Compared to large metropolitan areas, our Food Bank is considered small do to the size of our county. This results in many staff members wearing multiple hats, not allowing us to have paid staff in some of the positions that would provide professional expertise in areas of great need.  For example, we don’t have a nutritionist on staff to lead our nutrition outreach. This person would champion our effort not only to provide healthy food, but also administer a county-wide program on nutrition education that is tailored to the foods we distribute to them.

It’s one thing to provide healthy food, and another to educate and inspire people who may not have a palate or be familiar to food items that are good for them. That’s why we are so pleased to be collaborating with the Department of County Health. Through this partnership we will provide nutrition education through cooking demonstrations and tastings at our county-wide distribution sites.  The food utilized in these demonstrations will be paired monthly with what the Food Bank has available for distribution.

Public Health educators will be doing onsite education using the produce that is being distributed that day! Take broccoli for example.  While people are waiting in line, they will have an opportunity:

• Share their personal experiences with broccoli
• Learn about the nutritional benefits of broccoli,
• Learn tips on buying and storing broccoli, and
• Discuss ideas on how broccoli can be increased in meal planning on a regular basis.

This is a great example of how in our relatively small county, collaboration, can accomplish even greater things than we could independently.  It’s not a bad model for larger counties and the whole country. What do you think?

Over 150 volunteers throughout the county gathered together to serve for the 2012 Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service. On Saturday, January 14^th & Monday, January 16^th volunteers distributed and collected bags of non-perishable food items. Together the volunteers collected 14,373 lbs. of food for those in need in SLO County.

This year the Food Bank marked a new partnership with AmeriCorps and Cal Poly’s Student Life and Leadership. The local AmeriCorps VIP’s assisted with volunteer recruitment and site management. Their passion for service shined during this event. Jim Rodger, Cambria Site Leader said, “we have a lot of old retired folks in Cambria who are tireless volunteers. But is very encouraging to see younger folks who are also directing their efforts to helping those amongst us who are less fortunate. I soaked up some of your enthusiasm…hope you still have some left.” 

While volunteers were busy distributing bags, Harlan Hobgood and his friends of Avila Beach 55-and over Senior Community chose to circulate 200 envelopes to their friends and neighbors. Harlan and his team decided to gather money knowing that the Food Bank can stretch each dollar farther that we can by rummaging through our pantry.  As Harlan stated, “we buy and bag the groceries, we will pay retail prices while the things we buy may or may not fit with the  food most needed at the Food Bank.  On the other hand, if you had the money instead then you could buy things wholesale (a lot more groceries for the buck) and make sure that they were the most needed items with highest demand”. The Avila Beach group collected $1,064, which will provide 10,640 lbs. of food or 7,448 nutritious meals.

After another successful year of service on MLK Day, the Food Bank looks forward to expanding the day of service and recruiting more volunteers next year. Thank you to all of our supporters, who made it a day on, not a day off!

Check out these articles highlighting the event:

http://www.ksby.com/player/?video_id=16058

http://www.kcoy.com/story/16522031/americore-slo-food-bank-volunteers-fulfill-mlks-dream#.TxMQwcXka6U.facebook

Fourth Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Food Drive 

AmeriCorps, Cal Poly Student Life and Leadership, and the Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County are teaming up to honor the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service in 2012.

Volunteers throughout the county will go door-to-door delivering 10,000 bags asking for food and monetary donations for the Food Bank on Saturday January 14^th and volunteers will return on Monday January 16th to pick up the bags filled with donated food items. This is your chance to be part of the solution to one of America’s most pressing national and local problems, hunger.

Each year Americans are asked to take time to remember the life and service of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and answer his question “what are you doing for others”? Dr. King believed that an individual could not really begin to live until they were able to rise above their own individual concerns and take interest and action in the broader issues affecting humanity. Much of Dr. King’s legacy goes beyond his campaign in the civil rights movement and touches on his service to others.

The Food Bank and our sponsors have responded to the question of their role in serving others by hosting the 4^th annual MLK Day of Service. Volunteers are needed to distribute bags starting at 8:30 AM on Saturday January 14^th throughout the county. Volunteers are also needed to pick up filled bags at 8:30 AM Monday January 16^th. All the contributions from the food and funds drive will benefit the SLO Food and the people they serve.

Organization and Individuals of all ages are invited and encouraged to participate by volunteering with the food drive. To sign up to volunteer go to www.slofoodbank.org and fill out a service form. You can also contribute monetary donations online in Dr. King’s honor. Help the Food Bank achieve the action needed to address today’s social challenges.

Recipe, a local food and beverage marketing company, is holding a Facebook promotion to raise money for the Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County.  They plan to donate one dollar for every Facebook Like they receive during the holiday season.

“We wanted to support the local food bank and all the work they do.  They are a natural fit for us.  We represent food and beverage companies while they make sure that no one goes hungry,” said Ellen Curtis, owner and managing partner of Recipe.

Each person who Likes Recipe will have a donation made in his or her honor.  Recipe’s goal is to donate $1,000 to the Food Bank, which would provide 7,000 meals to San Luis Obispo County residents.  This is the second year Recipe has held a Facebook promotion for the Food Bank.

“Recipe has built a great community of food and beverage enthusiasts on our Facebook page.  We think our Facebook community would want to do something good.  You can’t love food without being aware of hunger.  Donating is part of being a good corporate citizen and it’s the right thing to do.  All you need to do is click,” said Curtis.

The Food Bank says that one in seven people in the county are food insecure, meaning that they either go hungry on a regular basis, or don’t know where their next meal will come from.

“Because of the economic situation, the need is at record highs, and food costs are also higher than ever.  And because of the cutbacks in government programs, we rely on community support more than ever.  We marvel at the power of social media to help people put their caring to work by doing,” said Carl Hansen, executive director of the Food Bank.

The Food Bank says the money will be used to purchase fresh produce for their Healthy Food for Local Families program, which helps provide low-income families with food assistance, nutrition education and resources.

To have one dollar donated in your name, Like Recipe’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/recipefoodandbeveragemarketing.

You may have seen on the front page of The Tribune last week a story about the Hunger Free Communities Grant the Food Bank Coalition received from the USDA.  The grant was $99, 561.  That’s a lot of money for a survey.  I knew when I read the article that people would have the same reaction I had when we applied for it: “That would feed a lot of people.  I’d rather have the money for program than a survey.”  However, this grant is far more precious to our county than $100,000 spent on a one-time food giveaway could ever be.

Photo courtesy of STRIDE.

Edward Teller, who led the Manhattan Project that developed the hydrogen bomb, is often credited with the saying, “Knowledge is power.”  The wisdom behind this grant is that it will produce knowledge of the hunger realities in our county that we could not otherwise accumulate. Knowledge based on science, not opinions, or even solely the data that is collected by the Food Bank programs is what this grant offers. Scientific data taken from in-the-field studies is power, because it brings together the best information we have as non-profits. It also surveys the resources that we have to meet the needs of this county that are not already met. It explores how we might better serve those future needs, resulting in a Strategic Plan – a vision of the future and a pathway to get there.

The most powerful aspect of this grant, however, is that it will create a unique San Luis Obispo County version of a Food Policy Council (FPC).  Such councils exist in many variations in all parts of the country.  It is a gathering of people representing many groups, from non-profits, education, health, agriculture, business, and religious communities. They’re interested in improving access to healthy food for our food insecure neighbors, and recommending ways to our leadership to improve our county’s food system. Imagine leaders in our county working together, learning from one another, studying our uniqueness and creating a vision. This vision makes the most of its abundant resources in a responsible way to provide local healthy food, especially for those who currently may not have access.  We can accomplish here what seems to have been impossible lately at the state and national level – leaders that work together for the greater good of all.  We have decided to call our version of an FPC the Food System Coalition of San Luis Obispo County.

Someone has said it takes money to make money.  The same is true in grant writing.  Originally, we applied for money to feed hungry people from the produce of local farmers rather than importing.  Sounded like a good idea and in effect the USDA said, “We like the idea so much that we’ll give you a planning grant so that we will know these things: 1) You’ve thought it out fully as a community; 2) It is truly a county-wide endeavor with all the important stake-holders represented; and 3) That it has the sustainability to endure once the grant money been spent.  We can’t argue with that, and we feel honored that the USDA gave the Food Bank and San Luis Obispo County one of only nine other planning grants awarded nationwide.  What we hope will follow is an implementation grant – the next step in a two-stage process. That, of course, is much less likely now that so many seem to want to dismantle the good that the government can do for its people.  Fortunately, we have benefited – and will benefit for years to come from the investment the USDA has made in San Luis Obispo County.

Celebrate Food Day on Monday, October 24th!

We can do a lot as donors to help those in need, but sometimes we can do even more as voters! There are proposals leading up to the election year and the renewal of the Farm Bill, some want to cut USDA Commodities to Food Banks by as much as 40%, and to reduce support for Food Stamps (CalFresh in California), as well as other critical programs.  This will be devastating to our county if it happens, because alternative sources of food have diminished in recent years, and we have relied on the commodities program to fill the gap created by these losses.  We at the Food Bank Coalition are now able to use USDA food not only in our USDA distributions, but also in the Senior Brown Bag Program and the Healthy Food for Local Families Program.  Seniors and children will be the hardest hit, but everyone in the county, whether living in poverty or not, will be affected by this increased suffering.  Take a moment to ask for a healthy Farm Bill. To learn more about how you can help, please visit www.foodday.org.

Or click on the links below:

Food Day Farm Bill Petition

Organization Involvement

Have you ever noticed the abundance of fruit falling to the ground from the trees in your neighborhood?  Or the rows and rows of excess produce lining the fields of our county then being tilled under with ripe vegetables still on the ground?  Seeing this waste and knowing that 40,000 people in San Luis Obispo county do not have access to fresh, local fruits and vegetables prompted the creation of GleanSLO over a year ago.

Multiple groups passionate about gleaning joined together with a common mission of creating a community culture that utilizes healthy, locally grown food to sustain the needs for all people in San Luis Obispo County.  These groups include Central Coast Ag Network, Cal Poly’s STRIDE center, the Food Bank Coalition, One Cool Earth, SLO Grown Kids, SUSTAIN, Transition Towns.

GleanSLO is a new program under the umbrella of the Food Bank. This program unites farm workers, health advocates, food providers, backyard gardeners and community volunteers together to harvest and donate produce gleanings into San Luis Obispo County’s food system.  Last year, GleanSLO was able to harvest over 22,000 pounds of produce which otherwise would have been left in the trees and fields of our county.  GleanSLO volunteers have traveled throughout the county to harvest delicious, local produce for those in need, from apples and oranges to tomatoes and artichokes,.  Since the end of August 2011, GleanSLO has already picked and donated over 10,000 pounds of apples, tomatoes, and pears to be distributed through the Food Banks network of 200 agency partners.munity culture that utilizes healthy, locally grown food to sustain the needs for all people in San Luis Obispo County.  These groups include Central Coast Ag Network, Cal Poly’s STRIDE center, the Food Bank Coalition, One Cool Earth, SLO Grown Kids, SUSTAIN, Transition Towns.

This past summer, GleanSLO was awarded the United Way Innovation Award under the premise that “GleanSLO is not just a program; it’s a movement to purposefully reengage SLO County residents in farming, healthy eating, and providing nutritious food for those in need.”

We are always looking for volunteers and new places to harvest. If you are interested in GleanSLO please feel free to contact:

Caroline Ginsberg, GleanSLO Program Coordiantor                                                cginsberg@slofoodbank.org                                                                                                   (805) 835-3750

The Food Bank takes great pride in the fact that we have less than a 5 percent overhead. We could not do this without our extensive volunteer core of 400 to 500 hundred putting in thousands of hours each month.  This past summer we had the opportunity to host a different type of volunteer, an intern. We were leery at first and hesitated. Why would we not jump at the chance for the desperately needed help? It was our experience that others complained that interns weren’t useful and drained their time. The effort they put into them didn’t pay off and the bottom line that it wasn’t cost effective.  Rolling the dice we said yes and two fresh faced college freshmen arrived. Did we regret our decision? The answer is an outstanding NO! Tyler and Mayra made a huge impact on both our staff and the community.  Their time was mutually beneficial and we couldn’t have asked for two more incredible people.  Below they give their perspectives, and I think they went back to school with new life skills and a true sense of accomplishment. – Wendy Lewis, Associate Director

“Working at the Food Bank has been a wonderful experience. I was able to help out in many different areas. Not only have I helped out around the office and warehouse, I have also been fortunate enough to work one-on-one with the people in our community. I’ve been able to help with the Cal-Fresh Food Stamps program by pre-screening people who are in need of assistance and seeing if they qualify to receive food stamps. I’ve also had the opportunity to work with some of the children in our community by going to the Canyon Creek Learning center and handing lunches to the children in the area. Overall this experience has been amazing! I have truly enjoyed my time spent here.  It has been such a gratifying experience and it has shown me that anyone can make a difference.” - Mayra Velazquez, UC Santa Cruz

“Working at the Food Bank this summer has been a fun and rewarding experience. From bringing food to children through the Lovin’ Lunchbox program, to creating spreadsheets and reports; from answering phones to working in the warehouse, my time this summer has been well spent. I feel like I have contributed my insights and skills to a program that has taught me a lot as well. It has made me aware of how big of an issue hunger is, and how important the job is that everyone is doing here. Thank you to all of the Food Bank for making my experience a great one!” - Tyler Davis, Stanford University

Some years ago the Food Bank took on Food Stamp Outreach (now called CalFresh). This choice was controversial because many asked why a Food Bank should use its resources to help eligible individuals get food stamps.  Over the years we have helped hundreds of families take the steps to overcome the many obstacles they face during this process. Many are discouraged due to lack of transportation, long lines at Social Services, fingerprinting and excessive documentation. Our Food Bank is able assist applicants in overcoming some of these factors.  CalFresh provides their households with healthy food, and utilize more of their limited income for other urgent needs.

CalFresh is the most effective way to provide healthy food to hungry people, and it stimulates our local economy. For every CalFresh dollar spent this equals a 1.8 dollar boost into the local economy.  California has very severe policies with regard to Food Stamp enrollment.  CalFresh is not easy to maintain; with monthly income documentation and quarterly renewal.  You also have to be fingerprinted to make sure you’re not signed up in another county.  None of these are federal requirements for the USDA name for Cal Fresh, SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). These restrictive regulations cause us to be on the bottom of all the states in the union for SNAP participation.  California can do better, with food insecurity rising over 40% in the last four years, we need CalFresh.

We also advocate for positive changes, including expanded use of the new EBT Card (Electronic Benefits Transfer) to remove the stigma of paying with “stamps,” and for the elimination of finger imaging. It’s good for hungry families, it’sgood for our local economy, and it’s good for the Food Bank because otherwise we would have even more people in our food lines. Our current CalFresh coordinator, Debbie Bilek, has enrolled almost 300 applicants in less than 5 months. Imagine the impact this has made on these families as well as SLO County’s bottom line.

Carl Hansen, Executive Director

I cannot begin to tell you what a joy and a privilege it has been to work as the CalFresh Food Stamp Coordinator for the Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County.  To see the smiles on the faces of the people I get to serve each day after helping them obtain healthy food to place on their families tables is a reward I will never take for granted.  Many of these people have been hit hard by our country’s economic decline and have been struggling to make ends meet for their families.  They often wonder how they will ever find the money to pay their rent, buy clothes for their children, and also be able to put food on their table at the end of the day.

When I come in contact with these individuals waiting in line at our food distribution sites, I am able to offer them another alternative, the CalFresh Benefits Food Stamp Program.  I educate them on the program, pre-screen them, and when they find out that they qualify, often times they hug me and jump up and down in delight.  I am amazed at how many people do not know this program exists.

The majority of the people I serve are hard-working individuals struggling to make ends meet.  Others are disabled, elderly, have lost their jobs, or are just simply going through a tough time.  If we can take some of the burden off by helping to put healthy, nutritious food on their tables, it will often take the edge off of their stress load and give them that hope that they need to see more clearly and focus their efforts and energies on making a better life for themselves and their families.  I am thankful for the role I get to play in helping people get back on their feet.  It all starts with nutrition!

Debbie Bilek, CalFresh/ Food Stamp Coordinator