Winter 2013 Newsletter

Hope
Hunger’s
A publication of Weld Food Bank
Donations Help
Feed Children in
South County
1 in 4 children in Weld County are
hungry. That is tough for most of us
to imagine and means we have a big
challenge ahead of us. But, with the
help of partners in our community,
we are able to help make sure more
children have enough to eat and are
ready to learn when they go to school.
This year we received financial support
from NCMC, Inc. and Calfrac Well
Services to expand our child feeding
programs in South County. With their
generous donations to the Backpack
program we were able to provide meals
to kids over the summer in LaSalle and
in Platteville. We partnered with the
First Presbyterian Church in LaSalle and
with the Platteville Library and were
able to feed approximately 700 children
meals at these locations.
The support of our partners also
allowed us to run an after-school
program to make sure hungry children
have something to eat before they
go home for the evening. Although
it is hard to believe, many children in
our community rely heavily on school
breakfast and lunch to meet all their
nutritional needs. By working with the
First Presbyterian Church in LaSalle we
are able to provide these kids with food
after school, serving about 30 children
every week. This is just one example of
what we can accomplish when we work
together!
Winter 2013
The Community Comes Together for
the Holidays
The holiday season is the busiest time of year at Weld Food Bank. During November and December
we receive 35% of the monetary donations for the year and food donations are also off the chart. Not
only are the holiday months some of the busiest for incoming donations, but also for serving food to
those in need. In fact, during the holiday season, the food bank gives out an average of 13% more
food than it brings in.
Where does all that food go? We work with 102 different non-profit agencies to distribute food
throughout Weld County. In fact, last year Weld Food Bank’s Agency Partners were able to serve meals
to approximately 20,000 people and helped 16,000 people with food boxes. Many of these non-profit
partners prepare either a holiday meal or a holiday food basket to help out the many families in our
community who otherwise wouldn’t have something to eat. Currently 1 in 6 people in Weld County,
almost 37,000 of us, struggle with not having enough food and Weld Food Bank works to help make
sure they don’t feel that pain of hunger, particularly during the holidays.
Each year Weld Food Bank gets requests from their Agency Partners to provide thousands of turkeys,
yams, corn, potatoes, cranberries and other holiday staples. The food bank then works with partners
like you in the community to collect those holiday food items. They hold food drives at local grocery
stores and work with local businesses to increase food donations. But, the need continues to rise
every year. People continue to struggle. In fact, this year the food bank received requests for 3,000
turkeys from agencies all over Weld County! Over 600 of those turkey requests came from our
agencies in the Lochbuie, Fort Lupton, Keenesburg, and Tri-Town areas. In addition to turkeys, those
hunger relief partners needed approximately 1,300 cans each of yams, cranberries, pie filling, stuffing,
and other holiday items.
Feeding this many people would not be possible without the support of businesses throughout Weld
County. Weld Food Bank relies on community partners for support of all kinds, including monetary
and food donations, as well as the donation of volunteer hours. This holiday season, Weld Food Bank
distributed approximately 1.25 million pounds of food to our neighbors who do not have enough to
eat. It could not have been done without your help. Within a week and a half we were able to collect
almost all the turkeys necessary and received enough financial donations to purchase the remaining
food items we needed. The community really came together to make this holiday special for all of
those in need and we can’t thank our donors enough. The overwhelming support and generosity of
spirit showed us the true meaning of the holidays.
Our mission:
To lead and engage our community
in the fight against hunger
1108 H Street
Greeley, CO 80631
Phone: (970) 356-2199
Board of Directors
Tim Croissant, President
New West Bank – President
Brian Franzen, Vice President
Organo Gold – Independent Distributor
Judy Richter, Secretary
University of Northern Colorado – Nursing Professor
(Retired)
Chalice Springfield, Treasurer
Sears Real Estate – Chief Executive Officer
Dan Wilson, Immediate Past President
Ehrlich Family of Dealerships – Chief Financial Officer
Perry Bell
Destination Church & Ministries - Pastor
John Briggs, Past President
Weld County Court - Judge
Becky Hall
Trinity Energy Solutions – Vice President
Michelle Hesseltine
Anadarko Petroleum Corporation – Field Business
Process Supervisor
Jan Martin
University of Northern Colorado – Nursing Professor
(Retired)
Brett Newberg
Walmart Store #905, Store Manager
Maria Sanchez
University of Northern Colorado – Interim Assistant
Director of Veteran Services
Dave Squicquero
The Cleveland Clinic – Radiologist
Keith Thompson
Physician, Life Care Center of Greeley
Hillary Wagner
Atmos Energy – Senior Administrative Assistant
Staff
Angie Rivera, CSFP Distribution Coordinator
Amber Priestly, Institutional Giving Manager
Bob O’Connor, Executive Director
Bob LeDoux, CSFP Assistant
Brandon Clark, Customer Service Representative
Cheri Witt-Brown, Volunteer & Event Manager
Danielle Bock, Food Resource & Transportation Manager
Debbie Pfalzgraff, Administrative Assistant
Erika Westfall, Certification/IT Manager
Glenn Smithey, Driver
Gloria Picinini, Kitchen Manager
Jay Straight, Warehouse Manager
Jessica Barczewski, Agency Relations
/Child Programs Manager
Jim Shimada, Driver
John Pitman. Driver/Warehouse Assistant
Jose Bautista, Driver
Kathy Duemig. Kitchen Assistant
Kevin Mullin, CFRE, Director of Development
LeAnne Bodine, Development Assistant
Melisa Esposti, Grants Manager
Paul Hayward, Driver
Rick Cruz, CSFP Assistant
Scott Westfall, Director of Operations
Selena Arredondo, Agency Food Coordinator
Stephanie Gausch, Development Manager
Victoria Schuster, Americorp Vista
Yolanda Cruz, Certification Specialist
Fax: (970) 356-2297
Email: [email protected]
www.weldfoodbank.org
Director’s Corner
As families continue struggling to put food on their tables, the Weld
Food Bank is working hard to meet the need. Our ability to provide
adequate levels of food is dependent on both local and national factors.
A sluggish economy resulted in previous donors now needing services,
while a statewide drought significantly reduced the levels of donated
produce delivered to our docks. The increase in food and fuel costs
make it more expensive to bring in food donations. In Washington, our
elected officials are considering across the board reductions to SNAP
benefits and other nutrition programs that will drive even more people
to our doors. Another proposal would limit the charitable tax deduction and have unintended
consequences of reducing donations to nonprofits at this time of high need.
Our news media has been dominated by talk about our country falling off the fiscal cliff, yet many
of our neighbors have already reached their own fiscal cliff. Seniors struggle to make choices
between food and medication. Teachers keep granola bars in their desks so they have a snack to
give the children who are not eating properly. At 7:00 a.m., families are lined up at our door to get
food before work. Recently, an individual receiving food assistance told us they are so grateful that
people who care do exist…because without them, they would go hungry.
Despite the obstacles we face, we continue to find innovative and cost-effective ways to bring
food to the tables of struggling families. In the words of Albert Pike, “Whatever we have done for
ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others, remains and is immortal.” When the
families we assist sit down to dinner, I believe they would agree.
Please contact your elected officials and tell them this is the wrong time for cuts to nutrition
programs. Thank you for being such an important part of fighting hunger in our community.
Bob O’Connor
Executive Director
The Mobile Food
Pantry is Coming to
a Town Near You!
On December 6, 2012, we officially launched
our Mobile Food Pantry program. The new
vehicle is helping to address hunger in areas of
Weld County we have not been able to serve
in the past. The program is targeting areas that have low-income populations and reduced access
to healthy and affordable foods. Because the vehicle is custom-built, there are compartments to
allow for transportation of frozen and refrigerated items in addition to dry storage.
Our first stop was at the fire station in Hudson. We worked with local groups, the Bread Crumb
organization and the Salvation Army, who helped distribute the food to those in need. The truck
was filled with fresh produce, including oranges, apples, sweet potatoes, and peppers, and also
carried milk, cottage cheese, eggs, and frozen prepared soups. And although it was 17 degrees
outside, we distributed 2,600 pounds of food to 80 clients in less than an hour. In fact, in the first
three weeks we were able to distribute 16,600 pounds of food to people we were not able to serve
before! As we move forward, the Mobile Food Pantry will be stopping in additional communities
and we will be able to expand our reach and get food to our hungry neighbors around Weld County.
Interested in fighting hunger? Want to learn more about
how you can make a difference? Contact advocacy@
weldfoodbank.org to be included on our advocacy email
list or visit http://www.hungeractioncenter.org/ham.aspx
for more information on how you can take action.
Interested in becoming a newsletter
sponsor? As a sponsor, your business
name and logo would go out to over
9,500 households. Contact Stephanie
Gausch for more details.
Weld Food Bank values its donors’ privacy. We never sell, rent, or barter our donor information. Annually, we publish our supporters’ names
in our Annual Report. If you would like to opt out of having your name listed in our Annual Report or from being on our mailing list, please
contact Stephanie at [email protected] with your complete name, address and telephone number and ask to be removed.
Upcoming Events
March 16th, 2013 – Scouting for Food
Local Boy Scout troops will be collecting
shelf-stable grocery items at your door
and bringing them to the food bank.
April 6th, 2013 – Stone Soup
Join us for our premiere fund-raising
event held at the UNC Ballrooms. While
supporting the food bank you can enjoy
a great meal, auction, and live music.
Contact Cheri at 970-356-2199 x307 for
tickets.
April 25th, 2013 – Dine Out for Hunger
Support Weld Food Bank by eating at a
participating restaurant on April 25th,
and a portion of sales will be donated to
the food bank to help alleviate hunger.
Check our website for an updated list of
participants.
May 4th, 2013 – 3rd Annual Kentucky
Derby Gala
Join us to watch the Phillies run, dress up
in lively Derby attire, and enjoy a raffle
and silent auction, all to benefit WFB
and the Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra
Guild. For more information, contact
Cheri at 970-356-2199 x 307.
May 6th – 18th, 2013– Corporate
Food Challenge
Have your company join in the 9th
annual food and fund-raising challenge.
Local businesses can compete to see
who can donate the most food, money,
and volunteer hours. Contact Danielle at
970-356-2199 x306 for more information
and to see how your company can get
involved.
Learn How to Cook Your Restaurant
Favorites!
Now you can enjoy a cooking class while
supporting Weld Food Bank’s child feeding
programs. It’s been almost a year since we started
our community cooking classes, where local chefs
donate their time. And in the last nine months,
we raised enough money to provide almost 4,000
meals to kids! The idea is simple. We ask local
chefs to donate their time to teach a cooking class
here in our commercial kitchen at the food bank.
The chef determines the menu and the ingredients are donated so the entire cost of the class
goes to support the meals we make and serve to children.
We are always adding new classes to our website. Coming up we have classes scheduled
with chefs from Kenny’s Steak House, Taste of Philly, Café Panache, and a class on glutenfree baking. The cooking classes are hands-on and after the dishes are prepared, we all sit
down to enjoy the meal, family-style. You can register for a class on our website at www.
weldfoodbank.org or by calling Victoria at 970-356-2199 x 323. And, you can purchase a gift
certificate for a friend.
Corporate Volunteers Make a Difference
We are always looking for committed volunteer groups to help us prepare food boxes,
repackage bulk food items, and safety check donated food. Volunteering at the Weld Food
Bank is a great team-building activity, which is why we are happy to host corporate volunteers
from businesses like Hensel Phelps Construction Co., Sears Real Estate, and Atmos Energy.
And we recently started our Mobile Food Pantry program which increased our need for
volunteers. We are looking for volunteer groups who would be able to help stock the MFP
with food so it is ready to go to selected communities and distribute said food. If you or your
company is interested in volunteering, please contact Cheri at 970-356-2199 x307 or
[email protected].
Thank you to all our volunteers who donate their time, we couldn’t do it without you!
May 11th, 2013 - Stamp Out Hunger
Participate in the nation’s largest food
drive! You can leave a bag of shelf-stable
grocery items by your mailbox for your
postal worker to pick up and deliver to
the food bank.
Beacon
of Hope
We know that times can be tough, we see it every day. But then we witness stories that
reignite our passion for helping those in need. One of those stories involved Shannon and
Albert Martinez and their daughter Natasha. When the family hit hard times they used
food bank services to help get them through. But times have improved for the Martinez
family and they want to help others to show gratitude for service they received in their
time of need, and as such, made a $1,000 contribution to the food bank this December.
Thank you Martinez family for being our Beacon of Hope!
Food Drives and Fund-Raisers
Please support these business donors
who contributed financially to the food
bank between July 16th and
November 30th.
Encana Chili Cook-Off
Once again Encana Oil & Gas in Frederick sponsored their annual
Chili Cook-Off as part of their “Encana Cares” community investment
campaign. For the third year in a row the food bank was the
beneficiary of this event which raised $5,696 toward hunger relief in
Weld County. Thank you Encana!
Le Beaujolais Nouveau Party
The food bank thanks St. Patrick Presbyterian Church and the Sod
Buster Inn who joined forces to present a Le Beaujolais Nouveau party
to fight hunger. This event is rooted in French tradition and celebrates
the “new wine” every November 15. $5,101 was raised to provide
over 30,000 meals to hungry people.
Halliburton Tailgate Party
Thank you to Halliburton and their
partners for raising nearly $25,000
for Weld Food Bank at their annual
Bronco’s Tailgate Party. Additionally,
nearly $30,000 was distributed
between two Denver-area food
banks from this fund raiser. We
appreciate corporations who work
hard to make a huge impact on
hunger relief in our region.
AlphaGraphics Greeley
Weld Food Bank is grateful to a brand-new business in town who
is working hard to serve our community. AlphaGraphics Greeley
opened this past summer and has joined forces with Weld Food Bank
and other community organizations to make a difference and show
leadership in Corporate Social Responsibility. If you have not had a
chance to visit their new office in West Greeley we encourage you to
stop by – 4320 W. 9th Street Road, across from Noodles & Company.
School Food Drives
Once again, Weld County schools came together to help WFB with our
holiday food needs. This year over a quarter of the schools in Weld
County participated and brought in over 17,000 pounds of food in
November and December. The largest drive was hosted by Chappelow
Elementary – netting over 8,400 pounds!
A & W WATER SERVICE, INC.
AJ’S BACKFLOW TESTING
ASPEN FOOD SERVICE, INC.
ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
BANNER HEALTH SYSTEM
BURGESS ACCOUNTING
CACHE BANK AND TRUST
CALFRAC WELL SERVICES
CM PAINTING
COLUMBINE FOOT AND ANKLE CENTER
COTTONWOOD DAIRY
DEAN FOODS
EATON GROVE NURSERY LTD.
EATON SUNDOWNERS
EHRHARDT KEEFE STEINER & HOTTMAN, PC
ELEVEN SALON, LLC
FIRST BANK
FIRST BANK HOLDING COMPANY
FRANK FARMS, LLP
GCM CONTRACTING & CONSULTING
SERVICES
GREELEY ELEVATOR
GUTTERSON & COMPANY
HENSEL PHELPS CONSTRUCTION
COMPANY
HEWLETT PACKARD
HUMAN BEAN
IBM EMPLOYEE SERVICES CENTER
IN & OUT OIL FIELD SERVICES, LLC
INVENERGY SERVICES, LLC
JBS USA
JOE COCA PHOTOGRAPHY
JOHN ELWAY CJDR
JVA SALES
KERSEY PIZZA
M & M EXCAVATION
MAIL MART & GIFT SHOP
MARTIN OILFIELD SERVICE
MODEL RAILROADS
MOUNTAIN STATES WOOD RECYCLERS
MT INVESTMENTS, LLC
NATURAL GROCERS BY VITAMIN COTTAGE
NATURE’S HERBS & WELLNESS
NEW EXPRESSION HOMES
NEW WEST BANK
NOBLE ENERGY
PAMPERED CHEF
PDC ENERGY
QUALITY CRAFTERS
R P HUSA SERVICES
RABO AGRIFINANACE
REVAX, INC.
RUSSELL SERVICES, INC.
SAFE SITE, INC.
SEARS REAL ESTATE
SILVERLINE SERVICES, LLC
SLAUGHTER ROOFING
SPEEDWAY AUTO WRECKING
STUCCO RITE, INC
TASTE OF PHILLY
THRIVENT FINANCIAL SERVICES
TRINITY ENERGY SOLUTIONS
TRUIST
UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO HEALTH
VANDERWAL DAIRY SALES AND SERVICE
VETERINARY RESEARCH AND CONSULTING
SERVICES
WALMART
WEIGHT WATCHERS
WEISS JEWELERS, INC.
WELD COUNTY APPLIANCE
WELD FAMILY CLINIC OF CHIROPRACTIC
WESTERN STATES ENGINEERING
WILD WEST MOTOR SPORTS
Thank you to everyone who has
donated, volunteered or served as an
advocate for Weld Food Bank.
7th Annual Blue Jean Ball
On Saturday, October 13th, we gathered in our warehouse to thank our generous food donors who make our
work possible. Last year we received 4.9 million pounds of donated food which was distributed to hungry
families throughout Weld County. This year we honored donors in the following 5 categories:
Donor of the Year
North Weld Produce Company
Community Food Donor
Walmart
Agricultural Food Donor
Anders Farm
Donor Partner
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage
Innovative Food Donors
9 Cares Colorado Shares
Platte Valley FFA
Leave a lasting legacy to the food bank with an estate gift. Contact Kevin Mullin, CFRE, at
970-356-2199 x 304 to discuss how to remember the food bank in your will or estate plan.