Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia Press Office

Press inquiries please contact Marianne Smith at 757-627-6599 or via email at msmith@secondharvest.org

· Panera Bread Hosts First Ever Turkey Exchange
· Everyone's Thankful - Except Maybe the Turkeys
· 10th Annual Art Auction for Foodbank on the Eastern Shore
· Foodbank of Southeastern Virignia wins Ford F150 Pickup
· Farm Fresh Food & Pharmacy "Regional Retailer of the Year"
· Music For The Hungry Concert Provides over 3,200 Meals
· Attorney General's Cup Finds First Home
· Foodbank Exceedingly Low on Donated Food
· Local Foundations Invest in Feeding the Hungry
· Summer Meals for Hungry Children
· Hunger Awareness Day Results
· Hunger Awareness Day, June 5, 2007
· More Children Fed During Summer Than Ever Before
· Stamp Out Hunger
· United Way 2006 Agency of the Year
· Volunteer Hampton Roads Awards
· Legal Food Frenzy - Southeastern Virginia Competition
· Legal Food Frenzy - Statewide Competition
· Taste '07, March 28, 2007
· Taste of the Eastern Shore, March 25, 2007
· Legal Food Frenzy Goes Statewide

Foodbank Press Release: Posted 11/05/07

Panera Bread Hosts First Ever Turkey Exchange

Bakery-Cafes Across Virginia Offer Free Smoked Turkey Sandwich to Customers who Donate a Frozen Turkey to a Family in Need

Norfolk, VA - Panera Bread bakery-cafes will help put turkeys on tables for Food Bank recipients throughout the state when they host their first "Frozen Turkey Collection" campaign November 17-18, 2007. Patrons can bring a frozen turkey to any Panera Bread location in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and at the cafe located in Ranson, West Virginia, where it will be stored for the local Food Bank and donated to families in need. In exchange, the donor will be presented a coupon for one free smoked turkey breast sandwich.

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Foodbank Press Release: Posted 10/11/07

Everyone’s Thankful – Except Maybe the Turkeys

Culinary Institute of Virginia to Donate Meal Preparation for
Foodbank's Kids Cafe® Program

Norfolk, VA - The Culinary Institute of Virginia staff and student volunteers will begin at 4 am Thursday, October 12th preparing turkeys for the upcoming Thanksgiving Family Nights at Kids Cafes, an after school child feeding program of the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia. Family Nights are an opportunity for parents to witness the benefits of the Kids Cafe and partner programs where youth receive homework support, adult mentoring, physical activities, and a balanced supper.

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Foodbank Press Release: Posted 10/03/07

Eastern Shore Artists create one-of-a-kind Multi-Medium Art Piece To Commemorate 10th Annual Art Auction for Foodbank on the Eastern Shore

Tasley, VA — The Food Bank on the Eastern Shore's Art for Charity Auction and Dinner celebrates its 10th anniversary on Saturday, October 27th at the Eastern Shore Yacht and Country Club, 14421 Country Club Road in Melfa, Virginia, beginning at 5:30pm. To honor the occasion, 17 Eastern Shore artists worked together to create a one-of-a-kind art piece of a great blue heron divided into 16 rectangular pieces. Each artist worked on their panel in the medium of their choice, and the picture will be reassembled and framed for auction.

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Foodbank Press Release: Posted 10/01/07

Farm Fresh Food & Pharmacy Receives National Recognition
as "Regional Retailer of the Year"

Norfolk, VA — Farm Fresh Food & Pharmacy is the recipient of the 2007 Regional Retailer of the Year award from Feeding America (formerly named America's Second Harvest).

Each year, the Feeding America network honors a company with The Regional Retailer of the Year award for demonstrating the highest level of commitment in product donation to the network member food banks in its region.

Farm Fresh Food & Pharmacy is recognized for its contribution in grocery products to member food banks in its service region for distribution; participation in fresh foods programs where they donate directly to community partner agencies; donations of funds through their Foundation; sponsors food bank special events;...

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Foodbank Press Release: Posted 09/24/07

Foodbank of Southeastern Virignia wins Ford F150 Pickup

Foodbank to Pick Up Vehicle Sept. 27 at Cavalier Ford Chesapeake

Norfolk, VA — The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia, an organization that collects, sorts and distributes recovered and contributed food to more than 611 agencies in this area, was the much anticipated winner of the Ford F-150 Truck giveaway held Sept. 22 in Pembroke Mall. Supporting the giveaway were the eight southside Ford and Lincoln Mercury dealers who purchased the last retail truck assembled at the Norfolk Ford Plant. Their objective was to give charities and non-profit organizations in the region the chance to win this vehicle in a random drawing.

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Foodbank Press Release: Posted 09/20/07

Music For The Hungry Concert Provides over 3,200 Meals

Day-long Festival Benefits the Foodbank on the Eastern Shore

Tasley, VA. — The 2nd Annual Music For The Hungry concert, held August 11th at the Original Mallards in Onancock, raised funds and awareness of hunger issues on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. Food and funds raised helped provide more than 3,200 meals to hungry residents in the area. Eight bands, over a dozen businesses, and more than 20 volunteers contributed to making the day-long concert a success.

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Foodbank Press Release: Posted 08/21/07

Attorney General’s Cup Finds First Home

Local Law Firm Wins Top Honors and Benefits Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia

Norfolk, VA — Virginia Attorney General Robert F. McDonnell will award the Attorney General's Cup honor to local law firm McGuire Woods LLP at a ceremony this Thursday, August 23, 2007 at the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia. The Attorney General's Cup is a statewide recognition for the law firm collecting the most food per capita for their local food bank during the competitive Legal Food Frenzy. After 16 years as an event to benefit the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia organized by the Norfolk-Portsmouth Bar Association, this year the Attorney General in coordination with the Federation of Virginia Food Banks and the Virginia State Bar Association inaugurated the 1st Annual Statewide Legal Food Frenzy. More than 169 law firms, organizations, and law school teams competed for local and statewide honors, benefiting the 7 food banks across the Commonwealth.

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Foodbank Press Release: Posted 07/31/07

Foodbank Exceedingly Low on Donated Food

Community Food and Fund Drives Needed

Norfolk, VA — The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia is extremely low on donated food this season. Summer is traditionally a time of year when the Foodbank sees a drop in donations because people aren’t holding food drives and thinking about feeding hungry people, but this year is especially troublesome. Usually in July and August the Foodbank can supplement the low donation flow with donated salvaged items from manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers; but this year those items aren't available. To purchase the amount of canned food needed for August would wipe out the budget for food purchases for the rest of the year. The items most needed right now are nonperishable canned food and dry goods.

"We're lower on food this summer than last," says Marianne Smith, Chief Development Officer for the Foodbank, "the necessity for canned food is tremendous - an additional 300,000 pounds is needed to meet the demand in August alone." The Foodbank distributes about 250,000 pounds of food every week. "Everyone thinks of food drives at Thanksgiving and Christmas, but we need to feed hungry people every day."

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Foodbank Press Release: Posted 07/24/07

Local Foundations Invest in Feeding the Hungry

Improvements to Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia to be funded by partnership of Foundations

Norfolk, VA — The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia is the recipient of a $218,000 grant from The Norfolk Foundation to upgrade the rear parking lot, warehouse, and food distribution process to better serve hungry individuals, children, and senior citizens in our area. A $10,000 matching grant has been awarded by the Beazley Foundation for the parking lot improvements.

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Foodbank Press Release: Posted 06/18/07

Foodbank Provides Summer Meals for Hungry Children 15 Kids Cafe sites open for USDA Summer Feeding Program

Norfolk, VA — The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia is participating in the Summer Food Service Program sponsored by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture).

"We are very proud to offer the Kids Cafe program to hungry children in Southeastern Virginia," said Joanne Batson, CEO of the Foodbank. "Our partnership with the USDA is especially important during the summer months when these youth are not getting lunch at school."

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Foodbank Press Release: Posted 06/06/07

Convoy to End Hunger Collected Food and Funds That Will Provide over 127,475 Meals to Area Hungry Hunger Awareness Day is Big Success in Southeastern Virginia

Norfolk, VA — Hunger Awareness Day, Tuesday, June 5th, raised awareness of hunger issues and collected enough food and funds total to distribute more than 127,475 meals to individuals in our region who are hungry on a regular basis. Hunger Awareness Day, presented by the Kraft Community Nutrition Program, included a truck convoy of food suppliers and donors, a community food and fund drive, and a special luncheon presentation. The Convoy To End Hunger from the oceanfront to the Foodbank’s Norfolk warehouse included Kraft Foods Global, Smithfield Foods, Farm Fresh Food and Pharmacy, SYSCO of Hampton Roads, U.S. Food Service, the PET Dairy cow, ESI Corporation, Schwanns, Old Dominion Freight Lines, Atlantic Dominion Distributors, MDV Nash Finch, Mama Keyers Bread Company, Norfolk Banana, the US Postal Service, and two Foodbank trucks, one from the branch on the Eastern Shore.

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Foodbank Press Release: Posted 06/18/07

Foodbank Provides Summer Meals for Hungry Children 15 Kids Cafe sites open for USDA Summer Feeding Program

Norfolk, VA — The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia is participating in the Summer Food Service Program sponsored by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture).

"We are very proud to offer the Kids Cafe program to hungry children in Southeastern Virginia," said Joanne Batson, CEO of the Foodbank. "Our partnership with the USDA is especially important during the summer months when these youth are not getting lunch at school."

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Foodbank Press Release: Posted 06/23/07

MORE CHILDREN FED DURING SUMMER BREAK THAN EVER BEFORE
Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia’s Kid’s Cafe® Program Receives Award from USDA as Summer Feeding Program is About to Start Again

Norfolk, VA — The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia served 63% more meals during summer 2006 than summer 2005, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), which administers the Summer Meals For Kids program. Earning the Summer Champion Award, the Kids Cafe, a program of the Foodbank, served 62,079 meals to children at 15 different partner sites in our area during the summer months. The award was given to only 11 agencies throughout the Commonwealth.

"I am very pleased with our community collaboration to feed hungry children," said Joanne Batson, CEO of the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia. "Without the work of the agencies with whom we partner, we couldn’t reach these children during the summer. We share this accolade with all of them."

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Foodbank Press Release: Posted 05/14/07

111,000+ POUNDS OF FOOD COLLECTED TO HELP STAMP OUT HUNGER! Local Letter Carriers Deliver Hope to Hungry

Norfolk, VA — On Saturday, May 12th letter carriers and drivers delivered more than 111,000 pounds of donated food to the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia from the National Association of Letter Carriers Stamp Out Hunger! Food Drive. Residents in the area put non-perishable items by their mailbox for letter carriers to collect. The food donations will help to provide nearly 87,000 meals to the hungry.

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Foodbank Press Release: Posted 05/11/07

FOODBANK OF SOUTHEASTERN VIRGINIA IS AGAIN RECOGNIZED FOR REGIONAL COMMITMENT AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY Foodbank Named United Way Certified Agency of the Year and Awarded Four Stars by Charity Navigator – 2 Years in a Row

Norfolk, VA — The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia (FSEVA) has been named a United Way of South Hampton Roads' (UWSHR) 2006 Certified Agency of the Year for exemplary service and mission in the South Hampton Roads community. Awarded to only two certified agencies each year, The Foodbank has received the honor for the second year in a row for showing a higher level of commitment to United Way through community involvement and partnership.

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Foodbank Press Release: Posted 05/08/07

FOODBANK OF SOUTHEASTERN VIRGINIA VOLUNTEERS HONORED WITH ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Board Members Receive Recognition for Community Volunteerism

Norfolk, VA — Dave Brown, President of the Board of Directors of the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia, was honored by Volunteer Hampton Roads for his 15 years of volunteer service dedicated to the issue of ending hunger. Always giving more than his expected commitment, he acts as a role model and serves as a mentor and leader for new volunteers and community members. Dave has logged in well over 2,500 hours with the Foodbank and has touched many lives by making sure to help our neighbors who are hungry.

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Foodbank Press Release: Posted 03/28/07

Kick Off to A Frenzy of Feeding Hungry Families in Southeastern Virginia
Legal Food Frenzy kicks off locally March 29th with luncheon hosted by Attorney General Bob McDonnell

Norfolk, VA — Attorney General Bob McDonnell will be the keynote speaker at a luncheon March 29th to kick off the local segment of the 1st Annual Statewide Legal Food Frenzy. Although a first for the state, locally the event has been held for the past 15 years to benefit the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and sponsored by the Norfolk/Portsmouth Bar Association. Last year this event raised nearly 175,000 pounds of food for the hungry in our area.

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Foodbank Press Release: Posted 03/22/07

Annual Local Food and Fund Drive Goes Statewide
"Legal Food Frenzy" to Benefit Statewide Food Banks with Support of Attorney General Robert McDonnell

Norfolk, VA — The "Legal Food Frenzy" is a competition among Virginia law firms to raise food and funds for their local Food Bank. It is anticipated that the competition will provide upwards of 500,000 pounds of food for Virginia’s Food Banks. The event locally will kick-off Thursday March 29th with a luncheon at the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and run from April 2nd-13th.

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Foodbank Press Release: Posted 03/20/07

Circle the Wagons for 18th Annual Taste of Hampton Roads' Trek to the Wild, Wild West!
Annual Benefit for the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia is Wednesday, March 28th

Norfolk, VA — Twenty-five restaurants will be presenting their culinary best at the 18th Annual Taste of Hampton Roads on Wednesday March 18th, at the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel, 5:30-9 PM. There will also be a silent and live auction, live musical entertainment by Tailgate Down, and dancing, all with a decidedly western theme.

"It's my favorite event that we do all year," says Joanne Batson, CEO of the Foodbank. "I love to see what the restaurants create around the theme. I also enjoy the costumes some party-goers come up with!"

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Foodbank Press Release: Posted 03/15/07

Eastern Shore Gets a Tasty Benefit for the Foodbank on the Eastern Shore
Melfa Rotary Club hosts 8th Annual Taste of the Eastern Shore in Belle Haven, VA

Norfolk, VA — More than 22 Eastern Shore restaurants will bring out their most tempting edibles on Sunday, March 25 at the Exmore Moose Lodge in Belle Haven, Virginia to raise money for the Foodbank on the Eastern Shore, a branch of the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia. Presented by the Melfa Rotary Club, this 8th annual event gets praises from attendees every year. The "Tempting Tastes of Spring" themed-event, held from 3:00-6:00 P.M., will also feature a silent auction and entertainment. Tickets are $25 presale and $30 at the door.

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Foodbank Press Release: Posted 01/25/07

Local 16th Annual Food and Fund Drive Goes Statewide
Norfolk/Portsmouth Bar's "Legal Food Frenzy" Picked up by Attorney General for Statewide Food Banks' Benefit

Norfolk, VA — Attorney General Bob McDonnell announced the 1st Annual Statewide Legal Food Frenzy event at a press conference Wednesday, January 24th. Although a first for the state, locally the event has been held for the past 15 years to benefit the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and sponsored by the Norfolk/Portsmouth Bar Association. Last year this event raised nearly 175,000 pounds of food for the hungry in our area.

The "Legal Food Frenzy" is a competition among Virginia law firms to raise food and funds for their local Food Bank.

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