Saturday, October 27th is National Make a Difference Day, the largest national day of helping others.

To celebrate this event and encourage Tucson residents to take time to give back to their community the 49er Neighborhood is hosting a Halloween Charity Event at the 49er Country Club. This event consists of food drive from 8am-8pm, a Halloween golf tournament and a Halloween Costume Party. The purpose of this event is to raise awareness about Make a Difference Day (http://www.usaweekend.com/diffday/index.html) and ALL proceeds will go to the Community Food Bank. For more information how you can participate or volunteer visit www.makeadifference49.com.
If you are unable to come out to Forty Niner Country Club to drop off your donation or participate in the other events you can still make a difference by donating right now to our “virtual food drive“. Any and all donations are appreciated. Remember, individually we can help but together we can make a difference.

Donate to the 49er Country Club Virtual Food Drive!

Remember, the Community Food Bank can distribute $10 worth of food for every $1 you donate through a virtual food drive!

Thank you for your support.

 Tour Programs (each site open for tours from 8:00 am to Noon): 

Desert Survivors Nursery
-View native seeds garden
-Learn about sustainable gardening techniques and find out what seeds to plant each season
-Info booth on bufflegrass invasive species and seed saving information
 
BorderLinks
-View native seeds garden
-Presentation on sustainable food programs
-Food demonstration & tasting featuring “Amaranth”
 
Community Food Bank
-View native seeds garden
-Presentation on building community food security
-Presentation on water harvesting & conservation, and natural landscaping
-Children’s workshop on “bees”
 
Delectables Restaurant
Enjoy an optional native foods lunch designed specially for garden tour participants following tour. See ticket prices below.
 
Native Seeds/SEARCH Gift Shop
All garden tour participants will receive a special discount on all your gardening needs from 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm following the tour: 15% members and 10% non members.
 
Ticket/Map Pricing
Tickets and maps go on sale beginning August 15, 2007 and can be purchased at the Native Seeds/SEARCH gift shop located at 526 North Fourth Avenue.
Prices: Tour Only: $6.00 for members and $8.00 for non-members; Tour and Lunch: $21.00 for members and $23.00 for non-members. For more information call 520-622-5561 or go to www.nativeseeds.org

Join us as we dedicate Camino de Esperanza, the Walk of Hope. Camino de Esperanza includes 4,000 commemorative bricks and connects our parking lot to our community
garden. All proceeds generated from the sale of these bricks benefit hungry people in Southern Arizona. Join us for refreshments, gardening demonstrations, a guided tour and much more! The whole family is welcome at this free event.

RSVP Online!

Saturday, December 8, 2007
2:00 p.m.
at the Punch Woods Multi-Service Center
3003 South Country Club Road
Tucson, Arizona 85713

Bricks are Still Available!

Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords invites you to attend a 2007 Farm Bill Forum

Where: Vail Education Center
13801 E. Benson Highway, Vail, AZ

Congresswoman Giffords and Congressman Cardoza will present information about the 2007 Farm Bill, followed by a question and answer period and public comments.
with special guest Congressman Dennis Cardoza Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture

For more information on the Farm and Food Bill click here

Driving Directions from Eastern Arizona:
Go West on I-10
Use Exit 279 (Wentworth Road)
Turn right (North) on Wentworth Road and go 50 yards
Turn right (East) on the frontage road
Go East approximately 1.5 miles
Look for the red brick building (Vail Education Center)

Driving Directions from Tucson:
Go East on I-10
Use Exit 279 (Wentworth Road)
Turn left (North) and cross over the freeway
Turn right (East) on the frontage road
Go East approximately 1.5 miles
Look for the red brick building (Vail Education Center)

SPACE IS LIMITED! PLEASE RSVP BY FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 7
to: Tamarack Little
(520) 881-3588 or tamarack.little@mail.house.gov

Where: Big Lots Parking Lot on Ina and Thornydale.

• Drawing For Bar B Que, $1.oo per ticket.
• Hot Dogs and Sodas For Sale!
• Free Balloons for the Children                     
• The Knights Of Columbus will be handing out balloons to the children. Come and get yours!!!
• Food Bank Guest will be there to greet you, to thank you for your contributions! All Food and Beverages, and ticket money for the BBQ drawing, will be donated to the Marana Food Bank thanks to you!!!
  Entertainment provided by:                                                               
• Karaoke and music entertainment!!! 
  Come sing with us, it will be fun. Also, D.J. will play music   
  by request!! Visit us at http://freewebs.com/allseasonkaraoke

Flutists of all ages and experience will perform throughout the day in a marathon recital.

Admission is free, but those attending are asked to bring canned goods.

Proceeds and canned goods donations will benefit the Community Food Bank.

Aria Bell Court Gardens

6653 E. Carondelet Drive

For more info please contact Jerry Ervin at 885-2509

Every 5 years, the US Congress makes decisions about a $90 billion taxpayer funded appropriation called the Farm Bill, or as some more aptly call it, “The Food and Farm Bill.”

“To a large extent, the Farm Bill determines what sort of food we Americans eat (and how they taste and how much they cost), which crops are grown under what conditions, and, ultimately, whether we’re properly nourished or not.”
     Dan Imhoff, author of
     Food Fight: The Citizen’s Guide to a Food and Farm Bill

view a short explanation of “marker bills”

View Testimonials

Step #1:
Your US Congressional Representatives (see below) need to hear your concerns about the 2007 Farm Bill.  Specific legislation to react to will be appearing early in the summer.  In the meantime, call or email your Representatives to share your top concerns, which might include:

A Farm Bill that expands access to healthy food for all Americans
A Farm Bill that addresses the loss of farmland, open space and family farms
A Farm Bill that provides more funds to distribute healthy foods through Food Banks
A Farm Bill that protects native, threatened, and endangered species
A Farm Bill that addresses the escalating health costs of obesity
A Farm Bill that expands access for Food Stamp debit cards at all Farmers’ Markets
A Farm Bill that provides more funds for sustainable farming practices and research
A Farm Bill that protects and restores rivers, streams, wetlands and other riparian areas
A Farm Bill that provides healthy foods for schools

…As you share your concerns and priorities, let them know you know the Farm Bill affects your health and you want them to pay attention to ALL the provisions.

Click here to print out a letter you can sign and fax or mail to the local offices of your Representative and Senator (PDF)

Oprima aquí para ver petición en Español (PDF) 

Click have your name and address electronically added to the letter

Congressional District #7: Congressman Raul Grijalva
810 E. 22nd St. Suite 102, Tucson AZ 85713
In Washington, DC: 202-225-2435,  fax: 202-225-1541
 In Tucson: 622-6788
 By email through his website: http://www.house.gov/grijalva

Congressional District #8: Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords
1661 N. Swan, Suite 112, Tucson AZ 85712
 In Washington, DC: 202-225-2542,  fax: 202-225-0378
 In Tucson: 881-3588
 By email through her website: http://www.house.gov/giffords

Arizona Senator John McCain: 
 407 W. Congress St. Suite 103, Tucson AZ 85701
 In Washington DC: 202-224-2235,  fax: 202-228-2862
 In Tucson: 670-6637
 By email through his website: http://mccain.senate.gov

Arizona Senator Jon Kyl:
7315 N. Oracle, Suite 220, Tucson, AZ 85704
 In Washington DC: 202-224-4521,  fax: 202-224-2207
 In Tucson: 575-8633
 By email through his website: http://kyl.senate.gov

Step #2:
As legislation develops over the next four to five months, there are additional ways you can follow the “Food and Farm Bill” through Congress, and act to promote legislation that will support a healthier, more equitable food and agricultural system that will sustain us all for generations to come:
 => Get on an Action Alert Email List –email:  kitty@communityfoodbank.org
Sponsored by the Food Bank’s Community Food Security Center, this list will educate you and notify you when your input is needed to support local food production and low-income people having access to healthy food.

 => Come to Information Sessions on the Food & Farm Bill at the Food Bank
Community Food Security Center Staff are tracking aspects of the Food and Farm Bill that have to do with supporting local food production and increasing the ability of low-income people to access healthy food.  This will be a time to ask questions, get the latest updates, share your thoughts and strategize how best to involve other people.
Sessions will be Wednesday from 5:30 – 6:30 pm on September 12th with more sessions to be scheduled as needed.
For more information, please contact Kitty Ufford-Chase at the Community Food Bank at 622-0525, click here for directions.

Step #3:
Don’t Act Alone. Join forces with the organizations below, or be the point person for a group you already belong to:
 Native Seeds/SEARCH  www.nativeseeds.org
 Slow Food – Tucson Chapter  www.slowfoodtucson.org
 Defenders of Wildlife   www.defenders.org
 Chef and Child   www.acfchefs.org
 Community Food Bank  www.communityfoodbank.org

Step #4:
Check out these websites for more information on the Farm Bill:
 Farm & Food Policy Project   www.farmandfoodproject.org
Community Food Security Coalition www.msawg.org
 Food Action & Research Center  www.frac.org
 Bread for the World    www.bread.org
 NY City Farm Bill Coalition   www.nycfarmbill.org
 Chef Ann Cooper’s Blog   www.lunchlessons.org
 Nat’l Catholic Rural Life Conference  www.ncrlc.org