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.

Little People Make a Big Impact

Kyrsten, 6, and her little sister Aeryn, 3, raised $31.46 selling sodas at their family's garage sale. But the girls weren't trying to raise money for toys or pretty clothes. They wanted to raise money for the SPFB's Kids Cafe Program - and boy did they! The money they donated Tuesday is enough to feed 217 children! Kyrsten and Aeryn gave more than money - they gave hope to all of our children in our Kids Cafe Program. These girls are proof that every little bit helps. Thanks girls!

Above: Aeryn (pictured left) and Kyrsten look over the meal prepared for the Wilson Girls and Boys Club Kids Cafe site.

I Know What You Mean

I have referred several people to the Food Bank over the years, but recently it has been close friends - people I have known for years who now find themselves needing help. I listen and nod - hearing story after story of how they have been cutting back to the 'bare bones.' They talk about making the decision between buying medicine and gas or food. I tell them I understand, and I know what they mean. And I do. You see I not only work here at the Food Bank, but I am a client.

Thanksgiving Around the Corner

My grandmother is a fabulous cook! Any chance I get to eat a meal at her house you can set me a place. She was one of 16 kids - no twins. So she grew up picking cotton and helping her mother and sisters around the house and in the kitchen. I'm not sure when she and I started our little Thanksgiving tradition, but we have one. The Wednesday before Thanksgiving I show up early at her house and help her chop up everything she needs for the dressing and gibblet gravy. She has usually taken the pecan pies out of the oven just before I arrive - the house always smells of her delicious treats. Then I help crumble the cornbread for the dressing. When everything is done and the table wiped down we sit down and play a mean game of gin or blow-it. We have a great time the day before Thanksgiving. Then Thursday rolls around - everyone stuffs themselves and has leftovers later in the day. It took us two days to prepare for a meal that was eaten in less than two hours. But we here at the Food Bank are already starting to look ahead to Thanksgiving. In the past, we have served about 700-800 clients during Thanksgiving week. We feel like that number will be higher this year. So please consider volunteering on one of our Saturday work days in November. You may register on line at http://www.spfb.org/ or by calling 763-3003. We would love to have you join us as we prepare to serve the hungry in our community.

Memories

When I was a little girl, I remember going to a local meat market on Ave. Q. The place has closed, but I have fond memories of the shop. My mom would order a few items and while we were waiting someone would hand me a slice of cheese or bologna. Our white butcher paper wrapped order would be sacked up and we would head home. I remember that many times we would see the owner around town and he would tell us to come in, that he had something for us. I was too little to understand that most of the time he was giving us the food, or that someone else had paid for the food on our behalf. But I remember my mom, a single mother, would always take whatever we got and she would take some out and share it with someone else she knew was in need of food. As an adult I have come to realize that my mom is a product of growing up here on the South Plains. People here are just different. We care about one another. YOUR kindness and caring are valuable to us here at the Food Bank. We are proud to be part of such a compassionate and giving community.

Mystery Solved

So you have asked yourself, "What does the Food Bank do?" And, "What is a food box?" Well, I learned all of that and more from yesterday's lunch tour. I have lived here pretty much my entire life. I have given can goods during U Can Share. But I didn't know much about the Food Bank. I knew they helped hungery people, but that was all I could tell someone about the Food Bank. It was kind of a mystery to me. I didn't know where it was located, how people got the food, or anything about the clients the Food Bank served. Well, now the mystery is solved. The tour yesterday was so informative, the food was excellent, and the stories from the staff and volunteers were touching. I realized that every can I had donated really did make a difference. I shed a few tears during some of the stories and was moved that I work with people who care so deeply about meeting the needs of the hungry. I work with individuals who truly want no one to go to bed tonight hungry and hope everyone has plenty to eat this weekend. The South Plains Food Bank is no longer a mystery. So hey, mark it on your calendars, Nov. 19th at noon. Call Karen at 763-3003 to RSVP. I'll save you a place!

Pictured above are Carmyn Morrow, left, and Carolyn Ater, middle, with Jenifer Smith. Jenifer is the SPFB's Farm, Orchard, and G.R.U.B. Division Director. She shows off our 'catch of the day!'

You can help feed america!

Between now and October 31st, YOU, can take action and provide meals to hungry families across America. Visit youtube, keywords: "delicious difference" or www.kraftfoodscompany.com and watch the four minute volunteer video and Kraft will donate enough money each viewing to provide five meals ~ up to 100,000 meals ~ to Feeding America. It is a small amount of time to invest, but the return on your investment will help children in communities across America go to bed with full tummies! So let's go for it South Plains ~ on your break every day now thru Oct. 31st catch an internet wave to youtube or Kraft, watch the video, and let's make a difference!

May I Please Introduce. . .

Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Vangelia Perryman and a new face here at the South Plains Food Bank. I am the E-Communications Manager and Media contact for the Food Bank. This is my third day on the job and I must tell you ~ things around here are hopping! I have been teasing everyone that this place is like a well oiled machine. So I hope to use some of our blog to re-introduce you to YOUR South Plains Food Bank. As I learn about the ins-and-outs, I plan to share them with you. I'll start with an invitation to lunch! This Thursday, every third Thursday of the month, we offer a tour of our facilities and we feed you lunch. So clear your calendar and come see us tomorrow. Call Karen at 763-3003 to RSVP. I look forward to seeing you and re-introducing you to YOUR South Plains Food Bank.

HEB Donates to South Plains Food Bank

Working Poor

We all know that numbers can sometimes be deceiving. Often we have to look behind the numbers to really get the full story. You may have noticed that the South Plains unemployment numbers are quite so bad as the national average. That's a good thing, right? Yes, it is a good thing. However, to really get a good picture of what is going on in West Texas families, we must look a little closer.

It is good that we have a lower unemployment rate in our communities. The question remains - Is it a livable wage or income? I'm sure you have heard the term working poor before (in fact, we've blogged about it before). This is where a great majority of the clients at the SPFB fall. They do have jobs, they just can't afford to pay both the bills and go to the grocery store! We have all been hit by the hard economic times and there are a lot of people who haven't lost their jobs but they are getting paid less. The SPFB has still seen an increase in the number of individuals and families that need a little assistance each month.

Don't forget that just because someone has a job, it doesn't mean they don't need a hand up every now and then. Working poor - hard working individuals who still can't always make ends meet every month.

Reducing Waste

For the past couple of days I've been staying with my grandmother. She is a part of what is collectively known as "The Greatest Generation". This is the generation that survived the Great Depression and fought in World War II. Now, my grandmother didn't fight in World War II but she does know a thing or two about surviving a Great Depression.

The South Plains Food Bank's mission starts out by saying, "food banking solves two problems: food and waste". It's the second part that we don't always focus on - waste. This is the part my grandmother (and many in her generation) do so well. Here are a few of the little things she does: she will save an old paper towel roll (the brown cardboard part) and clean out the plastic bags that cereal comes in (from inside the box), she will then wrap the plastic around the roll, secure it with a rubber band and voila! - wax paper! When she orders a hamburger, she will take the top bun off, take it home in a napkin and eat it for breakfast the next morning. I could go on but you get the idea! As a child, I used to wonder why she did all these things and wondered if it really made a difference. Fact is, it does make a difference.

I love that the South Plains Food Bank (and food banks across the country) are able to take food that would otherwise go to waste and get it in the hands (and mouths) of the hungry. So many of us have so much and we waste what we have. In a time of recession we tend to think about ways to save and we get creative about how to make things last longer. Imagine if we did that all the time, not just when times are hard? Maybe, just maybe, the hard times wouldn't hurt quite so bad. I don't know, it's just some food for thought!

It's getting really busy!

One of my friends asked me if there is ever a slow time at the South Plains Food Bank. I told him we are busy all the time except when we get "really" busy! October is when we start to get "really" busy! It will stay that way through January. Of course when I consider the past year and the impact of the economy on the people we serve, it's been a "really" busy year. Our food distribution to the hungry has gone up by 25%.

The only way we have been close to keeping up with the increased needs because of our friends who give a little to feed a lot... a little time, a little voice, a little food, a little money. It all adds up. September was Hunger Action Month for Feeding America Food Banks across the country. Thanks to all of you who pitched in to make a difference.

Yesterday, when I was leaving, I stopped to talk to an elderly woman who was picking up a box of food. In the box was canned goods, dry goods, fresh produce, eggs, dairy products and lots of other good things that would help her and her husband get through a rough patch in their lives. When she was loaded up she gave me a hug and said, "God bless you and all the folks at the food bank!"

I'm passing on her hug and blessings today.

Hunger Action Month and more

As Hunger Action Month comes to a close and fall starts ramping up, I can't help but get excited about all that is going on at the South Plains Food Bank. What used to be a one day "Hunger Awareness Day" was turned into a month of action! It's one thing to be aware of hunger in your community and the ripple effects it has, not only the individuals who don't have enough food, but on the community as a whole. It is another to actually take action to combat hunger.

I don't usually like to use words that are so agressive in nature, like combat, but I think it's appropriate in this context. We do have to fight to ensure that people in our communties, across our nation and around the world don't go hungry. Those of us who are fortunate to not know "real" hunger, can't imagine what is like. Sure, we've felt hungry but we've rarely, if ever, felt hungry and at the same time not be able to know when our next meal is going to be or where is coming from. I have found myself staring into my pantry, thinking that I have nothing to eat. Really? I see soup, popcorn, peanut butter, bread ... it may not be what I was looking for and I may have to actually make something but I have food. My pantry is not empty. There are people and families in our community whose pantries are actully empty. This month we have tried to communicate, educate and motivate the people of West Texas.

We're not finished yet! We have a "celebrity day" at the SPFB next week, where local figure heads have been invited out to see what we do at the food bank and to volunteer with us for an afternoon. It should be a fun day! Plus, October is full of OctoberFAST activities and the annual U Can Share Food Drive is coming quickly -- it's going to be a great fall at the South Plains Food Bank!

Community Supported Agriculture at the South Plains Food Bank Farm

The South Plains Food Bank's Carolyn Lanier Youth Farm offers a CSA. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. This is a program where farmers pre-sell all or part of their harvest at the beginning of the year, in order to have funds for seeds, plants, etc. The pre-purchasers are referred to as shareholders of the farm. In the case of the food bank farm, we sell only a portion of our harvest in order to have funds to support our youth project, GRUB (Growing Recruits for Urban Business). GRUB is a life skills and job skills training program for teenagers, and it is based on our 5.5-acre urban farm.

Teens in the GRUB Program volunteer on Saturday mornings during the school year and, if they put in the hours and prove themselves to be good workers, they are eligible to apply to our paid summer program. Selling approximately half of the crop through our CSA program helps the food bank fund a portion of the summer salaries for 10 to 12 deserving teens. This is a win/win situation for all concerned. The food bank farm gets a trained and able-bodied work force during the labor-intensive summer months, the food bank gets the other half of the harvest to distribute to those in need, the shareholders get locally grown, chemical-free produce (and the satisfaction of helping out our GRUB Program), and the youth in the GRUB Program have a summer job and earn their own money.

This week is the final harvest of the summer crop and the end of our 2009 CSA season. I always hate this final week, it reminds me of the last day of summer camp. We tell our shareholders, our friends, goodbye until next year and the farm goes into fall and winter mode. We compost the spent plant matter and put in cover crops or let some areas lie fallow. One shareholder told me she would need to spend some time alone at the farm to grieve the end of the season. I know exactly how she feels.

But, before we know it, a new growing season will be upon us. New growth will emerge, shareholders will return, and more teens will have an opportunity to learn and grow at the South Plains Food Bank's farm. It is all part of the cycle of life on our farm, and it will be another win/win year for everyone.

Fall is here!

It's the first day of fall and for many that means cooler weather, sweats, hot chocolate by the fire and big holiday meals with lots of food to go around. It does mean cooler weather for everyone but is where the assured similarities end. While some look forward to the holiday meals with excitement and joy, others look towards it with anxiousness and fear. Why? They might not have enough food for tomorrow much less a the expected large holiday meal. This is just one reason, out of many, that the South Plains Food Bank needs your help - year round!

Not only do we need individuals who volunteer their time, their food and their voices but we also need individuals who are generous in donating their finances. Like any non-profit, operations are one of our largest expenses. There are trucks that take food to rural areas that cost money to maintain, spaces to store food that all contribute to the overhead needed to run a food bank.

A great big thank you to all our donors - we simply could not run the day to day operations without your continued support. Interested in donating? Visit our webpage to see the many ways you can donate!

Bake Sale!

As you know it's Hunger Action Month at the South Plains Food Bank. This Friday, the Chef Society is doing their part to raise awareness and take action against hunger! Stop by the main City Bank location in Lubbock (Slide and Marsha Sharp Freeway) and purchase a baked goodie for the weekend ... from fantastic CHEFS!! You know it's going to be tasty!! Plus, the proceeds will be donated to the South Plains Food Bank. Good food and a good cause? Ladies and gentlemen, we have another win-win for West Texans!

Let us know what you have been doing for Hunger Action Month! We want to know what the people in our community are doing to take a stand against hunger!

Hunger Action Month: week three

It's the third week of Hunger Action Month! What are you doing to help advocate for the hungry? People all across the South Plains are doing their part -- what a great community to be a part of! Thank to all who have participated.

The past year, the South Plains Food Bank has seen a 25% increase of individuals and families who need assistance (http://www.lubbockonline.com/stories/091309/loc_492669845.shtml). We've talked about lending your voice and your time but not yet about food donations. Food donations are essential to the mission of the South Plains Food Bank. If we don't have food to put in our food boxes, we can't had food out. We simply can't give what we don't have. We rely healvily on the generous donations from the community.

Twice a year, the South Plains Food Bank holds large food drives; the Can-Can in the summer months and the U Can Share during the holiday season. While we gather a lot of food and donatiosn during those times, we are moving the food just as quickly. Next time you are at the grocery store, pick up an extra can of vegetables and donate it to the South Plains Food Bank. Remember -- "Give a Little, Feed A Lot"

Let's Can Her!

I am often surprised by the thoughtfulness and selflessness of people. I have been able to take a front-row seat for some of these actions. Today was one of those days. As you know, this is Hunger Action Month and we have been encouraging everyone in the community to "Give a Little, Feed a Lot". Whether it is by advocating for the hungry or volunteering thier time, we've seen people come together this month with one goal: feeding the hungry with food and hope.  

Here is one example of how people in Lubbock are helping thier neighbors! A local doctor, Dr. Snodgrass, requested that people bring food, to donate to the SPFB, in lieu of a birthday present. They posted flyers and placed boxes in the breakroom of the office to be collected until her birthday on Sept 3rd. The theme was "Let's Can Her" - how fun and how selfless! Birthday's are generally the time of year that we focus on ourselves. After all, we are celebrating our birth. Dr. Snodgrass took this once a year opportunity and looked outside herself. She decided to do somthing that would bless others. What a gift. Thank you Dr. Snodgrass!

Give A Little Time, Feed A Lot

I always love hearing about the food bank's programs. I know them, I've heard about what they do and who they serve over and over again. Yet, it's a story I don't get tired of hearing. It reminds me of why we do what we do at the South Plains Food Bank. It reminds of why we have months designated as Hunger Action Month. Last week, I talked about how we can advocate for the hungry by lending our voices and simply informing people about the issues caused by hunger and giving them ways to get involved.

This week I'm going to talk about "lending a little time" to feed a lot. Food banks operate, not only on monetary and food donations, but on the time individuals donate as well. We simply could not get the food out to our clients as fast or as efficiently if we did not have a volunteer base. We are always open to more volunteers -- we will put you to work! Volunteering can mean a lot of different things. We have people who give weekly to answer the phones, people who faithfully come to our monthly Saturday Work Days, and people who give their time for certain food drives throughout the year.

We have all been blessed with unique personalities and talents. When we utilize those parts of who we are to help others, it is win-win for everyone. Not only are we helping others but we are giving of ourselves and there is certain satisfaction that comes with getting outside ourselves and doing something for someone else. As I've said before, we were meant to live in community and when we practice that things seem to run just a little bit more smoothly.

Check out our volunteer page on our website and see where you think you might fit! We'd love to see you!

Hunger Action Month: GIVE A LITTLE, FEED A LOT

As many of you may already know, September has been designated as Hunger Action Month all across the nation. In partnership with Feeding America, food banks all across America are raising awareness and encouraging individuals and organizations to take action against hunger.

The South Plains Food Bank is doing their part as well. "Give a Little, Feed a Lot" - it's that easy. We don't have to change the world but if all do our part of make a difference in our corner of the world, the world just might change after all. Simply by telling someone else about the mission of the South Plains Food Bank helps get the message out. So many people don't realize that hunger is a real issue in their community. It seems like something that affects people in other parts of the country and the world. However, people in West Texas suffer from food insecurity on a daily basis. Make a difference ... become an advoacte for the hungry in your neighborhood!

Our Future ... Today's Children

It's been said that our children are our future. If our children are our future, then don't we owe it to them to give them the best opportunities for a full, productive life? I don't think anyone will disagree with that, no matter political preference or personal beliefs. 

So what are those elusive opportunities we are talking about? I think an education is one of the best ways we can help the next generation reach, and exceed, their potential. So what does the South Plains Food Bank have to do with education? A lot and I'm not talking about just school supplies either. It's a basic theory regarding human needs. If the first need isn't met, the others can't even be approached. If a child is not eating or is constantly having to wonder where their next meal is coming from, if they get one, they aren't focused on learning. And who can blame them? Once they are fed, preferably healthy foods, they can then begin the task of listening to their teachers and not their stomachs. 

The South Plains Food Bank serves thousands of meals every year to students through our Kids Cafe program. This year we have sixteen sites across West Texas!! Help us help the next generation of kids be the best they can be! 

It Takes a Village

We talk about serving and making a difference and I would venture to say that each of us want to make a difference. We all have different passions and those passions are what drive us and what make us unique. When we work together, we make a difference. Whether it's political activism, social activism, spiritual service, arts or music - it all fits together like a puzzle we each have a piece of.

Yesterday was a bit of a crazy day. My water heater was sitting in two inches of water and my cousin needed to come, with her two young boys, to my house for the afternoon. The boys were down, the workers were working on my water heater and we were taking a moment to breathe. My cousin and her husband are new to town so they don't know many people yet. She made the comment, "wow, it really takes a village". While that statement is evident in our individual lives, it's also evident in our lives as a collective nation. We weren't meant to live this life alone. It does take a village. Each of those individual passions plays a role in ensuring that the village works and continues on into the next generation, hopefully better than the prior generation.

That's what we are trying to do at the SPFB, make a difference in our corner of the world, do our part to be a productive member of the "village".

Today America lost a legend and a servent when we lost Ted Kennedy. You may not have agreed with his politics but no one can argue the impact he left on his country or the lifelong service he genously gave. He did his part as a member of the "village" we call home.

You are what you eat?

I'm sure we've all seen those commercials for the cereal that claims to help kids think during the school day. It came on the other night and I got to thinking about the food we eat and how it effects us on a daily basis. Now, I'm not sure how much eating one type of cereal will help us concentrate during the day but I do know that I can tell when I've been eating good and when I've been eating poorly. 

I know I've blogged about nutrition before but I think it's something that is worth mentioning again. It can be so hard and so expensive to eat well. We have so many foods that are synthetic and chemically altered. If we take time to think about it, we know they aren't good for us, it just tastes so good to us! But what if we truly are what we eat?!?!  I think I would be mostly carbs and fruits. Granted, I have switched to whole grains so I'd be a giant whole grain carb! I digress, but what about all the grease and fast food that we eat because it's convenient and cheap. What about the family whose only option is the cheapest option. I have the luxury of making a healthy choice and yet I don't always. Some people don't even have the option. Unless we do something about it. Unless we help them by giving, not just food, but healthy food. 

My Favorite Day

As you know, this month the SPFB has been collecting school supplies for our annual Stuff the Bus: School Supply Drive. Well, today at 9am, we started handing out the school supplies. When I got to work at 8, there was already a line forming.

As I stood there, helping hand out grade appropriate school supplies, I had to fight back the tears. As I've said before, I love the first day of school and I love school supplies. To see all the children in line, ready for school, was just exciting! Education is so important, it is part of what helps breaks the cycle of poverty. As I talked to kids that came through my line, I couldn't help but hope they would someday be standing in line at a university, waiting to get their class schedules. That they would not have to get a voucher for their children's school supplies.

At the SPFB we offer hope by providing food for those who have hit hard times. Once a year, we get to provide hope through ensuring that every child starts the school year out with the proper supplies to succeed. After that, it's up to them but if giving them the resouces needed helps break that cycle of poverty and give them hope for a better future, then my favorite day might become the day we hand out school supplies. The first day of school can come in a close second!

Cooking with GRUB

One of the unsung programs of the South Plains Food Bank is our Nutrition Education Program run by Sharon Adams. I requested Sharon's assistance several years ago when I discovered that the very teenagers who were growing healthy vegetables for the food bank were not eating vegetables themselves.

The teens in the GRUB - Growing Recruits for Urban Business program are the labor force on our 5.5-acre urban farm. They put in an incredible amount of volunteer time during the school year, and a select few are hired every summer to work part-time on the farm. They grow over 100,000 pounds of vegetables every year, but they weren't eating any - until Sharon intervened!

Sharon comes to the farm at least once a month to work with the youth in the GRUB program. Over the last few years she has introduced hundreds of teenagers to the joy of cooking and to the pleasure of eating fresh, locally grown, chemical free produce; food they have planted, tended, harvested and now prepared.

Not one to miss an opportunity, Sharon took advantage of the teens' competitive nature and held a cooking contest last week. As a bonus the GRUB members were transported from the make-shift kitchen at the farm to our new state-of-the-art Kitchen of Hope (the Kids' Cafe commissary kitchen) for the contest, or the cooking "throw-down" as it is called on the TV cooking channels these days.

One of our GRUB teens, B.J., has been a stand out in the kitchen since the first lesson Sharon taught. He was ready to prove his culinary skills and he didn't disappoint. The contest was judged by an impartial panel and, sure enough, B.J. and his team came in first place. Sharon awarded prizes to the winners, but the real prize is the nutrition education and cooking skills the teens now possess.

Thank you, Sharon, for making good nutrition a delicious subject and congratulations to B.J. for being the "Top Chef."

good eats for a good cause

The new red velvet cheesecake at Cheesecake Factory is not only delicious but helps feed the hungry! How is that possible you ask? Well, the Cheesecake Factory and Feeding America have partnered up for Hunger Action Month in September.

I was in Denver this weekend and since we don't have a Cheesecake Factory in Lubbock, I decided I needed (yes, needed) to go try out this new cheesecake and help support the South Plains Food Bank and Feeding America! It was great but what is even more great is all the exciting events that are coming up in September in conjunction with Hunger Action Month!

I will be detailing those as we get closer to September but the theme is "Give a Little, Feed a Lot"! You can give your voice, your time and/or your money. Stay tuned for ways to do all three!!

First day back

When I came to work this morning, I struggled to find a parking place. Normally, this would be a cause of much frustration but at the SPFB it simply means that more people are out helping alleviate the problem of hunger in thier community! It was PACKED!! Not a spot in the parking lot or on the street (good exercise for me).

The activity inside the food bank has been non-stop all day. It always is but today there is a certain energy that I can't quite put my finger on but I love it! Today is the first day back for Lubbock teachers and one middle has spent their firt day back volunteering at the food bank. What a way to start the year out!! Each day teachers all across the nation give back to our children, these teachers went above and beyond their normal service to help feed the hungry.

They know how important it is for children to start school each day on a full stomach. They are able to do their jobs when their students aren't having to worry about where their next meal is coming from. So here they are, doing their part to ensure that children start the year off right! Thank you for spending your first day back at the South Plains Food Bank!

Service begins at home

A few days ago in a meeting at the SPFB, someone challenged us to remember why we work and/or volunteer at the food bank. I think this is a great exercise for multiple reasons. Mainly, I think we get caught up in the job and forget why we are doing the job. It's easy to look at numbers and forget the faces of the clients we serve. 

I saw the above quote, "Service begins at home", and remembered exactly why I work at the food bank. It all started at home. My mom taught me a lot of things and in all those things she taught how to achieve a life well lived. She didn't simply talk about it -- she did it. I remember her telling me how important it was to treat everyone the same -- from the cleaning crew to the CEO -- and did just that. She served. She served her community, her family and her church. More importantly, she brought my brother and I along to serve. It's one thing to give your time and money to give others a hand up but it's quite another to pass that on to the next generation. By handing down those same values, we ensure that the legacy of service is continued long after we are gone. 

I was blessed to not worry about my next meal or if I was going to have a place to sleep at night. It is because I was blessed and given so many opportunities that I am passionate about helping others have those same opportunities. And because I was shown, firsthand, to believe that everyone should have the opportunity to succeed. 

Going to Bed Hungry ...

I don't know about anyone else but I have this really bad habit of wanting to eat before I go to bed. I'm trying to break it and if I just HAVE to eat something, I try to make it healthy. So last night as I was thinking about NOT eating before bed, I thougt about why I eat before I go to bed. I sleep better. I don't sleep well when my stomach is growling at me. If I do manage to fall asleep despite that little growl, I wake up in the middle of the night. So either way, I don't get a good night's sleep.

So what about those individuals, children and adults alike, who go to bed hungry every night. They most likely don't get a good nights sleep and that effects the entire next day. Again, when I don't sleep a few things happen. First, people really don't want to be around me, I am not a happy person. More importantly, my thinking is affected, my ability to learn is affected and my eating and exercise habits are affected. If I'm so tired that I can't think straight, I certainly do not want to cook. I want the quickest and easiest food available to me. That generally tends to be fast food and well, that doesn't help my mind think straight either. I certainly don't want to exercise when I'm that tired. Yet, exercising helps me sleep (and work off that fast food I just ate). It's a vicious cycle that once started is hard to break. The cycle of poverty is much the same. Without the proper nutrition, people don't get a good night's sleep, then they can't function to their best ability during the day and most likely don't eat healthy or exercise and the cycle starts all over when they, once again, go to bed hungry.

By helping people get three healthy meals a day, you are helping break that cycle that keeps generations of families in poverty. The shevles are low this month at the South Plains Food Bank and the number of people coming in are high. Next time you go grocery shopping, think about buying a few extra cans of food and donating them to the South Plains Food Bank.

Thank you for all you do!

Stuff the Bus: School Supply Drive

For 19 years, the Lubbock community has been providing school supplies for children whose parents are not able to purchase the supplies themselves.The need for school supplies is no different this year, although we are expecting an increase in need.

The first day of a new school year should be exciting for students, the smell of a freshly sharpened pencil, new crayons, a new classroom, new locker. As a child, I took all these items (and more) for granted. I approached each school year with much anticipation! It breaks my heart that for some the start of a new school year is simply one more reminder that of what they do not have. They will get a new classroom and a new locker, they just might not be able to fill that locker with school supplies. If they are lucky enough to have school supplies, they are most likely hand me downs or scraps from home. HOWEVER, thanks to your participation in the Stuff the Bus school supply drive, we are able to provide thousands of children in Lubbock County with new school supplies. Last year, we handed out ~4,000 sets of basic school supplies. This year we are expecting to serve 4,500 children.

Starting August 1st, every United store in Lubbock and Slaton will have barrels for donated school supplies. Please help us fill the barrels daily throughout the entire month of August!!

Another Way of Life

I wrote earlier about how humbling and refreshing it was to work with people who genuinely care about the individuals they serve but I don't think I really put into words what I wanted to get across. As humans we all want to be a part of something that is bigger than ourselves. We want to be a part of something good; something that helps others. Even more than that, at the heart of it, we want to serve others.

I'm re-reading a book titled My Grandfather's Blessings: Stories of Strength, Refuge, and Belonging by Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D. Dr. Remen is cofounder and medical director of a Cancer Help Program and has counseled those with chronic illness for over twenty years. Her perspective on life is both wise and thought-provoking. She contrasts serving with helping and fixing.

"True service is not a relationship between an expert and a problem: it is far more genuine than that. It is a relationship between people who bring the full resources of their combined humanity to the table and share them generously. Service goes beyond expertise. Service is another way of life." (p. 198)

She goes on to say that when one "helps" someone, they often feel superior because they are using their own strengths and gifts. Yet when one serves, they give of themselves. When we give of ourselves, there is no feeling of superiority which leaves the other person feeling small and cheapened by life's circumstances. Dr. Remen goes on to talk about how when we give of ourselve, our entire wholeness, we are often humbled to find that "the thing that serves best is not all [our] ... knowledge but something about life [we] may have learned from ... a child" (p.199).

What a way to live life -- serving others by giving of our selves, our experiences and our hearts.

Grateful

As summer starts to wind down, I think of all the vacations many families enjoyed this summer. I am sure that some families skipped vacation this year because of the recession. Yet, I can't help but think of the families who have sacrificed food this summer because of the recession. When my thoughts head in that direction, I find myself grateful. Grateful that I have a job and I don't have to go hungry. Grateful that we live in a country where we are able to help one another out. I'm grateful for you and for your continued support of the South Plains Food Bank. Finally, I'm grateful for the hearts of the staff members I get to work with everyday at the SPFB.

To be in a staff meeting where people are brought tears because of hard times that have hit a family in this community is not only humbling but refreshing. We may not agree on everything (who does) but we agree on one thing: that sometimes people need a helping hand. Who hasn't needed help at one point in time or another? Again, thank you for your continued support.

Go Texan

GO TEXAN is a program sponsored by the Texas Department of Agriculture. The program is designed to encourage and champion restaurants in Texas who use Texas grown meats, produce and other ingredients. So why is this important? Why am I writing about it and why is the Texas Department of Agriculture promoting it? There are many advantages to eating locally.

On average, your food travels 1500 miles from where it was grown to your table. 1500 miles! That is a long way. In the process, there is a substantial amount of economic and environmental loss. In light of the current recession people are looking to cut back in various aspects of their lives. One way individuals typically do this is by buying less fresh produce because it is so costly. (However, it is just as costly on their health to not buy fresh fruits and vegetables.) Part of that cost is the fuel used to get it to your local grocer. Buying locally grown produce not only supports the local farming community but is cheaper for you! Seems like another win-win to me!

Secondly, it only does it saves you financially but you get a fresher product. Who doesn't want that? Buying locally also ensures that you are eating produce that is in season, again making it more fresh. In short, there is really no negative side to purchasing locally grown produce and while you are at it -- eating at restaurants that also make a point of buying their ingredients locally.

For a list of participating Lubbock restaurants, click here.

Simple Goodness

A few posts ago I wrote about fresh produce and the SPFB's farm and apple orchard. Yesterday, I blogged about the GRUB program at the farm and the integral role they play in having fresh produce for our clients. Well, when I went to the farm last week, I didn't leave empty handed. Roy, our farmer, sent me home with fresh squash, cucumber, tomatoes and okra. YUM!

I went out of town this weekend so last night was the first opportunity I had to cook with the fresh vegetables. My favorite vegetable is okra, so I sliced up about half the okra and boiled it. I didn't do anything fancy, no breading, no oil, just a little salt. It was delicious!!! If I'm honest I will admit that I usually use frozen okra but I'm not sure I can go back now. There is just something so "fresh" about cooking with fresh produce. You don't need all the fancy spices or frying -- it is good just the way nature intended.

Tonight I'm planning to make a squash casserole with my fresh produce, grown right here in West Texas! It is my grandmother's recipe and it too uses few ingredients. I love it because the squash flavor is not overpowered by a bunch of additional ingredients. Just add some milk and a little water and voila! you have a squash casserole that is outstanding! In fact, as a little girl I could not stand squash (crazy, I love it now) and the only way I would eat it was this casserole recipe. I can't wait to try it with my squash from the SPFB's farm!!

G.R.U.B.

GRUB stands for Growing Recruits for Urban Business. It just might be one of my favorite programs the SPFB runs (although, I say that about almost all of them)! It is one of those programs that not only has a great concept but works in reality as well.

Each year a group of teenagers work at the farm. They not only learn lessons about horticulture but they learn life lessons. They learn to work together, they see a project from beginning to end and they learn to live in community with one another. From a business perspective they learn how to market and sell their products. In return, the SPFB has fresh produce! What a great partnership for everyone.

Last week, I was able to go to the farm and see it all firsthand. WOW! What a great time. I happened to be there at the end of their workday. This particular day the youth were saying goodbye to two of their fellow workers whose time at the farm had ended. One of the interns, who has been working at the farm for a few years, put a video together for them. The video does a great job of showcasing the work that is accomplished and the relationships that are formed through the GRUB program.

A big thanks to the donors, who make it financially possible and to Jenifer, who makes it run daily!

DIsaster Relief

As a food bank, our objective is to feed people in their time of need and to give them hope in their time of despair. This includes times of natural disaster. Now is the time to prepare for possible disasters, when they have yet to occur. If organizations are found scrambling after the fact, distribution is often less efficient, more time consuming and chaotic. While we may not be in danger of being in the eye of a hurricane, we all know the devastating effects tornadoes can have on our corner of the world.

Not only do we want to be prepared for a local disaster, we want to be prepared to lend a hand in a national disaster as well. Food banks generally play a large role in disaster relief and the SPFB is no exception! Your consistent donations to the SPFB not only help us feed those who are hungry now but they enable us to be prepared for the unexpected, such a local or national disaster.

Lubbock Tornado (May 1970)

Working Hungry

It's a common misconception, that people who are food insecure and need food vouchers don't work. It might even ease our conscious just a little to think, "Well, I work hard for my food". Fact is, a recent survey reported 37% of adults who requested emergency food service were employed. Yes, you read that correctly - over one third of the people requesting assistance are working. They simply don't make a "living wage". What is the difference between a "living wage" and "minimum wage"? A living wage means an individual is working forty hours a week and making enough money to afford quality housing, food, utilities and transportation.

The most vulnerable population to be labeled as "working poor" are young families with children under the age of 18. It is the mother with twin boys, who are growing and eating faster than she can work and put more food on the table. It is the widow with young children, dealing with grief, the children's grief, and the stress of making ends meet. It might the couple who each have a part time job but still have to choose between food and medical attention for their children. Hunger has many faces and chances are we interact with those faces each week and have no idea. It is not always the unemployed, although unemployment is a major factor in food insecurity. Remember, on the South Plains, 1 in 5 individuals suffers from food insecurity.

Mobile Pantries

While some of the SPFB's clients are able to come to the SPFB and get their food boxes, there are others who are not able to get to the SPFB. They may not have transportation or they may not be able to be there during business hours. In West Texas, there are a lot of clients who live in rural areas and if someone is food insecure, they are most likely not going to be able to afford to drive to Lubbock for food. The solution: MOBILE PANTRIES!!

What exactly is a mobile pantry? Just as the name implies, it is a traveling food pantry. The SPFB is able to drive trucks, full of food boxes, to the rural areas of the South Plains and hand them out. As the population in rural West Texas ages, this service is increasingly important. The elderly are a vulnerable population to begin with and with the baby boomers reaching retirement and fixed incomes, mobile pantries are only going to become more imperitive for food banks across the country. Your food and monetary donations help make it possible for the SPFB to reach the rural population on the South Plains!

Fresh Food

We all know we are supposed to eat healthy. We know we need to eat our vegetables and that "an apple a day, keeps the doctor away". For some reason, it is often hard to eat healthy. Why is that? I think part of it is because we live in a world where we want (and often get) instant gratification. We want food and we want it now! The quickest things to grab are often not the healthiest. At the food banks, it is hard to keep fresh produce around. There are always canned and frozen fruits and vegetables that will keep but I always wonder just what is in there that allows them to keep for so long. Just a thought. The SPFB has come up with a few ideas that help get fresh produce into the food boxes we hand out.

For those of you who don't know, the SPFB has a farm where they grow various kinds of fruit and vegetables and an apple orchard. The apple orchard was originally funded in 1994 and by 1997 around 25,000 pounds of fresh apples were being distributed through the food bank to their clients. The SPFB also has a program called "Produce for the Plains"; produce, which would otherwise goes to waste, is donated by local wholesalers to the SPFB for weekly distribution at three City of Lubbock Community Centers.

Why is getting fresh produce distributed even important? There are many reasons but I won't bore you with all of them (not today anyways). I do want to briefly mention an article I read yesterday titled, "The Healthiest Foods On Earth". The author wrote about various societies that have been known for healthy lifestyles and how each diet differed except for one thing, "all these healthy diets have in common the fact that they are absent foods with bar codes". They can be high in fat, low in fat, high in carbohydrates, low in carbohydrates, high in protein, low in protein -- they simply are full of foods that are free from bar codes and full of natural vitamins and antioxidants. It seems so simple. Yet, it is so hard sometimes. So I applaud the the SPFB in their constant (and successful) efforts to not only feed the hungry, but to feed them well.

Just One Is All It Takes

As I was searching about teens and hunger today I came across a website called "Teens Fighting Hunger". I was intrigued. This nonprofit organization was started by a 16 year old in 2007 and continues to raise money to eradicate hunger in children today. It all started with a paper the founder wrote for school, where she learned that 12.4 million children go hungry each month in the United States. She decided to do something about it. She and her fellow volunteers make jewelry to sell at farmers markets all across Oregon. All the proceeds go to help end hunger in the United States. I've included a link to a video of Teens Fighting Hunger presenting a check to the Oregon Food Bank in the amount of $10,000.

Wow. I know sometimes it seems overwhelming because there are so many needs to be met throughout our community, the United States and the world. Where does one even begin? What can I do, I'm only one person. I can't make that big of a difference. I am sure we have all had these thoughts, we are human after all. Whenever I get overwhelmed with what I can and cannot do, I remember the following quote and I have hope. Hope, that I just might be able to make a difference in my corner of the world.

I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do. ~Edward Everett Hale

So many times we think about we cannot do but the truth is we may never know the impact of helping just one person. That person may one day pay it forward to someone and that person just might turn around and help someone else and on and on it goes. In 2000, there was a movie based on this principle of "paying it forward". According to the movie, if one person does one good deed for someone and that person pays it forward to three people and each of those three individuals paid it forward to three more people, by the end of two weeks 4,782,969 individuals will have been on the receiving end of a helping hand. Who says one person can't a difference? Not me.

Downtown Art Market

In May 2009 Lubbock's Downtown Art Market (DAM) opened and has steadily gained momentum each month. I have to admit I didn't know what the DAM was until I started at the SPFB and learned about the GRUB farm's booth. So what is the DAM?

It is a place for local talent, artists and growers to showcase their homemade or homegrown products! DAM is located in Tornado Alley, right in the heart of downtown Lubbock. There are many great talents in West Texas and this monthly event is a great way to showcase just what West Texans can do and grow!

Not only is the DAM a good place for local artists, it is also a great place for the teenagers working at the GRUB farm to exhibit their hard work. Part of the GRUB progam is designed to teach adolescents life and job skills. The DAM provides a unique opportunity for them to learn business skills they might not otherwise be able to learn. For most of the teens who are a part of GRUB, this program is their only opportunity to gain these valuable skills. It can be life changing for them to be a part of this program. Thank you to Jenifer, the staff at the GRUB farm and the hard-working teens!

Thank You

I know I haven't posted a blog in a few dsys -- this is because I was out at the Can-Can Food Drive, the SPFB's annual summer food drive. There are so many inspiring stories that I almost don't know where to start. I want to share the entire week with everyone.

One of the overarching themes last week was how amazing it was to see the Lubbock community reach out and help re-stock the shelves of the SPFB. Lubbock has always been known as a giving community but to see it first-hand was humbling. It's one thing to see high rates of giving in times of prosperity but in a recession that has no end in sight, that says something about the character of a community. Thank you Lubbock. Thank you for helping us satisfy one of the most basic of human needs, the need for nourishment. Thank you for helping to instill hope in those who need a helping hand. Thank you for proving that it is not all bad news in the world today, that there are people willing to help their neighbors.

Food Drives

Have you ever donated food to a food drive for a food bank? More specifically have you ever donated food to a South Plains Food Bank food drive? I have. I remember when my daughters were in school and they would come home asking to take cans to school for the food bank so they could get out of doing homework or could earn an extra point on a test. I complied without questioning why the food bank needed the food or to whom it was going. I opened my pantry and pulled out the "mistakes" I had purchased at the grocery store. That can of cream-style corn when I meant to pick up whole-kernel. The canned baby shrimp I thought I would use in a salad, but didn't. The extra can of pork-n-beans I didn't use when I made baked beans. I never gave any thought to what cans I pulled out of the pantry to send to school for the food bank.

Now I work for the food bank and I see first hand the need for good nutritious food. The need for high protein, whole grain, nutritious food; food just like I would want to serve to my family. Not the dented cans or the cans missing their labels.

Today David Weaver, the Executive Director of the South Plains Food Bank, related a story to me that made me cry (okay - if you know me, you know this doesn't take much, but this is a very touching story). He was at the food drive site this afternoon when a young, twenty-something, man showed up. The young man asked about the pre-made sacks of groceries available to donate to the food bank for $5. He told David that when he was a child they received food assistance from the food bank and he got tired of the "same old food bank food" and would it be okay if he purchased items of his choosing. He returned a short while later with over $100 worth of food to donate to the food bank. I wish I could have taken a peek into his grocery bags. I bet there wasn't one single can of cream-style corn!

I'm not knocking cream-style corn. But I am in awe of this young man who is "paying it forward." If you would like to donate to the South Plains Food Bank's summer food drive you can donate at the food drive site at the United Supermarket at 82nd Street and Frankford Ave. or you can donate online at www.spfb.org

I wish I could be a fly on the wall when our families-in-need receive the food items donated by our imaginative donor today.

Mascera, Mudflap (KLLL), a tutu and the Can-Can Food Drive

Today as I was running a few errands before work I tuned in to KLLL's morning show. They have kicked off the Annual Can Can Food Drive for us in a huge way! We don't officially get out there until 11am with all the sponsors and volunteers but Jeff, Kelli and Mudflap were already promoting the food drive and getting people in to buy $5 bags of food to help re-stock the SPFB!

I started listening at 8am and their goal was to sell 20, $5 bags in an hour. First, let me explain about the bags of food. Every bag is filled with food, healthy food, that will go into the food boxes the SPFB hands out. United is selling them for $5 (they worth more than that) and the SPFB is able to feed one more family on the South Plains. Mudflap (from KLLL's morning show) was on site to sell those bags! They are at the register of the United on 82nd and Frankford. Okay, back to the goal. With 15 minutes left, they had already sold 39 bags so they increased their goal to 100 bags!! From 20 to 100 -- WOW!! There were some people who simply stopped by and handed their money to Mudflap and he then went and bought the bags. It's that easy!!!

I have to say that I'm glad I wasn't wearing mascera this morning -- ladies, you know what I mean. Any water in the eyes and that stuff just runs like mad down your face. I wasn't expecting to be so moved by the generosity of our fellow Lubbockites, but I was. I couldn't help but think, this community really does care. Maybe I'm an idealist or maybe people just really want to see Mudflap in a tutu (that's right, if our goal for the day is reached, Mudflap will wear a tutu tomorrow). However, I choose to believe that even in this time of economic hardship that is hitting us all, people still want to afford their friends and neighbors the right to eat. I think of the faces of the children that will be fed thanks to this food drive and I can't help but tear up a little.

Our goal for the week is 1000 bags ... so let's keep it going strong Lubbock!

Can Can Food Drive: Tuesday - Friday (THIS WEEK)

Join us at United on 82nd and Frankford for the 8th Annual Can Can Food Drive, the SPFB's summer food drive. The Food Bank truck, along with volunteers from Covenant and the Food Bank will be on-hand daily from 11:00 am until 6:30 pm to accept donations of food and money. We are partnering with The Texas Peanut Producers Board, Keva Juice, and United Supermarkets, KLLL, KLBK, Bodyworks and Latino Lubbock Newsletter to provide food to feed the hungry in West Texas.

As the heat rises on the South Plains, so does the number of clients served by the SPFB. During the summer months there is an increased demand for food boxes because children are at home, not eating breakfast and lunch at school. According to LISD, 65% of the 28,000 students enrolled this past year were eligible for the reduced lunch program - 17,520 children. On average, 500 boxes are distributed to needy families every week through the SPFB. Our warehouse shelves are empty by the end of June as the food donated during previous food drives depletes.

Not only are we going to collect food but we are going to have fun doing it! Keva Juice will provide some relief from heat and Bodyworks will have their climbing wall on-site for those who dare to climb up! Every child that climbs to the top will have a jar of peanut butter donated to the SPFB, in their name, by the The Texas Peanut Producers Board. So come out, have fun, and help those in need! For more information visit our website.

Goal: To fill a truck each day. The food collected through this drive is used in food boxes which are given out daily to families in need.

Freedom from Hunger (and Happy 4th of July!)

The word freedom has many definitions. This weekend we, as Americans, will celebrate our freedom as a country. However, there are millions of individuals across our nations that are not free from food insecurity. They have many freedoms but the freedom from hunger is not they currently know.

As discussed in previous posts, hunger affects the young and old, male and female, every race and ethnicity. Food insecurity can affect anyone and everyone. As citizens of one of the greatest nations on earth we should be able to provide the very basic of needs to our neighbors, food. While providing food may not solve all the problems in an individuals life, it is our sincere desire that it also provides hope. Hope that tomorrow will be the day they get that job that allows them the freedom to go to the grocery store and pay utility bills. Hope that their children will get a nutricious meal that night. Hope that they are not alone.

Please help us give Americans another holiday to celebrate -- Freedom from Hunger

The Greatest Generation

They have been labeled "The Greatest Generation". They are comprised of our mothers, grandmothers, fathers and grandfathers. They are also one of the most vulnerable populations at risk for food insecurity in our country today.

So what are we doing to help give them hope and a nutritious meal? Your donations are helping us feed, not only children, but senior citizens aross the South Plains. Summer is especially hard on the elderly. Water is always an appreciated donation. Even with the break in cool weather dehydration can cause major health problems for our senior citizens.

Hygiene

Brushing your teeth. Washing your hair. Using deodorant. Taking a shower.

These are all activities we most likely take for granted every single day. We get up and simply go through the motions without thinking about them or thinking about what it would be like if we didn't have the basic hygiene items needed.

While we have been increasing awareness for the need people have for nutritious meals, we sometimes forget there are other basic needs that are likely not being met either. Hygiene is one of those needs. The SPFB also gives out hygiene boxes that include items such as toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, toilet paper, Kleenex, and other similar items. We are currently running extremely low on hygiene boxes and need your help!

Next time you are picking up these basic items for your family, consider buying an extra set and donating it to the Food Bank. You can also visit our virtual food drive and donate online! We couldn't do this without you!

Lend a Helping Hand

One of the greatest assets the SPFB has are our volunteers. I mentioned the weekly volunteers in yesterday's blog; today I want to tell you how you, too, can get involved! We welcome volunteers, both individual and group, at any time. Below I've listed a few ways we utilize volunteers.

• Preparing donated foods and hygiene items for distribution: such as, sorting donated food; repackaging dry and frozen food; packing dry, frozen, and hygiene boxes.


• Helping in the kitchen.


• Working at reception desk (good telephone/people skills needed).


• Planning and working at various Food Bank on-going functions and special events.


• Opportunities are also available at Second Helpings soup kitchens and Kids Cafe programs. Contact the Food Bank for referrals to volunteer with these programs.

This spring I brought a group of high school sophomores to volunteer and not only were they able to lend a helping hand but we had a blast! They couldn't wait to get back out here ... from teenagers!! They laughed, they worked hard and they were given the opportunity to help others. Visit our website or call Meagan Bratton (806-763-3003) for more information.

What a difference a smile can make

Yesterday I had the opportunity to meet some of the wonderful, hard-working volunteers at the SPFB. Some of the men and women have been volunteering their time for many years and some, like me, are new. We are grateful for all they do.

They are the face of the food bank in many ways. They are who you talk to when you call the food bank and they are the first faces that you see as you walk through the doors. They make sure that every individual who walks through the doors of the SPFB are greeted with a smile and made to feel comfortable. They are good at what they do! They certainly make me smile sometimes all it takes is a smile to make another person's day.

It's been said that "A smile is the shortest distance between two people". Research has even indicated that 6 month old babies who smile are more socially adjusted as 2 year olds (Opportunities Today, 2008). Now that is powerful! For us adults, smiling is equally important. Not only does smiling make us feel better, it is contagious. It is a phenomenon known as "emotional contagion".

In this time of economic hardship, smiling is even more important. It gives hope. Which is what we strive to do everyday at the SPFB, give hope. Give hope to those who feel hopeless. There is so much more that happens when someone is given food. Without it there is no hope, it is difficult, if not impossible, to see past the hunger. Fulfill that basic need and suddenly there is hope for better times.

Awestruck

Hi SPFB blog readers. I'm going to be updating you about the exciting things going on at the Food Bank through this blog and I can't wait to get started. (In fact, I already did with yesterday's blog.) I am new to the SPFB and I am learning more and more each day about what an imperative service the SPFB provides for 21 counties across the South Plains. I have volunteered at the SPFB in the past and have been aware of the need to see people fed but to see first hand the lives that are improved on a daily basis has been an eye-opener. I am in awe of what is being done here, amazed that I get to be a part of it, and I want to share that with you! I want to meet you and tell you about what is being done about hunger on the South Plains.

Just yesterday I was able to visit one of the summer food sites that helps feeds children. At just that one site in Lubbock, 60 kids were fed a hot lunch today. These are children who, during the school year, receive reduced or free breakfasts and lunches at school. The meal they received at noon today may be the only hot meal they will eat today. Their bright faces and soft laughter filled the room as they were given the very basic of human rights, the right to nutrition. Soon, they were off to play and enjoy summer. How exciting to be part of an organization that aims to eradicate hunger! Thank you for all you do to help the SPFB feed our neighbors and friends.

Summer Hunger

Worldwide: Every five seconds a child will die from complications of hunger (Black, Saul, Bryce, 2003). 963 million individuals suffer from hunger and malnutrition (2008 Food Security Statistics).

United States: 1 in 10 households suffer from hunger, 35.5 million individuals, 12.6 million children (USDA Economic Research Service, 2005).

Let’s bring those statistics a little closer to home. Across West Texas, 1 in 5 individuals do not know where their next meal will come from or if there will be a next meal. Are they sitting next you in church? Are they playing with your kids at the park? Do they walk past you on the neighborhood walking path? Next time you find yourself in a large crowd think about how many people around you, statistically, do not know where they will get their next meal.

Summer is a particularly busy time at food banks all across the country. The South Plains Food Bank (SPFB) is no exception. At first glance one might wonder why summer? In the 21 West Texas counties the SPFB serves, 65% of the children receive free or reduced priced lunches during the school year, compared to a statewide average of 59% (2008 Kids Count Report). Translate that to summer and it stands to reason those same children are daily wondering if they are going to get even two full meals a day. This is commonly known as food insecurity.

So what exactly is food insecurity and what consequences manifest for the millions of Americans who suffer from food insecurity? USDA defines food insecurity as disrupted eating patterns and reduced food intake (www.usda.gov). There are multiple physical and mental consequences of food insecurity. Immune systems are weakened, stomachaches and headaches are more common, fatigue and dehydration become realities and as a result there are more hospitalizations among individuals who suffer from food insecurity. Additionally, children can develop behavioral difficulties and become impaired in all aspects of school performance.

Seem a little overwhelming? Perhaps, but don’t let that stop you from lending a helping hand. The SPFB offers various opportunities throughout the year for you to get involved. For the next few days I’m going to highlight different ways the West Texas community can get involved and help ensure nutritious meals for our neighbors and friends.

“One is not born into the world to do everything but to do something.” Henry David Thoreau

Why for’s and what if’s

Before you find the right answer, you have to have the right question.

This morning at the South Plains Food Bank, we had about 15 children from Lake Ridge United Methodist Church volunteer with us. It is the first day of their Vacation Bible School program. Everyone put on hairnets and rubber gloves and went about the task of filling bags with pizza flour. One person opens the plastic bag, another drops in a label, another scoops and dumps flour, the bag is sealed and put in a bin. We will put a two pound bag of pizza flour into each food box we distribute to feed the hungry in our community.

The experience gives us a chance to talk about how children are helping, who is going to receive the bags, and how their work is helping feed others. But I like the other questions, kids ask, "Why do we have to wear hair nets?" "Why can't we just use our hands?" "Why are people hungry?" Questions about hair nets are pretty easy. ("Do you want a stranger's hair in your pizza!") Questions about why people are hungry get more complicated.

Last weekend I attended Bill's 85^th surprise birthday party. Eight-five years seems like a long time unless you know someone like Bill. Bill reminds me of the kids from Vacation Bible School this morning. He's full of energy and questions and caring. Bill's old enough to know he doesn't have all the answers, but he knows the right questions. "What would it take to make Lubbock hunger free?" "What if you had the resources you needed to feed everyone?" "What would it take to put the South Plains Food Bank out of business?" (He tells me I would have to get a real job then!)

Bill knows it's not enough to just ask the questions. He's spent a good chunk of time searching for the answers with us and trying to figure out how to put the South Plains Food Bank out of business.

The Lines Are Getting Longer

A friend of mine was in town for a few days. Naturally, I invited him to lunch. On our way I warned him that the restaurant we where we were going for lunch usually had a big crowd. Expecting a long wait, we arrived a little before noon hoping to avoid the line. To my surprise, there was no line. We were seated and served in no time at all. The food was just as good as ever, but plenty of tables were available the whole time we were there.

I saw the owner of the restaurant, Paul, and asked how his business was holding up. He smiled, pointed to the empty tables and said, “See for yourself. It’s been like this for a while. People just aren’t eating out as much.”

The irony of this hit me when I returned to the South Plains Food Bank after lunch. We had a
line of people out our door waiting to pick up food boxes.

Since late last summer, we have seen a 20% increase in the number of people turning to the South Plains Food Bank. The increase was even more dramatic in October and November when fuel prices were reaching its peak. I remembered what Paul said, “…It’s been this way for a
while.”

Magic

The food bank farm is a magical place. I have said this many times in the eight years I have worked there. Whether it is the magic that happens when a seed is planted and grows into food to feed a hungry person or the magic of a lost teen finding purpose in her life, there is magic. The magic happened again this morning when 100 three and four year olds from Sugar and Spice Pre-school visited the farm. The weather was warm and unusually calm for a spring day in Lubbock as two yellow school busses pulled up and one hundred little darlings came pouring out carrying pennies, nickels, dimes and a few quarters to throw into our wishing boat. We don’t have a wishing well, we have a wishing boat – home to about 25 koi fish that have learned to hide when small children throw money at them.

After our stop at the wishing boat we proceeded in a single file line, a very long single file line, to the opposite end of the farm where, in soil so soft the children sunk several inches, we planted green bean and pea seeds. One of the teachers asked me if we really expected the seed to grow, thinking of course my answer would be no. Farmer Roy overheard the question and answered for me, “Of course they will grow. When children plant something there is a magic that happens and it always grows.” So there you have it, straight from the farmer’s mouth – the food bank farm is a magical place!

Hunger Survey

OK... It's been a while since I've posted anything. I was talking to Jenifer Smith the other day. Jenifer has been helping out with our quadrennial hunger survey. We do it as part of a national survey conducted by Feeding America. The purpose is to give us a snapshot of the faces of hunger in the nation and here on the South Plains.

A couple of weeks ago, Jenifer went to interview clients at one of our agencies, St. Paul's on the Plains Episcopal Church. On Thursday morning, they host a Neighbor 2 Neighbor Breakfast for people in the South Overton neighborhood. South Overton is a once proud neighborhood that now is a crossroads for many homeless and low income people in Lubbock. Neighbor 2 Neighbor is a wonderful ministry that connects the church to the local community.

Jenifer showed up at 6:30 a.m. (which is no small feat in itself) to talk with clients and gather info for our survey. She spoke with a homeless gentleman, Jeff, who was coming by for breakfast. Although he is only in his mid thirties, Jeff's face is already weathered and lined from being outside so much of the time. Jeff is works as a day laborer on a steady basis. He lives "outside the library."

Part of the survey asks whether or not the participant has gone without food, has made choices between having medicine and having food, or skipped meals so someone else could eat. As Jeff responded to the questions, tears began to form in his eyes. As Jenifer put it, "They began to flood the lined channels of his face." As Jenifer shared the moment with him, tears formed in her eye. She found some tissue for him and her as they cried in silence.

Sometimes it never dawns on us... what our choices mean. Noha ben Shea says that, "Life is lived forward but understood backwards." Jeff never really thought about himself as homeless and hungry until that moment. And for the moment, all Jenifer could do was comfort Jeff and remind him of all the people in our community who care and try to help.

When Jenifer told me this story, she made a comment that stuck with me, " I wish I could wipe away his hunger as easily as I wiped away his tears."

Both Jenifer and Jeff were changed in this encounter. It's one of the the serendipties of the Food Bank that give us all a new awareness of one another and the possibilities of hope.

Help out this spring at SPFB!

We would love to have any groups or individual volunteers come to the food bank this spring! We have many opportunities available- sign up today!

Saturday Workdays (9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.)

At SPFB:

- Saturday, April 5, 2008

- Saturday May 3, 2008

At the Carolyn Lanier Farm:

- Saturday workdays will be available starting in March. Contact Debbie Cline at 535-4563 for more information.

Kids Cafe Volunteers Needed!

Kids Cafe is an afterschool feeding program designed to combat childhood hunger. This program provides children with nutritious evening meals in a safe environment.
Dedicated volunteers are needed to commit two hours after school, Monday through Friday, on a continual basis during the school year. Three Kids Cafe locations are currently seeking one or two volunteers per location. Duties include helping serve meals and light paperwork/roll-taking. Background checks are required
Where: Kids Cafe's at Phea Boys and Girls Club

Wilson Boys and Girls Club

Optimist Boys and Girls Club
Time: Monday through Friday, 3-5pm
Contact: Becky Jennings at 806-763-3003 or Tammy Hester at 806-544-1332

Volunteer Coaches Needed
The West Texas Running Club is dedicating it's annual Prairie Dog Run on March 8th to the South Plains Food Bank and the Kids Cafe Program. Proceeds from the run will help feed hungry children at Kids Cafe Sites in Lubbock and other South Plains communities.
Volunteer running coaches are needed to create "Team Kids Cafe!" at each participating site. In addition to eating nutritious meals, kids will have an opportunity to join in the Prairie Dog Run. Along the way, kids can see how eating and exercise go hand in hand for a healthy lifestyle.
Volunteer coaches will meet two times a week, January through March. No experience is needed! If you are interested in volunteering as a coach, please sign up with Becky Jennings at 806-763-3003, or email at volunteer@spfb.org.

Do you qualify for Food stamps?

Alot of people don't know that they might qualify for Food Stamps because they think they make to much.
But the income limits were raised in October..
Look at the chart below and see if your family might qualify.

The income limits are based on your household size.

Household Size Gross Monthly Income Limit Net Monthly Income
1 $1,037 $798
2 $1,390 $1,070
3 $1,744 $1,341
4 $2,097 $1,613
5 $2,450 $1,885
6 $2,803 $2,156
7 $3,156 $2,428
8 $3,509 $2,700
9 $3,863 $2,972
10 $4,217 $3,244
Each Additional Member +354 +272

If it looks like your income is under the gross income amount for your household size. You should feel out an application for assistance.

Contact Denise at 763-3003 or email drudd@spfb.org

New York Times Article

In the Monday edition of the New York Times, there was a good article that describes the squeeze many food banks are experiencing, shrinking inventories and increasing demand. It's happening at food banks across the country. "Food Banks, in a Squeeze, Tighten Belts"

Stop by the South Plains Food Bank Website to see what else is going on.

I'm Thankful

Social Services Outreach:

With tomorrow being Thanksgiving it made me think of all the things I am THANKFUL for and one of those is working for the FOOD BANK. It has been WONDERFUL working with all of the amazing people here at the Food Bank , and also all the many agencies being able to reach out to help the many people that the food bank serves. I just wanted to say THANK YOU for allowing me to be part of the SPFB Family and allowing me to help in the mission to alleviate hunger here on the South Plains.

In October 60 applications were completed and submitted for assistance. This number does not include the many applications that were given to potential clients that wanted just information on the many programs. Trine and I spent two days at the Lamb County Food Box and what a wonderful experience that was helping those families in that area to get help with food and resources that were much needed.

One of my biggest joys this month was being able to help an older woman get help with medicaid assistance, along with food stamps she so desperately needed. She is on a fixed income and with the rise of costs in medical care she was not able to afford her much needed medicine plus she was also not able to afford to buy food. After playing the waiting game for her applications to be processed she was APPROVED. She will receive help with Doctor’s visits, medicine, and FOOD!! What a wonderful blessing it was to help her get the assistance she so desperately needed.

Agencies that I did outreach with/or referred potential clients to me:
Catholic Family Sevices Lubbock Meals on Wheels
Across the Street Ministries-Lubbock MHMR-Lubbock
Matthews Learning Center-Lubbock Bayless Elementary-Lubbock
Hutchinson Middle School-Lubbock Tubbs Elementary-Lubbock
Children’s Protective Services-Lubbock The Bridge-Lubbock
Neighborhood House-Lubbock Family Promise-Lubbock
Covenant Counseling-Lubbock Loaves & Fishes-Morton
Buckner’s-Lubbock Parenting Cottage-Lubbock
St John’s United Methodist Church-Lubbock Hope Community of Shalom
Community Health Center of Lubbock Superior Health Plan
Salvation Army Aspermont Food Bank
Hamlin Food Bank Kent Co. Food Bank
Early Learning Centers of Lubbock Hope Community of Shalom
Homeless Consortium First Care
Hodges Elementary Lamb County Food Box
Kent County Extension Program
Non-Agencies that I did outreach at/or referred potential clients to me:
Slaton Housing Authority
Nurscare-Slaton & Tahoka

If you are an agency or individual in need of assistance for Public Assistance. Please feel free to call me at 763-3003 or email me at drudd@spfb.org and I will try to help or answer any questions you may have on public assistance.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!