Spring 2016 - PDF

Flourish
Spring 2016 Issue
v. (of a person, animal ot other living organism) grow or develop in a healthy or vigorous way,
especially as the result of a particularly favorable environment.
Upcoming Events
•June 18, 2016 Community
Health Fair / Food Fair
/ A-Hundred Pennies 4
Hunger
•September 17, 2016
Randalls / Target Hunger
WW4F
•February 16, 2017
Gala Royale
Inside this issue:
Page 2 – Message from CEO, In
Memory of Rafael Ruiz
Page 3 – Garden Re-Dedication
Page 4 – Gala Royale, Corporate
Spotlight – FMC
Page 5 – Randalls WW4F
Page 6 – A Client’s Story
Page 7 – CANnecting with Hunger
Page 8 – Donor Honor Roll
www.targethunger.org
Flourish
Target Hunger
Spring 2016
Page 2
Message from the CEO
When I arrived at Target Hunger in July 2014, I was very impressed by the organization I was
selected to lead. The Board of Directors, Advisory Committee, staff, volunteers and community
of supporters were so invested in the mission of feeding those in need. Many things have
changed in the last year and a half. Target Hunger has a new logo, a new website, a refocused
strategic plan, a new warehouse hub, a newly established networking collaborative, and a root
cause curriculum designed to focus on client accountability. Why, then, would we not create
a new look for our quarterly newsletter? You may ask why “Flourish?” Flourish is a verb that
means “to grow or develop in a healthy or vigorous way, especially as the result of a particularly
favorable environment.”
Target Hunger has designed its whole existence to provide a favorable environment so that our
clients may thrive based on a particularly advantageous environment. Target Hunger operates
a system of seven food pantries, 12 community gardens, 15 home delivery routes, 10 senior
day sites, and a free breakfast program. These programs are only the food side of the equation.
Target Hunger collaborates with community partners to provide educational and classroom
based curriculum that focuses on five strategically identified root causes of hunger. They are:
substance abuse, metal health, nutrition and wellness, workforce development and self-esteem.
Target Hunger realizes with a unified community of support, clients are more able to move
toward more sustainable lives.
Board of Directors
John Simon, Board Chairman
Ben Jolly
Steve Barrett, 1st Vice Chair
K. Terry Koonce
Charles Harrell, 2nd
Vice Chair
Kelley Lang
Bennu Oil & Gas
Oceaneering
Duane Morris LLP
Shell, Retired
William Allee
Sam Louis
Sharon Asinelli
Mary Pappas
Robert Crane
Gretchen Sheirr
Grocer - Retired
ExxonMobil
HPD - Retired
Marcellus E. Davis
Morgan Stanley
Target Hunger lost a dedicated
volunteer in April. Mr. Rafael Ruiz
provided more than 10 years of
service to Target Hunger and the
community we serve. “Mr. Rafael,”
as he was known, was a gardening
enthusiast and always had cuttings
from his home garden to share with
volunteers, staff and clients. He will
be greatly missed.
ExxonMobil Production
Company, Retired
April Little
BMC Software, Inc.
In Memorandum
Idera
Janet Sessarego, Secretary
Grant Thornton
Strasburger and Price. LLP
Pappas Restaurants, Inc.
The Houston Rockets
Ronnie Shields
Constellation
Target Hunger Staff
Lemel Jones
Stephanie Gambrell
Becky Brown
Barbara Hall
Donna Brownlow
Rebecca Jackson
Mark Ahysen
Sha Lewis
Marta Cavazos
Mac Thomas
Sherri Crawford
Darrin Turner
CEO
Debra Clark Stewart
Director of Development
Michael Dirden
George Sutherland
Director, Food Services
Stephan Fairfield
Albert Tabor
Garden Assistant
Ed Dent
Motiva Enterprises LLC, Retired
Houston Police Department
Shell Oil Company
Halliburton Sperry Drilling
Covenant Community
Capital Corporation
Caldwell Boudreaux Lefler PLLC
Edward Gonzales
HISD, Retired
City of Houston
Lynne Harkel-Rumford
CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
Barbara Johnson
HISD, Retired
As Mahatma Gandhi reminds us, we must
be the change that we wish to see in the
world. Will you join Target Hunger in
being part of that change?
Ramona Tennyson Toliver
Sally S. Vardy
HCAD
Roman Williams
The Kroger Company
Pantry Manager
Executive Assistant
Guillermo Elizondo
Client Services Coordinator
Food Service Data Coordinator
Data Entry Clerk
Pantry Coordinator
Garden Coordinator
Warehouse Coordinator
Driver
Flourish
Target Hunger
Spring 2016
Page 3
Kashmere Community Garden renamed
after Willie and Gladys Goffney
Few people have been such longtime supporters of Target Hunger as Willie and Gladys
Goffney.
Since 1989, the Goffneys have allowed Target Hunger to use their land at 4604
Cavalcade Street to host the Kashmere Community Garden. The garden, which produces
approximately 4,500 pounds of fresh produce annually, is nestled in Kashmere Gardens,
one of Houston’s oldest neighborhoods.
So at Target Hunger’s 17th Annual Gala Royale, it was only fitting that the garden was
renamed “The Willie H. and Gladys R. Goffney Community Garden.” The gala was held
on February 18th at The Corinthian in downtown Houston.
“In this difficult economic time, we cannot forget the blessings we receive daily that
impact hunger in our communities,” said Lemel Jones, CEO of Target Hunger. “Willie and Gladys Goffney have provided Target
Hunger the opportunity to bring nutritious fruits and vegetables into neighborhoods with, limited access to both, through the generous
use of their land.”
Gladys Goffney explained that it was a matter of fate that she and her husband even decided to allow their land to be used as a
community garden. Willie Goffney purchased the land in 1985. Originally, it was overgrown with brush and old houses.
After collaborating with an equally passionate local community member, the rest was history.
“We immediately knew this land could be put to its best use for a community garden- high visibility and lots of land- enough for
everyone who so desires to participate,” she said.
Goffney believes that this garden helps fulfill God’s promise outlined in Leviticus 25:19: “And the land shall yield her fruit, and ye shall
eat your fill, and dwell therein safety.”
Target Hunger is calling all men, women, boys and girls to join the collection and
help us fight hunger in Houston. Join the fight against hunger by asking every
member of your family, school, church, temple, mosque, synagogue, corporation or
organization to collect A-Hundred Pennies and donate them to Target Hunger.
June is Hunger Awareness Month and the close of the public school season. Many
families who are already struggling to make ends meet will acquire the additional
expense of replacing two meals each day throughout the summer break. Those
families with children on free or reduced lunch will now have to provide additional
groceries to replace the breakfast and lunch their children were receiving at school with no additional income.
Hunger facts: 1 out of 6 children will go to bed hungry tonight. With 16 million
children struggling with hunger in America, we need to work together to make sure that no child goes without
the nutritious meals they need to grow and learn.
Joining the collection is easy. . .visit www.targethunger.org, or contact Donna Brownlow or Barbara Hall at
713.226.4953 or at [email protected]
Flourish
Target Hunger
Spring 2016
Page 4
17th Annual Gala Royale highlights
Target Hunger’s 17th
Annual Gala Royale was
held on February 18, 2016 at
the beautiful Corinthian in
downtown Houston. More
than 300 guests enjoyed an
exquisite dining experience
catered by Jackson and
Company, and entertained
by the “funtastic” Damon
Pampolina and his crew.
Returning platinum sponsors
for this event were ExxonMobil
Corporation and Tina & John
Simon. The Gala Royale is
a key fundraising event for
Target Hunger programs, and
we are grateful to all of our
sponsors for their dedication to
fighting hunger in Houston.
Thank you to our 2016
sponsors: Sheryl & Steve
Barrett, BMC Software,
Inc., Beth & Jim Barton,
CenterPoint Energy, FMC
Technologies, Houston
Rockets, Jackson and
Company, Constellation-an
Exelon Company, Duane
Morris LLP, Jim Lewis,
Oceaneering, Pappas
Restaurants, Inc., Sandra
& George Sutherland, Kay
& Bert Tabor, Sharon &
Bruno Asinelli, Sandra &
Ed Dent, Lemel Jones, Page/
Faithful+Gould, Debra & Tony
Stewart, Spitzer Enterprises,
Ramona Tennyson Toliver, and
Micheal Dirden.
Houston. For underwriter
and sponsorship information,
please call Becky Brown at
713.226.4953 ext. 225 or email
[email protected].
www.targethunger.org,
The 2017 Gala Royale will
take place on Thursday,
February 16, 2017 at the
Corinthian in downtown
Corporate Spotlight: FMC Technologies
FMC Technologies has been a dedicated supporter of the
United Way and Target Hunger since 1988. Whether it’s through
sponsorship of our Annual Gala Royale, participating in United
Way’s Impact Days for volunteers, hosting local CANnecting
with Hunger canned food drives, providing an executive to
serve on Target Hunger’s board of directors, or supporting the
Randalls/Target Hunger Will Walk 4 Food (WW4F) event, FMC
Technologies is dedicated to fighting hunger in Houston.
We spoke with FMC Technologies Surface Wellhead Business
Line Manager Indrajit Datta recently about the company’s history
of supporting the Houston community.
“Volunteerism is a key part of FMC Technologies’ Core Values,”
said Datta. “Our company has a program called ‘Donation for
Doers’ that encourages employees and their spouses to volunteer
by providing grants to eligible institutions in the United States
based on their volunteer hours. Target Hunger is one of many
companies supported through the program.”
FMC Technologies hosts Target Hunger’s CANnecting with
Hunger canned food drives at each of its facilities in the Greater
Houston area, and in 2015, company employees donated more
canned food than in any other year — 9,297 lbs. — making it the
most successful drive ever.
Additionally, FMC Technologies has sponsored Target Hunger’s
annual Gala Royale for the past 14 years, allowing Target Hunger
to serve our neighbors who are in the greatest need.
Houston is known as a charitable city, and FMC Technologies
is a star among the corporations here who dedicate their time
and resources to supporting the community. Thank you, FMC
Technologies!
Flourish
Target Hunger
Spring 2016
Page 5
Will Walk 4 Food a huge success
Target Hunger launched
a fun, new fundraising and
hunger awareness 5K walk in
September called Will Walk
4 Food, or WW4F for short.
The Randalls Foundation came
on board as the founding,
title sponsor of the event, and
Tina and John Simon and
Sysco Business Services were
supporting sponsors.
Leading up to the event, we
held a competition for creative
types where they decorated and
transformed regular grocery
shopping carts into “Awareness
Carts.” The carts were
beautiful, and Sarah Windor
had the winning design. The
day was filled with lots of walk
teams, and Pappas Restaurants,
Inc. really turned out with
100 walkers/joggers/runners/
strollers!
The 2016 Randalls/Target
Hunger WW4F will be held
at the Denver Harbor Multi
Service Center at 6402 Market
Street in Houston on Saturday,
September 17, 2016. We need
walk teams and Awareness
Cart decorators! For more
information, please visit www.
targethunger.org, or contact
Becky Brown, Director of
Development at 713.226.4953
or [email protected].
What will you do to fight hunger?
Calling all entries for WW4F “Awareness Carts!”
Take a regular grocery shopping basket and transform it into a Hunger “Awareness Cart.” Think art
car meets shopping basket.
Join us on September 17th. Register your Walk Team today and help
fight hunger is Houston
Check out http://www.targethunger.org/support/will-walk-4-food for
more information.
Flourish
Target Hunger
Spring 2016
Page 6
Target Hunger talks with client Mrs. Evola Durden
One of Target Hunger’s missions is to support seniors who need
help. In 2015, seniors accounted for more than half of our 17,002
monthly clients. One of those is Mrs. Evola Durden, who has been
a Target Hunger client for more than 10 years. Mrs. Evola will be
90 years old in December. Her personality is infectious and her
words are clear. In fact, you might hear someone say, “Baby, she is
in her right mind and spirit!”
Target Hunger’s CEO, Lemel Jones, recently sat down with
Mrs. Evola to talk about life in Houston’s historic Fifth Ward,
where Mrs. Evola has lived in the same home for over 50 years.
She is proud of the family she has raised in the neighborhood
that sits on the other side of the tracks near Highway 59. Mrs.
Evola and her husband raised two sons and two daughters in the
once-bustling neighborhood. Over the years, she has noticed the
demographics of the Fifth Ward are changing. Mrs. Evola said,
“There was a time when the community was full of families and
children running around everywhere.” Now, she scans her street
and notes that no children live in the neighborhood anymore.
New people have moved in, and a lot of them are seniors.
Mrs. Evola’s husband died 13 years ago, and 5 years ago, she was
stricken with an illness that threatened her life and mobility. It is
important to Mrs. Evola that she remains independent. One of her
sons passed away last year, but her three remaining children check
in on her to make sure she is safe and well.
Mrs. Evola says that Target Hunger helps her maintain her
independence. She especially loves the fresh produce we deliver,
but she misses some items
we discontinued, including
cooking oil and flour. I laughed
and told her we are a providing
more nutritious options. She
gently reminded me that at 90
years old, she is well aware of
nutrition and has lived long
enough to show me a thing or
two.
Before I left, Mrs. Evola
brought me a jar of beets she
had canned from the produce
Target Hunger distributed the week before. She told me, “I still
cook when I am able to, and everybody comes to get a plate. I
could definitely use more herbs!”
Through a variety of senior services, including home delivery
routes, Target Hunger is able to support seniors in our
community.
Texas ranks fifth in the nation in senior hunger, with 20.26
percent of senior citizens facing the threat of hunger. Texas
ranks ahead of only four states – Arkansas (26.10), Louisiana
(24.39), Mississippi (24.34), and DC (20.27). (Source: The State
of Senior Hunger is America, 2013: An Annual Report, April 2015,
Professor Hames P. Ziliak, University of Kentucky; Professor Craig
Gunderson, University of Illinois).
Impact: Target Hunger is making a tangible difference
Our Cause
Our Impact
Target Hunger has been combating hunger in Houston for more
than 27 years, and 2015 proved to be more challenging than ever.
With 66,000 people in southeast Texas experiencing the pain of
hunger every day – 13 percent of whom are children, it’s more
heart-wrenching than ever to be on the front lines of hunger relief.
With three of the five zip codes serviced by Target Hunger having
Title 1 schools, the number of families needing assistance with
food and other social services was already great. With the added
rising cost of food and the decreasing number of laborer jobs, this
makes the battle even more daunting. Our impact is powered by the
fact that we are strategically located in the communities we serve.
Our small staff and dedicated volunteers interact directly with our
clients, keeping us in tune with the community’s needs.
Our Action
In 2015, Target Hunger provided 3.9 million pounds of nutritional
food to more than 132,000 individuals through a system of 7 food
pantries, 15 senior home delivery routes, 10 senior day sites, 4 food
fair distribution locations, 27 senior commodity distribution sites
and a free breakfast program. In comparison with southeast Texas,
a little fewer than 12 percent of those serviced through Target
Hunger’s programs were children under the age of 18 and more
than 40 percent were seniors over the age of 65.
Our Plea
Of the 16 million children struggling with hunger in America
each day, one in six will go to bed hungry tonight. We need to work
together to make sure that no child goes without the nutritious
meals he or she needs to grow and learn.
Flourish
Target Hunger
Spring 2016
CANnecting with Hunger Superstars
Target Hunger would like to recognize the following companies
and groups for their successful canned food drives in 2015. A
total of 42,050 pounds of canned, shelf stable food was donated to
Target Hunger last year.
Donor
Pounds
Cash
Contributions
FMC Technologies
9,297
Houston Rockets
7,281
Esperanza School
4,549
Lone Star College
2,490
LyondellBasell
2,394
Sysco
2,388
Valeron Strength Films
2,111
Department of Veterans Afairs
1,899
$1,825
Slalom Consulting
1,806
$10,871
AT & T
1,246
974
Frost Bank
862
British International School of
Houston
763
Young Women’s College
Preparatory Academy
475
Memorial Drive UMC
464
Morgan Stanley
460
Cameron Process Systems
360
Jackson Walker
326
$2,020
LaPorte APAC
263
$200
Merdian Business
257
BHP Billiton
221
Mickey Leland College
218
WIC
199
184
BMC
143
Macy’s Galleria
100
Service Corp International
90
Randalls
86
ITW Engineering
74
Intergris Projects
70
TOTAL
$ 2,516
$310
YES Prep Hoffman
42,050
How can you help feed
Houston’s hungry?
1. Make a Financial Donation. Individual and corporate
donations are integral to our mission to alleviate hunger and
its root causes in Houston. Target Hunger must raise $1.1
million dollars to provide critical food services each year
to those in great need. For information about how you can
support Target Hunger, please contact Becky Brown, Director
of Development at 713.226.4953 ext. 225 or becky.brown@
targethunger.org.
2. Host a Food Drive. Target Hunger is experiencing a
shortage of 5,000 to 6,000 cans of vegetables each month
in our 7 food pantries. You can help by organizing a
CANnecitng with Hunger canned food drive. Call Barbara
Hall at 713.226.4953 or email [email protected]
for more information.
Enterprise
CenterPoint Energy
Page 7
$445
$15671
If you’d like to organize an actual or virtual canned food drive to benefit Target
Hunger, please visit our website at targethunger.org or contact Barbara Hall at
713.226.4953 or [email protected].
3. Participate in Shopping Rewards Programs. Do
you buy groceries or shop online? Did you know every
time you shop at Randalls, Amazon, Kroger or Sparo, you
could be supporting Target Hunger? Please visit http://
www.targethunger.org/support/loyalty-programs for more
information.
Target Hunger Wish List
As a 501©(3) nonprofit organization, Target Hunger spends
96 cents of every dollar, or 96%, on programs, leaving 4% for
administrative and operations costs. This means we rely on
donated goods and services to help deliver our mission while
remaining among the most fiscally conservative nonprofits in
the state. Please take a moment to review our “Wish List” to
see if you or your company might be able to donate an item
or expertise.
Electric Pallet Jack
Picture Frames (15ea. 24” x
36” black wood frames with
glass)
Current Laptop Computers
Current Desktop Computers
Cargo Van
Organic Garden Soil
Pick-Up Truck
Fire Ant Killer
Walk In Freezer
Weed Killer
Walk In Refrigerator
Printing Services
Urgent need for a new or
used cargo van for our Senior
Home Delivery Program.
Please visit www.targethunger.org today to make a donation
towards “Van.” You can also mail your donation to Target
Hunger, 2814 Quitman, Houston, TX 77026 attention:
Development Office. If you have any questions, or would
like to discuss donating a vehicle, please call Becky Brown,
Director of Development at 713.226.4953 ext. 225 or email
[email protected]
Donor Honor Roll
Target Hunger would like to recognize donors who supported the organization in 2015 with a gift of $100 or more.
Individuals
Kristina Absher
Aderonke Adedokun
Martha Ahysen
Craig Albright
Sandra Ambrosini
Leila and Robert Anderson III
Milista Anderson
Victor Aparicio
Krystal Ashade
Sharon & Bruno Asinelli
Lauren Atkins
ShaJra Austin
Wendy & Chris Baer
Robert Barletta
Sheryl & Steve Barrett
Concetta & Thomas Barrett
Beth & James Barton
Lindsey Bauer
Matthew Becker
Lana & Bryant Boutwell
Karoline Bowen
Elizabeth & Kris Bowen
Edgar P. Bowron
Francis & Darren Brooks
D’Juana & Alton Broussard
Becky Brown
Donna Brownlow
Elisha Buckner
Donny Burleigh
Bobbie Burns
Aaron Butler
John Byrd
Tom Callins
Bob Canino
Debra Cannatella
Leslie & James Casey
Raynard Ceaser
Patti & Kevin Celestine
Librado Cerda, Jr.
Ka Wah Chan
Diane Clark
Dale Cockrill & Derek Wood
Karen Cushnie
Steven Darroh
Britaany Davis
Christine & Marcellus Davis
Rebecca DeMarr
Sandra & Ed Dent
Roy Diano
Rachel Dilick
Michael Dirden
Josh Eich
Alison & Stephan Fairfield
Marianne Fanning
Irina Filina
James Flores
Paul Forbes
Jan & Greg Frisby
Margaret Garcia-Jackson
Luke Gilman
Joel Gilmore
Lisa & Rick Guinta
Karen Gorman
Brian Greene
Donna & Stephen Greenlee
Brad Grounds
Benny Hagood
Michele Hallimore
Lynne & Rick Rumford
Liane & Charles Harrell
Ralph Harrison
Jerrod Haughn
Mustafa Hemani
Justin Holmes
Alexandria Hudson
Donna Hunter
Jack Huntington
Ayman Husain
Maxwell Ibikunle
Janet Mello Ingentio
Pamela & Randall Jacobs
Rebekah & Derek James
Tessa Johnson
Lauren Jones
Lemel Jones
Kathy & David Kehn
Peter Kim
Kathy Klimpel
Andrea Kreuer
Pamela & George Laflin
Windy Lamar
Luci & Richard Leach
Derrick W. Lewis
James Lewis
Sha Lewis
Justin Magnuson
James Mahan, Jr.
Gwendloyn Malveaux
Christian Martinez
Joaquin M. Martinez
Michelle & Michael Marx
Joseph McGoldrick
Tammy & John McKenny
Scott McLaughin
Saurabh Meghlan
Cheryl Melendrez
Bradley Merrell
Jonathan Meyers
William Miller
Carrol Morgan-Gohlke
Stephen Mount
Janey & John Munds
Dani Murphy
Coleena “Missy” Newman
Ly & Aun Nguyen
Jonathan Nguyen
Michael Nosiara
Brenda O’Donnell
Sara & Randy Ortwein
Al Pacholder
Mary Pappas
Subi Philip
Karla Ponce
Wayne Prejean
Sugandha Puri
Claire Quirke
Anand Raaj
Julie & Keith Rae
Jennifer Reddick
Kaitlyn Rice
Jennifer Rivero
Gay A. Roane
Aldo Rodriguez
Rod Rodriguez
Patricia Rogers
Sanvita Sample
Yvonne Sarmiento
Melissa & Brian Schulte
Rhonda Scott
Janet & Robert Sessarego
Gretchen & Ken Sheirr
James Shepard
Kenya & Ronnie Shields
Evan Shulman
Ed Shuman
Kathrine Silver
Tina & John Simon
Dennis Smith
Rebecca & Gary Smith
Shuranda Steward
Debra & Tony Stewart
Lisa & Mike Stewart
Richard Stinson
Toby Summers
Sandra & George Sutherland
Kay & Bert Tabor
Gregory S. Thomas
Ramona Tennyson Toliver
Jennifer Torres
Gregg Tuben
Scott Uelner
Brian Valley
Sally & Ronald Vardy
Ashok Veeraraghavan
Vinodh Vemireddy
Karen & Brock Wagner
Kim Walt
Eric Wang
Derek Ward
Jonathan Wasielewiski
Harriet & Nathan Wasserstrum
Jeff Williams
Robert Williams
Brenda & Roman Williams
Krystal Willis
Carol & Gary Wilson
Deborah Winstead
Brian Wolfe
Scott E. Woloson
Carol C. Wong
Amber Woods
Omar Zakaria
Foundations
Albert and Ethel Herzstein
Foundation
Clutch City Foundation
Darden Restaurants
Inc. Foundation
David Weekley Family
Foundation
ExxonMobil Foundation
Hennessy Family Fund
Houston Endowment Inc.
Thank you for your generosity.
Houston
Endowment
Houston Young Lawyers
Foundation
Illinois Tool Workers
Foundation
J. R. Charitable Trust
Koonce Family Foundation
Morgan Stanley Foundation
The Powell Foundation
The Randalls Foundation
Tabor Family Fund
Corporations
BMC
CenterPoint Energy
Chipotle Mexican Grille
Comprehensive Health
Management
Conoco Philips
Duane Morris LLP
Dulac Camps and Charter
Enterprise Holdings
Constellation-an
Exelon Company
EXP Engineering International
ExxonMobil Corporation
FMC Technologies, Inc.
Frost Bank
Halliburton
Hess Corporation
Holcomb Real Estate
Services LTD
The Kroger Company
Oceaneering
Page/Faithful+Gould
Pappas Restaurants, Inc.
Phillips66
Piper Morgan Associates
Regulatory Economics
Group, LLC
Saint Arnold Brewing Co.
Schlumberger
Sysco Corporation
T.D. Williams, Inc.
Universal American
Groups
Annunciation Greek
Orthodox Cathedral
The British School PTSA