If you love our work then tell the world!

You have an exciting opportunity to help the Food Bank make even more of a difference for the community. GreatNonprofits – a site like Yelp – is conducting a contest to find the top-rated nonprofits working to end homelessness or hunger. It’s easy and only takes 3 minutes!

Letter from Congressman George Miller to You!

For months the Food Bank has been talking about the upcoming Child Nutrition Reauthorization. We are happy to tell you that some exciting developments have recently taken place. Our Congressman George Miller from Contra Costa and Solano counties is chair of the committee that will be leading the reauthorization of child nutrition programs and has written a letter to all of you about this exciting news! For more information about the Child Nutrition Reauthorization visit http://foodbankccs.org/give%20help/advocate/advocateCNR.html.

October 14, 2009

Dear Friend,

Thank you for your support of for the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano. Times are tough for many working families, and without your support the Food Bank would not be able to carry out the good work that they do.

Many of you have expressed your concerns about reauthorizing the child nutrition programs that are a safety net for families who are struggling to make ends meet and I have updates to share with you.

This week, Congress enacted a short term extension of those child nutrition programs while my committee continues our efforts to reauthorize the programs completely by the end of next year. We also made some key investments to meet critical child nutrition needs, at no new cost to taxpayers

We know that that hunger does not take a vacation during the summer so we've invested $85 million for pilot summer food service program projects that will help expand nutrition benefits for low-income children during the summer.

We've also provided support to help increase the number of children who are automatically enrolled for free school meals and grant funding for school food service equipment to help schools store and prepare healthy foods.

And we set aside $8 million for competitive grants so that child care facilities can improve the quality of meals and promote healthy eating habits.

Giving our most vulnerable children access to healthy, safe, nutritious - and affordable - meals is one of the most important things we can do to help them thrive in school and in life. Learn more about the investments in child nutrition, please visit edlabor.house.gov.

Sincerely,

George Miller
Member of Congress


If you or anyone you know is interested in learning about new and exciting anti-hunger advocacy work please let us know at lsherrill@foodbankccs.org.

The Food Stamp Challenge comes to end for some, but not for the thousands of people who live with hunger every day.

The San Francisco Food Bank 2009 Hunger Challenge ran from September 20-26. For seven days, participants ate on $4 dollars a day, the budget of a food stamp recipient.

Read about CBS 5 Reporter Sue Kwon's week on the Hunger Challenge. http://cbs5.com/consumer/hunger.challenge.food.2.1198974.html

No room for error living on $4 a day

A cup of coffee cost Sue Kwon a big part of her $4 food budget. See what she has to say here: http://cbs5.com/video/?id=55825@kpix.dayport.com

CBS 5 Reporter Takes $4-A-Day Hunger Challenge

The San Francisco Food Bank's 2009 Hunger Challenge is this week - September 20-26. CBS 5 ConsumerWatch reporter Sue Kwon takes on the challenge and will file reports everyday this week documenting her experiment that we hope will put a spotlight on hunger.

Tuesday: http://cbs5.com/video/?id=55719@kpix.dayport.com

And Wednesday: http://cbs5.com/video/?id=55774@kpix.dayport.com

If you're taking on the Hunger Challenge we would like to hear about it. If you are on food stamps and have budget stretching ideas or want to share your thoughts, please share them with CBS 5.

CBS5 Reporter Sue Kwon Joins the Hunger Challenge

Watch this video of Sue's first Hunger Challenge report, including video at our warehouse and pantries and an interveiw with SF Food Bank's Paul Ash! And here's her second, in-depth report where she shops with Amy Sherman.

CBS5 ConsumerWatch reporter Sue Kwon is taking the Hunger Challenge and reporting about her experiences. See her reports all week at 6 pm, with repeats at 11 pm and the following morning. Sue will also be sharing cost-effective recipes and helping viewers learn how to stretch their food dollars. We're thrilled that Sue and CBS5 are making such a big commitment to shining a light on hunger in San Francisco! [In the photo to the left, Sue shops for the Challenge with veteran Hunger Challenge blogger Amy Sherman.]

Take the 2009 Hunger Challenge

Email HungerChallenge@SFFB.org to participate!

Learn more about the 2009 Hunger Challenge

Visit the San Francisco Food Bank Hunger Challenge blog.

Week four of 30 ways in 30 days

Welcome to week four of 30 ways in 30 days - ways you can fight hunger in your community every day of the week. If you missed any of the weeks, or want to see the end, you can find the whole month of 30 days in 30 ways at www.foodbankccs.org.

30 Days in 30 Ways - Week 4

Sept. 21: Book a tee time on Sept. 21st at Oakhurst Country Club in Clayton and a portion of your Green Fees will be donated. Bring five canned food items and receive a raffle ticket. Call 925-672-9737 ext. 201


Sept 22: Empty Bowls, Food Bank Concord Warehouse, 5:30 pm, $10 per person. Enjoy a simple meal served in a handcrafted bowl and get a behind the scenes look at the Food Bank. Reservations required and seat­ing is limited, please call 925-771-1310 to reserve your spot today.

Sept. 23: Ask employees to bring their lunch on a specific day and donate the value of an average lunch to the Food Bank.


Sept. 24: Empty Bowls, Food Bank Fairfield Warehouse, 5:30 pm, $10 per person. Enjoy a simple meal served in a handcrafted bowl and get a behind the scenes look at the Food Bank. Reservations required and seat­ing is limited, please call 925-771-1310 to reserve your spot today.

September 24 -27 Walnut Festival, Walnut Creek. Bring a can of food to donate and get $1 off your admission. www.thewalnutfestival.org


Sept. 25: Myths and Facts of Food Stamps 9 am - noon, Food Bank Concord Warehouse. More info: 925- 676-7543 ext. 231.


Sept. 26: Pleasant Hill Community Service Day. Local residents will be collecting non-perishable food for the Food Bank on this annual Community Service Day. To be a part of this event go to http://www.pleasanthill.ca.gov/index.aspx?NID=514 and then click on Food Bank to sign up.


Sept 26: Sunrise Assisted Living Food Drive, 2175 Ygnacio Valley Road, Walnut Creek. Please join us for live music, good food, and a good cause. To RSVP, please call (925) 932-3500.


Sept. 20: There is still time to give a little during Hunger Action Month. For every dollar donated, the Food Bank is able to provide three meals to people in need.


For more ideas on how to fight hunger in your community, visit our Hunger Action Month calendar online.

Can you eat for just $4 a day?

That's the average amount a Californian on food stamps has to spend on a day's meals. CBS5 reporter Sue Kwon will take the Hunger Challenge September 21-26. She’ll spend no more than $4 a day on food for the week. Sue will kick off her Hunger Challenge on CBS5’s 6 pm news today, and will give updates on the 6 pm newscast each day of the Challenge. She’ll take viewers shopping, share some cost-efficient but nutrient-rich recipes, and report on the latest news on food stamps and talk about people facing hunger every day in our community.

Each of the Bay Area Food Banks is experiencing unprecedented demand. Find your local Food Bank at www.bayareahunger.org and donate now. For more information on the Hunger Challenge, visit http://www.HungerChallenge.com.

Give a Little Feed a Lot!

We are at the half-way point of Hunger Action Month, but there is still time to give a little during Hunger Action Month. For every dollar donated, the Food Bank is able to provide three meals to people in need. Consider giving up your coffee this week. At three dollars a day for seven days that is 63 meals we can provide in the community.

Help us raise $10,000! Give a Little today and we will make sure it Feeds a Lot!

RSVP to Share Family Togetherness & Meal Time Tips This Tuesday on Twitter

September 12, 2009 by Jyl Johnson Pattee

Stop for a second and think about your most favorite meal time experience with your family. What made it fun or meaningful? What did you eat? What did you talk about? What was it that helped you connect and grow closer as a family?

Now think for a second about what gets in the way of achieving that on a regular basis. If you’re like me, quick and simple meals are never quick or simple enough, meal times are rushed, and while I’d love to have all sorts of meaningful conversations with the family during meal time, we are usually lucky to get a home-cooked meal and even luckier to get conversation with it.

But… statistics show the importance of family togetherness during meal times. So, this Tuesday, we are fortunate to have Libby’s and Feeding America along with other #gno gals to share with us their fabulous tips for making the most of meal time. Have lots to share? Want to learn? Or, want to connect for a little girl power? Then, join us this Tuesday for #gno.

And, don’t forget to enter to win one of our amazing giveaway going on this week.

What: Libby’s is sponsoring this week’s #gno Twitter party (Click here to learn about #gno!)

When: Tuesday, September 15, 9-11 p.m. EST

Where: Party with us on our custom Tweetgrid. (Use hashtag #gno.)

Topic: Family togetherness and meal times

Who: @feedingamerica @goodlifeeats @hannahkeeley @janemaynard @savorthethyme @rockinmama

Party Favors: Click here to check out this week’s giveaway sponsored by Libby’s.

RSVP: Please leave your Twitter ID in the comments to follow and be followed (on Twitter, of course!) by other #gno gals. The best format is as follows: http://twitter.com/jylmomIF.

30 ways in 30 days - Week 3

Welcome to week three of 30 ways in 30 days - ways you can fight hunger in your community every day of the week. If you missed week two, or want to jump ahead, you can find the whole month of 30 days in 30 ways at www.foodbankccs.org.

30 Days in 30 Ways - Week 3

Sept. 14 -18: United WayWeek of Caring

Sept. 14: Follow us on twitter: http://twitter.com/foodbankccs and fan us on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Food-Bank-of-Contra-Costa-and-Solano/114530700443.

Sept 15: Macy's "Come Together" invites you to host a dinner party and ask guests to pledge a donation to Feeding America in place of the usual host gift through Macy's "Come Together" website. Macy's will generously match each donation made for the campaign. Plus tonight Macy's will host the Wolrd's Largest Dinner Party at your local Macy's at 6:00 pm.

Sept. 16: Join the Food Bank's monthly donor program.

Sept. 17: Become an advocate for hunger and poverty relief. Sign up to receive Hunger Fighter advocacy alerts from the Food Bank.


Sept. 18: Sony Pictures releases Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs today. Kids can join Flint in becoming a Hunger Helper - someone who finds ways to fight hunger in the community. Become a Hunger Helper today by making your own bookmark and even writing to your Congressman.

Sept. 19: A day-long shopping event, Macy's - Passport, offers the opportunity for local non-profit organizations that support AIDS/HIV programs to raise funds. Participating Macy's stores are located at Pleasanton's Stoneridge Mall, Walnut Creek's Broadway Plaza, San Francisco's Union Square, Marin's Corte Madera Store, Palo Alto's Stanford Store, and Santa Clara's Valley Fair Store. For a $10.00 ticket to the event, you will receive a special shopping discount (exclusive to Passport in Store) to be used on almost all purchases. The Food Bank will retain 100% of the direct ticket sales proceeds. For more information or to purchase a ticket, please contact Joan Tomasini at 925-771-1315 or email jtomasini@foodbankccs.org.

Sept. 20: Host a Food Drive.

For more ideas visit our Hunger Action Month calendar online.

Summer Lunch Celebrations

During the summer months, school is out, but the need for lunch is not. The Summer Lunch Celebrations, held by the Food Bank throughout the month of July, embodied this idea. The Food Bank partnered with UC Cooperative Extension, Contra Costa Health Services, and Vallejo and Mt. Diablo Unified School Districts to hold two events hosted by Wren Avenue Elementary in Concord and Norman King Community Center in Vallejo. Children of all ages were invited to participate in various activities, games, and giveaways related to healthy eating and physical activity. Over 200 children played a relay game, learned about healthy food and drink choices, and enjoyed a snack of peaches and plums in addition to their free lunch. For the parents, there was information about food stamps and other food assistance programs provided by the Food Bank.

Many children rely on free or reduced-price school lunches as their main or only source of nutritious, balanced food. During the summer months, some kids go without a healthy meal for this reason. To rectify this, the USDA created the Summer Food Service Program that provides free lunches to any child under the age of 18. Free lunches are offered at various community centers, schools, and parks in low-income neighborhoods. With the budget crisis and many schools closing, there are fewer locations that offer free meals. Thankfully, despite these setbacks, free lunches were served at over 100 sites throughout Contra Costa and Solano counties.
You can help improve access to nutrition programs for kids -- like the Summer Food Service Program. This Fall, Congress will be making decisions about the Summer Food Service Program, School Meals, Child and Adult Care Food Program, and more in the Child Nutrition Reauthorization. What can you do? Write your members of Congress and ask them to expand and improve current federal child nutrition programs. Visit www.foodbankccs.org for more information.

Calling All Kids

Are you a kid who has wanted to volunteer at the Food Bank warehouse and just aren't old enough? This weekend there is no age limit of 11 years old at the Food Bank and we are inviting ALL AGES to come to our Open House and Family Volunteer Day. Learn more about the Food Bank and how we work while also helping to get produce ready for distribution. We will have activities for kids of all ages!

Please join us:

Sept. 12: Open house and Family Volunteer Day, Food Bank Fairfield Warehouse. No reservations required. Drop in between 2:30 and 4:30.

Sept. 13: Open house and Family Volunteer Day, Food Bank Concord Warehouse. No reservations required. Drop in between 2:30 and 4:30.

Kids you can also join Flint from Sony Pictures' Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs in becoming a Hunger Helper - someone who finds ways to fight hunger in the community. Become a Hunger Helper today by making your own bookmark and even writing to your Congressman.

30 Days in 30 Ways - Week 2

Here is your second week of ways you can fight hunger in your community. If you missed week one, you can find the whole month of 30 days in 30 ways at www.foodbankccs.org.

This September, please think about what you can do to help: volunteer, donate, advocate! For more information about Hunger Action Month, these events, or just the Food Bank in general, please call 925-676-7543, email info@foodbankccs.org or visit us on the web at www.foodbankccs.org.

30 Days in 30 Ways - Week 2

Sept. 7 : Host an Eat In and tell Congress: It's time to provide America's children with real food at school. An Eat-In is a potluck that takes place in public and gathers people to support a cause - like getting real food into schools.

Sept 8: Food Nutrition Policy Consortium meeting, Food Bank Concord Warehouse. 9 - 11 am. More info: 925-676-7543 ext. 204

Sept. 9: Learn more about the Child Nutrition Reauthorization and how you can help get improve access to food for kids. Don't forget to record your minutes at the Hunger Action Center and help the Food Bank win a truckload of food from Kraft Foods.

Sept. 10: Myths and Facts of Food Stamps 9 am - noon, Fairfield. More info: 707- 421-9777 ext. 231

Sept. 11: San Pablo Community Foundation's "Starlight Martini". The "Starlight Martini" dinner dance is an elegant evening filled with great food, music, dancing, and friends. Each attendee also receives a complimentary martini glass. Cocktails at 6:00 PM and Dinner at 7:00 PM.

Sept. 12: Open house and Family Volunteer Day, Food Bank Fairfield Warehouse. No reservations required. Drop in between 2:30 and 4:30.

Sept. 13: Open house and Family Volunteer Day, Food Bank Concord Warehouse. No reservations required. Drop in between 2:30 and 4:30.

For more ideas visit our Hunger Action Month calendar online.

Helping to get the word out

Our friend Anna Chan, the Lemon Lady, has been helping to get the word out about Hunger Action Month. Anna has been harvesting fruits and veggies from people in the community who have an overabundance and taking the produce to hunger relief organizations in the community. Here's her post from Sunday, August 30, 2009: Hunger Action Month. Don't you care enough to click a little?.

Keep up the good work, Anna!

For more about Hunger Action Month, visit www.foodbankccs.org and click on the Hunger Action Month logo.

30 ways in 30 days - Week 1

September marks the 2nd annual Hunger Action Month, and the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, along with over 200 other Feeding America food banks, is working to fight hunger in our communities. But we need your help.

Every week in September, we'll update you on ways you can fight hunger for every day of that week. When you add it all up, you get our 30 Ways in 30 Days calendar. To kick things off, here are some simple ways you can get involved from Sept. 1 through Sept. 6.

This September, please think about what you can do to help: volunteer, donate, advocate! For more information about Hunger Action Month, these events, or just the Food Bank in general, please call 925-676-7543, email info@foodbankccs.org or visit us on the web at www.foodbankccs.org.


30 Days in 30 Ways - Week 1

Sept. 1 : Give a little during Hunger Action Month and we will feed a lot of people in our community. For every dollar donated, the Food Bank is able to provide three meals to people in need. Consider giving up your coffee or lunch out this week or even this whole month and together we can feed people in our community.

Sept 2: Find out how you can help serve a meal at a local shelter or community kitchen.Sept. 3: Energize your book group around a book that focuses on the issues of hunger and poverty.

Sept. 4: Engage your elected officials and support Child Nutrition legislation while helping your food bank win a truckload of food from Kraft Foods! Earn minutes for every action you take against hunger. Learn more about the Food Bank Competition and prizes, and start making your minutes count today!

Sept. 5: Take your children to the library and check out Fly Away Home, Uncle Willy's Soup Kitchen or another children's book featuring the theme of hunger.

Sept. 6: Donate a grocery store gift card to your local food pantry so they can provide more for those they serve.

For more ideas visit our Hunger Action Month calendar online.

Defend Against Hunger

The Miromonte High School Football team is hosting a food drive and your team could be too! Contact Joan Tomasini at (800) 870-FOOD extension 208 or jtomasini@foodbankccs.org.

Got fruit?

Attention residents in the Danville/Alamo area: did you know someone local is willing to harvest and/or deliver local fruit to the Food Bank or other neighborhood pantries?

Anna Chan, The Lemon Lady, says, "Mira is super sweet and interested in helping more. The word is just beginning to get around about her efforts. She has made several donations, driving all the way from Alamo to Concord to deliver fresh fruit to The Salvation Army and Share Food Pantry. Mira is very dedicated to the hunger cause."

Thank Mira and Anna for all the hard work you are doing!

Fresh fruit in the garden and what to do with it...

State Budget Advocacy Action Items

What do we do now that the budget has left the Conference Committee and is in the hands of the Big 5? To answer that question, following is a message from California Food Policy Advocates (CFAP).

Action Items! What YOU can do!

1. Thank the budget conference committee for their positive actions to
save CFAP and eliminate SFIS (finger imaging). To see who was on the
budget conference committee: http://bit.ly/131K4h

2. Join with others in actions calling for the closing corporate tax
loopholes! Follow this link for more info: http://bit.ly/12EaHD

3. Support legislation from Senator Padilla and Senator Steinberg to
raise tobacco taxes and levies on oil extraction. Follow this link for
more info: http://bit.ly/14duKz

4. Tell the Big Five that revenue solutions must be part of the final
budget!

Contact Info for the “Big Five”:

Governor Schwarzenegger: http://bit.ly/pQ65C

Assembly Speaker Karen Bass: http://bit.ly/12Tzlj

Assembly Minority Leader Sam Blakeslee: http://bit.ly/EzAYI

Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg: http://bit.ly/eYHlN

Senate Minority Leader Dennis Hollingsworth: http://bit.ly/eMeFi

Taken from the St. Anthony Foundation Blog.
http://www.stanthonysf.org/blog/?p=991

California Budget

"Day 13 of Conference Committee completed our initial actions on the budget relating to human services... But the conferees did reject the governor’s proposal to eliminate CalWORKS. That is a line that California cannot cross..."

Read more about the Conference Committee Actions on Human Services and Public Safety posted by Assemblymember Noreen Evans at Assemblymember Evans' Budget Blog.

Then send your letters to the budget committee and governor opposing a cuts only budget. Find a sample letter here.