“Raising a Ton (2,000 pounds) of Money for the Food Bank”
The Kiwanis Club of Waynesboro is kicking off their “Raising A Ton of Money for the Food Bank” fund-raising campaign benefiting the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank on Tuesday, Feb. 21.
The campaign will conclude at the club’s annual Kiwanis Charities for Kids Pancake Breakfast on St. Patrick’s Day, Saturday, March17 at the First Baptist Church in Waynesboro. Kiwanis Club members will focus on involving and encouraging the community to help Kiwanis in their goal to raise a “ton of money” in support of the Food Bank. Continue reading ““Raising a Ton (2,000 pounds) of Money for the Food Bank”” »
Food Bank bracing for shortages
The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank is expecting to lose more than 2 million pounds of food in the coming months – about 10 percent of its supply.
Within the last 60 days the Food Bank received word from food manufacturers that it would be receiving significantly less donated food due to advancements in technology that help manufacturers become more efficient. With less excess inventory, fewer products will be available for donation.
Compounding the problem is the threat of substantial drops in food donations from the federal government through the United States Department of Agriculture. The Food Bank is at risk of losing another 300,000 pounds of food as legislators seek ways to trim the budget. Continue reading “Food Bank bracing for shortages” »
One in five children in Augusta, Rockingham at risk of hunger issues
The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank and Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger-relief organization, today released a new study which reveals that more than 20 percent of children under the age of 18 in Augusta County are struggling with hunger. In Rockingham County, more than 19 percent of children are food insecure.
The study, “Map the Meal Gap: Child Food Insecurity 2011″, also reveals that there are children struggling with hunger in every county in America. Nationally, while one in six Americans overall is food insecure, the rate for children is much higher: nearly one in four children is food insecure.
“Between Augusta and Rockingham counties, more than 6,600 children are at risk of hunger. Imagine, 6,600 hungry children …,” said Larry Zippin, CEO of the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. “And the number of food insecure children in the surrounding localities is alarming as well. These are children we know and see every day. They are our neighbors – even your child’s best friend.”
The study is an important tool because it provides critical information for developing strategies to alleviate child hunger.
One way in which the food bank has been tackling child food insecurity is through several afterschool feeding programs, in particular, the BackPack Program, an initiative that provides children at risk of hunger with backpacks full of nourishing food to carry home on weekends and school vacations. Children at Wenonah, William Perry and Craigsville elementary schools have been benefitting from the program for several years. And the numbers are rising. The Food Bank has experienced a 17 percent increase in participation across all of its afterschool feeding programs in the Valley between the 2010 and 2011 school years.
Of the 6,600 children at risk of hunger in Augusta and Rockingham counties, more than 4 in 10 qualify for nutrition programs, such as SNAP (formerly known as Food Stamps) and other Federal Nutrition programs, but are not receiving the assistance because they are above 185 percent of poverty, making them ineligible.
By providing additional details about the face of child food insecurity at the county level, “Map the Meal Gap: Child Food Insecurity 2011″ will enable food banks, the community based agencies they serve and policy makers to redefine approaches in addressing needs of hungry children and their families and develop more effective policy solutions.
This research is supported by ConAgra Foods Foundation. The ConAgra Foods Foundation funded this research with the goal of advancing the collective understanding of child hunger in America, so that resources at the local and national level could be better leveraged to help children and families in need.
The research is based on “Map the Meal Gap 2011: Food Insecurity Estimates at the County Level”, supported by the Howard G. Buffett Foundation and Nielsen.
Letter carriers team up with Food Bank to help Stamp Out Hunger
On Saturday, May 14, Campbell Soup Company will again join forces with Valley area letter carriers to Stamp Out Hunger across America, providing assistance to the millions of Americans who are struggling to put food on their tables every day.
Now in its 19th year, the Stamp Out Hunger food drive, which is always held on the second Saturday in May, has become the nation’s largest single-day food drive. Since its inception, the drive has brought in more than one billion pounds of food.
To participate in the Stamp Out Hunger drive, Valley area residents are encouraged to leave a sturdy bag containing non-perishable foods, such as canned soups, canned vegetables, pasta, rice or cereal, next to their mailbox prior to the time of regular mail delivery on Saturday, May 14, 2011. Local letter carriers will collect these food donations as they deliver the mail and take them to the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank.
This annual drive is the largest of the year for the Food Bank, and it is especially important because it helps stock the Food Bank’s shelves before the summer, when there is often a decline in donations. More people than ever are relying on the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank for assistance. On average, the Food Bank is serving more than 35,600 people each month in Staunton, Waynesboro, Harrisonburg, Lexington and the surrounding counties. Unemployment and underemployment have driven thousands in our area into the ranks of the hungry.
Food Bank receives donation of hams from Giant
Blue Ridge Area Food Bank CEO Larry Zippin (left) receives a donation of hams from Michael Greller, district manager at Giant Foods and a Food Bank board member.
Giant Foods delivered a truckload of 150 hams to the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank on Wednesday for area families in need. The hams arrived just in time for the Easter holiday.
Giant traditionally has supported the Food Bank throughout the year and during major holiday seasons with food drives, fundraisers and large food donations, providing hundreds of thousands of meals to families served through the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank in Central and Western Virginia.
Car club collects food for Food Bank
The Shenandoah Valley British Car Club will collect donations of nonperishable food and monies for the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank at its 29th annual British Car Show.
The car show is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 2, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Ridgeview Park in Waynesboro.
The event coincides with Apple Days weekend in Downtown Waynesboro and attracts approximately 150 British cars to Ridgeview Park.
The club collected more than $2,250 in money donations and hundreds of pounds of food at its show last year.
For more information on the effort, go online at www.svbcc.net.
Edited by Chris Graham. Chris can be reached at freepress2@ntelos.net.
Hunger Action Month
The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank is part of a national movement to raise awareness and take action to fight hunger in America. September is Hunger Action Month, and today marks the launch of hunger-fighting activities and hunger awareness initiatives in the community.
Throughout the month, Feeding America’s nationwide network of more than 200 food banks, including the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, is working to engage citizens to take action through the 30 Ways in 30 Days campaign. Individuals are asked to pledge their way to make a difference, and take part in the fight against hunger in America. In addition, throughout the month, there will be doable, daily “ways” to take action posted on the Hunger Action Month website thirty days, thirty featured ways along with many additional suggestions for getting involved.
Nationwide, more than 49 million Americans suffer from food insecurity. But hunger’s impact is felt by many more than the millions living with food insecurity: hunger impacts child development, health and wellness, education, workforce development – our general welfare as a nation. It is also an issue right here in our community, and at the local level, the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank works to combat hunger and aid the 59,000 people seeking food assistance right here in the Central Shenandoah Valley.
Throughout September, there will be opportunities to get involved. These opportunities will range from social media initiatives to events, family activity suggestions, and ways to volunteer or support the work the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank does every day.
National sponsors of Hunger Action Month include Kraft Foods, Macy’s, The Cheesecake Factory and United Airlines.
Individuals who want to learn more, find a 30 Ways in 30 Days calendar, or take a My Way Pledge can visit the www.brafb.org.
Edited by Chris Graham. Chris can be reached at freepress2@ntelos.net.
Food Bank participates in summer food program
Edited by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank will participate in the USDA’s Summer Food Service Program, sponsoring 25 feeding sites June through August for children at risk of going hungry in Augusta and Rockingham counties and the cities of Staunton, Waynesboro and Harrisonburg.
The Summer Food Service Program is designed to reach children who may not get nutritious meals at home over the summer, particularly students who receive free or reduced-price meals during the school year. Continue reading “Food Bank participates in summer food program” »
Food Bank: More demand on child-hunger programs
Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
While area school districts have experienced a spike in enrollment in the free- and reduced-price lunch program, the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank has seen an equally sharp rise in its own child-hunger programs. Continue reading “Food Bank: More demand on child-hunger programs” »
Focus | A hand up to local agencies
Augusta Health Foundation monies help agencies help those most in need
Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
Running a food pantry isn’t easy even when times are supposedly good. Try getting enough food in to help those who are in need when things aren’t so good.
“These organizations didn’t see a commensurate increase in donations to help them pay their bills,” said Michael McKee, the vice president of planning and development at the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, which with the aid of the Augusta Health Foundation set up a program to help food pantries and soup kitchens in the Greater Augusta area purchase needed foodstuffs. Continue reading “Focus | A hand up to local agencies” »
Boy Scouts using Halloween to collect for Food Bank
There’s a different sort of trick or treating going on this Halloween! The Boy Scouts in the Valley and Charlottesville will be “Scouting for Food” this Saturday. Scouts will drop by homes, collect food left by residents at their doorsteps and bring the donations to the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank.
“Scouting for Food” begins early morning and ends late afternoon. Scouts will be dropping off food at our truck at Martin’s in Harrisonburg, in addition to our main Food Bank locations in Verona and Charlottesville. Continue reading “Boy Scouts using Halloween to collect for Food Bank” »
Help St. John’s help the hungry
St. John’s Episcopal Church in Waynesboro is using its annual Parish Fair scheduled for Saturday, June 13, to help the hungry.
Preceding the 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fair is an 8-11 a.m. event called Stop Hunger Now! where volunteers will pack 15,000 meals for hungry people around the globe. The church is asking for interested volunteers to come out and assist the effort. It is estimated that it will take 50 volunteers to make Stop Hunger Now! a success. Continue reading “Help St. John’s help the hungry” »
