-
02/22/2012 by Mary Givens | Comments (1)
Mary Givens greets every guest that visits the St. Louis Area Foodbank / Photo by Bethany Prange
My name is Mary and I have the best job at the St. Louis Area Foodbank.
I work at the front desk, where I get to talk to and interact with our volunteers, staff, agency personnel and clients.
I am the voice on the other end of the line when someone wants to volunteer their time to help fight hunger in our community.
I am also the person who speaks to families in need when they call to locate a pantry in their neighborhood who can provide them with food.
I hear some of the most heart-wrenching stories from these families. But after they receive help and know someone cares, they are always very grateful.
I am humbled by the work we do and the number of wonderful people who pass by my desk every day.
One of my favorite parts of my job is greeting the volunteers who come into the Foodbank each day. When my other work overwhelms me, I can always count on our volunteers to make me smile!
We have volunteers from every age group - from young children to adults – who care enough about others to come in here and help pack boxes of food for those in need.
We have individuals and groups who volunteer every week, and we have those who only come once a year. But they all do their part to help fight hunger.
And from what I’ve seen, once they come in to volunteer with us once, they want to come back.
At the end of each shift, the volunteers are told how many people they have helped with their hard work. From my desk in the front, I can hear them clapping in the Volunteer Center and see their excitement as they leave.
One group of volunteers I enjoy seeing very much is a group of individuals with special needs. They come in every Wednesday. A couple of weeks ago, one of the men in the group came over to me. He shook my hand and gave me a huge smile.
One of the group leaders told me that this was a huge compliment because this gentleman does not respond well to strangers. It made me feel so good.
This past week, we also had a group of high school kids come in to volunteer.
I always have a basket of candy on my desk – everybody has a sweet tooth. On this day, one of the high school boys came in and grabbed the candy. He smiled, and looked surprised when I told him to go ahead and share with his friends.
At the end of the volunteer shift, I looked down the hall and there he was, bringing me back my basket with a huge smile.
My candy basket keeps the volunteers happy – it’s a small reward.
The candy also ensures that there is a steady stream of staff hovering around my desk throughout the day. I get to hear lots of stories from my
“Foodbank family” and see what kind of mischief they get into. I love it!
During the Cardinals playoff run last year, one of our volunteers came in and told me there was an injured squirrel lying on the Foodbank’s front lawn.
I called Will, our Volunteer Coordinator and in-house outdoorsman, and he went out to check on the squirrel. The next thing I knew, Will was carrying the squirrel like a baby in his arms. He gave the squirrel water and love and before long, the squirrel jumped out of his arms and ran away, good as new!
That squirrel was definitely our Rally Squirrel!
We laughed about that for a long time.
We have a good time here, and take pride in helping others. If you ever have three hours free, please consider coming in to volunteer.
You will be glad you did. I’d love to see you!
Mary Givens is an office assistant at the St. Louis Area Foodbank.
-
02/16/2012 by Bethany Prange | Comments (0)
The St. Louis Area Foodbank's Most Interesting Food Donations Wall of Fame / Photo by Bethany Prange
Remember the Swedish Chef from the Muppets?
Apparently that guy had his own cereal in the 1980s.
It was called Croonchy Stars. The bright orange box says funny stuff like “it’s cinnamonnamony” and “no artificial colors; no doorknobs.”
Awesome is the only word for it.
So how do we Foodbankers know so much about this 1980s cereal, you ask?
Well, we are the proud owners of our very own 1989 box of Croonchy Stars.
The Croonchy Stars sits on our Most Interesting Food Donations Wall of Fame. The Stars made the wall not just because of the Swedish Chef’s cool factor, but also because we got that 1989 box of cereal from a food drive in 2011 – a wee bit past when it would be safe to eat it.
Trish Jenner, one of our volunteer coordinators here at the St. Louis Area Foodbank, has been collecting a few of the most unique – and oldest – items donated in food drives.
Now, do not get us wrong. We are grateful for every single item donated to our families in need. Foodbank staff and volunteers work hard every day to make sure that the donated food we receive is sorted and repackaged.
Every piece of food that meets food safety guidelines – and most of our donations do - gets eaten by someone who needs it.
However, once in awhile, we stumble across a food drive item that has been in the back of someone’s pantry a wee bit too long. For example, the Croonchy Stars share space on the Wall of Fame with a can of Campbell’s Creamy Spinach Soup from 1988.
While that can of soup was also a recent donation, we still appreciate the effort and the generosity of the donor. We realize that may have been all they had to give.
So why, then, do we keep our Wall of Fame findings?
Well, first, because they are fascinating. The Green Giant Kidney Beans and Freshlike Corn cans from the mid-1990s look almost as new as if you’d bought them yesterday!
And second, because humor is good for the soul. Take the can marked simply, “chicken” from 1995. It’s an entire, one-pound, ready-to-eat, boneless chicken in a can.
So. Many. Questions.
Bethany Prange is the communications coordinator for the St. Louis Area Foodbank
-
02/15/2012 by Shannon O'Connor | Comments (0)
Produce Row in St. Louis \ Photo by Shannon O' Connor
As children, we learned about the importance of eating enough of each of the food groups – meat, grains, dairy, vegetables and fruit.
Now, in my role as the product sourcing coordinator for the St. Louis Area Foodbank, that basic lesson is even more valuable - particularly since it is my job to bring in food for families in need.
My department works daily to solicit food donations from several sources: federal (USDA) commodities; local retail stores such as Walmart or Target; national manufacturers such as Kraft Foods; and of course, individual food drives.
From these sources, we strive to bring in a balance of bread, meat, dairy products and fresh produce.
But while each food group is essential for well-rounded nutrition, veggies and fruits get the gold star! Fresh fruits and vegetables are one of the most overlooked categories of food, yet the most beneficial to the human body for energy and good health.
Fortunately, St. Louis is blessed to have an outstanding produce market right in our backyard - Produce Row.
Produce Row was established in St. Louis nearly 60 years ago, alongside our mighty Mississippi River.
This massive market includes 20 different business-to-business food service companies that receive produce from local farmers, as well as farms across the country. The fresh vegetables and fruit they receive are distributed to local restaurants, grocers and educational institutions.
The St. Louis Area Foodbank has had the honor over the last several years to partner with some of these businesses. The donations may include any produce items that fall into these categories:
Bulk
Discontinued
Low weight
Close-to-code
Off spec
Make-ready
In this fast-paced, 24-7 operation, it is crucial that the businesses maintain strict guidelines. They must keep their product fresh and sellable according to warehouse space, availability and product shelf life.
If there are items that do not meet these guidelines – such as imperfectly-shaped fruit - the Foodbank can distribute this food immediately to our families in need so it can be eaten instead of thrown in the trash.
Over the last two years, I have had the good fortune to meet and work with the team at Sunfarm Foodservice #84 Produce Row, one of the largest businesses in the market.
Sunfarm landed their spot on Produce Row in 1991 and have been serving the area with their remarkable products ever since. As one of our weekly local donors, they supply the Foodbank with any items that are obtainable for donation after their inventory check.
Last year, Sunfarm donated over 35,000 pounds to our organization. In just the first two months of this year, they have donated nearly 10,000 pounds of fresh produce to the Foodbank.
This week I visited Sunfarm at Produce Row as one of our Foodbank drivers, Dale Vandeven, made a produce pick up. This visit gave me the chance to gain further insight on what exactly made Sunfarm stand out from the rest.
As Dale loaded the truck with our pallet of bananas, lettuce and tomatoes, I made my usual rounds of “hellos” to the familiar and friendly faces in the warehouse.
Sunfarm President John Pollaci explained that their operation does far more than deliver basic produce to restaurants.
“Our client list runs anywhere from your neighborhood eatery or café to your finest restaurant and country club,” Pollaci says. “We have the greatest accounts with fine dining services, which encompass our high quality products. We also handle accounts with area schools and have recently established a fresh fruit and vegetable snack program with 15 St. Louis public schools.”
“We represent a business with expertise in specialty items,” says Anthony Parrino, warehouse associate. “We carry items from imported white asparagus to Daikon sprouts to edible orchids and anything in between. Some of the most rich and resourceful produce you will see comes from our facility.”
Sunfarm Foodservice provides their clients, the Foodbank and our community with a professional and supportive partnership that I hope will only continue to prosper. Special thanks to all of our donors in the Foodbank network who contribute to the operation and success of our organization and its goal to feed hungry people.
Shannon O’Connor is the product sourcing coordinator at the St. Louis Area Foodbank.
-
02/10/2012 by Trish Jenner and William Amos | Comments (1)
Jeremy Andert volunteering at the St. Louis Area Foodbank / Photo by Bethany Prange
When Jeremy Andert first began volunteering at the St. Louis Area Foodbank in August, he was shy and withdrawn. He rarely uttered a word.
Now, almost six months later, Jeremy practically runs the show! He charms the other volunteers with his beaming smile, and keeps them entertained with his stories.
He’s a pro at sorting food and packing boxes for families in need. At the end of the volunteer shift, Jeremy even reads the accomplishments for the day to the entire group.
He considers it his job to rally the troops and get the other volunteers excited about the families they’ve helped. After all, one of the Foodbank’s volunteer coordinators, Trish Jenner, even named him honorary Volunteer Leader.
She gave him a black hat that has his new title embroidered on the front.
“It has my name on the back!” Jeremy says proudly. “They gave it to me December 23. I’m lucky!”
Jeremy, 24, comes to the Foodbank through St. Louis ARC, and his work here helps him learn basic job and life skills.
Jeremy says he likes to volunteer because when he’s here he makes new friends. He volunteers at the Foodbank on Thursdays and Fridays, and at KidSmart on Tuesdays.
Trish Jenner is a volunteer coordinator at the St. Louis Area Foodbank
William Amos is a volunteer coordinator at the St. Louis Area Foodbank
-
02/08/2012 by Matt Dace | Comments (0)
Volunteers pack a CSFP box at the St. Louis Area Foodbank / Photo by Bethany Prange
It’s a question that often prompts debate.
“Should government have a role in helping families in need?”
The St. Louis Area Foodbank is blessed to receive support from a variety of sources.
The local community offers tremendous support through financial gifts and food donations. Whether it is an individual who hosts a food drive, a small business owner who writes us a $50 check, or a local retail store who donates a truckload of food, the Foodbank relies on the generosity of our community to help fight hunger.
The local donations are supplemented by the millions of pounds of food contributed annually by the national food industry. Major players like ConAgra, Kellogg’s and Kraft donate product to us on a fairly regular basis. Their generosity goes a long way in helping us fulfill our mission to feed hungry people.
Unfortunately, it is still simply not enough to meet the nutritional needs of the families we serve.
That’s where USDA programs like The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) come into play. USDA commodities play an integral role in hunger relief throughout the country.
In our service territory alone, federal product represents about 40% of the St. Louis Area Foodbank’s annual distribution - nearly 9.7 million pounds.
Moreover, it is often the most nutritious product we receive. Items such as peanut butter, beef stew and canned fruits and vegetables help provide a balanced nutritional mix to the families we serve. Through these federal programs, our families are given access to food items which aren’t always easily accessible through food drives, such as frozen meats and dairy.
Children represent the largest segment of the population in need. The Foodbank provides food to more than 101,000 children a year, according to the Feeding America 2010 Hunger Study.
http://feedingamerica.issuelab.org/research/listing/hunger_in_america_2010_local_report_prepared_for_the_st_louis_area_foodbank
Our ability to ensure kids in need receive adequate nutrition – particularly during their most vulnerable years – is largely due to our participation in the TEFAP program.
Adults over the age of 65 represent another significant portion of the population in need. Our involvement in CSFP makes it possible for the Foodbank to deliver a box of food to more than 8,500 low-income seniors each month.
Many of these individuals rely on costly medication to help sustain quality of life. We hear from many of these seniors in need that they face the daily decision of having to choose medicine or meals. CSFP is an important program that helps make that decision a little less stressful.
Food is our most basic need. The types of food and quantities we consume have an impact on our overall wellbeing – whether we’re 8 or 80.
While discussions on the government’s role in helping those in need will most likely continue for decades to follow, we’re sure you will agree that when it comes to feeding our most vulnerable citizens, there simply is no debate.
Matt Dace is senior vice president of the St. Louis Area Foodbank.