Spring 2015 - Tucson - Community Food Bank

Nourishing
news
A Newsletter from the Marana Community Food Bank • SPRING 2015
Get to know The advisory board of the Marana Community Food Bank
“It’s my duty to give back.”
People like you help fight hunger right here in Marana!
D
o you know the Advisory
Board for the Marana
Community Food Bank? Get to know
why they are so committed to ending
hunger in Marana:
Along with being our president,
Carol McGorray is also a member
of the Town Council for the Town of
Marana and has served on our board
for many years.
Armand LaPotin is an Emeritus
Professor of American History at
the State University of New York
(1968-2002). “Food is one of life’s
basic necessities and was always an
important component in my culture.
It is time to give back to others
who struggle with the challenges of
poverty every day.”
Before relocating to Tucson in
2003, Judy Schwartz taught Special
Education at a high
school in central Ohio.
“My husband’s aunt
was instrumental in starting food
banking in this country, and I knew I
wanted to be involved. It is a privilege
to serve our community in this
capacity.”
Christina
Noriega is
the Family
Resource
Coordinator
for Marana
Unified
School
District.
“My personal mission is to spend my
life making the world a better place,
by helping one person at a time.”
Maeve Johnson is a business
woman who specializes in financial
investment by running an Edward
Jones office.
Susan Barrable has volunteered in
the warehouse at the MCFB for over
five years and joined the board in
“Food is one
of life’s basic
necessities; it
is time to give
back to others.”
Advisory Board from left to right: Carol McGorray, Armand La Potin, Judy Schwartz, Susan Barrable, Miley
Clark, Maeve Johnson, Carson Mehl, Christina Noriega, John Procaccino , Marsha Regrutto , Vicki Sibley.
Continued on page 6
Nourishing News Marana Community Food Bank
SPRING 2015 1
Advisory
Board
Chair
Carol McGorray
Town Council Member
Town of Marana
Vice Chair
Armand La Potin
Community Volunteer
Secretary
Judy Schwartz
Community Volunteer
Board Members
Susan Barrable
Publishing Consultant
Miley Clark
Director of Public Relations
Maeve Johnson
Edward Jones
Carson Mehl
Cottonwood Properties
Christina Noriega
Family Resource
and Wellness Coordinator,
Marana Unified School District
John Procaccino
Home Builder &
Food Bank Volunteer
Marsha Regrutto
Community Volunteer
Vicki Sibley
Fry’s Food Store
Newsletter
Contributors
Jessica Castillo, Editor
Holly Schaffer
Linda Hampton
Nourishing News is
a publication of the
Community Food Bank
of Southern Arizona.
Marana Community
Food Bank
11734 W. Grier Rd.
Marana, AZ 85653
(520) 682-3001
[email protected]
2 SPRING 2015
The Power of One
An Inspiring Message from the Executive Director
Dear Friends,
W
hen men can be made to hope,
then they can be made to win.”
Bryce Courtenay, The Power of One
If you were to visit the Marana Community
Food Bank you would see that we dispense
food. But I like to think that we do much
more than that. We dispense hope.
When a person reaches the point where
they must ask for help from the Food Bank
it can often be painful. No one likes to feel
Linda Hampton
they are unable to take care of the basic
needs of their family. Sometimes they feel
defeated by the circumstances of a difficult economy. More often lately I see that
they are the middle-class who are working their way down the ladder of success.
You will learn of some of them in this newsletter.
For the staff and the many volunteers of the food bank it is important to us that
clients leave encouraged. They are met with a friendly smile and often leave with
a generous supply of food. As you will see in this newsletter, the source of the food
families receive is often the retail donor who makes available to us good food that
may have been disposed of in the past for reasons of marketability. Sometimes it is
food donated from individuals who trust us to help with their desire to give back to
the community. A percentage of the food distributed is purchased with the help of
many who offer their financial support.
But it all starts with one – one volunteer, one food driver organizer, one food
donor, one person who makes a financial donation. And to each of the 3,000
families who receive a little hope along with the emergency food, each one of you is
greatly appreciated.
Thank you for what you do,
Linda Hampton
Executive Director
Marana Community Food Bank
The Marana Community Food Bank is a branch of the
Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona. The other
branches are in Amado, Green Valley-Sahuarita and Nogales.
To learn more, visit www.communityfoodbank.org.
Marana Community Food Bank
Nourishing News
Ours is a Giving Community
Local Businesses
and Your Food
Drives are Critical
bank has been a blessing for
“T hemyfood
family. I just can’t believe you
are so generous and kind,” says Rebecca, a
client of the Marana Community Food Bank.
Rebecca and her family are just one of
thousands. In fact, last December, nearly 11,500
people received emergency food assistance.
We couldn’t do it without our
many generous partners.
From Walmart and Fry’s to Target, Sprouts,
and Whole Foods, the food donated by
these businesses will help us provide
700,000 meals to people in need.
Marana Community Food Bank Executive
Director, Linda Hampton, says “Corporate
partnerships are an integral part of our
success. It’s uplifting to see such generosity
coming from local businesses.”
Just as these partnerships are
essential, so are food drives hosted by
caring, local organizations, schools,
churches, and communities.
In November and December, more than
15,000 pounds of food were collected in
food drives alone. Partners like Heritage
Highlands in Dove Mountain and Marana
High School brought in nearly 7,500 pounds.
Because of this community support we
will continue to put food on tables where
there was none before. Thank you! 
Unique Volunteer opportunity
Your help is needed,
become a hunger hero!
Just 12 miles down Interstate
10 from the Tangerine exit
is the small community of
Red Rock. Unfortunately,
for those in need of food
assistance, Red Rock is in
Pinal County and outside of
the Marana Community Food
United emergency food boxes
to be delivered to MCFB.
Two volunteers are needed
to transport these emergency
boxes in the MCFB van to Red
Bank service area. This was
Rock for distribution twice
a concern of Congresswoman
Ann Kirkpatrick and of MCFB a month. It is a rewarding
experience to witness first-hand
Executive Director, Linda
Hampton. Together they made the gratitude of the families
arrangements with United Food who truly need this help.
To learn more, please call
Bank of Mesa—the provider
Linda at 310-4662. 
for the Red Rock area—for
Nourishing News Marana Community Food Bank
SPRING 2015 3
Who Does the Food Bank Help?
Working single mother seeks
help to feed her children
3,000 families receive emergency
N early
food assistance at the Marana
Community Food Bank every month. I would
like to introduce you to some of them.
Many are the working poor such as Martha.
She is a single mom of two children ages 13
and 15. She works at McDonalds & starts work
at 5:00 AM. She leaves her home at 4:30 AM
riding a bicycle because she has no car. It is
often cold. In the afternoon, she works at an
elementary school cleaning classrooms after
school lets out. Sometimes it is dark when
she rides that bicycle home. To make a bad
need the help,” Elaine told me. “This month
situation even worse, the gas was recently
we can’t buy food until Jack’s disability check
turned off because she could not pay the bill.
comes in, and that’s not until next week.”
So, before she leaves for work she puts water
Nearly a third of those who
to heat in crock-pots so that the
“This month we can’t receive food bank assistance
children can wash themselves
are children. There are so
before going to school.
buy food until Jack’s
many children who have our
About sixteen percent of
disability check comes food in their homes that if they
our clients are seniors. Jack
in, and that’s not until were all together they would
and Elaine are such a couple.
completely fill 4 elementary
next week.”
Elaine was a registered nurse
schools in our school district.
until she was assaulted in
You can read about one of these children in
1987 and nearly died. After many months
the story on page 6, A Boy and his Mother.
of rehabilitation she learned to walk and talk
Every year we break new records. Such as
again but was never able to return to work. A
the one last September when we dispensed
few years ago Jack suffered a stroke that left
food to 118 people in just two hours -- that’s
him disabled. Elaine takes care of him and
one every minute! But to us they are not
Jack’s mother who came to live with them
numbers, they are people. And, we are very
after she was diagnosed with the early stages
grateful that with the help of this community
of Alzheimer’s. “I only come when we really
we are here when they need us. 
YOU CAN HELP HUNGRY FAMILIES IN MARANA, GIVE A GIFT.
4 SPRING 2015
Marana Community Food Bank
Nourishing News
CHILD HUNGER FACTS
How hunger impacts our children
Hunger prevents kids
from reaching their full
potential. It’s an epidemic
that’s threatening
Arizona’s future.
One in four children do not
know where their next meal
is coming from.
Hungry kids are more likely to
experience serious health issues
and tend to have trouble learning.
Three in five students qualify for
free or reduced-price lunches.
YOU can help!
Your support helps the Marana
Community Food Bank provide
healthy food for
at-risk kids and their families.
Too many kids are showing
up to school hungry. And
hungry kids can’t learn.
Give a gift today and
help end child hunger!
Nourishing News Marana Community Food Bank
SPRING 2015 5
COVER STORY: Get to know the board
Continued from page 1
John Procaccino is a former Marine who owns
2013 when she moved from Toronto. In addition to
her work on Good Vibrations, the MCFB’s annual
and operates a construction company. He oversees
the MCFB offsite distribution in Picture Rocks
fundraising event held at The Ritz-Carlton, Susan
twice a month. “I am an Honorably
is particularly interested in helping to
“It
is
easy
to
Discharged US Marine, and I feel as a
solve the root causes of hunger.
be part of an Christian it’s my duty to give back to the
One our newest board members,
Carson Mehl is a Tucson native
organization community that has supported me.”
Vicki Sibley is currently a store
and is a member of University City
where
the
staff
manager for Fry’s with experience in
Church and is the Vice President of
treats
clients
customer service and store operations.
Cottonwood Properties. “I serve on
the Marana Food Bank Advisory
with respect & She has been with Fry’s for over 25
Board to make a positive impact on a
compassion.” years. “I wanted to make a difference
community that I really care about.”
in my community. Marana residents are
my shoppers. I felt it was a small way to
Marsha Regrutto is a retired
executive with 26 years of service at Trico Electric. connect with them.”
You can also make a difference by giving a
She is a native Tucsonan and has been on our board
gift or volunteering your time at the Marana
for one year. “It is easy to be compelled to be part
of an organization where the staff is willing to treat Community Food Bank. Together we can fight
hunger! 
clients with respect and compassion.”
Your Help Means a World of Difference
Tonight, a boy & his mother will enjoy
a meal because of you.
and her son had waited in a
T helongwoman
line to get their food box that day.
They stepped to the front of the line.
As the mom looked through the cart at
the healthy options, including the fresh
produce, her son looked up at her—his eyes
wide, his hands clasped in happiness—
and said, “Look Mommy, oranges!”
This is just one example of your donations at
work. Every dollar you give, every can you
deliver, and every minute you volunteer allows
the Marana Community Food Bank to impact
6 SPRING 2015
Marana Community Food Bank
Nourishing News
lives, like that of this
This is just one
mother and son.
example of your
donations at work. We are successful
in what we do
because of you! In
December alone, you helped feed 2,700 families
in the Marana area. In December, we had 140
volunteers work more than 1,100 hours.
Together, we are making lives better. So,
when a little boy can take home a bag
full of food and fresh oranges, remember,
it’s because of you! Thank you! 
60th AND 30th anniversaries in 2015
Celebrating the Marana Community
Food Bank’s Beginnings
sixty years ago, the compassionate
N early
people of the Marana area saw the
approached the Tucson Community Food Bank
for help.
needs of the migrant workers of the
Marana then became a branch of what
community and banded together to
is now the Community Food Bank of
Sixty
years
meet those needs. The wives of the
Southern Arizona.
of kindness is
local farmers and ranchers called
Sixty years of kindness is steeped into
steeped into the soil where we are.
themselves “The Cotton Blossoms.”
They began collecting and distributing the soil where
In 2015 we recognize the 60th and
food from the church that is still next
we are.
the 30th anniversaries of the Marana
door to the Marana Community Food
Community Food Bank. Please watch
Bank. In 1985, the Cotton Blossoms recognized
for details about how you can be a part of the
that a more formal effort was needed and
festivities. 
Give a gift that lasts
Leave a Legacy. Invest in the Future.
Planning your estate may be the single largest act of kindness that you will ever undertake.
Call Sio Castillo at (520) 882-3308 to learn about your planned giving options.
Nourishing News Marana Community Food Bank
SPRING 2015 7
Nourishing news
Quilt drawing
Ancient Star Amish Quilt
Participate in the
2015 Quilt Drawing!
All proceeds benefit
programs of
the Community Food
Bank. Suggested
donation $10.00 per
entry. Drawing for winner will be held Friday, May
15, 2015. Remember one ticket equals 40 meals
for people facing hunger. To see more images of
this year’s Amish Quilt, and to particpate online, go
to communityfoodbank.org/2015QuiltDrawing. 
Marana Community Food Bank
SPRING 2015
Our Mission
Through education, advocacy and the acquisition, storage
and distribution of food, we will anticipate and meet the
food needs of the hungry in our community.
CONTACT US
11734 W. Grier Rd.
Marana, AZ 85653
Phone: (520) 682-3001
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.maranafoodbank.org
HOURS
Service Hours
Tuesday, Thursday & Friday
11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Wednesday
11:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Only first Saturday of the month
9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Closed Mondays, the first business
day of every month, and all Federal
holidays.
The Marana Community Food Bank receives most of its funding from people like you. Supportive public funding
from: Arizona DES/Social Services Block Grant & Arizona Department of Health Services, Town of Marana, Pima
County, and USDA. Marana Community Food Bank programs provide services to eligible applicants without regard to
race, color, creed, religion, handicap, age, national origin, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or gender.
P.O. Box 26727
Tucson, AZ 85726-6727
(520) 682-3001
communityfoodbank.org/marana
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