So, what do you do?

It’s a question we get quite often.  And, after a conversation and a tour of our facility, the reaction is usually, “Wow, I had no idea you did so much!”  During this giving season, many donors, and potential donors are looking to make a meaningful impact in the community, and more importantly in the life of a child, mother, grandfather, teen, or single person with no one else to rely on.  This post is designed to do some of that heavy lifting for you – and explain the Capital Area Food Bank’s unique model for successful and high-impact hunger relief.  We encourage you to come and see our work in action for yourself by taking a tour of our facility.

Central Texas Model for High-Impact Hunger Relief

1. Efficient Capture, Handling and Distribution of Quality Food

We rely on a mix of programs and community outreach methods to ensure our local and national food systems are not wasting wanted food, and that the food can get to people in need in a timely and safe manner.  Through our Central Texas Food Rescue program, we work with leading grocery stores like H-E-B and Walmart to safely capture nutrition-dense foods like meats, dairy and fresh produce. We can make smarter food purchasing decisions thanks to our CHOP program which informs us, and our Partner Agencies about the nutritional value of all items in our 60,000 square foot warehouse.  We are proud to report that approximately 83 percent of the items in our warehouse have a 1 or 2 rating – the highest nutritional ratings possible in the CHOP system.   And, so partners can spend more of their dollars on food purchase instead of expensive gas, our Regional Food Delivery program delivers food to centrally located drop sites in our outlying areas.

Each community and population suffering from food poverty has unique challenges and needs. Some clients benefit from a pantry with open hours, while others need to manage their time and resources through an appointment-based service.  By setting an example with our St. John Food Pantry, we encourage our partners to implement best practices in pantry operations and encourage client choice so that less food goes to waste, and is unwanted by clients.  We support the unique social and nutritional needs of children through the Kids Cafe after-school feeding program and older adults through the HOPE program. And, in times of disaster and in communities struggling with surging food hardship, the Wheels of Sharing Mobile Food Pantry fills in the gaps with community-based hunger relief.

These services could not be possible without our partnerships with Feeding America, the Texas Food Bank Network, our network of 300 Partner Agencies and community support.

2. Federal Programs Access

Emergency food assistance through charity is an important, but small part in our nation’s fight against hunger and malnutrition. Federal and State assistance programs that help low-income individuals stretch their food budget provide significant public health benefits including improved nutrition, decreased vulnerability to illness and absenteeism at school and work, and improved mental health. The Food Stamp Program, now called SNAP, has been hailed as providing the greatest return on investment due to immediate impact on local economies, low error rates, and minimal fraud. USDA estimates that $1 in SNAP benefits increases GDP by $1.79 and the impact is felt by local grocers, truck drivers, farmers, and other food production workers. When qualified Central Texans access federal nutrition programs, we can focus our efforts on nourishing those who have no other option, and more Central Texans overall are food secure.

Through our Social Services Outreach program, qualified compassionate staff members provide outreach, enrollment and client advocacy to help Central Texans apply for state and federal assistance.

During the summer months when school is out and children don’t have access to free and reduced-priced lunch, we participate in the federal Summer Food Service Program, providing thousands of nutritious meals to at-risk youth.

3. Nutrition and Food Purchase Education

The USDA projects food prices at home to rise 4 to 5 percent this year. An Oxfam opinion poll revealed that 31 percent of Americans cite the cost of food as the reason they are not eating the same foods as they did two years ago.  Rising food prices are changing the way we eat, and not necessarily for the better. CAFB’s CHOICES nutrition education program provides Central Texans in need with critical consumer education so they may make informed choices at the pantry, supermarket, and when using federal nutrition benefits.  Classes focus on food safety, meal planning, and reducing the risk of nutrition related diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity.  Through hands-on engaging education classes for adults and children, CAFB puts healthy food options within everyone’s reach.

Our commitment to nourishing hungry people in Central Texas could not be realized without your support.  Visit our website at austinfoodbank.org to learn more about how we help.

Do you have a question you’d like us to answer through the blog?  Send an email to lgoddard@austinfoodbank.org.  View other “Your questions, CAFB Answers” posts here.

In a new twist for our series “Your Questions. CAFB Answers.”, we’re taking on a question that hasn’t been asked to us directly, but rather inspired by a recent article in the Washington Post.

Billionare, co-founder of the Carlyle Group investment company and philanthropist Bill Conway wants to give away half of his net worth with one caveat – no simple, stop-gap giveaways.

How does he define simple? Food banks.

Bill Conway . Credit: Forbes.com

Here’s an excerpt from the Washington Post article:

“So much of what I do now is stop-gap. Somebody’s hungry; we give money to the food bank,” Conway said in an interview in his Pennsylvania Avenue office. Although such help is necessary and worthwhile, he said, “It would be far better if we had a more permanent solution.”

Conway has contributed $6 million to our sister food bank in Washington D.C.

So, this begs the question – are food banks a stop-gap solution? We say not any more.

This is not your parent’s food bank of the 1960’s where they functioned as a receptacle for near-out of date food from the grocer or a means to manage commodity prices. In the Capital Area Food Bank of Texas’ 30-year history, many of the operational and programmatic changes have come within the last five years. We have added advocacy to support anti-poverty and anti-hunger legislation and improve the effectiveness of federal nutrition programs. We provide SNAP (food stamps) outreach and enrollment assistance, which has a proven record of lifting families out of poverty. Our team of nutritionists goes out into the community to help at-risk families, older adults and children eat safely and healthfully on a limited budget through hands-on workshops. Volunteers may help cultivate our Teaching Garden while learning new gardening skills to grow their own food. We’ve pursued profitable business opportunities that allow us to pump even more money into our programs.

The result of our efforts has done more than move us closer to our goal to end hunger in Central Texas; it has created new jobs and helped thousands of families stretch their food budget so they can spend funds on other items such as education, savings or healthcare.

Unlike the food bank of yesteryear, the modern food bank seeks and implements long-term solutions in addition to immediate relief.

We encourage Mr. Conway and others interested in long-term solutions to take another look at your local food bank. Take a tour this Friday. Learn how we have evolved, and our commitment to ending hunger for good. And, then, let’s have a discussion on ways to make a sound investment that lift up the most vulnerable members of our community.

Do you have a question you’d like us to answer through the blog? Send an email to Lisa Goddard, online marketing director at lgoddard@austinfoodbank.org.

People often confuse a food bank and a food pantry, most likely as a result of the organizations’ similar goal to fight hunger. However, both are very different in their day-to-day operations. The easiest way to remember the difference is to think of an ATM and a bank.

ATM = Food Pantry

The main purpose of an ATM is to distribute money. You can also do some other relatively basic things like deposit money, check your balance, etc. Just like this, a food pantry’s main purpose is to distribute food directly to people who need it. Sometimes they also offer small services like help filling out SNAP applications, employment advice, etc., but giving out food is their primary goal.

Bank = Food Bank

A bank handles many more things than an ATM. Its main purpose is to serve the community by offering a wide variety of services, as well as supplying ATMs with their money. Some banks even have ATMs attached. Similarly, a food bank’s charge is to provide hunger relief services to the community through many ways. Food banks will often provide nutrition education classes to help families shop smarter, advocate for strong hunger-relief legislation, and also help supply food pantries with volunteers, food and other goods. And just like some financial banks have ATMs attached, some food banks also have pantries attached.

Even if you can’t remember the difference, you can always donate your time and food to both food pantries and food banks. Both are always in need and together, we can all work to fight hunger in Central Texas!

Do you have a question you’d like us to answer through the blog? Send an email to Lisa Goddard, online marketing director at lgoddard@austinfoodbank.org.

Actual food donations to the Capital Area Food Bank.

While fresh foods are an important part of CAFB’s aid, non-perishables are also a vital resource (and they may be easier for you to donate). We can make the most of your non-perishable food donation when you consider three things: nutrition, usefulness, and quality vs. quantity.

1. Nutrition
We aim to provide people with the healthiest food possible. Meats, whole grains, nuts, beans/legumes, fruits and vegetables are all great options to help give back in the best way. Here are some suggestions for each of the categories:

2. Usefulness

It’s helpful to think about how practical your donation will be. While we encourage you to give what you can, it’s most beneficial for us to provide our clients with food they will actually use. We’re unable to accept alcohol of any kind and home-canned goods. Remember,  if that canned  item has been sitting in the back of the pantry for an unknown amount of time, it’s probably best to leave that donation at home.

We would prefer non-perishable quality proteins because these are often left out of donations. Canned fish and other meats are great forms of protein in a longer lasting, useful form.

3. Quality vs. Quantity

We encourage you to give the best food possible, but also realize you have a budget. If you can afford to donate organic items, great. If not, that’s ok, too. Budget-friendly, but generally nutritious foods make the biggest impact.

Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide what food you give and how much to donate. However, just remember that your donations are a fundamental part of our goal to provide the healthiest, most useful food to our community.

credit: Creative Commons

Every day, food equivalent to the weight of a Boeing 737 departs our warehouse in south Austin and makes its way across our 21 county service territory. Thanks to your donations and support, we distributed 25 million pounds of food last year to hungry Central Texans.

But that’s not all the food and grocery products we get into the warehouse. Where does it go?

Yes, sadly some food gets thrown away. But, why, especially when there is such a great need?

CAFB Answers:

When in doubt, we and our Partner Agencies throw it out.
Expired food, dented cans, and poorly sealed containers can be a breeding ground for bugs and bacteria which can cause food borne illness or worse. With so many of our clients in poor health, or with no access to health care, it’s important that only the healthiest, quality products go into the hands of our most vulnerable community members.

In compliance with Feeding America, IRS and USDA requirements, all CAFB Partner Agencies are required to have food safety training annually. We provide one-on-one training for all new agencies and ongoing training opportunities for agencies throughout the year. This ensures agencies have the latest and best-practice information on food handling and food safety procedures including when to throw out donated goods.

Food recalls happen.
Our inventory management system allows us to quickly pull recalled food items when an alert comes through recalls.gov or from Feeding America. We also alert Partner Agencies about any recently recalled food items that have come through our warehouse. Recalled food items are never distributed to clients.

How you can help and donate with confidence.

The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Act provides protection for donors, volunteers, businesses and non-profit organizations from liability except in acts of “gross negligence” or intentional misconduct. Here are some ways to make sure we can use your generous gifts.

1. Donate new, dent-free and un-opened non-perishable food items.

2. If an item is recalled, do not donate it to the Food Bank.

3. Donate money. It never goes bad.

Do you have a question you’d like us to answer through the blog? Send an email to lgoddard@austinfoodbank.org.

If you want to do good, and be good at doing good, we’re here to help. Look for our new blog series: “Your questions. CAFB’s answers.” to help you understand how your community food bank provides hunger relief. Learn how to navigate through the philanthropy jargon, and become a savvy supporter of CAFB’s mission.

On to today’s question.

If you’ve heard us say, “Every dollar donated provides $5 worth of nutritious food”, you may think it’s a no brainer – of course food donations are best.

This video produced by University of Pennsylvania Center for High-Impact Philanthropy highlights key benefits financial donations provide to CAFB and the 350 Partner Agencies we work with.

[youtube= http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSB2FEeprJY&feature=player_embedded]

Food banks and pantries generally have greater buying power than the average consumer, which allows us to provide the right foods to support our diverse clientele.  Cash donations, especially online donations, don’t take as much time to process, where food donations from the community are thoroughly inspected for safety. You may also prefer to give cash, since food donations are not tax-deductable.

So, sure, cash sounds like a great gift for the Food Bank. What’s better than the multiplier effect, lower overhead, and a tax deduction to boot?

Not so fast.

Donating food provides something money can’t – a donation experience.   The time a donor takes to choose their donation, deliver their donation, and share their experience with a friend or family member has tremendous value.  For parents and educators, a food donation can be a teachable moment.

A shining example is the educational and service learning program provided by A Legacy of Giving. Each year, hundreds of Austin-area students learn how to address poverty through a food and coat drive.

Credit: Darcy Elizabeth Photography

Then, there is Scouting for Food, a new partner with Souper Bowl of Caring.  Scouts get a new opportunity to interact with their community by knocking on doors and picking up bags of donated non-perishable food items to bring back to the Food Bank.

Credit: CAFB

For that simple donation of beans, The Food Bank benefits from grassroots marketing, a discussion about nutrition as donors decide the type of food their neighbors may enjoy, and potentially a new connection between a Scout and his neighbor.  This is priceless.

So, the answer to your question is…

YES!

Donate food if it moves you to act. Donate money if it inspires you to talk to your friends, co-workers and neighbors to help join in.  However you stake your claim on ending hunger in Central Texas, we’ll be there to accept your gift.  Click here to get started.

Do you have a question you’d like us to answer through the blog?  Send an email to lgoddard@austinfoodbank.org.