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Andrew’s Story: Taking Care of Family
I worked as a long-distance truck driver for 25 years. I was retired when my sister Brenda’s husband passed away. She was raising three of her grandchildren — now ages 18, 17, and 14 — and with her husband gone, she needed extra help. So, when I came down for the funeral, I realized I needed to stay.
Now we live together. I help around the house and with cooking. We receive social security, and I do maintenance work around the neighborhood for a small income, but our budget is pretty tight. We often worry about not having enough money for all of our bills.
Dear Friend of the Foodbank,
Spring has sprung and the Foodbank is buzzing with a renewed energy to end hunger in our community. We are excited to have launched our three-year strategic plan and to have begun the work of implementing it. We aim to lead, feed, strengthen and transform. That means we will not only continue to meet the immediate need of hunger, but we will also challenge ourselves to holistically address the issue of food insecurity and its root causes. And, we’ve been busy this Spring doing just that.The Foodbank and Local Businesses — The Perfect Pairing
Hi, I’m Candice. As the community engagement coordinator at the Foodbank, I have the pleasure of fostering these partnerships on a daily basis. One would think it would be a difficult job, but when you live in a caring community like Hampton Roads, all obstacles seem to disappear in the interest of feeding our neighbors in need.
Case in point…. Linda, owner of Simply Fresh, was determined to get involved in the fight to end hunger, so I was invited to a wine tasting at Simply Fresh to speak on behalf of the Foodbank. Much to my surprise, when I arrived I discovered that Linda had requested that each event attendee bring along a food and/or monetary donation!
Think the amazingness stops there? Nope. Upon entering the restaurant, I was greeted by Jennifer of Breakthru Beverage Virginia. Breakthru is a local distributor for E. & J. Gallo Winery, which donates $5 to the Foodbank from the sale of each case of its wine. Jennifer used the opportunity at the wine event to discuss the way Breakthru’s sales boost E. & J. Gallo’s donations to the Foodbank. Talk about a gift that keeps on giving… through food and monetary donations, Simply Fresh was able to provide over 500 meals to those in need within our community—in just two hours! And E. & J. Gallo Winery, with Breakthru’s assistance, contributed over 2,000 meals to the Foodbank last year alone!
This event is just one example of the types of successful collaborations that can make a huge impact within our community. Imagine the impact you could have if you collaborated on an event with the Foodbank! If you’d like to help us serve up the perfect pairing of local business and charity, give me a ring!
Mt. Hermon Preschoolers Get a Taste of the Foodbank’s First Healthy School Produce Market
On January 31st, preschoolers and their families piled into the Mt. Hermon Preschool Center’s auditorium to experience the Foodbank’s first Healthy School Produce Market. After the students sang a rousing song about the importance of fresh fruits and vegetables, the children were able to “shop” from a pop-up farmers market set up inside the school. The produce was free, and included apples, carrots, and potatoes. Students were also given healthy, kid-friendly recipes that could be made from the ingredients they had selected.
“We’re grateful to have partnered with the Foodbank on this wonderful program,” said Principal Patricia Williams. “The children loved showing their parents what they learned in school, and enjoyed the delicious, healthy food.” The market came to the school courtesy of the Foodbank through a grant provided by the Portsmouth General Hospital Foundation. The goal of this ongoing program is to encourage early awareness of healthy lifestyle choices.
Raise YOUR Voice
Federal nutrition programs matter. A child who cannot rely on dinner at home is assured breakfast at school because of the School Breakfast Program. A working mother who is struggling to make ends meet knows she can get help to feed her family through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). But, our federal programs are only as strong as the support they receive on Capitol Hill. We know that when people contact their lawmakers, they listen. You could make the difference in funding for these critical programs. Tell Congress not to take food from struggling families.
Raise your voice — use the tools provided by our friends at Feeding America to contact your local elected officials and educate them about hunger in our community. Visit www.feedingamerica.org/take-action/advocate
Upcoming Events
Give Local 757!
May 8, 2018
Give Local 757 brings together the Hampton Roads community to raise funds for local nonprofits and to increase awareness for their causes. This year, the Foodbank is hoping to use this fundraising initiative as an opportunity to get a head start on summer hunger. For 24 hours, beginning at midnight on May 8th, donations can be made online to support the Foodbank. Learn More >>
National Association of Letter Carriers’ “Stamp Out Hunger” Food Drive
May 12, 2018
On Saturday, May 12th, the National Association of Letter Carriers’ “Stamp Out Hunger” Food Drive celebrates its 26th year of helping the hungry. Letter carriers all across America will collect non-perishable food donations placed near residents’ mailboxes as they deliver mail along their postal routes. It is the nation’s largest single-day food drive. Learn More >>
Strike Out Hunger Challenge
April 6, 2018 — September 7, 2018
Perdue Farms and the Delmarva Shorebirds baseball team have launched their season-long Strike Out Hunger Challenge at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium on the Eastern Shore. The Shorebirds have designated the season’s Sunday home games as “Strike Out Hunger Sundays.” Fans who bring two non-perishable food items to the stadium will receive a $3 general admission ticket to the game.
