Benefitting the Marana Branch of the
Southern Arizona Community Food Bank

The Solana, Dos Lagos, and Canyon Pass neighborhoods have challenged each other to a competitive food and cash drive to benefit the Marana Branch of the Southern Arizona Community Food Bank.  Bragging rights will be awarded in two categories:  most food collected and most cash collected.

We have made it simple to participate.  Food donations will be collected between April 13^th and April 15^th.  If you would prefer, you can make a cash donation anytime between April 1^st and April 15^th on the Community Food Bank’s web site – Simply select your neighborhoods button to the Right – or you may bring your check to one of the neighborhood collection points.

April is a great time to clean out your pantry, especially if you are leaving for the summer, and we’d love to have your boxes and cans of food.

For the eighth consecutive year UA4Food brings together the efforts of University of Arizona students, faculty and staff to fight hunger.  Proceeds from this year’s UA4Food Drive will benefit the Community Food Bank’s Child Nutrition Programs and The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP).

The UA4Food Drive is a program of The University of Arizona Office of Community Relations.  Detailed information is available at www.ua4food.arizona.edu.  Virtual donations can be made at the same Web site.

Various organizations on campus will conduct individual food drives throughout the school year.  Organizations and dates for the food drives follow….

• UA4Food Faculty and Staff Drive – March 12– April 4, 2012 – Check the UA4Food Web site for participating departments and ambassadors.  Give easily and securely through the Community Food Bank’s virtual giving center at www.communityfoodbank.org

Contacts:  Holly Altman at 626-4671 or Jacob Coldsmith at 882-3288

• Staff Advisory Council “Stuff the CatTran” – Wednesday, April 4, 2012, 5:30 AM to 7 PM – At the CatTran Passenger Drop Off Zone at Cherry & University.

Participate in the fourth annual “Stuff the CatTran” event organized by the Staff Advisory Council, Parking & Transportation Services and UA Community Relations.  Community members are also encouraged to contribute non-perishable food items.  Cash contributions will be accepted.  Drive up drop off will be available.

Contact: Angie Gomez at (520) 621-6596, Eddie Gomez at (520) 621-1645 or Claudia Arias at (520) 621-8051

•  Spring Fling 2012 Food Drive – April 12 & 13, 2012, 4 – 10 PM – Combine fun with philanthropy! Receive $5.00 off your Spring Fling wrist band purchase with a donation of three (3) cans of food.

Contact:  Brittany Mae Steinke at 621-5610    

Web site:  www.springfling.arizona.edu

Don’t miss your chance to win this beautiful handmade quilt. Lay your eyes upon the traditional cross stitching of green colors set against a white background. It is in excellent condition and would complement your bedroom or display wall. It measures approximately 88” x 111” for a queen-sized bed.

No donation is necessary to participate. There is a suggested minimum donation of $10.00 per ticket or $25.00 for 3. Your donation to the quilt raffle is fully tax-deductible. The drawing will be held just before Mothers’ Day on Friday, May 11, 2012. No need to be present at the drawing to win; the winner will be contacted by phone. To participate without making a donation please call (520) 398-2942.

There is a suggested minimum donation of $10.00 per ticket or $25.00 for 3.

Amado Community Food Bank: Serving seniors and families in the Amado, Aravaca, Elephant Head, Lakewood, Tubac and Tumacocori. We serve 650 families every month, fighting hunger in our community.

April 14 & 15, 2012

Celebrating 100 years of Statehood!
Honoring the Past,  Inspiring the Future.

accepting non-perishable food items for the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona

General Information:

Gates will open at 8:30a.m.
Flying is slated to begin at 11:30 a.m. and will ended approximately around 4:30 p.m.

Admission for the Open House is FREE.

No tickets are available or required for general entry.

General parking is also FREE.

More info Here

Transportation: At this time public transport has not been established and may not be available. Personal vehicles are allowed entry through general public access areas.

Food, beverages and novelties will be available for purchase.

Water buffalos will also be available free to the public to fill the permitted clear water bottles.

Flight Line Club:

Enjoy all the actions of the air show and feel the rumbling of the planes as they take off and land right in front of you!
In the Flight Line Club Chalet you will experience:

• -Preferred parking passes
• -Shaded front line seating in spacious and exclusive viewing area
• -Catered continental breakfast
• -Catered lunch
• -Afternoon snacks
• -Unlimited water and soft drinks
• -Private cash bar
• -Private restrooms

Last day to purchase tickets is April 11, 2012!

Beer Garden:

• The Beer Garden, on the flight line, is a great place to unwind and enjoy the 2012 Thunder and Lightning over Arizona Airshow!
• Craft beers as well as Bud Light will be available in the Beer Garden. In addition, this destination spot offers a shaded area, seats to relax, and bathrooms only open to beer garden guests. Also all Beer Garden guests will receive a 2012 D-M Open House souvenir cup!

Community Food Bank to Collect Donations At  Pima County Fair on April, 19, April 25 and April 26, 2012

This year’s Pima County Fair (11300 S. Houghton Road) runs from April 19^th through April 29^th.   The Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona has been invited to collect donations as follows:

Thursday, April 19^th – 1:00 to 3:00 PM – Free entry with a donation of 2 or more cans of food.

Wednesday, April 25^th – 2:00 to 9:00 PM – Attendees who donate unopened can or 20 oz. bottle of Dr. Pepper will receive a $5.00 discount towards the purchase of a wristband for unlimited rides.

Thursday, April 26^th -2:00 to 9:00 PM – Attendees who donate unopened can or 20 oz. bottle of Dr. Pepper will receive a $5.00 discount towards the purchase of a wristband for unlimited rides.

Volunteers will be located at the main Pima County Fair entrance to take donations.

For more information, contact launa@pimacountyfair.com.

Halley’s Comet Amish Quilt

Don’t miss your chance to win a handmade Amish quilt! This year’s quilt features the Halley’s Comet pattern beautifully coordinated with brown, teal and lime fabric; and scalloped edges. This quilt is perfect for any bedroom.

The quilt was designed by Ann Lapp, an Amish woman from Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Additionally, Minerva Reiff did the work of putting the quilting together. There are around 200 hours of hand quilting with 192 yards of thread put into this masterpiece. This quilt measures 96 inches by 114 inches, so on a queen bed you will have an 18 inch drop on each side of the bed.

Last year, proceeds from the quilt raffle totaled over $90,000 which allowed us to provide enough groceries for over 380,000 meals — enough meals to feed 350 families through the months of March, April and May! Families were able to sit down for a much-needed nutritious meal because of the generosity of people like you.

Tickets are not available after 4/30/2012 at 4:00 PM

No donation is necessary to participate. There is a suggested minimum donation of $10.00 per ticket. Your donation to the quilt raffle is fully tax-deductible. To participate without making a donation please call (520) 622-0525.

The drawing will be held on Tuesday, May 1, 2012. There is no need to be present at the drawing to win; the winner will be contacted by phone.

Every dollar you send between March 1 and April 30, 2012 will be eligible for a partial match by the Feinstein Foundation!  Learn more about the Feinstein Challenge.

Donations of cash and food made between March 1 and April 30, 2012 to the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona are eligible for the Feinstein Challenge.  During this nationwide challenge, the Rhode Island-based Feinstein Foundation will provide a partial match for every dollar raised or pound of food donated.

For the 15^th consecutive year, $1 million will be divided among hunger-fighting agencies nationwide, including the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona.

The Feinstein Foundation was founded by Alan Shawn Feinstein and is dedicated to the alleviation of hunger, the importance of community service in education and the values of caring, compassion and brotherhood.

“This is a great opportunity for local businesses, schools, churches and the entire community to come together and have their contributions of food or dollars matched by the Feinstein Challenge to benefit local families in need,” said Bill Carnegie, Food Bank President/CEO.

To make donations eligible for the Feinstein Challenge, they must be received by the Community Food Bank between March 1 and April 30, 2012.  Donations may be made online  or by calling (520) 622-0525.

For further information about the Feinstein Challenge, contact Jack Parris at (520) 882-3287.

On March 8th, the Santa Cruz River Farmers’ Market will provide a variety of resources for desert gardening including a Seed Exchange.  Shoppers can either swap their own seeds or provide a small donation for seeds provided by the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona.  Gardening staff from the Food Bank will also be available to share their expertise about organic desert gardening, free gardening programs and workshops.  Vegetable seedlings, shade cloth and bird netting will be on sale as well.

Local gardeners and farmers are also encouraged to learn about the Community Food Bank’s Consignment Program which sells an average of 2800 pounds of produce a month for local growers.  The grower receives 90% of the income from the sale of their produce, while the other 10% goes to support the programs of the Community Food Bank.  The ongoing Consignment Program supplies a significant portion of the produce available for sale at the farmers’ markets, provides community members greater access to local, chemical-free food, and offers small growers and backyard gardeners an extra source of income.

The Seed Exchange is open and free to the public.  All of the Community Food Bank farmers’ markets accept SNAP (food stamps), WIC checks, Arizona Farmers Market Nutrition vouchers, cash, credit and debit.  The Santa Cruz River Farmers’ Market runs every Thursday from 3 PM – 6 PM in Mercado San Agustin, at 100 S. Avenida Del Convento near the corner of Congress and Grande.

The Marana Community Food Bank is presenting an evening of reminiscing and fun on Saturday April 14, 2012
at the Heritage Highlands Clubhouse in Dove Mountain.

photo booth           silent auction          cash bar           raffle prizes

Good Vibrations – Food Donations is a return to the 60s dance featuring the Sixties Garage Band and dinner prepared by award winning Chef Michael Veres. Last year’s event was a complete sell out and we expect nothing less this year.

Your participation will ensure that the Marana Community Food Bank can continue its work in meeting the food needs of the hungry in Marana, Picture Rocks, Avra Valley and northwest Tucson.

View Printable Flyer

View Sponsorship Opportunities

For more information and tickets 682-3001

Diamond Sponsor

Emerald Sponsor
Edward Jones – Maeve Johnson

Sapphire Sponsors
Comcast Cable
Kurt Larsen Insurance Agency – Sate Farm
Mata Ortiz to You – Janis Diers
Mesquite Pediatrics
National Bank of Arizona
Dr. Zachary Shnek

Curves 14^th Annual Food Drive Set for March 1st Through March 31^st

Event to benefit the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona

Recognizing that the need for donations is greater than ever before for local food banks across the nation, Curves International is kicking off the 2012 Curves Food Drive on March 1^st with the challenge to all Curves Clubs to meet or exceed last year’s donations.

The main goal of the food drive is to enlist the help of the Curves members and the local community to restock the shelves of their local food bank.  With the theme of “Good for your body and your soul,” this year’s drive encourages Curves members to feel doubly good about themselves as they make time to exercise for good health and take time to help others in the community with a donation of nutritious food to give back to their local community as they join the Curves Community.

In Tucson, Curves will collect non-perishable food items and monetary donations to benefit the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona.  Last year, locally, Curves collected over 8,625 pounds of food and wants to increase that amount this year.   “At the core of our business is the message that women are stronger when they rally together, and that is the point we hope to bring home with our food drive,” said Megg Giufurta.  “We want to show our community just how powerful the generosity of our members can be.”  Non-members who donate between March 12^th through the 24th can join Curves for free.

If a church, business or employer would like to assist Curves in their effort to collect food, or make a donation, please contact Curves Rita Ranch at 664-0400 or Curves 22^nd & Kolb at 514-8700

 For more information, contact Megg Giufurta at (520)514-8700 or megg@curvestucson.com