September 2008 is National Hunger Action Month and it will be kicked off locally by the Community Food Bank with a “Call to Action” press conference on Friday, September 5th at 10:00 AM.  The event will take place in the Food Plus area of the Community Food Bank located at 3003 S. Country Club Road.

The press conference will concentrate on the state of hunger in Southern Arizona. Scheduled to speak are Bob Walkup, Mayor of the City of Tucson, Richard Elias, Chair of the Pima County Board of Supervisors and Gabrielle Giffords, Congresswoman for the Eighth District of Arizona. 

The Community Food Bank is facing an unprecedented challenge in feeding the hungry of Southern Arizona.  The food bank distributed 17,340 family food boxes in July 2008, a 43% increase over July 2007.  Due to current economic conditions this number is expected to continue to increase into 2009.

Hunger Action Month is a local and national effort to make people aware of why it is important to get involved in the fight against hunger and give them the opportunity to take action to help solve the problem though philanthropy and/or volunteering.

William Carnegie, President/CEO of the Community Food Bank will also announce the name change of “America’s Second Harvest” to “Feeding America.”  “Feeding America” will continue to be a network of more than 200 member food banks serving all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

Tours of the Food Bank will be available until 12:00 Noon.

For more information, contact Jack Parris at (520) 622-0525 x 215 or by cell at (520) 444-5412.

September 24 and 27
What is Days of Caring?

Days of Caring connects volunteers with local nonprofit groups to complete projects that may not otherwise get done.

Projects range from painting a mural to building a playground, reading to preschoolers or sponsoring a seniors project.

This unique event gives employees an opportunity to spend their workday or a Saturday on volunteer projects that make a difference in the lives of children, family and seniors.

Days of Caring also provides a way for companies and groups to develop long-lasting relationships with colleagues and agencies.

Why Should My Company or Group Participate in Days of Caring?

The benefits for volunteer involvement include a bolstering of team spirit among participating employees or other group members, increased productivity and morale, exposure in the community and a greater understanding of the needs of the community.

Benefits for your Company

    * Improve your community.
    * Enhance your company’s image.
    * Distinguish your company by associating with Days of Caring.
    * Boost customer loyalty by giving customers a new reason to support you.
    * Improve employee retention and attract new workers.
    * Garner positive media attention.

Benefits for your Employees

    * Increases teamwork, morale, and trust among your employees.
    * Boost retention.
    * Enhance communication, organization, time management skills and accountability.
    * Develop leadership skills among your staff.
    * Increase employees’ understanding of co-workers and respect for diversity and other cultures.
    * Increase employees’ awareness of community needs.

Would you like to join us in making a difference? In one day you can:
JOIN HANDS.
OPEN YOUR HEART.
LEND YOUR MUSCLE.
FIND YOUR VOICE.
LIVE UNITED.

Join over 4,000 other volunteers during United Way Days of Caring to complete at least 250 projects!

Give. Advocate. Volunteer.

Thank you for participating in the largest volunteer effort in Pima County.

For more information please call or email United Way at:
520.903.9000
daysofcaring@unitedwaytucson.org

Mark your calendar for this year’s El Tour de Tucson on November 22, 2008. Join us as we welcome more than 9,000 cyclists and 30,000 spectators for the best year ever! Community Food Bank will distribute all the food left over after the event to area food banks. For more information about the ride or to volunteer, visit www.perimeterbicycling.com/.

22nd Annual 2008 Tucson Celtic Festival & Scottish Highland Games

Friday, October 31 Celtic Dinner, Torchlight Ceremony & Ceilidh
6:00pm-10:00pm
Advance tickets for Dinner are required!

Saturday and Sunday, November 1 & 2; Festival Days
Saturday, Nov 1 10:00am-9:00pm (Note the extended hours!)
Sunday, Nov. 2 10:00am-5:00pm

Celebrate your own Celtic Roots whether Irish, Scottish or Welsh or learn about a new and different Culture. There is great fun & activities for the whole family! … Learn More

Taste ~ Savor ~ Enjoy
The Tucson Originals invite you to experience
The 6th annual Tucson Culinary Festival

View Flyer

View Culinary Festival Website for more info and to purchase tickets 

Loews Ventana Canyon Resort
7000 North Resort Drive, Tucson, Arizona 85750
Phone: (520) 299-2020, Fax: (520) 299-6832

October 23rd, 24th, 25th, 26th, 2008

The Tucson Culinary Festival is brought to you by the Tucson Originals. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Community Food Bank.

World Margarita Championship:
Thursday, October 23rd, 7-9 PM, Historic Train Depot

Reserve Tasting:
Friday, October 24th, 7-10 PM, Canyon Café at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort

Grand Tasting:
Saturday, October 25th, 6-9 PM, Grand Ballroom, at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort

Brunch & Copper Chef Challenge:
Sunday, October 26th,11 AM, Kiva Ballroom at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort

The Community Food Bank’s Marana Farm Stand is now open to the public Monday evenings selling naturally grown local fruits and vegetables.

What:   Marana Farm Stand
When:  Every Monday 4pm-7pm
Where: Marana Farm Ramada at the Heritage River Park
  12375 N. Heritage Park Drive
   South of Tangerine Farms Road on Heritage Park Drive
   West side of I-10 between Moore Rd and Tangerine Rd

The Farm Stand sells locally grown fruits, vegetables and honey.  Shoppers can pay with cash, food stamps, debit, credit and Arizona Farmers’ Market Nutrition vouchers.  The vouchers are given to mothers and seniors participating in Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and Food Plus, both federal food programs.

The Food Bank’s stand consists of seasonal organic produce from the Food Bank Farm including melons, squash, cucumbers, eggplant and other seasonal fruits and vegetables. Produce including potatoes, apples, peaches and grapes from other organic growers in Glendale, Arivaca, Dragoon and Willcox is also sold.

Marana growers Michael and Rebecca Park bring a beautiful selection of winter and summer squash and Armenian cucumbers, all grown at their home in Marana.

Looking for More Northwest Growers of Any Size

The Farm Stand would like to feature more produce from Northwest communities and is looking for people interested in growing and selling produce, eggs, honey and meat.  Growers could be any size from small home gardeners to farmers with acreage.  Local growers can set up their own booth for a small fee or can consign their produce for sale through the Food Bank’s Community Foods Consignment program. 

For home gardeners, selling excess produce can be a great way to provide a little extra household income.  Approximately 25 home gardeners presently consign produce and eggs to the Food Bank and with help from volunteers the produce is sold at the Food Bank’s Farmers’ Markets.  All produce must be locally grown by the people who sell or consign it for sale.  Local produce is the tastiest and healthiest.

For more information about the Farm Stand or the Consignment program please call Dana Helfer (520) 622-0525 ext 249.

Bill Carnegie, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Community Food Bank has been elected Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Association of Arizona Food Banks (AAFB).  He will serve a one year term

The Arizona Association of Food Banks was established in 1984.  The Association is a support organization serving its six member regional food bank warehouses and a network of more than 1,250 food pantries and agencies in Arizona.  Members distribute an average of 10 million pounds of food per month to low-income Arizonans.  The association is committed to delivering food and quality services to food banks and to fostering relationships in support of the commitment to eliminate hunger.

“I look forward to working with Bill this year and knowing he will provide an outstanding level of accountability and direction for our organization,” said Ginny Hildebrand, Executive Director of the Association of Arizona Food Banks.  “ Bill Carnegie’s election as Chairman of the Board of AAFB follows in a long line of leadership given by Arizona food banks and community members who have helped to reinforce the concepts of collaboration and cooperation among food banks to eliminate hunger.”

Mr. Carnegie served as a finance officer in the United States Coast Guard for twenty years prior to beginning his career in Food Banking.  His first assignment was as Director of Operations for the Second Harvest Gleaners Food Bank in Grand Rapids, Michigan and then as President and CEO of the Food Bank of Northern Indiana.  He acted as a member of America’s Second Harvest Disaster Response Team during the Katrina and Rita hurricane relief efforts in 2005.  Mr. Carnegie joined the Community Food Bank in January 2006.

For additional information, contact Jack Parris at (520) 622-0525 x 215 or Cell at (520) 444-5412.

The Community Food Bank’s Santa Cruz River Farmers’ Market will host a Family Health Fair on Thursday, August 28th from 4:00 to 7:00 PM.

Farmers and gardeners will sell locally produced fruit, vegetables, eggs and honey at the Santa Cruz River Farmers’ Market on this date, but additionally local organizations dedicated to family, health and wellness will offer information to the public about diabetes prevention, good nutrition, health benefits of native foods and cooking demonstrations.  There will be educational activities for the children with music provided by local artists.

Participating organizations include the Community Food Bank, Carondelet Health Network, El Rio Community Health Centers, Pima County Cooperative Extension and Mano y Metate.

The Santa Cruz River Farmers’ Market is located on the northeast corner of Speedway and Riverview (between the Arizona Schools for the Deaf and Blind and El Rio Neighborhood Center). The Family Health Fair is free and open to the public.

For more information on the Sana Cruz River Farmers’ Market Family Health Fair on August 28th, contact Sara Rickard at (520) 622-0525 x 242

The Westward Look’s Sonoran Spa will hold a “Sonoran Spa Magic” Charity Event to benefit the Community Food Bank on Friday, August 29, 2008.  The event will begin at 6:30 PM at the Westward Look Sonoran Spa located at 245 E. Ina Road. The $60.00 tickets for the event include refreshments and 2 mini healing arts services of your choice and much more.  For guests who wish to attend without the mini services, tickets will be $40.00.

The Center Stage Dance Studio will entertain with dance numbers and Jasson Magness and Jill Hadap of Yoga Flow will be performing the Arco Yoga.

For reservations to “Sonoran Spa Magic”, contact the Sonoran Spa at (520) 917-2467.

The M & I Bank locations in the greater Tucson area will sponsor a food drive during the month of August to benefit the Community Food Bank.  The summer months are the slowest time of the year for food donations and the M & I Bank wants to help feed the hungry in Southern Arizona

The public is asked to stop by their nearest M & I Bank and drop off a donation of non-perishable food.  The most needed items are canned meats, canned vegetables, canned soups, cereal, peanut butter, canned fruit and tomato products.

The M & I Bank locations are…

270 W. Continental Road, Green Valley, Arizona
1200 N. Wilmot Road, Tucson, Arizona
35 N. Houghton Road, Tucson, Arizona
7820 N. Cortaro Road, Marana, Arizona
10655 N. Oracle Road, Oro Valley, Arizona
4380 N. Campbell Avenue, Tucson, Arizona

For further information about the M & I Bank August Food Drive, contact Dezirae Sheppard at (520) 731-6600.