Capital Area Food Bank of Texas Blog » Nourishing Hungry People and Leading the Community in Ending Hunger

Backline! Stones in the Mirror

May 23rd, 2013 § 0 comments § permalink

By Oscar Decker

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. I’ve been shooting photos since I was twelve years old; coincidentally picked up the guitar at right about the same time. I was really blown away by the new cultural sounds and images the sixties seemed to unleash upon the world. I was able to do some dark room work in high school and since I continued my work with cameras through my years at the University of Texas. I worked at a photo lab on campus that was located in Batts Hall and I worked with the faculty and staff of the language departments. This was in the days of film & chemistry based photo dark rooms. Digital did not exist; at least not in the civilian world. This was the kind of intensive work that honed one’s skills.

I’ve met a lot of people in the music business since I’ve also played Rock ‘n’ Roll since high school. One of those contacts was my friend Russ Schlagbaum who grew up in Ohio. Russ contacted me in 1994 when he was working the the Rolling Stones’ Voodoo Lounge tour and invited me to one of their shows. I’d never been to a Stones’ show at that point, so I thought I would head to Dallas to catch the Stones at the Cotton Bowl. Prior to leaving for Dallas, I was contacted by a writer from San Antonio who was writing an article on Chuch Magee; the legendary backline manager for the Stones. So I accepted the request to shoot some photos of Chuch on the backline prior to the show. Since Chuch Magee was waiting for me to show up, I had a working pass waiting for me. Chuch and I hit it off from the get go. I shot the portraits, also had free run of the backline so I photographed as much of the band gear possible. Chuch invited me to their next show in Mexico City in the coming New Year (1995). I accepted the invitation and continued to do so for 11 years. Years later when Chuch passed away, the portrait I shot on the backline in Dallas was sent by The Rolling Stones along with Chuch’s road case to the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

I’ve noted the great work the Food Bank has done over the years. I recently became aware that there are Food Bank locations throughout the State of Texas. I know that times are hard and extremely hard on the poor. I had this in mind when I promised my friend Alfonso Casso that I would be very happy to put together an exhibit to assist the Capital Area Food Bank. If things work out for us on the upcoming exhibit on May 26 at Café Soleil, I could see putting together a road show exhibit to help raise funds for other Food Banks in Texas in need financial assistance to help those in real need.

Signing off for now,

Oscar Decker

A Hunger Movement – for Kids, by Kids

May 21st, 2013 § 0 comments § permalink

Hunger Warriors at the Texas State Capitol

“All seeds need food to grow; including children.” Claire T.
Claire is in elementary school here in Central Texas. She and her fellow third and fourth grade students at Travis Heights and Elsa England Elementary school are learning about the hunger crisis in America. Together, these children have called themselves the “Hunger Warriors” where they have dedicated a school semester to studying childhood hunger in America. As part of an extended service learning framework grant through the Sodexo Foundation and Youth Service America, the children participate in research, writing, group activities and other assignments to gain perspective on why the problem exists and ultimately play an active role in ending hunger. Their blog Outrun Childhood Hunger documents the project.
Watch the 3rd graders at Elsa England Elementary talk about their semester of service:

But that’s not all. Armed with bright orange t-shirts and wristbands, and an official chant the students have taken hunger activism to a whole new place, one that inspires others to join in.

They’re serious…

and sometimes silly…

and brave, like this child, who stood at the Texas Capitol steps, in front of his friends, classmates, and all of Texas to see and shared his personal hunger story. Watch at 1.16:

You can view more photos from their hunger rally on our Flickr album.

We’ve been impressed by the creativity and passion of our youngest hunger fighters. Thank you to the students and faculty for raising funds for the Food Bank and leading our community in ending hunger.

Milam Community Foundation Invests in Food Bank Hunger Relief for Area Residents

May 17th, 2013 § 0 comments § permalink

President & CEO Hank Perret (center) with Milam County Community Foundation Staff and Community Supporters

Milam County is in east central Texas about 60 miles northeast of Austin, and where 26,000 people call home. Dedicated to improving the community through promoting reinvestment and supporting long-term economic growth, the Milam Community Foundation provides funding and support to nonprofit organizations like ours servicing Milam County. The Foundation has chosen our Food Bank as a recipient of a $30,000 grant in support of our work in the area.

For more than 30 years, the Capital Area Food Bank has served communities large and small across our 21-county service territory. In mostly rural areas such as Milam County, alleviating hunger and food insecurity has its own unique challenges:

Employment is more concentrated in low-wage industries;
Unemployment and underemployment are greater;
Education levels are lower;
Work-support services, such as flexible and affordable child care and public transportation, are less available;
The rural marketplace offers less access to communication and transportation network; and offers companies less access to activities that foster administration, research and development.

Source: Feeding America

The Food Bank operates a Kids Cafe at Cameron Elementary school and two Wheels of Sharing mobile food pantries. The additional funds could provide enough Kids Cafe meals for an entire year and more than 110,000 pounds of nutritious produce, protein, and staples through the mobile pantry.

Thank you, Miliam Community Foundation for investing in the health and well-being of your neighbors, and for inspiring philanthropic giving to make your community stronger.

Shoot Out Hunger

May 16th, 2013 § 0 comments § permalink

By Mark Bennett, ASIS Austin Chapter

The American Society of Industrial Security (ASIS) Austin Chapter serves the security professionals in the greater Austin area. The Chapter holds a yearly golf tournament to raise money for our scholarship fund but they didn’t have a program in place to give back to our community. After serving as a Chapter officer for five years I was compelled to start a community outreach event and the SHOOT OUT HUNGER event was born.

I’m an avid shooter and wanted to tie that into a yearly charity sporting clays event to support our community. I believe that we live in a nation where NO ONE should ever go hungry with the capacity the USA has to produce food. When I discovered the Capital Area Food Bank of Texas (CAFB) and your programs, I knew that was where we wanted to show our support.

We are amazed by the outreach and how you distribute food to a 21 county area serving 48,000 people and of that number 20,000 being children. We learned that CAFB sees the demand for food rise each year during the summer when the children are out of school. These children will not benefit from the free breakfast and lunch programs that may be the only meals that they can count on.

My passion is to help eliminate hunger and the idea to hold the SHOOT OUT HUNGER event in May will help support the food bank during this time. This year we are holding our 4^th annual SHOOT OUT HUNGER event on May 17^thand our goal is to raise $10,000. I would like to invite everyone to come out and support our cause. Please visit our website at:

www.shootouthunger.org and sign up to participate, donate and volunteer.

Our ASIS Chapter helps protect private industry and we want to support that by giving back to the community we serve.

Match This Gift for Summer Meals That Matter

May 16th, 2013 § 0 comments § permalink

Yesterday we kicked off our Summer Meals That Matter campaign to help nourish children and their families this summer. In addition to raising awareness about challenges families with children face when school lunch is not available during the summer months, we have also set a fundraising goal to raise 500,000 meals.

Walmart has generously offered a $25,000 matching gift challenge to support our campaign. Now through August 15, your donations will be matched! This means that your donation will go twice as far and provide $10 worth of food for every $1 donated.

You can donate directly to the campaign here, or go a step further and fundraise online with your friends, family or coworkers.

Your gift provides more than a meal; you’ll nourish dreams for children like Lorenya and Sylvia. You can learn more about these promising young girls on the Summer Meals That Matter site.

Thank you for making a difference this summer. Learn more at www.austinfoodbank.org/summer/

Outlaw Realty 5th Annual Crawfish & Croquet Benefit Party

May 15th, 2013 § 0 comments § permalink

by Leah Schimberg at Outlaw Realty of Austin

Central Texans love to have a good time, celebrate successes, and give back to our community. We all know and love Texas for those reasons! The most awesome combination of those things is when we have an unforgettable time at an event created by Texans, for Texans, to give back to the less fortunate in our communities.

For the past 5 years Outlaw Realty of Austin, an 8 agent 4 support staff residential real estate firm, has transformed what was once our client, family-friendly BBQ to a huge community celebration! This Crawfish & Croquet benefit party was created to benefit a Central Texas charity doing the very most with what they have and doing it in a notoriously excellent style. In the past this event has benefited local cancer assistance organizations, at-risk youth programs and now we are proud to be donating the event’s ticket proceeds to the Capital Area Food Bank for the second year in a row.

Our eight real estate consultants reach out to the local professionals that we recommend to our clients (roofers, cleaners, printers, remodelers, home builders, etc.) and ask them to sponsor and help us cover the costs of this event, only to be overwhelmed with generosity each year. We then reach out to our current and past residential real estate clients and ask them to share the event with friends and family and buy tickets to the event. For those who are regular consumers of crawfish they know what a great deal a $25 donation/ticket for crawfish & fixins’, Texas St. Arnold’s beer, and tons of family friendly fun really is. Man, what a feel good deal! The event now draws over 200 people and raises thousands of dollars for the Capital Area Food Bank! Learn more here.

We are very lucky to have supportive clients, professional business supporters, and a beautiful city to call home but we all are aware of the struggles that many central Texans face each and every day. The most vulnerable in our state, the elderly and children, are many times those most at risk. Outlaw Realty stands alongside the Capital Area Food Bank in the belief that hunger in Central Texas is unacceptable. The services that the Capital Area Food Bank of Texas providers cannot be oversimplified. They served numerous needs in multiple capacities with over 19,000 volunteers, in 21 counties, in the 2011-2012 year! They coordinate to provide: nutrition education, food pantries, disaster preparedness, Meals on Wheels, summer food programs, healthy and fresh food programs for the elderly and children, and fresh food rescue services. Their services are broad and so important. Although many of us have not had to use their services it is an absolute that Outlaw Realty and our supportive friends, family and clients are grateful for all that CAFB does and the services they provide to the many in need.

Thank you, Capital Area Food Bank of Texas! See you at the 5th Annual Crawfish & Croquet Benefit Party this Saturday, May 18th! For more information, visit our website at OutlawRealty.com

Summer Meals That Matter

May 15th, 2013 § 0 comments § permalink

Have you ever thought about what the face of hunger looks like? We see many faces of hunger every day including seniors living on a fixed income, the unemployed and working families, but the one face that can be the most disturbing is the face of a hungry child.

Perhaps the most vulnerable clients we serve are kids, who no choice over the situation they find themselves in. The thought of any child not reaching their full potential in our country today because they are hungry is unfathomable; and it is a disgrace.

Yet more than 1 in 4 children in Texas is at risk of hunger, and of the 48,000 Central Texans we serve each week, 20,000 are children.

There is an old maxim which is as true today as it was when first coined; our brains need fuel in order to learn. Many health experts and pediatricians agree that a child’s educational development and wellbeing are threatened by hunger, and it matters for those kids future prosperity too, as usually it is true that the more we learn the more we earn.

Contrary to popular belief, summer is typically the busiest time of the year here, and the problem of children going hungry worsens. It gets worse because many kids rely on the meals they receive at school for the essential nutrition they need to learn and stay healthy. Even here in booming Austin, almost two out of every three children attending AISD qualify for free or reduced-price school meals. When those schools close and empty out for the summer break, many family pocketbooks are strained to breaking point because hunger doesn’t take a vacation.

So it matters to your Food Bank when millions of children go hungry in the summer because school is out and their main source of nutrition has disappeared. And it should matter to you too.

Helping to nourish hungry children is a priority for the Capital Area Food Bank which is why we are launching our Summer Meals That Matter campaign. Our goal with the Summer Meals That Matter campaign is to raise 500,000 nutritious meals this summer for children and families at risk of hunger.

The funds raised from Summer Meals That Matter will nourish families all summer long, and help prepare children to return to school ready to learn. Shouldn’t kids be more worried about their grades rather than where their next meal is coming from?

We have to do everything we can to allow our children to grow and develop and as our countries future. Surely the least we owe them is the opportunity to be all they can be?

If you believe hunger is unacceptable, please join us in the fight against hunger today, and help all our children go to bed each night with a full tummy, and full of hope; that’s why summer meals should matter to all of us.

Learn more at http://www.austinfoodbank.org/summer/

Hello Saturday Mail Delivery, Goodbye Hunger

May 6th, 2013 § 0 comments § permalink

UPDATE: We did hear reports that some of the local carriers were unable to collect all of the food donations on Saturday. Mail carriers will continue to pick up donations today. You may also deliver your donation to your local post office, or at our headquarters at 8201 South Congress Avenue in Austin.

Saturday mail delivery has a special meaning for our Food Bank, thanks to the National Association of Letter Carriers. Now in its 21^st year, Stamp Out Hunger is an easy way for you to provide hunger relief to families in crisis across Central Texas. Look for the H-E-B bag in your mailbox. Fill the bag with non-perishable food like canned meats and tuna, soups, vegetables, peanut butter and pasta. Then, place your bag or bags by your mailbox on Saturday, May 11 for a letter carrier to deliver to the Food Bank.

You can also donate healthy, non-perishable food items at the following stores between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 11:

H-E-B South: 6900 Brodie Lane, Austin, TX 78745

H-E-B North: 10710 Research Blvd., Austin, TX 78759

H-E-B West: 701 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., Westlake Hills, TX 78746

H-E-B East: 2508 E. Riverside Drive, Austin, TX 78741

Your support helps keep our shelves stocked when donations start to dwindle after the holiday season. Thank you for remembering that hunger doesn’t take a holiday.

Diverse Central Texas Businesses Come Together for United Way Days of Caring

May 1st, 2013 § 0 comments § permalink

Each spring, the United Way invites businesses for two days of team-building and community service with their favorite nonprofits. Last Friday, United Way Days of Caring volunteers from Freescale, Samsung, 3M and H-E-B spent the day in product recovery and sorted 17,500 pounds of food. Because of their hard work and dedication, we’ll be able to provide 14,583 meals to Central Texans in need. Thank you to United Way for cultivating philanthropy as a civic virtue and providing meaningful opportunities for the community to help end hunger.

View more photos from the day.

Can Neighborhood Grocery Stores be A Health Oasis for the Hungry?

April 29th, 2013 § 0 comments § permalink

Can you do this in your neighborhood? Photo credit: USDA.gov

How can we eliminate hunger and ensure everyone eats well? It’s really simple. End poverty and ensure people have access to enough money, resources and knowledge that allows them to make healthy decisions for themselves. The devil is in the details. No one government program, nonprofit, or free-market solution will do it. Likewise, no one problem causes hunger, whether it is a food desert, underfunded social safety net, depressed wages, or lingering economic downturn. What is clear is that the path to a hunger-free community lies in independence. This Texas legislative session, lawmakers are hoping to enact and fund a new program that entrusts low-income Texans to make healthy choices at the grocery store by improving access to the right kind foods in their neighborhood.

Senate Bill 403, and its accompanying bills HB 1221, and HB 3616 establish a revolving loan fund to incentivize the creation of grocery stores in neighborhoods with limited access to healthy affordable foods.

Here’s an excerpt from the bill analysis for SB 403:

This bill establishes a community development grocery store and healthy corner store revolving loan fund held by a community development financial institution (CDFI). The fund will be administered by the Texas Department of Agriculture and used for the purpose of making loans to entities operating grocery stores or healthy corner stores located in food deserts in Texas. Several states have had success encouraging small grocery stores to open in food deserts through the establishment of public-private partnerships. These partnerships use start-up grants to CDFIs, which leverage additional private investment to establish revolving loan funds for small to mid-size businesses that do not qualify for standard loans. By amending statute and authorizing a fund to support investment in low-income areas in need of grocery stores, Texas could increase the availability of healthy foods to underserved communities. Effective date: September 1, 2013.

Acting as both an anchor and natural communal spot in neighborhoods, these stores not only provide the right foods residents need, but also support the positive health benefits associated with a nutritious diet. For social service nonprofits like us that offer nutrition education classes and assistance with SNAP (food stamps), a neighborhood grocery store makes it easier for clients to put their knowledge into practice.

This sort of public policy is not a new idea; in communities across the U.S., similar legislation has made healthy corner stores an attractive business opportunity and successful community development tool while also improving health outcomes, and increasing neighborhood home valuations. You can read more about the benefits of healthy food retail here. Pennsylvania was the first state to adopt legislation, and was quickly followed by New Orleans, California and others. For a comprehensive overview of other state and federal efforts, check out the Healthy Food Access portal. The Texas bill is exactly what the Houston Grocery Access Task Force recommends in their roadmap to improve healthy food access in underserved communities throughout the state.

The promise of America is that we all have chances and choices for success. Poverty doesn’t take those opportunities away, but it does severely limit what opportunities are available, and that applies to food as well.

We encourage you to call your Texas legislative representative in support of this bill.