The Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona’s  Mardi Gras 2012 is set for Saturday, January 28^th at the Historic Manning House, 450 W. Paseo Redondo in downtown Tucson.  This year’s event is presented by Cox Communications.

Mardi Gras 2012 begins at 7:00 PM and will be presided over by “King and Queen of Carnivale” Ron and Nancy Barber.  The evening will feature New Orleans–style food, live entertainment by Batucaxe, Zo Carroll and the Soul Breakers, 80’s and Gentlemen and Flam Chen!  All proceeds will go to the Food Bank’s Child Nutrition Programs.

Tickets are $100 per person and are available at www.communityfoodbank.org or by calling (520) 622-0525 x 492.

“This year’s Mardi Gras is sure to impress,” said Stephanie Porter, Event Chair.  “Look for beautifully hand-crafted masks created by local artists in Tucson Originals Restaurants throughout January.  Masks will be raffled the night of the Mardi Gras 2012 event.”

The Royalty Sponsor for Mardi Gras 2012 is Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona; the Jackson Square sponsors are Citi and the University of Phoenix; Krewe sponsors are Northern Trust and Snell & Wilmer, L.L.P.   Media Sponsors include Comcast Cox Communications, Comcast Cable, KMSB-TV, 93.7 KRQ Radio and Tucson Lifestyle Magazine.

For more information on the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona’s Mardi Gras 2012, contact Pauline Hechler at (520) 882-3308 or Kris French at (520) 882-3321.

The Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona is a MyPlate Community Partner and as such would like to repeat this message from ChooseMyPlate.gov:

choosemyplate.gov/SuperTracker

As we enter the New Year, Americans are looking for ways to meet their New Year’s Resolutions. Topping many lists are healthy eating, being active, and managing weight. Introducing SuperTracker…

The USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) has developed a new online diet and physical activity planning, assessment, and analysis tool.  SuperTracker is designed to help Americans implement the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.  With this tool, users can do everything from a quick food look up to in-depth diet and activity tracking and analysis over time and weight management.

Make 2012 your healthiest year yet.  Share with us on Twitter (hashtag #SuperTracker) how SuperTracker is helping you make great choices for a great year!

Watch the video announcing the tool:  USDA Launches New Online Tool–SuperTracker

Read the press release: USDA Launches New Online Nutrition SuperTracker in Time for Those Healthy New Year Resolutions

Check out the SuperTracker Backgrounder

Note:  SuperTracker will overlap with the existing tools (Tracker, Food Planner) for a period of time to allow users to make the switch.  Users are encouraged to move to SuperTracker since the previous tools will be phased out.

Vivian Archuleta, Cox Community Relations Specialist, Jose De Alba, Cox Field Operations and Ken Guglielmo, Cox Facilities

Three members of the Cox Communications family stopped by the Community Food Bank on Thursday, December 8, 2011 to drop off a donations of 642 pounds of food and frozen turkeys. Pictured from left to right are Vivian Archuleta, Cox Community Relations Specialist, Jose De Alba, Cox Field Operations and Ken Guglielmo, Cox Facilities.  Our sincere  thanks to Cox Communications for their continued support.

On December 10 and 11, 2011, both Maya Palace locations (6332 E. Broadway Blvd and 7057 N. Oracle) will donate 10% of all sales to the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona.  They will also have collection boxes for customers to donate non-perishable food items.

Maya Palace will also have their Holiday Open House at the El Mercado location (6332 E. Broadway Blvd.) on December 16^th and our encouraging other businesses in El Mercado to join in the food drive that day as well.

For more information on these events, contact Wendy Carlson at (520) 748-0817

The Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona has announced that Jessie Baxter has been appointed Government Resource Specialist effective October 31, 2011.

Previously, Ms. Baxter held a staff position with Sharon Bronson, Pima County Board of Supervisors, served as Executive Director of the Pima County/Tucson Women’s Commission and was Senior Community Organizer with People, Resources, Organizations (PRO) in Support of Neighborhoods.

Ms. Baxter has earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Bachelor of Arts in English/Creative Writing from the University of Missouri.

Ms. Baxter will serve as the liaison officer with private and government entities to secure funding and /or favorable public policy to support the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona operations, special projects and programs in Pima County and Southern Arizona.

“We are excited to have Jessie with us to extend our reach into the government sector and take the lead on government grants and contracts,” said Pauline Hechler, Chief Development Officer for the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona.  “She is a smart, capable individual with energy to spare.”

For more information, contact Pauline Hechler at (520) 882-3308.

This holiday season Santa Cruz River Farmers’ Market shoppers will find a variety of distinctively southwest gifts to choose from at the weekly Thursday market.  Healthy and locally made gifts include raw mesquite honey, prickly pear jams, mesquite flour mixes, Sonoran plants and more.  If market goers are looking for a more personal gift, on December 15^th they will also have the opportunity to make holiday ornaments with their children at the arts and crafts table.  These family friendly craft activities are free and will be located alongside live music and a comfortable grassy courtyard.  Those shoppers preparing for an upcoming holiday meal can also expect to find a great selection of sweet potatoes, green onions, apples, early citrus and a variety of leafy greens and winter squash.

All of the Community Food Bank Farmers’ Markets accept SNAP (food stamps), WIC checks, Arizona Farmers Market Nutrition vouchers, cash, credit and debit cards.  The Santa Cruz River Farmers’ Market runs every Thursday from 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM at El Mercado San Agustin, located at 100. S. Avenida del Convento, west of 1-10, near the corner of Congress and Grande.

For more information, contact Monica Garcia at (520) 882-3304.

Thanksgiving on the Mayflower broke the record for the largest amount ever donated to the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona from a public event in one day.

Donors gave more than 6,600 pounds of food and over $113,000 in cash to the Community Food Bank. The donations were matched dollar-for-dollar by Tucson Electric Power resulting in a total monetary donation of $226,000!

On November 17, in the parking lot of Sunflower Market on N. 1st Ave in Tucson, donors streamed in throughout the day with contributions that ranged from a jar of quarters to checks for $20,000. Families brought in boxes of food from their pantries. School children donated the pennies, nickels and dimes in their piggy banks.

Heartfelt thanks to Tucson Electric Power and 94.9 MIXfm! Thanks also to Meridian Mayflower Moving Systems, IBEW Local 1116, Rosemont Copper, Sunflower Markets, dedicated volunteers and all of our wonderful donors!gtdmsfnvgffgvzvc

The Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona and its five branch food banks are experiencing a reduction in USDA food items and produce donations this year.  The Food Bank’s inventory is presently over a million pounds less than last year at this time.  “We are highly concerned about the holiday season”, indicated Bill Carnegie, Food Bank CEO, “this is a time of extremely high demand due to the economy and we have less to give”, he added.

Delivery of the USDA food items has slowed due to reductions in spending by the federal government.  Lower produce donations are a result of freezing temperatures experienced by farmers in Mexico earlier this year and farmers now, are just beginning to recover.

The demand for help from families in Southern Arizona continues to rise.  In 2007, the Food Bank was assisting about 98,000 men, women and children each month, today the number in need has risen to nearly 240,000.

“This is a perfect storm scenario for the Community Food Bank, with increasing numbers of people in need and reductions in donations of money and food”, Carnegie added.

For those who wish to help, log onto www.communityfoodbank.org or call (520) 622-0525 to make a donation, learn how to conduct a food drive or volunteer.

For more information, contact Bill Carnegie at (520) 622-0525.

Derrick Harris from Caterpillar, Arturo Lopez, Chair of the Amado Community Food Bank Advisory Board and Mildred Lopez Feliciano, Amado Community Food Bank Executive Director.

Mildred Lopez Feliciano, Executive Director of the Amado Community Food Bank and Mary Jane Goodrick, Executive Director of the Green Valley-Sahuarita Community Food Bank have announced that a $7,000 grant from the Caterpillar Foundation will be shared by both food banks.

The $5,000 Amado Food Bank portion of the grant will be used to buy shelving for food storage.  The $2,000 Green Valley-Sahuarita Food Bank portion will be used to offset operating expenses.

The grant was presented at the Amado Food Bank Advisory Board meeting on November 1, 2011.

Pictured from left to right in the attached photo are Derrick Harris from Caterpillar, Arturo Lopez, Chair of the Amado Community Food Bank Advisory Board and Mildred Lopez Feliciano, Amado Community Food Bank Executive Director.

For more information on this grant, contact Mildred Lopez Feliciano at (520) 398-2479 or Mary Jane Goodrick at (520) 625-5252.

The Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona has announced the officers and new board members for 2011-2012.  Fran McNeely, Community Volunteer will continue as chair of the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona Board of Directors.  Joining her as Co-Vice Chairs are Karen Heyse, Director of Training Tucson Electric Power and Gregg Johnson, Southern Arizona Campus Director University of Phoenix.  Greg Kishi, Senior Technical Staff Engineer IBM will serve as secretary and Bret Berry, Senior Audit Manager, Keegan, Linscott, Kenon will serve as Treasurer.

Two new members were elected to the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona Board.  Alyssa Martinez, University of Arizona Eller College of Management student was elected as a Youth Board Member for a one year term and Katrina Heineking, Chief Executive Officer Sun Tran/Sun Van was elected to a three year term.

“The Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona is fortunate to have a diverse group of community leaders serving on its board,” said Bill Carnegie, Food Bank CEO. “Strong board leadership is instrumental in our attaining a 4-Star rating by Charity Navigator, “ he added.

The officers and board members were elected at the October 28, 2011 Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona Board Meeting.

Other continuing board members are K.C. An, Rosalva Bullock, Jennifer Casteix, Barry Corey, Michael Dorer, Mark Fay, Diane Frisch, Jamie Gutierrez, Monique Grigg Harley, Sarah Jezairian, Jim Kolbe, Sam R. Levitz, Katie Maxwell, Stephanie Porter, Douglas Taren and Bill Young.

For additional information, contact Jack Parris at (520) 622-0525 x 215 or at jparris@communityfoodbank.org