Several times throughout the year, CAFB employees work together on a community project.  Yesterday’s volunteer day at the Food Bank helped many of us understand why you keep coming back to volunteer with us. It’s fun!

CAFB staff sorting meat donations from the Central Texas Food Rescue Program.

Molly Robbins, Community Events Coordinator, learns how to operate a pallet jack.

Of course, at the end of the day, we wanted to know how we stacked up (no pun intended) with the workplace groups who help us on a typical volunteer day. With four teams working to process canned goods, meats, breads, and personal items, we prepared more than five tons of donations from community donations and the Central Texas Food Rescue Program.

Rachael Hawkey, Product Recovery Manager, said with confidence, “I would be proud to work with you all again in Product Recovery.”

From left, Chief Operating Officer Charlie Ward, President & CEO David Davenport, and Chief Development Officer Adrienne Longenecker serve lunch to William Hubenschmidt, AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer, and fellow staff.

From all levels of the organization, we’ve cared for the food you donate as our volunteers do, and felt the sense of pride that comes with being part of the hunger solution in Central Texas.

CAFB Staff

Experience this for yourself.

View photos from our day.

P.S.  We need more volunteers for Austin Reggae Festival.  Learn how to help.

In a major step toward President Obama’s goal to end childhood hunger by 2015, the Child Nutrition Reauthorization bill was approved with a unanimous voice vote by the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry. The bill includes priorities we, and anti-hunger advocates across the nation, support to help increase access to nutritious food for low-income children during the school day, after school, in the summer, and over weekends and extended school holidays.

Sandra McCreery

In the more rural parts of our 21-county service area, this legislation will have a big impact. As a school bus driver in Kosse, TX, Sandra McCreery sees what children are bringing for lunch, and shares her story.

“I know a lot of elderly and kids here that get very little and just eat bread,” Sandra tells us, “I drive a school bus, so I know a lot of these kids personally, and I know their parents and their grandparents. I know what these kids wear, what they bring to eat. Once you see some of the stuff you handed out to them, it makes you think, ‘I volunteered [at a Mobile Food Pantry distribution] and it helped.’”

“It makes me want to cry,” she said. “I see them bring their lunch bags on the bus. You can tell when they’ve got the bread or noodles from the Mobile Food Pantry. It makes you feel good to know they don’t have to eat just one thing or do without. It helps them learn when they’ve got a full belly. Driving a school bus, I see it. It makes me happy to know this program is here.”

“If [people] came out here to see some of these people and what they have to live in because of the economy, I’m sure they’d dig deeper in their pockets. We’ve fallen on hard times. I know some people don’t believe it because we’re good at hiding it, but our country needs people to volunteer for the food banks because we have kids right here in our own country that are going to bed hungry every night. If they drove a school bus or worked for the school system, they would see the kids that go to bed hungry at night.”

“To those companies that donate this food, thank you from the bottom of my heart and from the people of Kosse.  Especially from the kids,” says Sandra. “To those of you who donate money to help buy food, thank you from the bottom of my heart and may God bless every one of you.”

Learn More

• Visit our website to learn about how we nourish hungry children.
• Check out this scorecard by the Texas Food Bank Network rating the progress of  the Child Nutrition Reauthorization bill.
• Learn how you can support legislation to help end child hunger.

For nonprofits wondering whether to send staff to SXSW Interactive Conference (SXSWi), we say a resounding “YES!”  Social-good sessions were a major part of this year’s conference, and that’s probably here to stay.  Besides networking with other nonprofit types, there’s a ton of information about how to make your websites better, on the ground collaboration opportunities, and the latest information on free technologies.  Our Online Marketing Director, Lisa Goddard; and Online Development Coordinator, Aimy Wiley; share their highlights:

Lisa:

One of the most useful sessions I attended was “How the Other Half Lives – Touring the Digital Divide.” Librarians by day, Jessamyn West and Jenny Engstrom shared their unique struggles in providing support to those least likely to have access to technology. Their message was clear and practical: digital literacy, as well as broadband internet accessibility, must be factored into design, functionality and language choices when designing web pages for target low-income populations.  With this knowledge, I’m redesigning our “Get Help” section on austinfoodbank.org to be even more helpful.  

Aimy:

SXSWi is a great place to find things you didn’t know you didn’t know about. At the “City as a Platform” panel, I learned about new developments in interactive cities.

Technologists from MIT to Manor, TX talked about new sensors and web applications that help buildings and streets “talk” about what’s going on in a city. This helps city officials clear up crime, fix potholes, and make other improvements more quickly.

The panel made me wonder how nonprofits can use these technologies in Central Texas cities to better our communities. We could gather real-time data about how many people are in line at a food pantry or how many people are sleeping on a sidewalk tonight, and use that information to be more effective. I’m keeping my eye out for those interesting opportunities.

For more information, check out this preview of the panel by A Smarter Planet.

Were you there? Tell us what you learned. Was it worth it? Why or why not?

We’ve heard from clients about a desire to grow and eat fresh, local vegetables, but that it’s sometimes difficult to do. Community gardens may be unavailable in their area, or have a long waiting list.  Apartment life can limit the variety of vegetables and herbs that can be successfully grown.  We’re proud of our success with the Teaching Garden program to help our Partner Agencies provide fresh local produce to their clients.

Check out what Catholic Charities of Central Texas has been able to do with its Angels of Hope Food Pantry Garden:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4c_pjc9u90]

Our teaching garden looks great, thanks to the many volunteers who help us with its care and feeding.  This weekend, volunteers kicked off the spring growing season by weeding, cleaning and planting.

We think you should join us and plant a garden of your own.  Or better yet, volunteer with your local agency to help plant and maintain a garden.

Visit our website to download a  garden packet, and take the Grow and Give pledge to donate a portion of your harvest to the Food Bank.

What are your garden plans this season?

Frank Ellison, CAFB client at the Rosewood-Zaragosa Neighborhood Center, shares while he waits in line at a Fresh Food for Families distribution:

“There’s a lot of poor people that ain’t got nothing. Ain’t got nowhere to sleep. You can see them on a lot of street corners. This [food pantry] helps a lot of people. They don’t get but a little social security and they need something else to help out.  If you’re on a fixed income you have to find some kind of place where you can get some help on your light bills. It’s rough.”

Learn more about hunger in Central Texas, and what you can do about it at HungerisUNacceptable.com

Jennie Trower
CAFB Ambassador

I love the work I do. I believe in the Food Bank’s mission and want to tell people about it every chance I get.  In this age of non-stop electronic communication — cell phones, texting, Facebook, Twitter — it’s a refreshing change to connect face-to-face with people around such an important issue like hunger.

My most recent speaking engagement was at St. Michaels Episcopal Church for the Souper Bowl of Caring Food & Fund Drive. I talked to two different Sunday School classes, and seeing the children decorate the food donation bags was heart-warming. Because more than half of AISD students qualify for free- or reduced-price lunch, these volunteers were helping others just like themselves, in their own community. Children whose parents have to choose between paying rent and putting food on the table. Children who might get breakfast, but don’t know where dinner is coming from.

I’ve been that child, waiting in line at elementary school with my special ticket for a free lunch. And I was in that family, with the single mom who, from time to time, relied on the food pantry at a local church to stretch the end-of-the-month food budget. I’m grown up now, and a mom myself. As I look at my own son, it saddens me to think about the thousands of hungry children in Central Texas, and the parents struggling to feed them. It’s heartbreaking, it’s unnecessary and it’s unacceptable.

We can do something about it. We can donate, educate and advocate. If we care, we can change the face of hunger.

I volunteer at the Capital Area Food Bank, and I love what I do.

David Davenport
President and CEO

This time last year, I was in Washington, D.C. for the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States. The night before the historic ceremony, I had the opportunity to participate in an interfaith celebration where Methodist Bishop Gregory V. Palmer shared his thoughts on the upcoming event. He said “Our eyes burn. Our American eyes, from the bright light of possibilities.”

Few Americans have been immune to the impact of the economic crisis that so aggressively hit our nation just prior to the inauguration, and continues with little relief on the horizon. Press reports and pundits have indicated that Texas (and specifically Central Texas) has been spared the brunt of the economic challenges. A deeper, more realistic look at 2009 in Central Texas indicates that more families, seniors and children found themselves clients of the Capital Area Food Bank.

Mobile Food Pantry distribution, San Saba, TX, 2009

Even before the severe economic decline, Texas had the country’s highest percentage of children at risk of hunger. As more and more Texans found themselves in need of food assistance, the SNAP (Food Stamp) enrollment system began to fail, and the Food Bank-led hunger-relief system became overwhelmed with new clients as the hunger line grew by 60 percent.

In response, CAFB deployed new assets and programs such as the Mobile Food Pantry and Central Texas Food Rescue, and opened direct distribution service centers in East Austin and Pflugerville. The Food Bank also invested in two new full-sized tractor trailers to increase delivery, opened a satellite warehouse facility and provided more than 23 million pounds of nutritious food to those desperately in need (up from an average 15.7 million pounds 2006-2008).  

As we begin 2010, we find ourselves in the challenging position of rapidly growing our organization to meet the challenges of a struggling economy and its impact on our more than 300,000 clients, and strategically positioning ourselves to shrink the hunger line and ultimately provide a long-term solution for hunger in the communities we serve.

Over the next 12 months, the Food Bank will deploy our second Mobile Food Pantry, expand direct service to clients, and develop systems to assist our organization in tracking the impact of the critical supplies distributed. With our collaborative partners, we will expand Partner Agency capacity, and we will continue to meet the demand and shrink the hunger line.

Dell and others volunteering in Product Recovery, 2009

I am confident we will have success as we continue to evolve. I am sold on the Capital Area Food Bank because I am sold on YOU. From the 27,000 members of our community who made financial contributions, to the 13,000 volunteers who gave more than 77,000 hours of service, and to those who gave their voice to the public policy issues impacting so many of our neighbors in need, YOU were there for the children, families and seniors in need of physical and emotional nourishment. YOU are the ones who believe hunger, in a community as resourced as ours, is economically, socially and morally unacceptable. YOU believe, YOU acted on your belief, and YOU placed food in front of those in need – food that would otherwise not have been there.

 Thank you. We celebrate our outstanding work together.

 Now, it’s back to work.

Transition to adulthood can be difficult—especially without any family support. LifeWorks helps men and women 17-23 years old who are homeless, abused, mentally ill or leaving foster care. LifeWorks Street Outreach provides youth with food, assists with housing and job searching, and provides a safe space to build a community of peers. It also serves as an emergency shelter for youth in danger of abuse.

Clients: Caelan Phipps, Sara Bursac, Joshua Preston

            “LifeWorks has helped out tremendously,” says Joshua Preston, who started receiving food from them when he was 18. “If there weren’t food pantries like this, I’d be panhandling.” Joshua struggles with bipolar disease and diabetes, without any family support. He uses the food pantry to get healthy food. “The cans of mixed fruit are really helpful when my blood sugar drops,” he says.

         Caelan Phillips, 19, came to Austin from Wyoming after she was laid-off from her job. “I really like the people in Austin,” she says. “There’s always people to talk to. I want to go back to college and get a nursing degree. One of the ladies here offered to take me out to the community college and talk to them about financial assistance.” And when we asked her about her own family, she said, “They have a lot of other stuff going on. Money is tight.”

Annette Palmer, LifeWorks staff, and Gabriel Lamb, client

Gabriel Lamb, 22, moved to Austin from Phoenix. He remembers donating food and volunteering at a food pantry with his mom when he was younger. “I’ve been on both ends,” he says. “I remember volunteering a long time ago. I used to sort through food. Nobody is immortal when it comes to these things. Sometimes you really need help.” Gabriel’s mom died last year, and says he appreciates the social support network he has found at LifeWorks.

Can you relate to their story? Click here to share your story with us and to listen to more stories like these.

Did you miss the opportunity to vote your favorite CANstruction at the mall? No problem! From now through Sunday, Nov. 22, tell us which CANstruction you think is the best. Check out the pictures below, and click here to vote! We’ll post the CAFB Reader’s Choice winner on our blog next week.

The Capitol of Texas

The Very Hungry CANerpillar

Towering Over Hunger

Stomp Out Hunger

Drive Smart for Hunger

Raising Awareness on Hunger

Solution to Every Twist

William Hubenschmidt
Development Research VISTA

I am the opposite of lactose intolerant. Since childhood, no food or drink has given me the feeling of nourishment quite like a cold glass of milk. Milk is such an irreplaceable part of my diet that dinner does not feel complete without it. However, a recent experience changed that.

I’m an AmeriCorps VISTA service member and have the privilege of working at the Food Bank as a Fund Development Researcher. I entered AmeriCorps with the goal of serving those in poverty, but also with the awareness that I would personally experience poverty. AmeriCorps pays a biweekly living stipend of $429, low enough to qualify for SNAP (Food Stamp) benefits. Even with food assistance, I am barely able to make ends meet. Recently, I had a glimpse of what life would be like without food stamps.

Photo courtesy of Essenmacher on Flickr

Recently, my monthly SNAP benefits were exhausted ten days early. Unsure of what to do and with little money in my bank account, I decided to approach hunger on a meal-to-meal basis. In the subsequent days, I experienced something between food insecurity and outright hunger. In borrowing tactics from someone who had experienced hunger, I simply chose to eat very little, rather than let hunger control me. This strangely empowering decision worked well for a few days, but the constant thought of food—any food—began to override.

On a Saturday toward the end of this experience, my only meal was a bowl of cereal. As the night approached and my stomach groaned, I couldn’t take it anymore. Impulsively, I decided to splurge on a Jimmy Johns sandwich rather than muster the energy and mental strength to enter a grocery store full of food that I could not afford.

When I entered Jimmy Johns, the smell of bread took on an entirely new dimension, as my nose barely had time to process what my stomach knew instantly. As I ordered, the cashier asked me if I wanted a drink. Normally, I avoid drinking soda, but this time I ordered a large. Before my sandwich was ready, I filled and gulped almost the entire Coke. My habit of avoiding refined sugars went completely out the window as I eventually drank two large Cokes with my turkey sandwich. Although I knew it was unhealthy, the pure calories in the soda felt as nourishing as a glass of milk! At that moment, I was starving—health, nutrition, and bank account empty. As I got up to leave the restaurant, I bought a bag of greasy potato chips and refilled my soda.

This experience taught me that hunger has a powerful effect on psychology and the very perception of food. Only a couple of hours passed before I was hungry again. Soda was a poor choice, but when you’re hungry, any calories will suffice. Even the simplest, most processed sugars. I was no longer in control of my diet.

So, why didn’t I try to get help at the Food Bank? I was naïve about hunger and I thought I could deal with it. Well, I can’t deal with it, and no one should have to. If it happens again, I know the Food Bank is here to help. Hopefully I can get a glass of milk, too.