Child Nutrition bill passes...remind Congress to restore SNAP benefits

From the Greater Chicago Food Depository...
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After more than a year of your letters, calls and e-mails to Congress, I am thrilled to report that the House passed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act last week. The bill, which we expect will be signed into law by President Obama, will reauthorize child nutrition programs for five years and includes an additional $4.5 billion in funding for school meal programs over 10 years. In addition to improving the quality of school meals, the bill will help hundreds of thousands of children receive nutritious food after school, on evenings, during summer and during weekends. The Greater Chicago Food Depository operates nearly 100 children’s programs and serves more than 250,000 children every year in Cook County.
While we applaud the passage of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, we’re concerned that the bill is partly paid for by cutting future Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly the Food Stamp Program) benefits. Please join us in thanking the House for passing the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act while reminding Congress that the restoration of SNAP cuts is essential in ensuring families can continue to put food on the table.
Thank you for helping the hungry.

Kate Maehr
Executive Director and CEO
Greater Chicago Food Depository

Food Depository CEO, Kate Maeher, on WBEZ

From WBEZ, which carried a segment about hunger in Chicago on the show Eight Forty-Eight.
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According to the latest statistics from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, about 50 million Americans, including about 17 million children, lack consistent access to food. There are efforts to improve this situation. Back in August, the U.S. Senate passed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. The bill still requires congressional approval.

To discuss hunger in America and how it plays out in Chicago, Eight Forty-Eight spoke to the CEO of the Greater Chicago Food Depository, Kate Maehr.

http://www.wbez.org/episode-segments/americas-hunger-problem-moves-beyond-starvation

Food Depository Volunteers needed for fund drives & raffle sales

The Food Depository requests volunteers for the annual Exchanges Holiday Fund Drive and the Futures Industry Association Expo.

Exchanges Holiday Fund Drive
The 25th annual event includes collecting funds at the Chicago Stock Exchange, the CME Group (including the Chicago Board of Trade) and the Chicago Board Options Exchange. Last year, this two-day drive raised more than $32,000 for the Food Depository.

Where: Various locations in the downtown financial district
When: Wednesday, Nov. 3 and Thursday, Nov. 4
Wednesday, Nov. 3
6:30 to 10:30 a.m. (eight volunteers, two per site)
10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (eight volunteers, two per site)
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (four volunteers)
Thursday, Nov. 4
6:30 to 10:30 a.m. (eight volunteers, two per site)
10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (eight volunteers, two per site)
Responsibilities: Collecting funds at all locations; selling raffle tickets at some locations


Futures Industry Association Expo
This 26th annual event draws more than 4,500 people from more than 30 countries. For the third straight year, the Food Depository will be the beneficiary of the FIA Futures Cares Charity Dinner, which concludes the Expo.

Where: Hilton Chicago, 720 S. Michigan Ave.
When: Wednesday, Nov. 3 and Thursday, Nov. 4
Wednesday, Nov. 3
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (six volunteers)
2 to 6 p.m. (six volunteers)
Thursday, Nov. 4
10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (six volunteers)
1 to 4 p.m. (six volunteers)
Responsibilities: Selling raffle tickets and staffing a fundraising basketball challenge


RSVP to Scott Houghton at shoughton@gcfd.org In your RSVP please include:
Your name(s)
Which event(s) you are volunteering for
The day and shift time
Your t-shirt size (if you don’t have a volunteer t-shirt).

Congress must pass a Child Nutrition bill before it expires in September!

Who is upset that the Child Nutrition Reauthorization (Known as the Health, Hunger-Free Kids Act) is paid for by cuts to SNAP (commonly known as food stamp) benefits? I am. Are you? Then, take action!

This action comes from the Greater Chicago Food Depository, but anyone in any state can send a letter like this to their elected officials using the sample letter as a guide.
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Congress must pass a Child Nutrition bill before it expires in September!

With nearly one in four children at-risk of hunger, it is more critical than ever that Congress works quickly to pass a fully funded Child Nutrition Reauthorization before the current law expires in September. This reauthorization provides an opportunity to improve and strengthen these programs so they better meet the needs of our nation’s children and provide food to children when they need it the most – in the summer, after school and on weekends when children do not have access to school meals.

In early August, the Senate passed its version of the Child Nutrition Reauthorization, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. While the Food Depository is pleased the Senate is moving forward, the Senate-passed bill does not make as robust of an investment in child nutrition programs as the originally introduced House bill makes. The Senate bill is also paid for by cuts to SNAP (formerly known as Food Stamp) benefits, nearly half of which provide food to children. This is not an acceptable child nutrition bill for the House to approve. Anti-hunger advocates across the nation, including the Greater Chicago Food Depository, are urging the House to pass its version of the Child Nutrition Reauthorization that includes substantial funding for child nutrition programs and does not include cuts to SNAP.

Please take action TODAY by urging your House members to pass its version of the Child Nutrition Reauthorization (HR 5504) before the current law expires in September!
Click here to go to the Advocacy Center

Double your impact with the Greater Chicago Food Depository

From the Greater Chicago Food Depository...

Right now you can have twice the impact on hunger in Cook County. A generous family has agreed to double every gift we receive—up to $50,000—until Sept. 30. That means every $1 you give will be worth $2 to the Greater Chicago Food Depository.
It couldn’t happen at a better time. September is Hunger Action Month—the month to take a stand against hunger in our community. And in Cook County, 1 in 8 people are turning to the Food Depository in the face of hunger. We must not let them down.

Make your gift online right now, and your generosity will go twice as far. We turn every $1 you give into four meals, but until Sept. 30, it’s eight meals!

Your matched gift will be used for programs that take food directly to hungry people in our community:

The Producemobile is a “farmer’s market on wheels.” Each week, we take fresh fruit and vegetables directly to people across Chicago. Many live in neighborhoods that have no grocery stores or produce available at all.The Mobile Pantry distributes bags of groceries each month in communities that have high concentrations of poverty. Serving working people, the program delivers food on nights and weekends, when food assistance isn’t usually available. Many families find that no matter how hard they work, it still isn’t enough. Just imagine how many families YOU can feed today.

Please act now and help reduce hunger in our community.
Sincerely,

Kate Maehr
Chief Executive Officer
Greater Chicago Food Depository
P.S. This month, your gift has twice the hunger-fighting power. Please give what you can by Sept. 30. Because of you, someone will eat today.

Urgent need for Chicago Food Depository Volunteers

40,000 boxes in 40 days

The City of Chicago has an immediate need for 40,000 family food boxes now through mid-September. Sign up now to join us on the Flex Line with your family or community group. This task requires adults (at least 18) who are able to stand for three hours.

Each session listed needs to reach capacity, so please also encourage your friends and family to participate as individuals or put together a group.

Please go to
http://www.chicagosfoodbank.org/site/PageServer?pagename=diff_volunteer_ASAP&autologin=true&AddInterest=1021
and click any of the sessions listed below to sign up. Additional volunteer regulations are listed with the sessions, but if you have questions, please contact Volunteer Services at 773-247-3663.


Thursday, Aug. 12: 1 to 4 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 13: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 19: 1 to 4 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 21: 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 26: 1 to 4 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 27: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 27: 1 to 4 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 2: 1 to 4 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 3: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 7: 1 to 4 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 9: 1 to 4 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 10: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 10: 1 to 4 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 14: 1 to 4 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 16: 1 to 4 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 17: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 18: 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Senator Burris on Child Nutrition

Hey, Illinois! Want to know how Senator Burris feels about nutrition for women, children and Infants? This is what he wrote back to me when I asked him to strengthen programs like WIC, Summer Food Service Program, and others in light of the Child Nutrition Act (S. 934) which was extended for 12 months without changes to move us forward in the fight to end childhood hunger.

Want to encourage him to live up to his statement that proper nutrition for our nation’s children is an important priority ? Visit the Greater Chicago Food Depository's site at this link.
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Thank you for writing me to share your concerns regarding the reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act (S. 934). I appreciate the benefit of your views.

I agree that proper nutrition for our nation’s children is an important priority. The reauthorization of Federal child nutrition programs should remove barriers and improve access to reduce childhood hunger and enhance the nutritional quality and health of the school environment.

The Child Nutrition and Women, Infants and Children Reauthorization Act of 2004, which has been extended temporarily while Congress crafts a new child nutrition package, includes funding for all federal child nutrition programs. Among these programs are the School Breakfast and the National School Lunch Programs, the Summer Food Service Program, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.

I support a full reauthorization of the Act that includes new science-based nutrition standards and also reviews food served in vending machines, school stores, and snack shops. I believe this is a good first step to help all American children stay healthy.

I will continue to listen closely to what you and other Illinoisans have to say about matters before Congress, the concerns of our communities, and the issues facing Illinois and the nation. My job is not about merely supporting or opposing legislation; it is also about bridging the divide that has paralyzed our nation's politics.

Sincerely,

Roland W. Burris
United States Senator

Chicago Food Depository reaches new record of demand

Some new data from the Greater Chicago Food Depository, courtesy of the Chicago Trib religion blog at http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/religion_theseeker/2009/11/faith-hunger.html
(The entry also mentions Bread for the World as a way to help feed the hungry)


"Evidence of the problem locally can be found in recent data released by the Greater Chicago Food Depository. The food bank established a new record for demand in September, with 427,660 visits to our member pantries in Cook County. The first three months of the fiscal year are 26 percent ahead of last year’s pace in pantry visits, and 70 percent ahead of the pace of two years ago.

Furthermore, poverty rates for Illinois (12.2 percent), Cook County (14.8 percent) and Chicago (20.6 percent) continue to rise. In Cook County, the unemployment rate of 10.6 percent was four percentage points higher than the same time last year and higher than the national average of 9.8 percent.

The depository has distributed 1.7 million more pounds year to date than last year during a similar period. Distribution of produce also exceeds last year at this time."

Chicago Food Depository: 30 yrs serving the community

One of my favorite Chicago organizations, the Greater Chicago Food Depository, is celebrating 30 years of service. I am proud to have made my small mark on the long history of this phenomenal organization through volunteering at repacks, event steering committees, and financial donations. I encourage in the Chicago area to do the same! My favorite thing about GCFD (of which there are many) is the basic premise it was founded on...taking excess quality food and distributing it to hungry people. Reduce waste...feed the hungry. What could be more logical? Here is an excerpt from their history currently posted on their website at www.chicagosfoodbank.org :
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The Greater Chicago Food Depository is commemorating its 30th anniversary in 2009. Six individuals—Ann Connors, Father Philip Marquard, Tom O'Connell, Gertrude Snodgrass, Ed Sunshine and Bob Strube—are credited with the founding of the organization, which was modeled after a food bank established in Phoenix in 1967. The organization was named “the Greater Chicago Food Depository,” rather than “Greater Chicago Food Bank” because of an Illinois statute that then prohibited the use of the word “bank” in the name of non-banking entities.

Bob Strube donated warehouse space for the fledgling organization at the historic South Water Market on the Near West Side. Mr. Strube, then president of Strube Celery & Vegetable Company, had been active in hunger-relief causes for many years. For years, he searched for a way to take unused produce and distribute it efficiently to hungry people.

“The poor would go and follow the garbage wagon [at the market] and pick food out,” Mr. Strube said.

The forerunner to the Food Depository was a food cooperative called Feed the Hungry, Inc. that distributed excess produce to low-income individuals for a nominal fee. The co-op, founded in 1970, included more than 20 pickup locations at churches and community centers. Mr. Strube had sketched out ideas for a distribution system as early as 1968.

“Food is real energy,” Mr. Strube said in 1979. “You need the right kinds of food in the right quantities just to have the energy to get up and go to work.”

The parallels between 2009, 1979 and even 1929 are striking.

“You might have your house all paid for, but you still have your taxes,” Mr. Strube said in 1979. “And you’ve got your heat and your electricity and your water bill. You have all these bills to pay and they’re all higher and they have to be paid. The only thing you can cut back on is food.”

The Food Depository has grown through the years—from 471,000 pounds of food and 85 member agencies in its first year to 46 million pounds of food and 600 member agencies last year—but all with the sobering backdrop of deep, continued need in the community. The Food Depository has seen a 33 percent increase in the number of people turning to pantries in the past year.

Chicago Food Depository urges us to Advocate

From the Greater Chicago Food Depository...
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In recent weeks, new Members of Congress have been sworn in, newly elected state legislators have taken their oaths, and we inaugurated the 44th President of the United States. The coming year will bring both new challenges and new opportunities as the Greater Chicago Food Depository works to meet its mission of providing food for hungry people while striving to end hunger in our community.

Please join us in kicking off the new legislative year by sending a letter to welcome our new and returning leaders and urge their support of vital hunger relief efforts.

With the economy facing significant challenges and the cost of food and other basic necessities on the rise, more and more families are struggling to put food on the table. The number of men, women, and children turning to food pantries has increased dramatically in the past year.

As the new legislative year begins, our elected officials must consider the impact that a weak economy and high food and fuel prices are having on every day families by improving and expanding food assistance and nutrition programs. Please take a moment to send your elected officials a note urging their support in the coming year and telling them why fighting hunger is important to you.

Recipients

President Barack Obama
Senator Roland Burris
Senator Richard 'Dick' J. Durbin
Representative Jan D. Schakowsky
Governor Rod R. Blagojevich
Senator Ira I. Silverstein
Representative John C. D'Amico


Sincerely,
Greater Chicago Food Depository

Holidays are a time to act locally

A reminder from the Greater Chicago Food Depository about the upcoming holiday season:

During the holiday season, the Food Depository is the beneficiary of more than 500 food drives, and we couldn't thank you enough for your support. But with demand at pantries steadily increasing—already up 30 percent compared to this time last year—and an economy in turmoil, never has your commitment to providing food for hungry people been more crucial than now.

Get involved by being a part of
One City, One Food Drive.

Stay on the lookout for these community food drives this holiday season:
» Dominick's & ABC 7's Holiday Food Drive (now through Jan. 3)
» Chicago Bulls food drive (plus reduced ticket prices)
» Boy Scouts food drive
» Turkey Trot

Check the event calendar often to see where the next community food drive is taking place.

How to Help the GCFD Meet Increasing Need

Last night, I attended the Greater Chicago Food Depository's Bag Hunger auction. It was, as it is every year, a very fun event. Seeing old friends, hearing about GCFD programs, and picking up a $140 bottle of wine for a mere $25 in the mystery Wine Grab were some of the highlights for me! But I wanted to share a few items from the remarks that Executive Director Kate Maehr addressed to the crowd. She gave a few statistics that were really quite staggering.

Kate expressed the deep feeling of gratitude she and her staff feel for the donors and at this time, especially when last month the need increased by 38%. The month before that was up 20%. And the month before that was up 30%. She assured us that the money we contributed that night would help GCFD continue to give a strong response to this situation and urged us to spread the word about how people can be involved to make sure no one in Chicago goes hungry.

With that in mind, I want to remind Chicagoans of some things to engage you in the fight against hunger in our community. You can find help doing all of these activities at www.chicagosfoodbank.org

You can:
- Donate now on-line
- make a contribution at the check out when you see GCFD $1 or $5 vouchers at the grocery store cash register
- participate in or organize a food drive
- organize a virtual, on-line food drive
- Volunteer for a special event at GCFD like the June Hunger Walk
- volunteer for a re-pack session to break down bulk donations into usable amounts for hungry families
- Advocate and let elected officials know you support hunger relief programs (click on "Advocate" button)
- Contact the GCFD policy director and volunteer to go to their Lobby Day on Feb 25 to advocate in Springfield in person

Thank you!
ccyl

Bag Hunger Auction Oct 22

Act now to help the Greater Chicago Food Depository!

The 15th Annual Bag Hunger Auction is the premier culinary event of the season, and it's just two days away—Oct. 22.

Don't miss the chance to get your tickets so you can enjoy delicious cuisine prepared by Chicago's top chefs, while bidding on an array of auction items like these:

» Cubs Dream Day: Four field box tickets to a 2009 regular season game and pre-game photos on the field
» Hey, barkeep!: A guest spot as the bartender on WTTW's "Check, Please!"
» Kitchen makeover: Includes Electrolux appliances

Your ticket and auction purchases will help provide food for hungry people throughout Cook County.

Get your tickets here

Bag Hunger event for Greater Chicago Food Depository 10.22.08

Created 15 years ago to bring together Chicago's culinary industry to help fight hunger in our community, the annual Bag Hunger Auction celebrates the city's hospitality and culinary diversity while raising money to feed the more than 500,000 men, women and children in Cook County who turn to the Food Depository for food each year. Chicago’s top chefs prepare savory creations, and live and silent auctions feature an array of travel packages, gift certificates and other enticing prizes.

The 15th Annual Bag Hunger Auction takes place Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2008.

When: 6 to 10 p.m.,
Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2008

Where: Sheraton Chicago
Hotel and Towers,
301 East North Water St.
Chicago, IL 60611

Click Here to buy tickets

Chicago Hunger Quiz

Do you know how many more people visited a Greater Chicago Food Depository member pantry this year versus last year? Learn more about Hunger in the Chicago area by taking this quiz from the Greater Chicago Food Depository!

Take the quiz

Advocacy: Support a White House Conference on Food & Nutrition

An advocacy opportunity from the Greater Chicago Food Depository....
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Call Your U.S. Representatives Today!

Support a White House Conference on Food and Nutrition

Legislation supporting a White House Conference on Food and Nutrition has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives! Call your Congressperson and urge him/her to co-sponsor legislation calling for a White House Conference on Food and Nutrition (HR6127). If your Representative is on the Agriculture or Education and Labor Committee, it is even more important that they hear from you. The following Illinois U.S. Representatives are on the the Agriculture or Education and Labor Committees: Rep. Judy Biggert, Rep. Danny Davis, Rep. Phil Hare, and Rep. Timothy Johnson.

What You Can Say

"My name is ________and I am calling from ________ to urge Representative _______ to support legislation calling for a White House Conference on Food and Nutrition and to sign on as a co-sponsor of HR 6127.”

Background

Nearly 40 years have passed since the United States convened a White House conference to comprehensively address the issues of food, hunger, health and nutrition in America. While we have made great strides, more than 35,000,000 of our neighbors face a constant struggle against hunger, 12,600,000 of whom are children and 5,000,000 of whom are seniors, the disabled and the critically ill. We now have a tremendous opportunity to discuss the power of nutrition at the highest levels in the country and to bring about real change in how we care for those who are too young, too old, too sick or too hurt by life to care for themselves.

To reach your Representative’s office toll-free, call the Capitol switchboard at 1-800-828-0498.

Chicago area food pantries on CBS2

Yesterday, CBS2 ran a story about the rising need at Chicago area pantries. Kate Maehr, exec director of the Greater Chicago Food Depository, gave a statement. AAANNNDDD...the Niles Township Food Pantry was highlighted. Our own Cynthia Carranza, the director, gave them a tour and showed them the bare shelves at our local food pantry. The written portion below was strangely edited on the quotes, but it gives you an idea of what is on the video.

Great job, Cynthia and Kate!

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CHICAGO (CBS) ― Making ends meet is becoming a struggle for more and more people everyday. Unemployment is up and it seems new layoffs are announced almost every day.

CBS 2's Dana Kozlov reports that it has more people than ever before turning to food pantries for help, but at the same time, the pantries themselves are having a hard time keeping the shelves stocked.

At a Southwest Side church, hundreds of people lined up for food on Wednesday.

Chicagoan Alfredo Velazco said, "I come here every Wednesday and I'm very grateful."

Carla Munoz said, "It is really good...don't have jobs...it's good."

Elizabeth Arreola, the food pantry's longtime director, said demand is so great that she can barely keep up.

"There are so many...won't have enough...and their children," Arreola said. Almost 4,500 people came to the food pantry for bags of food in July, up from 3,200 people in June. She and others said it's a direct result of the sinking economy.

Kate Maehr, Executive Director of the Chicago Food Depository, said, "For so many people...gas in their tank...or at a pantry."

But food demand hasn't increased only in Chicago; at the Niles Township Food Pantry, demand has risen 25 percent in the last couple of months.

"This is totally bare...full. To the max."

Cynthia Carranza's pantry serves all or part of six northern suburbs. For the first time in years, she'll have to restock before the month is out.

"I have people coming to me with masters degrees...they can't make ends meet," Carranza said.

It's a harsh reminder that no one is immune from these tough times. While demand is up, donations to many pantries are down, making it harder for them to help those in need.

Dominick's In-store Food Drive (through Aug. 31)

Here's a Chicago area food drive for y'all! All during the month of August, Dominick's and Pepsico are joining forces to promote an in-store food drive to benefit both the Food Depository and the Northern Illinois Food Bank.

Donations of non-perishable food can be made at all Dominick's stores; donations received this month will be delivered during Hunger Action Month (September) to provide food to our neighbors in need.

Greater Chicago Food Depository on CBS

GCFD was recently featured in a short segment on the CBS evening news. It was about how the gas prices are hitting the agencies that help the hungry. GCFD has a serious need for the trucks that deliver the food throughout the area. They predict spending $40,000 more this year for gas that otherwise could be used to buy 30 tons of food. Six thousand more people are showing up every week at the Chicago area food pantries that GCFD serve.

http://www.chicagosfoodbank.org/site/PageServer?pagename=CBS_news

Good bit, Kate Maehr.

Obama supporters volunteer at GCFD

Last night, a group of Obama supporters came together to put their values into action by volunteering at the Greater Chicago Food Depository. We shared fundraising ideas, talked about our candidate, talked about poverty, talked about life and ...oh, yeah! ...we bagged about 1,500 lbs of corn flake crumbs into usable size portions to be given to people in need!

This was my favorite volunteer activity I have ever done at the Depository. Think about your box of cornflakes... hundreds of crunchy flakes perfectly formed and waiting for your consumption. But what about the crumb at the bottom? What about those crumbs back at the factory? All of those crumbs are still full of needed calories and nutrients, clean enough to serve and eat, but just not pretty enough to sell. Thousands of pounds of crumbs that could be wasted. But because of places like GCFD, they are not wasted. They are donated by the manufacturer, repackaged, and given to those who might use it as delicious breading or eat it as cereal. Less waste, more food for the hungry. A perfect solution.