feeding
MATTERS
FALL 2014
A MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
At the Food Bank of Lincoln, and across the Feeding America network of 203 Food Banks, September is Hunger Action
Month. This is a time when we ask friends of the Food Bank to take some action in the battle against hunger, not only in
September, but on a year-round basis.
There are several ways to act on behalf of the estimated 8,900 different people a week that we serve:
•
Volunteering. The Food Bank of Lincoln’s 50 charity partners, dozens of faith-based partners and our 90 school
partners all need you. We ask you to consider getting involved. We need smart, talented, open-hearted people who
are willing to give of themselves.
•
Provide food. For the first time in as long as anyone can remember, the Food Bank will not distribute as many pounds
of food this year as we did in the previous year. Our hope is that our Food Stamp outreach efforts will ensure we connect
people to as many meals in 2014 as we did in 2013. Food resources are in decline. The demand for meals is not.
•
Donate dollars. Your Food Bank is currently distributing almost $6 worth of food for every dollar that comes in the
door. Financial support is critical to the Food Bank to maintain and sustain our exceptionally high levels of service.
•
Be a voice for those we serve. Under-resourced people need those of us that
desire a strong community to be voices of compassion and understanding.
Let’s be secure in the knowledge that we are all better off when we are all
better off. It is the mark of a mature community, a smart community.
Our elected officials need us to stand up for folks who may not have the
power to stand for themselves.
Thousands of Southeast Nebraskans need you. Your community needs you.
The Food Bank needs you. We invite you to Act this month, and every month
in the fight against hunger. It’s a fight we can win.
Best regards,
Scott Young, Food Bank of Lincoln
BE A CAPTAIN IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CHILD HUNGER
Former Husker star Matt Davison and Creating Captains are putting up $50,000 to challenge
the community to raise money for hungry children in Southeast Nebraska. There are close
to 20,000 food-insecure children in our area, and we need your help to support our growing
BackPack Program and our School Food Markets. Please join Creating Captains, which
empowers students to live a life of character, and the Food Bank of Lincoln as we work
together to raise more than $100,000 to give our children more help and more hope in school
and in life. For more information, visit www.lincolnfoodbank.org or contact John Mabry at
(402) 466-8170, ext. 110, or [email protected].
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
2014
Greg Yank
Wells Fargo Bank
Jim Lamphere
Nebraska Land Title & Abstract
Connie Hilligoss
Sign Pro
Molly Brummond
University of Nebraska
College of Law
Curt Krueger
Catholic Social Services
Dr. Karla Lester
Teach a Kid to Fish
Lizabeth Kuhlman
Sinclair Hille Architects
Jolene Bartling
Hunger Advocate
Nancy Ganser
Childhood Hunger Advocate
T.J. McDowell, Jr.
Lincoln Public Schools
Dr. Marilyn Moore
Bryan College of Health Services
Brad Philson
Union Bank & Trust
Linda Robinson Rutz
Union Agency, Inc.
L. Bruce Wright
Cline Williams, Wright, Johnson & Oldfather
SUMMER CHILD HUNGER ACTIVITIES
This past summer we began a new home delivery BackPack Program.
Volunteers from St. Andrew’s Lutheran, Southwood Lutheran, First
Lutheran and a couple community volunteers delivered bags of food to
the homes of BackPack families. These families also received a $10 voucher
for fresh produce in June and in July. Volunteers from Nationwide/Allied
and Duncan worked to ensure families at Boys and Girls Club, Malone
Community Center and Belmont Rec Center received weekly bags of food
as well as weekly fresh produce bags.
Lots of work goes into ensuring children and families have food to eat
during the summer months and we are grateful for all of the volunteers
that made this possible!
YOUR RIGHTS AS A DONOR
What’s important to you as a Food Bank of
Lincoln supporter is important to us. As a
donor, we want you to have full confidence in
the Food Bank, our mission and our practices.
According to the Donor Bill of Rights, your
expectations of us should include:
•
To expect that all relationships with
individuals representing organizations
of interest to the donor will be
professional in nature
•
To be informed whether those seeking
donations are volunteers, employees of
the organization or hired solicitors.
If you have any questions about how your
donor dollars are being used, please call us at
(402) 466-8170.
The Donor Bill of Rights was developed by the
Association of Fundraising Professionals, the
Giving Institute and other top consultants to
non-profits. Look for more from the Donor
Bill of Rights in future newsletters.
SNAP, formerly known as Food
Stamps, stands for Supplemental
Nutritional Assistance Program
and it offers nutrition assistance
to millions of eligible, low-income
individuals and families. In
addition to our normal Food Bank
operations, we have a group of
staff who focus on connecting
Nebraskans to SNAP benefits.
SNAP is the largest program in the
domestic hunger safety net. To
date in 2014, our SNAP Outreach
team has connected Southeast
Nebraskans to 772,799 meals. The
team has completed over 750 SNAP
applications between January and
June in the Lincoln service area.
One of the best components to
the SNAP benefits is that it allows
individuals and families a choice as
to what food they purchase while
shopping for groceries.
SOUTHWOOD SERVES
Nearly four years ago, Southwood
Lutheran approached the Food Bank
wanting to do more to serve the
children and families in need. They
were already sponsoring a BackPack
Program at Saratoga, but wanted to
continue to evolve their outreach.
What has developed in a short four
years has been a major benefit to
children, families and seniors who are
struggling to put food on their tables.
In 2012, they designated a chunk of
land on their campus to a produce
garden. In its first year, over 10,000
pounds of produce was donated to
the Food Bank of Lincoln. Since then,
those numbers continue to grow.
The garden is completely a volunteer
effort and a passion for many
at Southwood. The volunteers
plant, weed, water and harvest the
vegetables every Sunday evening
as well as Tuesday and Thursday
mornings. The volunteers harvest
tomatoes, lettuce, green beans,
cucumbers, potatoes, sweet potatoes
and much more. They take great
pride in what they do to help people
in our community.
Mindy, one of the volunteers, says,
“Working in the church garden has
helped my family have a better
appreciation for the things that we
have. We know that our hard work
helps others in need. It is amazing to see
the progress of the vegetables and to
know that with some hard work, good
friendships, and the Lord providing
sunshine and rain, the garden has
turned into a spectacular place. My
family is very proud to be part of such
a wonderful project.”
Southwood also partners with the
Food Bank to provide a mobile pantry
operation in Palmyra. They provide
the funds and volunteers each month
to get food in to the hands of some
of our rural friends. They have also
stepped up to gather food to stock
pantry shelves and host “Concert with
a Cause” to benefit the children and
families we serve.
VITAL SIGNS
Did you know the number of children facing poverty
in Lincoln has doubled since 2008? Did you also know
that Lincoln has a much higher percentage of families
with both parents in the workforce than the national
average? Or that since 2007, Lincoln’s homeless
population has risen by 41%?
These are just some of the statistics that have come out
of the Lincoln Vital Signs 2014 report. If you have not
seen the report, please do so at www.lincolnvitalsigns.
org. This report provides a great look at what Lincoln
is doing well and a few areas that could use some
improvement. The question is, now what?
The Food Bank of Lincoln has begun looking at the
long term answer to alleviating poverty by bringing
a framework called Bridges Out of Poverty to Lincoln.
Bridges Out of Poverty helps move individuals from
poverty to self-sufficiency and helps to build sustainable
communities. The Food Bank plans to collaborate with
many different organizations, agencies and businesses
to help individuals build self-sufficiency as well as
change the community’s mindset about poverty.
Much more about Bridges Out of Poverty to come…
Young volunteers learning valuable gardening
tips from experienced volunteers.
If there is a need, Southwood
Lutheran is there to serve hungry
folks in our community. They truly
are alleviating hunger throughout
Southeast Nebraska.
THANKS FOR
GIVING, LINCOLN
Give To Lincoln Day was another
big success for local non-profits,
with more than $2.6 million raised
in 24 hours. The Food Bank of
Lincoln raised more than $80,000,
and we are so grateful for that
support, which will be turned into
over $450,000 in food distributed
in our community. Thanks to the
Lincoln Community Foundation,
which has already announced that
the event will return in 2015.
SEPTEMBER IS HUNGER
ACTION MONTH
There are many ways you can get involved
either as a volunteer or a donor. For more ways
to get involved, visit www.lincolnfoodbank.org
4840 Doris Bair Circle, Suite A
Lincoln, NE 68504
402-466-8170
and see the Hunger Action Month activities.
Peeds Help with
TRUCK PURCHASE
WHEN MAKING
ESTATE PLANS...
Thanks to the
generosity of
Rhonda and
Tom Peed, the
Food Bank was
able to purchase
this Freightliner
refrigerated truck to
help with our Child
Hunger efforts – the
BackPack Program,
High School Food
Markets and the Student Hunger Drive. The truck was badly needed, and
we are so grateful to Rhonda and Tom for their support.
Please consider the Food Bank of
Lincoln when making plans for
your estate. The Food Bank recently
received a $14,900 estate gift from a
longtime donor who passed away in
2012. That will help us provide close
to 45,000 meals. What a wonderful
legacy to leave, feeding thousands
of those in need. Please contact your
accounting professional or financial
planner about including the Food
Bank of Lincoln in your plans. Or
contact Development Director John
Mabry at (402) 466-8170. Thank you.
DINE-OUT TO HELP-OUT
Dine-Out to Help-Out is Wednesday, September 10. Many local restaurants
listed will support the Food Bank of Lincoln with a 10% donation of their proceeds
from the day. Please support the restaurants and let them know you are there
supporting the Food Bank of Lincoln. A complete list will be posted at
www.lincolnfoodbank.org/ dine_out.php.
STUDENT HUNGER DRIVE
This will be the second year of the Student Hunger Drive in
and around Lincoln. Last year, local high school students
raised 39,498 pounds of food. The Student Hunger Drive
is a food drive competition run by the students. The drive
not only helps to fill our shelves, but to also instill a sense
of community and volunteerism in area youth. This year’s
drive will kick off on Thursday, October 2.
COMING
SOON
September 10
Dine-Out to Help-Out
October 2 – November 4
Student Hunger Drive
November 14
Combat Hunger
November 1- December 31
Check Out Hunger/
Holiday Food Drive