The E&J Gallo Winery – Taste of the NFL and local Southern Arizona restaurants are teaming up to benefit the Community Food Bank now through December 31, 2010.

The Taste of the NFL is a non-profit organization whose goal is to address the needs of the hungry and homeless by raising money and heightening awareness through special programs. One in six Americans are struggling with the realty of hunger and food insecurity.

Currently, fifty-one restaurants in Southern Arizona are participating in the Taste of the NFL.  See restaurants below. When you go to one of these restaurants, order one of these E&J Gallo wines: William Hill, Louis M. Martini, Ecco Domani, Alamos, Mirassou or MacMurray and a portion of the proceeds from wine sales will be donated to the Community Food Bank to help feed hungry families.

This is the 14^th consecutive year the E&J Gallo Winery will make a significant donation to the Taste of the NFL in the fight against hunger.

The Community Food Bank serves five counties in Southern Arizona including Pima, Santa Cruz, Cochise, Graham and Greenlee Counties and last year distributed over 27 million pounds of food.

For more information on the Taste of the NFL, contact Donna Summers at (520) 603-4004.

Taste of the NFL

Participating Restaurants

Anthony’s                                                                     Nana’s Kitchen

Arizona Inn                                                                   Nimbus Brewery

Bamboo Club                                                               North Italian

BJ’s Brewery-Broadway                                              Old Chicago

BJ’s Brewery-Oracle                                                    Old Pueblo Grille

Bob Dobbs                                                                  Oro Valley Country Club

Boston’s Gourmet Pizza                                                Outback-Sierra Vista

Canyon’s Crown Restaurant & Pub                              Pastiche Modern Eatery

Carrabba’s                                                                   PF Chang’s China Bistro

Caruso’s                                                                      Ric’s Café

Chili’s – All locations                                                    Ritz Carlton Golf Club

Claim Jumper                                                               Ritz Carlton Hotel

Coyote Jack’s – Nogales                                              Sakura Teppan

Doubletree Hotel                                                          Samurai Teppan-Nogales

Firebird’s Rocky Mountain Grill                                    San Carlos Grill

Gracies Station-Benson                                                Sheraton-Grant

Grill on the Green                                                         Sullivan’s Steakhouse

Hilton Garden Inn                                                         The Loop

Jimmy’s American Bistro                                              The Melting Pot

Mama Louisa’s                                                             Trident

Metropolitan Grill                                                         Tucson Country Club

Mr. An’s Teppan Steak and Seafood                            Tucson Hilton East

Tucson National Omni

Windemere Hotel-Sierra Vista

FICO and Green Valley Pecan Company have a strong record of giving back to the community and community service is a key element of the Sahuarita Pecan Festival. Each year, the Sahuarita Pecan Festival will select three nonprofit beneficiaries to receive a portion of the event’s proceeds.

This year, FICO and Green Valley Pecan Company have selected the Green Valley-Sahuarita Community Food Bank and Friends of Madera Canyon as the first two beneficiaries. The third beneficiary will be chosen by community vote.

Learn More

For the 18^th consecutive year the National Association of Letter Carriers and the Community Food Bank will team up to collect donations on Saturday, May 8, 2010 for the “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive

The Community Food Bank will join the letter carriers’ efforts to provide food to depleted supplies. “The NALC” Food Drive is especially important to us this year,” said Bill Carnegie, Community Food Bank President/CEO.  “More families are seeking assistance than ever before and we really need our community to support the Letter Carriers efforts.  It is important to note that all food collected will go to help local families in need.”

To help “Stamp Out Hunger” in Southern Arizona, residents may leave a bag of non-perishable food, such as canned meats, canned vegetables, canned soups, cereal, peanut butter, canned fruit or canned tomato products next to their mail box before the time of their mail delivery on Saturday, May 8^th.   Food should be in non-breakable containers.  Letter carriers will collect the food donations and deliver them to the Community Food Bank.

Last year the National Association of Letter Carriers “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive collected almost 300,000 pounds of food for hungry families in Southern Arizona.  Nationally, the NALC hopes to reach the 1 billion pound mark for food donations since the inception of the food drive.

For further information, contact the NALC Branch #704 at (520) 323-2117 or Jack Parris at (520) 622-0525 x 215.

How you can help

• Donate non-perishable food! Needed items are canned meats, canned vegetables, canned soups, cereal, peanut butter, canned fruit or canned tomato products. Please do not donate items in breakable containers such as glass, as these can be hazardous to our postal carriers, volunteers and staff.
• This year the letter carriers urgently need help sorting the food and loading it into the tractor-trailers that will transport it to the Community Food Bank. Volunteer assignments are available at several local post offices. To volunteer, call Volunteer Manager Kristen Hershberger by Friday, April 30, at 622-0525 Ext. 204.

Once again it is time for the Quail Creek Car Show benefiting the Green Valley Community Food Bank.

The show is being held on SundayMarch 28 th from 10 am – 2 PM at the Quail Creek Clubhouse. This is the 5th annual.  The event will start following a 9:00 am parade of cars starting down Campbell Ave & continuing around Quail Creek until they reach the club house.

Registration is $5.00 at the show.  This $5.00 will be donated to the food bank along with the moneies raised by two 50/50 raffle drawings.
There will be food & drinks available & entertainment by DJ Craig Perrillo.

Spectators and participants are encouraged to bring food items to donate.  A Quail Creek Security truck will be available for these donations.  Last year $801 & 230 pounds of food were collected & presented to Mary Jane Goodrickbranch manager of the Community Food Bank of Green Valley & Quail Creek residentfor donation.   This donation was in turn increased by the Feinstein Challenge an annual event made possible by Rhode Island philanthropist Alan Feinstein.  Each  participating food bank received a proportional share of $1 million dollars based on the amount of food and money raised from March 1 thru April 30 th.

The event is sponsored by Quail Creek & organized by Wayne Pottercar enthusiast & Quail Creek Resident.

For more information contact Wayne Potter @ 648-3393

Check presentation from the Walden Family (FICO) to the GV Food Bank
Please click to read the article from the Green Valley News and Sun here

Letter to the Editor- Gleaning Program
Please click to read the article from the Green Valley News and Sun here

GV Community Food Bank says Goodbye to Loyal Worker
Please click to read the article from the Green Valley News and Sun here

By Ellen Sussman, Special to the Green Valley News
Published: Saturday, February 27, 2010 1:41 PM MST

For the ninth consecutive year the Green Valley Community Food Bank is participating in the Feinstein Challenge, an annual event made possible by Rhode Island philanthropist Alan Feinstein. Since its first challenge in 1991, the Feinstein Foundation has offered $1 million to non-profit, anti-hunger agencies throughout the United States.

The challenge runs March 1 through April 30. Each participating food bank and agency receives a proportional share of the $1 million based on the amount of food and money raised.

Mary Jane Goodrick, executive director of the food bank, said cash and check donations received through April 30 will be reported to the Challenge.

Food donations received during this two-month period are recorded as a $1 donation per pound.

“As a result of the 2009 Feinstein Challenge, we raised $103,713 in monetary donations and the equivalent of $161,206 in food donations (for a total of $264,919.00),” she said.

“Multiply that by nine (the Food Bank’s buying power) and that’s the impact. In this tough economy, our goal is to maintain that level of giving for 2010.”

Last year, the Food Bank received $1,001 as their proportional share from the Challenge, which Goodrick said is the most they’ve ever received.

Donations and volunteers

She said the food bank has seen a 22 percent increase in food assistance provided in 2009 compared to 2008, as well as a change in the client base.

There are more young families where one or both parents have lost their jobs or had their hours cut and there are more seniors who don’t have enough to cover minimal expenses.

In 2009, 1,468 households received food assistance helping a total of 4,650 clients; 51 percent were adults ages 18 to 59, 12 percent seniors and 37 percent children.

In addition to ongoing donations, volunteers are another reason the food bank is able to help so many. In 2009, 272 volunteers donated a total of 18,811 hours, which Goodrick said is the equivalent of 9.5 full-time employees.

An appreciation luncheon will be held March 13 from noon to 2 p.m. for volunteers.

Once again, Carolyn and Win Tandy are donating their catering skills. Goodrick said it’s their way of giving back.

Contact Green Valley freelance reporter Ellen Sussman at ellen2414@cox.net.

The Community Food Bank desperately needs volunteers at area post offices to collect food donations from the National Association of Letter Carriers’ Food Drive on Saturday, May 9, 2009.

Last year the Letter Carriers’ Food Drive collected over 334,000 pounds of food in one day.  This is the Community Food Bank’s largest of the year.

The main shift when help is needed is 2:00 PM to 6 PM, however there are some morning slots available. People may volunteer at a post office near their homes.

The following post offices need volunteers:

• Oro Valley (1190 N. LaCanada), 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, 8 people, 2:00 to 5:00 PM -10  people.

• Mt. View Annex (7959 N. Thornydale), 12 to 2:30 PM, 6 people, 2:30 to 5:30 PM-30 people.

• San Xavier (4700 W. Valencia), 1:00 to 5:00 PM – 8 people.

• Mission (314 W. Valencia), 12:30 to 5:00 PM -15 people.

• Rincon (1099 S. Pantano), 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM – 10 people, 2:00 to 6:00 PM – 30 people.

Also needed are people willing to drive their own trucks to collect food that carriers cannot cover.

Volunteers transfer food from Letter Carriers’ trucks into semi-trailers.  There will be a Community Food Bank staff member at each location to serve as a “Team Captain.”  Groups and individuals are welcome

To volunteer, call the Community Food Bank Volunteer Manager at (520) 622-0525 x 204.

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The fifteen area Curves locations will participate in the 11th Annual Food Drive to benefit the Community Food Bank, the Green Valley Community Food Bank and the Marana Community Food Bank between March 9th and March 28th.

Curves will be giving back to the community by waiving its normal service fee for any new member who joins between March 9th and March 28th.  To qualify, simply bring a bag of non-perishable food or provide a monetary donation of $30 to any Curves location.  The food drive will help women manage their weight and their wallets by joining Curves for free, while helping to feed the hungry in Southern Arizona.

“The Curves Food Drive is always exciting,” said Megg Giufurta, owner of 3 Curves locations in Tucson and Vail, Arizona.  “We have a chance to help so many people during these uncertain economic times.  It’s a win-win situation for everyone and we’re proud to participate.”

Others from the community who wish to donate are also encouraged to drop off non-perishable food items at any Curves location Monday through Friday during business hours through the month of March.

The fifteen Curves locations are at:

101 S. LaCanada Drive, #67
Green Valley, AZ  85614

15615 N. Oracle Drive, #115
Catalina, AZ 85739

4145 W. Ina Road, Suite 151
Marana, AZ 85741

8250 N. Cortaro Farms Road, #140
Marana, AZ 85743

10355 N. La Canada Drive #157
Oro Valley, AZ 85737

6860 E. Sunrise Drive
Tucson, AZ 85750

2040 W. Orange Grove Road, #122
Tucson, AZ 85704

2816 N. Campbell Ave.
Tucson, AZ 85719

5671 E. Speedway Blvd.
Tucson, AZ 85712

9136 E. Valencia Road, #130
Tucson, AZ 85747

6970 E. 22nd Street, #106
Tucson, AZ 85710

9155 E. Tanque Verde Road, #127
Tucson, AZ 85749

150 S. Houghton, Suite 140
Tucson, AZ 85748

5975 N. Western Way, #117
Tucson, AZ 85713

13190 E. Colossal Cave Road, #130
Vail, AZ 85641

For more information on the Curves 11th Annual Food Drive, contact Megg Giufurta at (520 762-0225 or Cell at (520) 603-3373