Still Excited

I ventured out here to the U Can Share Food Drive at the crack of dark Monday morning. I was filled with all the excitement and anticipation of a toddler at Christmas. The first day was full of awe and wonder as I had no idea what all to expect! Although the day was bitter cold, the smiles of the children and volunteers warmed me up quick. Everyone has the best attitude and just continues to work through all the elements that blew across 82nd and Frankford today! Ice, hail, rain, dust storm, and cold have not kept people from coming out and pitching in wherever help has been needed. It is almost the end of day two and still I am excited to be part of something so big and exciting. Skip, we have come a long way in 27 years! Thanks for getting us started. And thanks to all of those who have joined us along the way!

U Can Share Volunteers

As the day warms up and the roads are clearing volunteers are showing up to assist us in sorting the food we have already received. Since the wind is supposed to kick up later today, we have moved everyone inside the trailers. Our sponsor of the day - Rotary of Lubbock have several volunteers here on site working. These three Rotarians, from left: Wade Wilson, Dave Lewis, and Mark Clark have been here since about 9:30 a.m. Although it has taken a while for us to get food moved from the PODS containers to the United trailers for sorting, these gentleman have been on site ready to go to work! We will continue to pick up food throughout the day and take food people drop off here at the site. So if you want to brave the cold and roads, we are here and there is plenty to do around these parts. If you want to stay indoors, but still want to help - visit our website at www.spfb.org and U Can Still Share!

U Can Still Share

As the first day of the U Can Share Food Drive comes to a close - we the staff and volunteers are going to be braving the ice and cold to get out to the site. There is more food to be sorted and more will be coming in today that has to be sorted. Totals for yesterday were awesome - about 130,000 pounds of food and around $20,000. Our goals for this year are 500,000 pounds and $150,000. Please know that you don't have to get out in the weather to help the U Can Share Food Drive. There are lots of ways you can help: you can make a donation online, you can shop the online auction, you can follow us on Channel 11 as well as on twitter and facebook, and you can tell all your friends and family to donate, follow, and share the need with others. So please be safe today, but don't feel left out - U Can Still Share. 

Comfort Food

I am currently in Denver, Colorado. My best friend's father passed away over the Thanksgiving holiday, so I am here for the memorial service that will be held tomorrow. Upon arriving last night I noticed something right away - everyone began offering us something to eat. Many of the neighbors, friends, and family have brought food and there is enough to feed an army. Even now as I sit typing this blog, baking is going on in the kitchen. The first thing we did last night was eat. The first thing we did this morning was go eat breakfast at Einstein Bagel and as soon as we returned home - the chicken went on for the family favorite chicken spaghetti! We already have a place reserved for everyone to eat after the services tomorrow. I said all of this to say - food is a comfort for us and especially has we morn the passing of loved ones. There is comfort in breaking bread together, in cooking and tasting family dishes. As we are surrounded here in Denver by snow, family, friends, and food - I think about our Food Bank clients back home. Many of them have heat on these cold days because they had to choose between paying their heating bill and buying food. I hope that the food box they get today brings them hope and maybe even provides a little comfort food.

Volunteers Count

We have an excellent staff and crew around here. I am always impressed with how many hats everyone wears, and how well they manage to wear each one! But visit us and you would be hard pressed to tell the difference between our volunteers and our staff. We have several volunteers that are regulars and man the front desk each and everyday. Other volunteers handle the site logistics of the U Can Share Food Drive. Others can be found throughout the warehouse sorting, repackaging, boxing, folding, copying, and assisting on the distribution dock. Our army of volunteers have clocked 10,741 hours since March 30th. Those hours would have cost us $77,872.25 had we paid $7.25 an hour. Going on our ratio of $1 = 7 meals; those volunteer hours provided 545,105.75 meals across the South Plains! Volunteers count and truly make a difference in our fight to alleviate hunger and give hope to the hungry. We still need volunteers to assist in two areas: making Christmas cards and freezer boxes on Saturday, Dec. 12th. This would be a great time for families with children to get involved and help Megan with the cards. Others who don't mind the cold and might be a little stronger can pitch in on the freezer boxes. At this time all of our group volunteer spots are taken through Christmas, but there is plenty of room for small families and individuals. If you would like to volunteer, contact Megan at 763-3003 or volunteer@spfb.org.

Always be thankful.

I received an email this morning about the City Bank Community Rewards campaign. In the email the gentleman was thanking me for the reminders and talking about the site. At the close of the email he stated, ". . . and always be thankful." I can tell you all my life I have appreciated things and people, but nothing compares to the thanks I have had in my heart these past few years. Since my difficult pregnancy and the birth of my son, 20 month ago, I have been so grateful to my freinds, family, and even total strangers who have stood by us along the way. But the day I received my first voucher and food box from the South Plains Food Bank was one of the most thankful days of my life. To know that my family was going to be fed was a relief. I had no idea that day that I would get the honor of joining those amazing staff members and volunteers I met that day. I did not know that day that I was going to get to work along side the retail partners and financial donors that made that food box - that hope - available for my family. I did not know, but I will always be thankful for the South Plains Fod Bank.

G.R.U.B. Scrub is here!

Just in time for Christmas! The kids in our G.R.U.B. (Growing Recruits for Urban Business) Program now have their GRUB Scrub available. GRUB Scrub is our “seed to shelf” product. GRUB youth grow loofah and make a unique soap called GRUB Scrub. The loofah is encased inside each bar of soap. The soap is attractively wrapped with information about GRUB on the label. A $5.00 donation is recommended for each bar (feel free to donate more!). GRUB Scrub is available in the following fragrances: Sweet Pea, Strawberry Cream, Sweet Orange, Apple Spice, peppermint, Cucumber Melon, Citrus Basil, Lavender, Almond, French Vanilla, and Orange Spice.
Contact Jenifer Smith @ 763-3003, ext 35 to place your order.

Standing with. . .

The difficult lesson I am still learning is 'standing with.' When people are suffering, are hungry, or in need I just want to rush in and get them through their obstacles - over their troubles. And I weep when I feel I cannot end or make better their circumstances. But what I have discovered on my personal journey is that just standing with people right in the middle of their suffering, hunger, grief, or burden creates such a refuge for them in the midst of their storm. In my own storm now, I take comfort in our friends who are standing with us. Those of you who support the work we do here at the Food Bank and through our agencies, please know that the food box they get is hope. And through that food box, we are standing with that single parent or grandparent, that client who just lost their job, the sick, and the elderly. While we all wish we could make the storm go away, know that you are offering comfort in a box. You are standing with.

The missing meal...

Many families on the South Plains are struggling to provide basic needs for their households. Several are navigating through the Food Stamp, or SNAP as it is now called, process - only to find that an interview is 6 to 8 weeks away. But approval may take longer depending on documentation and research needed in their case. While they wait, many turn to our Second Helpings Soup kitchens. Those agencies often provide a meal that non-school age children and their parents might have to skip. I recently learned that 1 and 4 children are at risk for going to bed hungry tonight. As several schools, businesses, civic clubs, and other organizations begin to kick off their U Can Share Food Drives remember that every can counts and will give hope to all who will receive a food box throughout this upcoming year.

Angels in disguise

I spoke to a group of women this morning at St. John's Methodist Church. They were so delightful. One of the ladies read off a list of the mission causes the women had donated to throughout the year. I was overwhelmed by the groups those ladies had supported. But the group had not just touched other peoples' lives - they had touched mine. You see this is the group on the front line of the St. John's food voucher program. These are the angels who provide the vouchers and man the distribution every Tuesday morning. They, and all of our agency volunteers are angels in disguise. Each one brings smiles and full tummies to people across the South Plains!

Same story...different guy

I had coffee this morning with a gentleman who told me a familiar story. He had been working about 70 hours a week - the job letting him have all the overtime he wanted. Things were great, extra money to spend on the kids' birthdays, Christmas, and shopping inbetween.
Then about nine months ago, his hours got cut down to about 60 a week. His mother, who is about 74, lives with him and is in poor health. Now one of his children has moved in to help make ends meet while he finishes college and works part-time. About six months ago, this gentleman's hour were cut again to 50 hours a week. Things were getting tight and he had managed to trim the fat in his budget just about all he could. There are no extras - no extra cash, no extra shopping, no extra movies, no extra food.
He told me this morning that three weeks ago he was cut back to 40 hours a week. He has been looking for a part-time job to go along with his full time job, but his phone hasn't rung with any prospects. He said he is happy to have a job at all and understands the company is trying to avoid lay offs. But now he said, "I have to make a choice between heating the house this winter and providing food for the three of us."
It is the same story I hear so often - just a different guy.
We are continuing to see an increase in clients and are anticipating handing out 5,000 Christmas food boxes this season. As we get ready to kick off the U Can Share Food Drive, please know this event is an big reason why we can continue to meet our increasing demand.

"Giving Hope..."

Was the title across from my name on the program of today's event. Having completed the luncheon and sitting back in my office at the Food Bank, I am awed by the grace and beauty of the audience. I was not a very eloquent speaker. My voice shook and I rambled. I didn't say much of what I had practiced. I tried to fight back tears, but they came anyway. I think I was able to communicate the hope the Food Bank gives to my son and I every time we get our food box. I had prepared to talk about that hope. But what I was not prepared for was the hope people at the luncheon gave me. So many remained afterward to offer kind words, hugs, and the promise of prayers. To all of you who broke bread with us today - thank you. Thank you for being such a blessing - for giving hope.

"You Know Me..."

A few days ago, I stopped by the Scottish Rite Learning Center. It’s not far from the food bank. As I was leaving, Andy, the director of the center, asked if I would talk with a couple who had stopped by his office asking for help. When I introduced myself, the gentleman, who was around my age, smiled and said, "You know me." It was Freddie.

Freddie is a volunteer at one of our agencies. And yes, I do know him. He was a high school football standout years ago. He served in the Army for twelve years following graduation. In his "real" life he worked at a manufacturing plant in town until the economy forced them to "downsize."

The bottom line was that he was out of money and not too far from being homeless. In just a few months, he moved from someone helping the poor to someone needing help. His immediate need was food.

One in five adults in the South Plains faces food insecurity right now. The reality of this statistic didn't hit home until Freddie said, "You know me." It's not 1 in 5 some place else. It's 1 in 5 here. It is one in five of people I see every day.

Freddie and his wife rode back to the food bank with me. We were able to help him with food and address some other needs. I drove Freddie back to his apartment, we talked about family, children, the ups and downs of life and... gratitude. He talked about how grateful he is to live in Lubbock where friends and neighbors come to his aid.

You may not know Freddie, but I bet you know someone who has faced hunger... a friend or neighbor... and has been helped by you or one of your friends and neighbors.

Family

I had dinner last night with David Weaver, our CEO, and some other gentlemen from an organization that is well affiliated with the food banking world. As dinner progressed and we started talking shop, I was interested to hear their take on our food bank. Being from California and having seen food banks much larger than ours it was interesting to hear their take on the South Plains Food Bank. Since I have only been part of the food bank world for about three weeks, I didn't know that many food banks deal with agencies only and really have no direct contact with clients. While we work with agencies, I think we all like getting to know our clients. We get to meet their kids, hear stories about their grandchildren, and keep up with the latest developments in their lives. David said it best last night, "At our food bank, every one is family."

Neighbors in Need

Some of you following for the last few weeks have discovered that I not only work here at the Food Bank, but I am also a return client. For my 19 month-old son and I there just always seems to be more month than there is money to go around. Today was my interview to renew my food stamps. We have been receiving food stamps for about a year now. But I noticed something different today as I waited in the lobby for my appointment. The lines are longer. Two lines instead of just one. More windows are open. Four windows instead of just two. Standing room only where there used to be plenty of chairs. Of course fewer rows of chairs to make more room for the additional line and longer lines. I watched two older gentlemen greet one another. One said to the other, "When did you get laid off?" I didn't hear the answer, but the first fellow replied, "I know, I was with them for going on 20 years." The faces were different, too. It seemed to me like there were more elderly folks than I have ever seen before. Usually I see women and children without any adult male, but seemed like more men were with them today. More people spoke to each other than usual. It seemed like we all realized . . . we are neighbors in need. I came back to the office thankful that I am a part of an organization that helps my neighbors in need.

Sorting Eggs

I met him officially today while he was sorting eggs. He is one of our volunteers, an older gentleman, who caught me by surprise at our Hunger Heroes Luncheon. He uses a walker or crutch to get around, but that certainly does not slow him down. After a brief introduction and hand shake, I watched him for a few minutes. He was sitting in a chair sorting the eggs that Darryle brought to him. He took each egg and inspected it for cracks and damage. If it passed, he would put it inside a carton and then set the full carton aside. He takes the job seriously, I could tell as I watched him. And then as I was walking back into my office, I thought about the food box my family received a few weeks ago when I was a client. It had a carton of eggs and not one had been broken. I had thought at the time I opened my food box that it was just luck or that their was some machine or something that kept the eggs from getting broken. But I realized this morning that that was not the case at all. Steve, a volunteer, made sure my eggs were all intact. Volunteers make a difference here at the Food Bank - even if they just sort eggs. To volunteer call Meagan at 763-3003.