MidwestMiracles
Bloomington Division • Midwest Food Bank • December 2015
OUR HOPE IS TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN
PROSPERITY AND POVERTY IN OUR COMMUNITY
Satellite distribution helping to meet needs
Early in 2014, Midwest Food Bank
had a problem in need of a solution.
Nearly 50 agencies were on a
waiting list as the distribution
schedule was completely full.
Having food with no way to get it
to the agencies was not an option.
A solution was found by opening
a satellite location from which
additional agencies could be
served.
The first satellite distribution
from Fairfield, Illinois was held
in February of 2014. Two semi
loads of food were delivered to
a warehouse there. Thirteen of
the southernmost agencies were
directed to this new location,
saving them a longer drive to
Bloomington. Since then, 10 more
agencies are being served at that
location.
This spring, building on the
success of that model, satellite
distribution began at the Morton
warehouse. A huge volunteer base
made this an easy decision and 23
agencies now travel to Morton for
food.
The distribution from these
locations brings the total number
of agencies being served by
Bloomington to 276. Agencies
continue to be added at all three
locations. Growth is inevitable,
and Midwest Food Bank is up to
the challenge.
MFB PROCESSES OVER 100 SEMI LOADS OF FOOD EACH MONTH.
99.5%
OF ALL DONATIONS RECEIVED BY MFB GO
East African Division seeing
In January, 2014, Midwest Food Bank’s East Africa
Division was founded in Nairobi, Kenya. The division’s
mission is to provide physical and spiritual resources to
ministries serving East Africa’s poorest children.
2015: Growth and changes
12 years ago on a farm just west of Bloomington, 3 brothers
wanted to share the blessings they had in life. Bob, David
and Paul Kieser focused on providing food to 10 food
pantries and soup kitchens in Bloomington-Normal. Today
there are Midwest Food Bank locations in Bloomington,
Morton and Peoria, IL, as well as Indianapolis, IN,
Peachtree City, GA and Fort Myers, FL. Serving 1,075
food pantries and soup kitchens, Midwest Food Bank is
helping to provide food to more than 800,000 people at
no cost to them.
One milestone reached this year is that of distributing
more than $115 million of food at no cost to those in need.
This is an increase of $33 million over the 2014 total of
$82 million.
In addition to our operations in the United States,
Midwest Food Bank is an international organization. The
East Africa Food Bank, located in Nairobi, Kenya, was
granted a not-for-profit status. (See next story).
None of this would be possible without the direction of
our great God and the prayerful and financial support of
our donors.
WE HUMBLY ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT. PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY
FOR THE LORD’S DIRECTION IN THIS MINISTRY. IF YOU ARE ABLE TO
CONTRIBUTE FINANCIALLY, WE HAVE INCLUDED AN ENVELOPE FOR
YOUR DONATION.
On behalf of those we serve, Midwest Food Bank
extends sincere gratitude and thanks.
We’re doing this by helping five of Nairobi’s
slum-based Christian schools provide nutritious
food additions to the schools’ lunch programs. Those
schools currently feed over 16,000 children every day,
educating them and exposing them to the Gospel.
This is helping to create hope in some of Africa’s most
difficult and otherwise hopeless environments.
In June of this year, the East Africa division was
granted Non-Governmental Organization (NGO)
status in Kenya, which opens opportunities that were
previously unavailable. In Kenya, the division is now
known as Kapu Africa. Loosely translated from Swahili,
the name means “collection basket of Africa.
Efforts in Kenya are divided into three areas: a
crocodile meat processing plant, Tender Mercies Kenya
and a farm project.
Crocodile meat is known to be one of the best
possible meats for brain-developing amino acids. It will
be a great addition to the diets of children who typically
get very little meat of any kind. It is so nutrition-packed
that our meat sciences expert assures us that as little as
two ounces a week will bring noticeable changes in a
MIDWEST FOOD BANK DISTRIBUTED OVER $100 MILLION WORTH OF FOO
O INTO THE MINISTRY OF PROVIDING FOOD
progress
only requires boiling
in water. We provide
Tender Mercies Kenya
free of charge to the five school
organizations we currently sponsor.
Kapu Africa, along with some
partner ministries, have submitted
a proposal to develop a large scale
soybean farm. Our motivation is to
assure food availability for our distribution needs and
beyond. At this point, we ask for your prayers. We
need to clearly know God’s will for our involvement or
not, and we need our proposal to be understood by the
Kenyan Government as purely humanitarian and not
financially motivated. This is a huge undertaking. We
believe if we’re careful to follow God’s will that it will
succeed.
OD IN 2015 –
100% FREE
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT
I
f you come to Midwest Food Bank during load-out
week, chances are good you will meet Lorraine Wilmert.
Lorraine wears many hats for MFB, such as overseeing
the sign-in desk, assisting clients in selecting their food,
helping load vehicles or just visiting with the agencies.
Typically, she comes in the week before load-out to get all
the paperwork and forms ready for the week ahead. Many
of the agency representatives who come in during load-out
know Lorraine by name. Her sincere interest in each one
is evident as she asks how things are going and inquires
about any concerns they may have.
Lorraine has also been very instrumental in helping
MFB set up our satellite distributions in Fairfield and
Morton. Lorraine’s husband, Ken, is also a regular
volunteer as well. In addition to their work at MFB, the
Wilmerts actively give back by volunteering at other
Bloomington-Normal organizations as well.
Asked about her association with MFB, Lorraine says,
“I enjoy the people and the purpose of Midwest Food
Bank. Also I serve Him when I serve the agencies.”
Volunteers at Midwest Food Bank regularly
demonstrate compassion, caring and love. MFB and those
it serves are blessed by the
giving hearts of the
Wilmerts.
Midwest Food Bank
1703 S. Veterans Parkway
Bloomington, IL 61701
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MIDWEST FOOD BANK HAS ACHIEVED A #1 RANKING FROM CHARITY NAVIGATOR IN TWO MAJOR CATEGORIES.
Family food boxes delivered to flood stricken areas
When disaster strikes, communities, families and
individuals are left dazed, disoriented and displaced by
forces beyond their control. Thankfully, Midwest Food
Bank was able to respond to two such instances in 2015,
providing food and comfort.
Record-setting rain hit Texas last April, resulting in 24
deaths and devastating floods. Then, in October, South
Carolina was hit with catastrophic flooding, reaching
as high as eight feet on the main floor of many homes.
Hundreds of people required rescuing and 19 died.
Within hours of being called, Midwest Food Bank was
there with family food boxes – four
semi loads to Texas and five to South
Carolina. With a capacity of 800
boxes per semi, each box
contains enough food
to feed a family of four
MFB IS NOW A SALVATION
ARMY ‘FIRST RESPONDER’
FOR DISASTER RELIEF.
for five days. Items include pasta and sauce, canned fruit,
vegetables and soup, macaroni and cheese, peanut butter,
snacks, granola bars, paper towels and toilet paper.
Thanks to teams of volunteers, Midwest Food Bank is able
to pack and deliver food boxes to The Salvation Army
who then distributes them into the hands of those in need.
Through the years, this great partnership between
MFB and The Salvation Army has proven
to be an efficient, effective response
when disaster strikes.