Newsletter - 10-JULY-2008

July 2008

TOP NEWS

FOOD BANK LAUNCHES MOBILE FOOD PANTRY

New Service For Underserved New Mexicans

Roadrunner Food Bank has launched a new initiative called the Mobile Food Pantry. The Mobile Food Pantry is a traveling food pantry that delivers nutritious and much needed food directly to hungry people. A semi truck with an attached refrigerated trailer brings food to communities and areas that may not have access to food support programs or where food pantries or feeding programs do not exist.

A ceremony was held on Tuesday, June 17, 2008 for donors who helped fund the Mobile Food Pantry. Lieutenant Governor Diane Denish joined attendees of the celebratory event. She said, “It is wrong for anyone to be hungry in one of the wealthiest nations in the world, but it is a reality. Roadrunner Food Bank, along with its many volunteers and donors, literally puts food on the tables of those who might otherwise do without.” Denish also said, “Without the kindness and motivation of the people at Roadrunner Food Bank many would go hungry. That can mark the difference between life and death.”

Read the Full Story HERE >>>

Food Bank Programs & Partnerships

Summer Feeding Program for Kids

Most of us envision children enjoying the freedom of their summer vacation, but the summer months are one of the most difficult times for hungry children and their families. During the summer, food needs for children increase substantially. Hungry children no longer have access to the free or reduced price breakfast and lunch programs at schools and families are forced to come up with extra funds they do not have to feed their children. “These are families who cope day in and day out, and wonder do we pay for food to eat, buy gas to get to work, or the rent? One small emergency can be extremely detrimental to the entire family,” said Melody Wattenbarger, executive director at Roadrunner Food Bank.

But several organizations have come together to help feed hungry children this summer. Philanthropic foundations have given $260,000 for the Summer Food Program which leveraged an additional $264,000 in federal funds to support the initiative. Donors to the program include the Albuquerque Community Foundation, the Anderson Foundation, the McCune Foundation, PNM Resources Foundation, and several other private donors. The Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives out of Governor Richardson’s Office coordinated 37 Summer Food Program sites throughout New Mexico, while the Albuquerque Community Foundation served as the fiscal agent of the funds.

Roadrunner Food Bank also partnered in the Summer Food Program initiative by providing backpacks filled with food for children to take home over the weekend. As part of the Roadrunner’s Food for Kids Program, the food in the backpacks are easy to use for young children and are filled with non-perishable ready to eat food. This summer, approximately 5,000 hungry children have already received a backpack filled with food. Of the nearly $525,000 available for the Summer Food Program, more than $155,000 was earmarked for the Backpack program.

Wattenbarger said, “Collaborations like this allow Roadrunner to expand our Food for Kids program over the summer months. Now that we have introduced the backpack into the Summer Food Program, children and families can take it home with them. The backpacks are a great way to guarantee that children have food available to them if an adult is working. We are proud to be a partner in this endeavor to feed hungry children.”

The Summer Feeding Program also has some sites that provide food to hungry seniors and is available until August 3, 2008. To locate a site, please contact the Children Youth and Families Department by calling 800-EAT-COOL or 800-328-2665. For additional information on Roadrunner Food Bank’s Food for Kids Program, send Art Fine an EMAIL.

Advocacy

Farm Bill Passage Means More Food For New Mexicans

In late May, both the US House and US Senate voted to override the Presidential veto of the Farm Bill. The vote means an increase of more than $90 million in additional aid to states for what is known as The Emergency Food Assistance Program or TEFAP. Previously, the Farm Bill provided $140 million and with the passage of the bill $250 million will now be available to states and food banks to distribute commodity foods. In New Mexico, that means more dollars to feed the increasing number of hungry people.

Melody Wattenbarger, executive director at Roadrunner Food Bank said, “It is true, we are continuing to see an increase in the number of people that need food assistance. In some cases it is as high as 30 or 40 percent. In the future, I anticipate we will see a continued increase in the number of New Mexicans who will need access to TEFAP foods. Increases in fuel and food means that New Mexicans have less money to go around every month to buy food, and more working families and fixed-income seniors are going to need access to food. The passage of the Bill couldn’t have come at a better time for New Mexico.”

Thank you to those in the New Mexico congressional delegation who voted for the Farm Bill to provide additional financial resources to feed hungry New Mexicans.

Volunteer News

Food Bank Volunteer FRAN MACINTYRE Recognized by White House

Few of us ever have an opportunity to meet the President of the United States, but Fran Macintyre has. She was given the President’s Volunteer Service Award on May 27, 2008 at Kirtland Air Force Base by President George W. Bush. The President presented her the award in recognition of the more than 2,000 volunteer hours Fran has logged at Roadrunner Food Bank, Friends of the Library and New Mexico Aids Services.

Fran said, “It was a surreal experience. It was very special to be acknowledged by the President of the United States. He was very personable and down to earth.”

Every week Fran volunteers in Roadrunner Food Bank’s accounting department, and also assists with special events such as the annual Souper Bowl fundraiser. She also received the 2006 Governor’s Award for Volunteerism.

Thank you Fran and the many hundreds of volunteers in our community who help us continue our important work to feed hungry New Mexicans. You make our workload much lighter!

Food Bank Partners

Assistance League of Albuquerque Lends A Helping Hand

In April, the Assistance League of Albuquerque generously allocated $11,000 to Roadrunner Food Bank to purchase needed food in New Mexico. Judy Hawbaker, president of the Assistance League said, “As part of our community outreach, the Assistance League is pleased to support Roadrunner Food Bank, the leader in hunger relief in New Mexico.”

The Assistance League is an all-volunteer nonprofit, philanthropic, nonpolitical, nonsectarian organization dedicated to improving lives through hands-on programs. Now in its 45^th year, the Assistance League has grown to over 300 members. In addition to nine philanthropic programs that support the Albuquerque community, Assistance League operates the Bargain Box Thrift Shop at 5211 Lomas NE.

Thank you to the Assistance League for their gift and support to help Roadrunner Food Bank end hunger in New Mexico.

See the Press Release HERE >>>

Upcoming Events

Fifth Annual Chefs Auction

Sunday, August 17, 2008 – save the date for New Mexico’s Fifth Annual Chefs Auction from 4:00pm – 7:00pm at the Albuquerque Hilton Hotel. This year 20 of the area’s finest chefs will be auctioned off to prepare a dinner for four in the winning bidder’s home. Tickets cost $40 each in advance or $55 at the door.

A portion of the proceeds will be donated to this year’s exclusive charity – Roadrunner Food Bank.

For tickets, please contact:

Daniel Gilpatrick		Robert Vick
Telephone:	505-343-2221	Telephone:	505-250-3868
Email:	daniel.gilpatrick@usfoods.com	FAX:	505-853-4692
		Mail:	IFSEA ICO/Vick’s Vittles 137 Utah NE Albuquerque, NM 87108

Past Events

Food Boxing Olympics 2008

The Roadrunner Food Bank Annual Boxing Olympics held in June proved to be a competitive and exciting event for everyone. During the event, teams competed to fill the most boxes for our Seniors Helpings Program. The top teams included first place winner Don Chalmers Ford who packed 57 boxes, followed by second place winner Walmart Store #3731 in Bernalillo, and a tie for third place between Northwestern Mutual Financial Network and Sandia National Laboratories.

Read the Full Story HERE >>>

Dine Out - Help Out

Thank you to all of you who went to participating restaurants on June 5, 2008. Sponsored by the New Mexico Restaurant Association, participating restaurants donated a percentage of their proceeds that day to Roadrunner Food Bank and other food banks in the state to help fight hunger.

Thank you to the following restaurants for participating in this year’s Dine Out, Help Out to End Hunger event: Church Street Café, Monroe’s (both Albuquerque locations), Pars Cuisine, Zinc Wine Bar and Bistro, Leal’s Mexican Food Restaurants in Clovis, Bravo Fine Wine Food and Spirits, and 05 Star Burgers in Taos, and Rancho de Chimayo in Chimayo.

Our very special thanks to the for sponsoring this event!

Duke City Civitan Flea Market Sale

June marked the month where numerous members of the Duke City Civitan Club came out in force to host a flea market sale to support the continued needs of Roadrunner Food Bank. The sale was held in the Northeast Heights and raised more than $2,100 to provide food for hungry New Mexicans.

This is an annual event that Duke City Civitan Club does for charities and Roadrunner Food Bank was pleased to be the recipient of the proceeds this year. Thank you to all those who coordinated and participated in the event!

Food Drives

Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive Results

In early May members of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) with support from the US Postal Service and the National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association, picked up 121,798 pounds of food from postal customers throughout the metro area. The food collected by letter carriers was given to Roadrunner Food Bank who will distribute it to partner agencies and regional food banks throughout New Mexico. Hundreds of volunteers pitched in to help sort the food at eleven post office substations.

Valerie Chacon, local Food Coordinator for the National Association of Letter Carriers said, “This food drive is something the letter carriers are dedicated to doing every year. We take pride in participating because many of our customers are recipients of the drive itself. It is very personal to us and we are more than happy to do whatever we can to help take care of our community. Our community is like an extended family to us.”

Melody Wattenbarger, Executive Director of Roadrunner Food Bank said, “We are so grateful for our partnership with the letter carriers. Their hard work and diligent efforts touch the lives of many people they never meet. Thank you also to the thousands of individuals who thought of those in need and left a food donation.”

In its 16th year, the Stamp Out Hunger effort is the nation's largest single-day food drive, with letter carriers collecting more than 836 million pounds of food from postal customers since its inception.

Did you miss the opportunity to participate in the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive? No problem. Use our Virtual Food Drive! By using the Virtual Food Drive, you can contribute to our normal food drives with just the click of a button!

Go To The VIRTUAL FOOD DRIVE Now >>>

Advocacy

Food Bank Launches "Stick A Fork In Hunger" Campaign

Advertising and PR powerhouse DW Turner has teamed up with Roadrunner Food Bank to produce a multi-media campaign to raise awareness of hunger in New Mexico. The campaign is called "Stick A Fork In Hunger" and it includes attention-grabbing TV spots, billboards and a website called stickaforkinhunger.com.

The "Stick A Fork In Hunger" campaign uses vignettes and images to portray real-world stories of everyday people in situations that lead to hunger. At the end of each message, the call to action drives individuals to the website where they find information on the problem of hunger in New Mexico, food banks in their area, and ways to help end hunger including how to volunteer, advocate or donate.