Huffington Post, Mario Batali Food Stamp Challenge: Chef Spending $31 On Food For One Week
May 14, 2012
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/15/mario-batali-food-stamp-challenge_n_1517572.html

The chef, his wife and their two teenage sons are eating for a week on the equivalent of a food stamp budget in protest of potential cuts pending in Congress to the benefit program used by more than 46 million Americans.

That’s $31 per person for the week, or about $1.48 per meal each.

Goodbye restaurants, free nibbles on his talk show “The Chew” and all the luxe offerings at Eataly, the high-end New York City market he co-owns. Hello Trader Joe’s, Jack’s Dollar Store, Gristedes and Western Beef, a low-cost supermarket chain.

The Batalis have been joined on the weeklong challenge by wholesale meat purveyor Pat LaFrieda, who has a new Food Network series, “Meat Men,” Margarette Purvis, who heads the food bank, as well as more than 200 others who registered to complete the challenge. And anti-hunger groups in Las Vegas, Philadelphia and parts of Maryland and Ohio have led similar challenges over the last several months.

“Nearly 3 million New Yorkers have difficulty paying for the food they need,” Purvis said. “They live in every single neighborhood. We’re not trying to compare the food stamp challenge to the very real challenges people face. We’re just trying to raise awareness that it’s no longer just the homeless. It’s working families who use the food stamp program. It’s seniors. It’s a lot more children, in every single neighborhood.”

A Lotta Storage Mail & U Haul
7651 N. I-10 EB Frontage Rd
Marana, Arizona 85743
phone:  520-572-8881
fax:  520-572-0042

marana@a-lottastorage.com

This A Lotta Storage Location is offering $1.00 credit for every 3 items of non-perishable food donated during this time.
On June 2^nd, a Garage Sale will be held at this location, along with the food drive.

The Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona is partnering with Feeding America in support of the Farm Bill and we need your help:

Help us generate 20,000 comments in support of strengthening and protecting hunger-relief programs!

On April 26, the Senate Agriculture Committee passed the Farm Bill out of committee.  The House must do the same.  Right now, members of the House Agriculture Committee are working on developing their version of the Farm Bill and seeking public comments to inform their decisions.  In April, that same committee approved a proposal to cut SNAP by $36 billion as part of the budget reconciliation process.  The full House is expected to vote on this measure later this week.  While the budget reconciliation votes are non-binding, they show how serious the threats to hunger-relief programs like SNAP and TEFAP really are, particularly in the House.

As a result, we need to send a strong message about the importance of protecting and strengthening these programs by generating comments from anti-hunger advocates throughout the country.  If every food bank can mobilize 100 people to make a comment on the House Agriculture Committee’s website, we can generate more than 20,000 public comments and show real grassroots support for hunger-relief programs.  Urge your volunteers, donors, partners, board members, social media followers, and other community supporters to post a comment and help us show Congress that Americans want their elected officials to stand up against hunger in America!

For more information please see the Farm Bill’s Website.

Here’s what you can do:

1. Go to the House Agriculture Committee Website

2. Post a comment:  You can post your own comment or use our sample.  The more local and personal your comment is, the more impact it will have.

I am a supporter of the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona.  Right now, many families in our community are struggling.  With increased demand for emergency food assistance, high food and gas prices, and declines in TEFAP commodities—a major source of the food we distribute—our food bank is having difficulty meeting the needs of our community.  We need a strong Farm Bill to make sure that struggling families can put food on the table.  I ask that you pass a Farm Bill that protects and strengthens programs like SNAP, TEFAP, and CSFP.  Our community cannot afford cuts to these programs.

3. Spread the word:  Help us reach our goal of 20,000 comments by sharing this call to action.  If every food bank successfully mobilizes 100 people, we can generate 20,000 comments!

If you have questions, please contact Brett Weisel at bweisel@feedingamerica.org.

The Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona has announced that one new member and one returning member have been added to its Board of Directors.

Susannah Myerson, Director of Strategic Initiatives with Watermark Retirement Communities was elected to the Board at the March 23, 2012 meeting and will serve a two year term.  Ms. Myerson heads the strategic planning team at Watermark Retirement Communities and is responsible for budgeting, operational analysis and product positioning for Watermark communities throughout the country. She holds a BS in Economics from The Wharton School at The University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Arizona.

Andres Valenzuela was re-elected to the Food Bank Board at the February 24, 2012 meeting and will serve a two year term.  Mr. Valenzuela previously served on the Board from October, 2011 to February, 2012.  He earned both BS and MS degrees in Nutritional Science from the University of Arizona.

“The Community Food Bank is very excited about the return of Andres Valenzuela and the appointment of Susannah Myerson to the Board of Directors,” said Bill Carnegie, Food Bank President/CEO.  “Both will bring exceptional expertise to the Board and will help guide the future direction of the organization.”

For more information, contact Jack Parris at (520) 882-3297 or cell at (520) 444-5412.

Bill Carnegie, Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona President/CEO has been named Feeding America’s Executive of the Year for 2012.  Mr. Carnegie received the award at the Feeding America 2012 National Summit on April 19, 2012 in Detroit, Michigan.

The Executive Director of the Year Award honors the most outstanding Executive Director/CEO in the Feeding America network for going above and beyond their everyday responsibilities in the fight against hunger. Award recipients contribute an extraordinary effort to the network’s viability and momentum, and demonstrate excellence in leadership at both local and national levels as the network works together to provide hope to millions of hungry Americans.

Bill Carnegie has been President and Chief Executive Officer of the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona, since January 2006.  He has over 20 years’ experience in food banking, previously working in South Bend, Indiana and Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Mr. Carnegie served in the United States Coast Guard as a Finance Officer, retiring in 1990 after a twenty-year career.  He holds a B.S. in Marketing from Hawaii Pacific University and a Masters in Nonprofit Administration from the University of Notre Dame.

“The board of directors is very pleased and proud of Bill for being named Executive Director of the Year,” said Fran McNeely, Board Chair. “This reflects not only on Bill and his extraordinary leadership, but also on all the staff at the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona—it really does take a team.  The Southern Arizona Community can rest assured our community food bank is in very capable hands.”

Feeding America is the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity; the network’s 200 members supply food to more than 37 million Americans each year, including 14 million children and 3 million seniors.

For more information, contact Jack Parris at (520) 882-3287 or cell at (520) 444-5412.

There is still time to support the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona in Walmart’s “Fighting Hunger Together” initiative to help fight hunger and make a positive difference.

The 200 US communities hardest hit by unemployment were identified to participate in the initiative and Southern Arizona is on that list.  The community with the most votes will receive $1 million to help fight hunger. The next 20 communities will each receive $50,000 for hunger relief.

The Food Bank is in the running to win the $1 million grant from Walmart.  The public can help by visiting Walmart’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/walmart) and vote by clicking on “Arizona” and “Tucson Area.”  Only one vote per person per day is allowed, but the more people who vote, the better chance the Food Bank has of winning.  Voting ends April 30, 2012.  Those wishing to vote may also go online to www.communityfoodbank.org to vote and learn more about Walmart’s “Fighting Hunger Together.”

For more information, contact Jack Parris at (520) 882-3287 or cell at (520) 444-5412.

Vote Daily! 

We are in the running to win a $1 million grant from Walmart. You can help by visiting Walmart’s Facebook page and voting for the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona. Only one vote per person, per day. The more people who vote, the better chance we have of winning! The voting will start Monday, April 9th and end on Monday, April 30th. Check our facebook page for more information.

The University of Arizona’s 2012 Spring Fling will again benefit the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona.  The partnership with Spring Fling is part of the campus-wide UA4Food drive that brings together faculty, staff and students to raise money and food for the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona.  2012 Spring Fling takes place at Rillito Downs (North 1^st Avenue and River Road) April 12 through April 15, 2012.

UA Spring Fling is the largest student run carnival in the nation.  It raises money for student clubs, organizations, events, service work, and also benefits the Tucson Community.  This year Spring Fling will aid the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona’s Child Nutrition Programs and The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) food box program.

Attendees at this year’s Spring Fling on Thursday, April 12 and Friday, April 13, 2012 can combine fun and philanthropy.  A donation of three (3) cans of food will reduce their Spring Fling wrist band purchase by $5.00 (good for all rides that day).

“Spring Fling continues to facilitate its connection with Tucson beyond the boundaries of the University by proudly partnering with the Community Food Bank to collect thousands of canned goods to donate and help those in need,” said Brittany Steinke, Spring Fling Executive Director.  “ The success enjoyed by Spring Fling and the Community Food Bank each year keep the ties between citizens and students as strong as ever.”

UA4Food is a program of the Office of Community Relations and is supported by the Marshall Foundation.

For more information, contact Brittany Mae Steinke, Spring Fling Director at (520) 621-5610.

20^TH Annual National Association of Letter Carriers “Stamp Out Hunger” Food Drive to Benefit the Community Food Bank

For the 20^th consecutive year the National Association of Letter Carriers and the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona will team up to collect donations on Saturday, May 12, 2012 for the annual “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive

“This is the 20^th Anniversary of the Letter Carriers Food Drive,” said Bill Carnegie, Food Bank CEO.  “The problem of hunger in our community has never been greater and we need our community to help make this year’s food drive a success.  Thousands of local families are counting on your support,” he added.

To help “Stamp Out Hunger” in Southern Arizona, residents are asked 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 12^th.   Food should be in non-breakable containers.  Letter carriers and volunteers will collect the food donations and forward them to the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona.

Monetary donations will be accepted for the “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive and on-line donations may be made as well:

For further information, contact the NALC Branch #704 at (520) 323-2117 or Jack Parris at (520) 882-3287.

The Marana Community Food Bank has announced that it has received a $10,000 TRICIO Electric Cooperative Power Grant for 2012.

With this TRICO Power Grant the 2,947 food insecure families in the Marana Community Food Bank service area will continue to receive peanut butter as one of the staples in the monthly TEFAP emergency food distribution.  6,536 jars of peanut butter will be purchased for the TEFAP food boxes.

“We are thrilled to partner with TRICO Electric Cooperative to ensure that those in need in our community continue to receive peanut butter in our food boxes,” said Linda Hampton, Marana Food Bank Executive Director.  “35% of our clients are children who will directly benefit from this purchase of peanut butter for our food boxes.”

The Marana Community Food Bank is a branch of the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona and serves the areas of Marana, Avra Valley, Dove Mountain, Tucson Estates, Three Point, Picture Rocks, Old Tucson and Pascua Yaqui.

Trico Electric Cooperative, Inc. is a non-profit electric cooperative serving more than 38,000 customers in northwest Tucson, Marana, Corona de Tucson, Sahuarita, Green Valley, Three Points, Arivaca and Sasabe. Trico was formed in 1945 by farmers in Avra Valley seeking to bring electric power to their rural area.

For more information, contact Linda Hampton at (520) 682-3001.