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Attend the Food Bank Annual Fundraiser to Fill Shelves When Donations Are Low

May 30, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Enjoy a relaxing day in the garden with us on Sunday, June 23rd for the Food Bank’s 13th annual fundraising event, An Afternoon in the Admiral’s Garden.

The fun starts at noon with wine, appetizers, and live music by Big Cat Tolefree and the Hipnotics Band.  Bid on silent auction treasures and play some games of chance with big prizes before making your way into the garden for a delicious gourmet lunch, prepared by Englund’s Catering.  Renee Richardson from KFOG will emcee.

All the food, drinks, entertainment and tours you can enjoy at only $90 per person, or two for $170. Bring extra cash, check or credit card if you wish to participate in the auction or some of the games.

Reserve my spot today

If you can’t make the event, you can still win big with the Beat the Recession Raffle. You could be a lucky winner of $2,500 cash or other valuable prizes! Email Kathy Gleason with your name and address to be mailed tickets kgleason@foodbankccs.org.
For a sampling of the fine foods offered in the Tasting Tents, Auction prizes and reservations for this sell-out experience visit www.theeventofthesummer.com.

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U.S. Senate and House Consider Cuts to Food Stamps

May 14, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Original post by: Jessica Bartholow, Legislative Advocate, Western Center on Law and Poverty. Both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate will mark up the farm bill this week in their respective committees; the Senate on Tuesday, May 14, and the House on Wednesday, May 15.

 

In the Senate, the agriculture committee chairwoman’s farm bill draft included a $4.1 billion cut to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), increasing the likelihood of hunger for millions of families.

The House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Frank Lucas released this first draft of the farm bill into committee on Friday. His draft would cut SNAP (formerly food stamps) by $20 billion over 10 years.  Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), a member of the agriculture committee, said the bill “would make hunger worse and not better.”

During the mark-up, after the chair offers the first draft, committee members have the opportunity to propose and vote on any amendments, or changes, to the bill. Once a final version is voted out of committee, leadership then adds it to the schedule for a floor vote. Both House and Senate leadership have indicated they would like a farm bill on the summer agenda.

Any cuts to SNAP would prove devastating for vulnerable Americans, including over 4 million low-income Californians who depend on the program to prevent hunger. SNAP participants are already facing a reduction in benefits—on Nov. 1, a temporary program boost that was included in the 2009 stimulus package will expire. Even more alarming: a recent Institute of Medicine study concluded that the way in which the benefit level is calculated for SNAP is inadequate for a healthy diet. Inadequate as existing levels are, just this expiration will reduce the average benefit to about $1.40 per person per meal, reports the Center of Budget and Policy Priorities.

Cutting the program by $20 billion over 10 years would reduce the benefit even further and increase food insecurity. This is why one in seven Americans polled oppose cuts to the program.

Western Center on Law and Poverty has been working with other allies in the state to oppose the cuts. “Cutting the nutrition safetynet for our poorest families is not necessary and it is cruel, increasing the likelihood that poor Americans, most of whom are children, will experience the indignity of hunger,” says Jessica Bartholow, a legislative advocate based in Western Center’s Sacramento Office.

 

For more information about the 2013 Farm Bill, go to: www.frac.org.

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Garden like a Pro at the Urban Farm Expo

April 2, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Guest post by Master Gardener Marian Woodard: This time of year plant sales pop up like dandelions, and the nurseries are full of vegetables already fruiting. It’s easy to buy a plant grown in huge hothouses sprayed with heaven only knows what, but what if you want an organic, locally grown treasure AND want to know how best to care for it so it produces long and well?

Trust in the Master Gardeners and local experts at the Rodgers Ranch Urban Farm Expo & Plant Sale this Saturday, April 6th.  Not only will they have lovingly grown, local, organic, heirloom vegetables, herbs, flowers and succulents, but there will be experts on hand to answer all your gardening questions.

There are also free classes on subjects from chickens to creative container gardening with 10 more in between. AND there are phenomenal products (some brand new to market!) like biodynamic compost, worm castings and towers, containers and teas to make your plants thank you all summer.

All this will take place in a gorgeous, historic setting. Visitors will also have the option to sponsor a plant for the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano. For a suggested donation, we will grow fresh vegetables for our neighbors in need. You can visit your adopted plant as often as you like!  While you’re waiting for your plant to grow, a Pleasant Hill native food vendor will make sure your tummy’s happy.  Come early for the plants; stay for the classes!

Rodgers Ranch Urban Farm Expo & Plant Sale
315 Cortsen Rd (between Taylor Blvd and Pleasant Hill Road off Grayson)
Pleasant Hill
10:00am – 4:00pm

Carpool if you can as parking may be limited.

www.RodgersRanchUrbanFarm.org

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Sponsors Are Critical in the Fight Against Hunger

March 18, 2013 By Leave a Comment

At the Food Bank, we are careful stewards of the money donated to us, ensuring that as much as possible goes to providing food to the people we serve. Savvy donors have been using sites such as Charity Navigator and GuideStar to make more informed decisions about where to donate their dollars.  We have to ask ourselves often “are we putting donations raised to the best use possible?”

One of the factors that enables us to put 95 cents out of every dollar raised directly into food assistance programs is our connection to the local business community.  Sponsorship opportunities help us not only purchase nearly half the food we distribute, but also afford the necessary items we need to spread the word about our work. It allows us to promote and acknowledge local businesses, strengthening our ties to the community.

For instance, to spread the word out about our recent event Empty Bowls, we wanted to print materials to distribute to potential guests. We carefully source a good price for printing, then reach out to potential supporters.  We were fortunate to have Appel Law Firm in Walnut Creek become our print sponsor for Empty Bowls. They were happy to help, and saw it as an opportunity to support our mission. Thanks to Appel Law Firm, we were able to give your registration fee a lot more hunger-fighting power!

In addition to the print sponsor, Chevron bought bowls for the event and even came out to paint them, add those to bowls donated by Clay Planet of Santa Clara and the Walnut Creek Clay Arts Guild, bread donated by Panera Bread, soups donated by local agencies and businesses, media sponsorship supplied by CBS5 and Diablo Magazine, and what do you have?  An event where the bottom line is all about the people we serve.

We could not move forward with our mission to end hunger without the generous support of the local business community.

If you would like to become a sponsor, we have many options available. Please contact Kathy Gleason, kgleason@foodbankccs.org for more information.

Filed Under: Donations, Featured Tagged With: , , ,

An Update from the Capitol

March 15, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Where can you find nearly 800 passionate anti-hunger fighters all in one place? At the National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference of course! The conference presented by Feeding America and Food Research and Action Center draws anti-hunger and anti-poverty advocates; federal, state and local government officials; child advocates; representatives of food banks and food rescue organizations; and nutrition and anti-obesity groups, for three days of training, networking and Capitol Hill advocacy.

Participants share information and learn how to strengthen the quality and reach of federal nutrition programs, learn best outreach and program practices from other states and localities, fill in the gaps in food service for millions of low-income children, and identify creative ideas for new and innovative approaches to ending hunger.

Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano staff met with offices of our local Congressmen to tell the story of poverty and hunger in our community. What did we ask of our representatives? For Congress to protect and strengthen SNAP/CalFresh and TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program), two of our most important resources. 1 in 4 people living in Contra Costa and Solano counties are at risk of hunger. The Food Bank is now feeding approximately 149,000 people each month but it is not enough. We can’t do it alone. With the high cost of living in the Bay Area, a family would need three full-time jobs at minimum wage just to make ends meet. Without important nutrition programs like TEFAP and SNAP the need in our community could not be met and families like Millicent’s would go hungry.

Single mother Millicent worked as a sales manager for four years until she was laid off. She was able to receive unemployment and then worked eight weeks at a temp job before she was in a car accident. Now her unemployment is only for ten weeks instead of the two years it would have been if she never worked those eight weeks. All of her cash is going to pay her bills and there is no money for food or medical expenses. She has two children ages ten and five and lost her child care. She has been coming to Food for Children for four months now and receives CalFresh/SNAP, which allows her to buy groceries.

Congress must oppose any cuts to SNAP and continue to support additional resources to purchase TEFAP commodities on which so many food banks rely on heavily. Please call your representatives today at (202) 224-3121 and ask them to protect SNAP and TEFAP.

Filed Under: Advocacy, Featured Tagged With: , , , ,

Fighting Hunger is Only an Empty Bowl Away

February 15, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Photo by Linda Elsdon

A fellow co-worker and I were painting bowls for our Empty Bowls event the other day and she shared with me how it is one of her favorite Food Bank fundraisers.  That got me thinking, what is it about Empty Bowls that makes it so special?  Maybe it’s the fact that it goes beyond being just a fundraiser, it goes beyond being just a Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano event.  It is an international grassroots effort to fight hunger whose basic premise is simple: Potters, craftspeople and others in the community contribute handcrafted bowls. Guests are invited to a simple meal of soup and bread, and to meet local activists from their own community and hear how they are working to end hunger and food insecurity.   In exchange for a cash donation, guests are asked to keep a bowl as a reminder of all the empty bowls in their community. The money raised goes directly to feed people in need.

A simple idea ,yet is the collective passion and effort of all the people involved that has made Empty Bowls what it has become. Events have now taken place across the United States and in at least a dozen other countries. Many millions of dollars have been raised and donated to hunger-fighting organizations.  It is a project spread through individual communities that has touched people on a global scale.

A key component to Empty Bowls is people.  You.  Me.  Our family and friends.  Local businesses who provid
e sponsorship and volunteer time, such as Chevron,  CBS5, Diablo Magazine and and the AppelLaw Firm in Walnut Creek.  Together we can share a meal, raise awareness and be part of something great.   Everyone is invited to the table.  Won’t you join us?

Register for Empty Bowls, Concord, March 9th 5-7pm

Register for Empty Bowls, Fairfield, March 10th 3-5pm

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Tell the Senate Your Ideas for a Fair Budget

February 13, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Senator Patty Murray, Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee is encouraging you to share your ideas for how our elected officials can address our country’s budget challenges responsibly. MyBudget is an online platform for members of the public to weigh in as our nation works to tackle our budget and economic challenges.

Go to http://budget.senate.gov/democratic/index.cfm/mybudget  to share your stories about how federal budget decisions have impacted your family, your community, and your job, and let the senate know what issues they should be focused on.

Here’s what Chairman Murray is asking you to do:

Share your story

Budget decisions aren’t just about numbers and charts—they have real impacts on real people and communities. Your stories should be heard so we can help members of Congress understand what’s at stake for the families and communities they represent.

What are your budget priorities?

Budgets are all about setting priorities, and Chairman Murray is asking to hear about yours. Share what federal investments and programs you value in the federal budget (ex: safe roads and bridges, affordable college education, a strong national security, etc.) and if there are programs, policies, or tax loopholes that the federal government spends money on that you think it shouldn’t.

Tell us your ideas

The federal government needs to strengthen programs like Medicare so they will be there for the next generation. What are your ideas?

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Kraft Rolls Out a ‘Farmers’-Market-On-Wheels’ for the Food Bank

February 7, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano is fighting hunger one mile at a time with the gift of a new Kraft Mobile Pantry truck.  The refrigerated vehicle will hit the road to bring a fresh produce to low-income areas in the community, expanding the reach of the Food Bank while delivering fresh fruit and vegetables.

 This truck is part of a nationwide fleet being rolled out by Kraft Foods Foundation (now known as Mondelēz International Foundation) and Feeding America, to reach those hardest hit with food insecurity. The mobile pantry will be used as part of the Food Bank’s Community Produce Program to expand the service area to West Contra Costa and Solano county to bring approximately 20 pounds per person of four to seven types of produce to three distribution sites per day serving 50-200 people, depending upon the site and location, at a time when the need has never been greater.

 Here in Contra Costa and Solano counties, 1 in 4 of our neighbors face food insecurity.  We’re seeing more residents reaching out for food assistance than ever before.   The Kraft Mobile Pantry could not come at a better time to help us increase the number of clients and areas we are able to reach.

 Fighting hunger is not new for Kraft.  The company has partnered with Feeding America for decades to do just that.  The mobile pantry program is one of many programs making a difference in communities where the company’s employees live and work.

Filed Under: Featured, Programs and Services Tagged With: ,

Special Program Sees to Nutrition Needs of Seniors

January 15, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Originally posted in the Vacaville Reporter: I remember reading a quote from a political leader that said you can best evaluate a society by how well it takes care of its children and its elderly. From my experience with Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano programs, I am convinced our society can do better. The huge number of children and senior citizens coming to us for food assistance says that our social programs are not doing what they should.

One of the first direct distributions the Food Bank established was the Senior Food Program. In the early 1980s, it was obvious that Social Security benefits were not adequate to support an individual in the Bay Area. Seniors had to make difficult decisions about housing, medical care and the basics of life. When stories started coming back to us about people eating less to save money, we knew we should try to make a difference with the food donations available to us.

Beginning with 50 people, we have grown the Senior Food Program to 3,300 seniors at 28 sites in Solano and Contra Costa counties. Last year, more than 1.3 million pounds of food went to the senior citizens who participate in this program.

We are also working with those who are part of the Senior Food Program because they may be eligible to receive Cal Fresh (formerly food stamps) benefits. The people this program serves recognize that their health depends on their diet. If they are going to avoid significant medical costs, good food is important to their health.

I am grateful the community support we receive allows the Food Bank to make a difference in the lives of senior citizens.

If you are a senior who could use food assistance, or know someone who can, please go to www.foodbankccs.org/get-help/senior-food-program.html or call (toll free) (855) 309-3663.

 

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Helping Put Healthy Food on the Table

December 26, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Juan Orozco teamed up with Liliana Sandoval from the San Francisco and Marin Food Bank

By Juan Orozco, CalFresh Outreach Coordinator for Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano: In an effort to educate and raise public awareness about CalFresh, the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano is partnering with other Bay Area food banks to provide CalFresh Outreach at the San Francisco Mexican Consulate.  The goal is to increase participation in federal food assistance programs, thereby helping to reduce food insecurity for people struggling to make ends meet.  Studies have shown one of the primary reasons why low–income households who qualify for CalFresh are not participating in the program is lack of eligibility information.  In collaboration with the San Francisco Mexican Consulate we hope that we can encourage more legal immigrants to apply for the nutrition benefits of CalFresh.  CalFresh helps millions of Americans in need to put nutritious food on their table.

If you would like to learn more about CalFresh eligibility or need assistance with the application process, please visit www.foodbankccs.org/calfresh.

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