:

- Initial resettlement

- Integration assistance - Employment assistance - Youth/family services u More Information:

904.448.5995

14

u Resettlement Services: Newly arriving refugees are introduced to their new community. Staff members help refugees secure safe housing, food, cash assistance, public health screenings, health care and Social Security cards. Children are enrolled in school, and acculturation begins for all entrants. u Employment Services: Eligible refugees are assisted for up to 60 months in achieving economic self-sufficiency and effective resettlement as quickly as possible by helping them find gainful employment. Staff members help refugees search for jobs, write resumes and learn how to complete job applications. u Career Laddering: This program assists refugees who have professional experience in their previous life in developing an individual career track based on agreed-upon career goals. Refugees are encouraged to target specific jobs and identify professional growth objectives, including further education needed, skills training and credentialing necessary before moving to the next step on the career ladder. u Refugee Youth & Family Services: These services assist all eligible refugee youth and their families in achieving family stability and integration into the Jacksonville community. School liaisons work within the schools to help refugee youth with all aspects of the public school educational system, such as development of good study habits and tutoring. u Integration Assistance: Integration Assistance Services (IAS) provides intensive case management to refugees who face significant social and cultural barriers in becoming self-sufficient. IAS also provides survival English classes for six weeks for all new refugee arrivals. Each week features a different acculturation issue, such as health care or education, and participants may enter and exit as needed.

Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida

2007-08 LSS Refugee Resettlements Country of origin Bhutan Burma Burundi Colombia Cuba Iran Iraq Liberia Somalia Sudan Ukraine Total

Clients 52 120 3 2 26 5 4 3 1 2 3 221

Language Nepali Burmese/Chin/Karen Kirundi Spanish Spanish Farsi Arabic English Somali Arabic Ukrainian

2007-08 LSS Total RIS Clients Country of origin Afghanistan Albania Bhutan Burma Burundi Central Africa Rep. China Colombia Congo Cuba Ethiopia Haiti Iran Iraq Liberia Russia Senegal Sierra Leone Somalia Sudan Togo Turkey Ukraine Uzbekistan Venezuela Vietnam Total

Clients 11 6 109 384 84 3 1 9 1 145 10 47 22 13 35 9 1 5 2 46 2 4 7 3 3 7 969

Language Farsi/Dari Albanian Nepali Burmese/Chin/Karen Kirundi/Swahili French Chinese Spanish French Spanish Amharic/Oromo Creole Farsi Arabic Liberian English Russian French English Somali Arabic/Dinka French Turkish Ukrainian Uzbek Spanish Vietnamese

2008 LSS Youth Summer Camp Youth Country of origin Afghanistan Burma Burundi Congo Ethiopia Haiti Liberia Uzbekistan Vietnam Total

Clients 2 36 17 1 2 3 2 1 2 66

Language Farsi/Dari Burmese/Chin/Karen Kirundi/Swahili French Amharic/Oromo Creole Liberian English Uzbek Vietnamese

Notables from 2007-08: u RIS provided resettlement, integration, employment and youth services to 969 individual refugees who spoke 32 different languages and came from 26 different countries of origin. u The program received a significant grant from the Department of Education to augment services provided to refugee youth, especially for summer camp and computer access. u A successful World Refugee Day was held at Shepherd of the Woods Lutheran Church’s Lakeshore Property on June 16, 2008. The event brought together new arrivals from all three resettlement agencies working in Jacksonville (LSS, Catholic Charities and World Relief) in a cooperative venture. Each year at the event, refugees are able to network and visit with other refugees from the Jacksonville area. u The agency resettled its first Bhutanese refugees, first Hindi speakers, along with members of the Hindu faith. u The RIS youth and family services program generated funds in support of the refugee youth scholarship fund through its annual sale of an international cookbook featuring recipes from its staff and former refugees, in addition to a silent auction held at International Women’s Day, private donations and its scholarship lunch program held monthly at LSS. In addition, the program also assisted in the development of an anti-bullying campaign at Southside Middle School. As a result of its efforts, youth and family services received an exceptional monitoring from the Florida Department of Children and Families. u RIS participated in multiple special events throughout the year, including The World of Nations festival, the Jacksonville Jaguars Honors Row program and Faces of Jacksonville. LSS also co-sponsored the International Women’s Day celebration in the community, a day that celebrates the economic, political and social achievements of women worldwide. u The program managed eight contracts with multiple performance outcomes in 2007-08, as well as multiple MOUs (Memorandums of Understanding, which are partnership agreements) and monitorings. u New positions added to the RIS staff include a volunteer coordinator and community life skills instructor.

2007-08 Annual Report

15

The Sharing Place Thrift Store Annual Program Report

The Sharing Place Thrift Store offers the northeast Florida community an opportunity to find great buys while helping people in need. The Sharing Place offers household goods, furniture, office equipment, knickknacks, collectibles, appliances, clothes, jewelry, toys and more for sale. Purchases provide much-needed revenue to fund programs and services of LSS to help the people we serve.

People can donate to help The Sharing Place as well. Some of the items donated to The Sharing Place will be used to help refugees and their families who have arrived in the United States with little or nothing, in addition to people helped by Lutheran Social Services’ AIDS Care & Education Program.

The Sharing Place is located at Lutheran Social Services’ main offices, 4615 Philips Highway, between University Boulevard and Emerson Street, with the store’s entrance off Hudnall Road.

Sharing Place Thrift Store

In Brief

u Program Director:

Lanny Shultz lshultz@lssjax.org

u Program Founded:

Notables from 2007-08: u In the final quarter of the 2008 calendar year, the Sharing Place provided $2,600 in merchandise to the Refugee & Immigration program to assist in resettling incoming refugees. The items provided by The Sharing Place included mattresses, box springs, bed frames, kitchen tables, kitchen chairs, sofas, love seats, side chairs, cribs and lamps.

2008

u 2007-08 Expenses:

$104,178

u 2008-09 Budget:

$149,551

u Employees:

2

u Services Provided:

- Provides an affordable shopping option for residents in Jacksonville.

u The Sharing Place placed an emphasis on marketing in 2008, adding a large, lighted, roadside sign on Philips Highway, as well as placing an ongoing listing of items on Craig’s List, a free web-based classified advertising service.

Hours of Operation: Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday — 10-6 Wednesday and Friday — 10-7 To Make a Donation: Call Linda Hale at 904.448.5995

- Assists the LSS Refugee & Immigration and AIDS Care & Education programs by providing important home items to individual clients and families establishing residences u More Information:

Call 904.446.9560

16

Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida

Lutheran Social Services 2009 Calendar of Events MARCH 2 - MARCH 13, 2009

8TH ANNUAL CANSTRUCTION® Jacksonville Public Library - Main Library 303 N. Laura Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202

A global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women.

FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 2009

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m., Arlington Congregational Church 431 University Boulevard North, Jacksonville, FL 32211 A “feast for the eyes” competition that’s sure to wow spectators.

SATURDAY, MAY 9, 2009

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LETTER CARRIERS FOOD DRIVE

Don’t forget to leave nonperishable food items by your mailbox for pick up!

Refugees in Jacksonville gather to mix and mingle while celebrating their various journeys to America

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2009

19TH ANNUAL JACKSONVILLE FOOD FIGHT

6 - 9 p.m., Crown Royal Touchdown Club FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2009

WORLD REFUGEE DAY

Volunteering at the Food Bank is fun and easy. Simply call 904.353.FOOD (3663).

Time/Location TBD

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2009

LSS APPRECIATION DAY

Volunteers and donors are the heart of our organization.

5:30 - 7 p.m.

The Haskell Building 111 Riverside Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32202 Take a bite out of hunger and sample exquisite food and drinks from 50 of Jacksonville’s finest restaurants.

SEPTEMBER 2009

7TH ANNUAL TASTE OF THE NFL Date/Time TBD

TUESDAY, NOV. 17, 2009

Wear red and show your support!

SILVER ANNIVERSARY 25TH ANNUAL EMPTY BOWLS LUNCHEON

Noon - 1 p.m., Prime Osborn Convention Center

Help us fill empty bowls with another record-breaking event!

TUESDAY, DEC. 1, 2009

WORLD AIDS DAY Be sure to check the LSS Web site, www.lssjax.org, for complete event information, ticket ordering, and updates throughout the year.

2007-08 Annual Report

Lutheran Social Services Northeast Florida, Inc. 4615 Philips Highway Jacksonville, FL 32207

of

Editor: Karen J. Rieley Writer/Designer: Tom Strother

Solutions

from the

Non-Profit Org U.S. Postage PAID Jacksonville, FL Permit No. 1610

Heart.

Working in Partnership with:

www.lssjax.org