The Gordon Foundation has a long history of supporting the Community Food Bank dating back to 1989.  “We feel that your organization is doing for the community what everyone should be doing for the community,” said Gerald Hirsch, The Gordon Foundation President.  “Thank you for your service to all of us.”

The Gordon Foundation was established in 1986 by Charles and Gertrude Gordon after forty years in the shoe business in Tucson.  The Gordon family founded Gordon Shoes in 1946 in downtown Tucson, moved to El Rancho Center and then Park Mall.  The Foundation has donated more than $1.5 million to area non-profits.

The Community Food Bank is experiencing a 27% increase in requests for emergency food boxes over last year and almost a 50% increase over 2006.  The Gordon Foundation grant will go to purchase much needed food for the community. 
 
For further information, contact Pauline Hechler at (520) 622-0525 x 234.

The Program runs from June 2 through July 29, 2008
Listed below are the times and locations meals will be provided:

Sopori Elementary School
5000 W. Arivaca Rd.
Amado, AZ 85645
Breakfast 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Lunch 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Arivaca Community Center
16012 W. Universal Ranch Rd.
Arivaca, AZ 85601
Breakfast 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM
Lunch 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Sahuarita High School – Main Cafeteria
350 W. Sahuarita Rd.
Sahuarita, AZ 85629
Breakfast 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
Lunch 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Swetlands Park
15550 S. Sahuarita Park Rd.
Sahuarita, AZ 85629
Breakfast 8:00 AM – 8:30 AM
Lunch 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Ajo Unified School District
111 Well Rd.
Ajo, AZ 85321
Breakfast 7:30 AM – 8:00 AM
Lunch 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

For further information, contact Sandra Vijsma, Child Nutrition Programs Manager at
(520) 622-0525 x 247.

Those wishing to serve are asked to write a letter of interest outlining their community involvement history and why hunger in Santa Cruz County is important to them.

The Nogales Community Food Bank is an affiliate of the Community Food Bank in Tucson and distributes USDA Commodities, donated food and produce in Santa Cruz County.

Letters of interest may be sent to Arthur Espinoza, Santa Cruz County T.E.F.A.P. Coordinator at P.O. Box 3201, Nogales, AZ  85628 or by e-mail to aespinoza@communityfoodbank.org.

For additional information contact Arthur Espinoza at (520) 982-2554.

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Dr. Mejias frequently invites guests from non-profit organizations to briefly speak to his MIS students about community needs and social issues. He knows many of his Eller students will become future corporate leaders and his primary mission has been to provide them with a world class MIS education and inspire them to also understand how technology can assist socially conscious business leaders in improving world conditions. Dr. Mejias encourages his MIS students to be fully aware of their profound opportunities to create organizational cultures that support philanthropy and community service.

On April 15, 2008, Dr. Mejias invited Holly Altman from the UA Office of Community Relations to speak to his MIS classes about UA4Food, the campus-wide food drive benefitting the Community Food Bank’s Child Hunger and Nutrition Program.  His MIS students were surprised and shocked by the gravity of this situation in Arizona. Using the UA’s Blackboard course technology, Dr. Mejias invited his MIS students to join him in a “quick” UA4food drive to donate canned meats, peanut butter and canned vegetables.  Two collections on April 22nd, at the Eller Berger Auditorium, realized food donations of 1,592 pounds. 

“Dr. Mejias’ MIS students came through with almost 1,600 pounds of food, collected within about a half hour, which is remarkable,” said Holly Altman.  “As future business leaders these Eller students learned a valuable lesson in using technology to support community service and they will be pleased to know these food items will go far to help struggling families.”

For more information, contact Holly Altman at (520) 626-4671 or Roberto Mejias, Ph.D. at (520) 621-3600

Elsa F. Pratt, Full Charge Bookkeeper for the Community Food Bank was honored on Friday, April 25, 2008 at the Food Bank’s monthly Board Meeting for twenty-five years of outstanding service to the organization.

Ms. Pratt started at the Community Food Bank on April 25, 1983 as a Bookkeeper and was promoted to Full Charge Bookkeeper in October of 1998.  She is known, by her co-workers, for her ability to interact positively with virtually anyone with whom she comes in contact.

“Elsa’s twenty-five years of experience are a valuable asset to the Community Food Bank,” said Dan Walters,  Food Bank Director of Finance.  “She has seen our annual food distribution grow from less than 500,000 pounds per year to nearly 15,000,000 pounds.  As a full charge bookkeeper, her primary focus is accounting for our inventory to meet the requirement of our financial audits and audits performed by our donor organizations.”

Ms. Pratt is originally from Douglas, Arizona and now resides in Tucson with her husband Rollin. Elsa and Rollin Pratt have three children, daughter Celina and sons Ralph and Rollin.

The Community Food Bank’s Santa Cruz River Farmers’ Market will celebrate its grand opening at a new location on Thursday, April 24, 2008 from 3:00 to 6:00 PM.  The new location is at the NE Corner of Speedway and Riverview (between the Arizona Schools for the Deaf and Blind and El Rio Neighborhood Center).

 The Santa Cruz River Farmers’ Market features locally grown fruits and vegetables, desert plants and seedlings for the garden, citrus trees, honey, Mexican baked goods and tortillas, fresh eggs, Tohono O’odham traditional crops and dried goods all direct from producers.  Produce now in season includes snow peas, fava beans, carrots, beets, greens, salad greens, salad turnips, citrus fruit, fennel and fresh herbs.

 In 2007, Eating Well magazine recognized Tucson’s Santa Cruz River Farmers’ Market as one of “America’s Top 10 Farmers’ Markets.”  To be eligible, markets had to offer food produced locally, sold directly and cultivated in an environmentally conscious way.

 “We are really pleased with our new location that should be easier for our customers to find,” said Kelly Watters, Farmers’ Market Manager.  Plans for the Grand Opening Celebration include live music by Jennifer Freidman, preview performance of “We Are What We Eat,” a collaboration between the CFB and NEW ARTiculations Dance Theatre that celebrates the human connection to food and the systems that feed us. Also there will be a Spring Seed Exchange and “Food Fun and Reading” activities for kids.

 The Santa Cruz River Farmers’ Market is operated by the Community Food Bank and started in August of 2005.  The Market accepts Quest cards or food stamps, WIC and Senior farmers’ market vouchers, cash, MasterCard and Visa debit or credit cards.

 For more information, contact Kelly Watters at (520) 622-0525 x 242 or kwatters@communityfoodbank.org.

The 2008 UA4Food Drive continues on Sunday, April 13, 2008 with the Student Health Advisory Committee (SHAC) “Run for Your Life” 5 K run on the U of A Mall (west end).

Registration begins at 7:30 AM and the 5 K run for your life starts at 9:00 AM.  On site registration is $20.  There will be food and beverages, DJ entertainment provided by KXCI Community Radio, a raffle and many prizes.

The UA4Food Drive brings together the efforts of the University of Arizona faculty, staff and local merchants.  Proceeds from this year’s UA4Food Drive will benefit the Community Food Bank’s Child Hunger and Nutrition Programs.  They are “Kids Club”, “Snak Paks for Kids”® and “Summer Meals.”

For more information on the SHAC “Run for Your Life” 5 K run contact David Salafsky at 621-8297 or log on to http://www.rfyl.arizona.edu/event.htm.

The Kino Sports Complex Community Center will hold an Empty Bowl Luncheon on Thursday, April 17, 2008 to benefit the Community Food Bank. Guests may drop by any time between 10:30 AM and 2:00 PM at 2805 East Ajo Way. 

Participants will receive a beautifully handcrafted ceramic bowl donated by members of the Southern Arizona Clay Artists.  Lunches are $10.00 each and include a variety of soups to sample, bread and the ceramic bowl to take home as a reminder of hunger in our community.

Net proceeds from the Empty Bowl Luncheon will go to feed hungry people in Southern Arizona.

For information on the Kino Sports Complex Community Center’s Empty Bowl Luncheon on April 17th contact Mary Avizu, Community Center Coordinator at (520) 740-4651 or marvizu@pima.gov