This is our twenty-fifth holiday season. Thanks to you, we were able to celebrate it by distributing more than 7,000 Christmas turkeys. As we get ready to turn the clock forward to 2009, our sincere thanks for all you have done to help this season and for your generosity for the past two-and-a-half decades.
This is the December edition of Idaho Foodbytes, The Idaho Foodbank's electronic newsletter, Volume VII, Number 12.
-- David Proctor
December Contents
1. Roger Simon Retires from Foodbank
2. Holiday Turkey Drive is Best Ever
3. Empty Bowls Sets New Income Record
4. Kate McGwire Raises Food and Funds the Hard Way
5. Save and Give at the Same Time
6. Food Stamp Participation Sets Record
7. Gallery of Giving: Lift Up America and Hymns of Thanksgiving
8. Pocatello Perspective: Student Holds Raffle to Raise Money for Foodbank
9. Letter to the Foodbank
10. The Foodbank's Newest BSU Graduate
11. Now is the Time for Last-Minute Donations
12. Coming Jan. 19: Renewing America Together
13. Facts of the Month: Poverty in Idaho
14. Quote of the Month: Arnold Hiatt
15. The Foodbank's 2008-9 Feeding Hope Calendar |
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Roger Simon Retires from Foodbank  The Idaho Foodbank Board of Directors has announced that Roger Simon has retired as President and CEO of The Idaho Foodbank.
The Board asked Roger, who became Executive Director of the Foodbank in 1994, to continue his service in a consulting capacity. Roger agreed.
Roy Lacey, the Foodbank's current Vice President of Operations, will serve as interim President and CEO until a nationwide search is conducted to find a permanent successor.
The Board acknowledged Roger’s long and valuable service in the fight against hunger in Idaho.
"When Roger joined the Foodbank, we were in a small, inadequate building and distributed 1.8 million pounds of food a year, mostly in the Boise area," said Mary Anne Pace, Chair of the Foodbank Board. "We are now in a much larger and more efficient warehouse in Boise, operate warehouses in Lewiston and Pocatello, and are on target to distribute a record six million pounds this year. That growth came about because of Roger's drive and dedication."
"While I have moved out of the operations aspect of The Idaho Foodbank into the role of consulting with our board of directors," Roger said, "I will be here to assist them in their leadership transition."
Began in Minnesota
Roger has directed his entire professional life, on a local, state and national level, to help improve the lives of people who face barriers that interfere with their right to enjoy all our society has to offer.
His professional life began in Minnesota in 1973. After college graduation, Roger continued working with an agency where he had volunteered. His goal was to create accessible public transportation for people with physical limitations, while he also worked with all the colleges in the Twin Cities to remove structural barriers that stopped full participation of people with mobility limitations. He opened higher education to people with physical and emotional disabilities as well as those who had been incarcerated, and provided colleges with non-traditional students who could both educate and learn.
After leaving Minnesota in the mid-1980s, Roger moved out West. "Driving that far to take vacations was not environmentally friendly," he said. In California and Nevada he ran programs that served people with developmental disabilities and focused on teaching independent living skills and community integration.
In Nevada, prior to coming to The Idaho Foodbank, Roger managed an agency that offered a hotline that focused on suicide prevention, child abuse and domestic violence reporting, and information and referral that covered all of. He also provided administration to the agency’s sexual assault intervention program and worked closely with the media there to raise public awareness of these issues. He left to come to Boise after assuring that services were no longer on shaky financial footing and that funding had been solidified for the entire upcoming fiscal year.
The Idaho Foodbank
Roger succeeded the retired Ken Kirkpatrick and became the second Executive Director of The Idaho Foodbank in 1994. In 2008 he was named President and CEO. Under his leadership, the Foodbank became the leader in the battle against hunger in Idaho. In 1994, his first partial year with the Foodbank, the organization distributed 1.8 million pounds to 100 agencies and people received assistance 120,000 times. In fiscal 2008, the Foodbank distributed 5.56 million pounds through 200 partner non-profit agencies and people received assistance 938,000 times.
During his tenure he oversaw the first statewide hunger study in Idaho, and the Foodbank sponsored Idaho’s first Hunger Summit and was a co-founder of the Idaho Interfaith Roundtable Against Hunger. The Foodbank also sent food and personnel (including Roger himself) to assist with the relief efforts after hurricanes Katrina and Wilma, and again after Hurricane Ike.
Also under Roger's direction, the Foodbank began more direct service to individuals, particularly to children and to families in areas that do not have the infrastructure to support their own food pantries. No longer did the Foodbank simply distribute food through partner agencies. While that system remains the central part of the Foodbank's mission, more aggressive direct distribution has grown enormously in recent years.
The BackPack for Kids program works with schools to deliver food to children at risk of hunger over weekends, when school food programs are not available. Picnic in the Park, the summer feeding program, serves free lunches in city parks in Boise and Meridian. The Mobile Pantry program takes truckloads of food into under-served areas of the state, works with local non-profits and governments, and delivers food directly to hungry families.
Individually, Roger was recognized for the Foodbank's partnership with the Call to Duty fund which assisted Idaho National Guard members and their families when Idaho units were deployed to Iraq, and he received the Voices of Faith award for his service to the community.
On a national level, Roger was instrumental in changes to the food allocation system so food banks could have more control over the food they received rather than having it allocated by a mathematical formula.
"Roger's contribution to the growth of the Foodbank and its leadership in the fight against hunger in Idaho has been invaluable," said Board Chair Mary Anne Pace. "I really can't say enough about the good he has done for thousands of people. We wish him the very best."
Celebrate Roger's retirement with a donation in his name... |
(Left) Foodbank Distribution Specialist Wayne Aucoin uses an electric pallet jack to move a donation of 1,072 boxed turkeys and 1,163 hams into the freezer before they are distributed. (Right) Frozen turkeys await distribution to Idaho families.
Almost 18,500 Turkeys and Hams
Holiday Turkey Drive is Best Ever
On behalf of thousands of Idaho families, thank you. This is what you provided for Christmas 2008:
Statewide, your generosity allowed the Foodbank to give out 7,245 Christmas turkeys, hams and chickens, depending upon what was requested. This is compared to 6,056 turkeys, etc. requested and supplied last year.
For the entire holiday season, the numbers were equally amazing compared to past years:
2008……18,436 turkeys, hams and chickens
2007……16,737 turkeys, hams and chickens
2006……14,829 turkeys, hams and chickens
In addition, both food and cash from food drives were much higher than last year:
November 2008……food drives generated 305,100 pounds and $10,500
November 2007……food drives generated 193,267 pounds and $2,260
December 2008……food drives generated 200,184 pounds and $27,873
December 2007……food drives generated 98,177 pounds and $17,000
Those numbers are both a highlight and a cause for concern. They are gratifying because they demonstrate the commitment Idahoans have to helping their less-fortunate neighbors. But the increased need compared to last year is painful.
Still, those donated turkeys, food drive food and cash are a testament to the amazing generosity of everyone who helped us deal with the ever-increasing demand. Our deep thanks to all the donors who made a difference in so many lives.
We are grateful for Honeysuckle White. The company once again donated the first 200 birds of our annual turkey drive. And a thank you to the members of the BSU football team who helped load those first 200. To Albertsons, the Idaho State Building Contractors Association and its chapters around the state for another amazing year of donations, Micron employees, Commercial Tire, our friends in the media including Kate McGwire and Mix 106, and our many other sponsors, we say a grateful thank you.
And a final thank you to all the Treasure Valley Les Schwab stores and to RC Willey, both of which served as turkey drop-off sites to make it easier for donors.
Without all our sponsors and you, the donor, we would not have been able to round up these 7,245 family Christmas meals and almost 18,500 for both holidays. For that we say, thank you very much to all. We appreciate everything you do.
Food drives are especially important this time of year, after the holidays. Click here for your food drive kit... |
(Left) Mowbray Brown, Wilma Smith, Joy Buersmeyer, Patricia Angell, State Sen.-elect Nicole LeFavour, Boise City Council members Alan Shealy and Mary Anne Jordan (with granddaughter), and United Way CEO Sally Zive cut the ceremonial ribbon to open Empty Bowls 2008 and kick off the Foodbank's 25th year.
(Right) Two young men, their faces painted by Foodbank volunteers, pick their favorite bowls.
At the Popular 11th Annual Fundraiser
Empty Bowls Sets New Income Record
The day after Thanksgiving turned out to be a beautiful day in downtown Boise, especially on the Grove plaza. More than 2,000 people waited patiently in line to pick out their bowls from among the more than 2,300 on hand.
The result was a new record income of $27,000, a full $7,000 higher than last year.
Empty Bowls, sponsored by Albertsons, was also the official beginning of The Idaho Foodbank's 25th year. The celebration was highlighted with a ribbon cutting that featured eight public officials and private citizens who have played important roles in the Foodbank's creation and growth. (See photo above) It echoed the ribbon cutting in 1984 when then-Gov. John Evans opened the first Foodbank warehouse on Reserve Street.
For the eleventh year, we offered handcrafted or pre-cast, hand-painted bowls made and donated by both accomplished and novice artists from across southern Idaho and as far away as Cape Cod. This year, among the 2,300 bowls, we featured two handmade metal bowls autographed by Kristin Armstrong, Boise's gold-medal cyclist, and two ceramic bowls signed by Johnny Unser of the renowned Unser racing family.
In addition to a bowl, each customer received one of the gourmet soups made by the chefs from 27 of the valley's best restaurants and bread from Albertsons.
We're also happy that Idaho Power and the Idaho Statesman joined us as sponsors this year. And our booth was located on the sidewalk near the Brick Oven Bistro's patio (on the Grove), courtesy of Oppenheimer Development.
But most important is every $10 bowl purchased will help put 30 meals on the tables of Idahoans in need.
If you didn't make it to Empty Bowls, you can always donate your $10 online using this link... |
Kate McGwire on top of the Foodbank's 13' 6" semi parked in BoDo in her campaign to raise 44,000 pounds of food. She exceeded her goal by the equivalent of almost 90,000 pounds.
Stuff the Semi Food Drive
Kate McGwire Raises Food and Funds the Hard Way
It was December. It was cold. Kate McGwire of Mix 106 radio was perched on top of the trailer of a Foodbank semi. It was Friday. She hadn’t been on the ground since Monday except for a few breaks and to move the truck. There was a webcam trained on her all day. And, she had discovered after she started this crusade, she doesn’t like heights all that much.
None of this deterred her. Her goal was to use her position as one of Boise’s most popular radio personalities to "Stuff the Semi" for the Foodbank with food or the equivalent in cash. And she did it by mid-week with food and cash that totaled 44,000 pounds. But rather than get down, inspired by a listener’s urging to go for 106,000 pounds, Kate stayed on the truck and kept asking for donations.
In her five days (and nights) on top of the trailer, generous donors brought her 15,885 pounds (including 115 turkeys and 16 hams), plus $16,600.
Because most of our food is donated, and we pay primarily for transportation, we can acquire seven pounds of food for every dollar donated. Using that calculation, Kate raised the equivalent of an astonishing 132,085 pounds in five days.
And this is not the first time this year she has gone out of her way for the Foodbank. In June, under slightly different weather conditions, she and co-host Mike Kasper led a 25-hour Mix 106 marathon that raised nearly $6,000 and 3,500 pounds of food.
During a visit on top of the trailer, after the "Mike and Kate in the Morning" show had wrapped up, Kate dismissed the difficulty of her cold-weather campaign. She had a heater, a tent, a sleeping bag and a laptop, she said. It wasn’t that hard. "This is why I got into radio," she said. "I wanted to make a difference."
You certainly did make a difference, Kate, a difference to thousands of Idahoans who won’t go to bed hungry thanks to your efforts. A special thanks, too, to all the generous donors, the management of Mix 106, to Ralph Dean who drove the truck nightly and Dan Graves who worked behind the scenes to set up Camp Kate every night. It was a sterling effort by all.
You don't have to perch on a semi to hold a food drive. Just click here for some good ideas... |
With the A/C Cool Credit Program
Save and Give at the Same Time
The nice people at Idaho Power have an offer that most of their customers – we hope – won't want to refuse. It saves on electricity bills and brings money to the Foodbank to help us feed the growing number of Idahoans who find themselves in difficult circumstances these days.
There is the deal: From now through January 17, 2009, for every customer who signs up for and participates in Idaho Power's A/C Cool Credit Program, the company will – with the customer’s permission – donate $20 to The Idaho Foodbank.
Participation in Idaho Power's A/C Cool Credit Program will shift energy use during the highest-use summer days, which will help ensure reliable power for everyone. It also helps keep costs down by lessening the need for power when electricity demand is at its highest and is most expensive to produce or purchase.
A/C Cool Credit is an air conditioner cycling program that involves a "cool switch" device that would be installed near your A/C unit. When electricity demand is at its peak, the switch will cycle your A/C about 50% of the time. For instance, it would be off for 15 minutes, then on for 15 minutes. The fan continues to run, circulating the previously cooled air.
The program only cycles on weekday evenings, usually between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. and not more than 40 hours per month. This intermittent cycling helps to make sure your home stays comfortable. A/C Cool Credit is also safe for your air conditioner.
There are three ways to sign up:
§ Online at www.idahopower.com/accoolcredit
§ Call 866-865-2665 (COOL)
§ Complete and return the form in your power bill
Thank you in advance for your willingness to help preserve our environment and feed hungry Idaho families.
Here is a direct link to the A/C Cool Credit site... |
Food Stamp Participation Sets Record
Idaho is at 62% Participation
One in 10 Americans – more than 31.5 million – received food stamps in September 2008, an increase of 17% from September 2007 according to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) data.
The USDA also reported that 87,068 Idahoans – 62% of those eligible – participated in the program. This ranks Idaho 28th among the 50 states and Washington, D.C. Food stamps brought nearly $96 million into Idaho.
In another report, the School Nutrition Association found that about 425,000 more students are participating in the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program in 2008-09 than in the previous school year. That represents an average increase of 2.5 percent from 2007-08, the report says.
More Americans received food stamps in September than the previous record of 29.85 million in November 2005, when disaster food stamps went to victims of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. While hurricanes Gustav and Ike in Louisiana and Texas drove part of the increase in September, anti-hunger organizations say the economic downturn is the cause.
The average amount in food stamp benefits per person per month was $100 in September. While the average benefit increased slightly in October, anti-hunger groups say that it still doesn't go far enough to account for higher food costs.
In November, USDA released numbers showing that 36.2 million Americans - 11% of households - struggle with food insecurity, and one-third sometimes skip or miss meals.
Hunger groups are calling on Congress to include a temporary increase in food stamp benefits in the next economic stimulus package. Food stamp benefits go "directly to people who spend it at local grocery stores, supporting businesses and jobs," said Food Research and Action Center's Ellen Vollinger. Every five dollars in food stamps produces nine dollars in economic activity, she said.
To see the original food stamps article, click here... |
Gallery of Giving
(Left) Volunteers, including young people, Foodbank board members and staff, lined up on a cold Saturday morning to load 31,000 pounds of donated Tyson chicken into Foodbank, Salvation Army and Rescue Mission trucks. It was all part of the Lift Up America program and was the focus of KTVB Cares Day. The loading took place in the parking lot of KTVB Channel 7, a primary sponsor of the event.
(Right) This year's fabulous (and free) Hymns of Thanksgiving concert in the Qwest Arena generated $3,735 in donations to the Foodbank.
Every dollar can provide three nutritious meals. Just click here for our donation page... |
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Pocatello Perspective
Student Raffles Nintendo to Raise Money for Foodbank
Lexie Wilson, an eighth grade student at Grace Lutheran School in Pocatello, raised more than $700 in one day for The Idaho Foodbank.
She chose the Idaho Foodbank as the beneficiary of her "Making a Difference" project at the school. Lana Gribas, a teacher at Grace, explains. "With the Making a Difference program, we want students to learn ways that they can use their God-given gifts and talents to assist others. We help the students develop their own interests and serve the community at the same time."
Lexie's idea for raising funds was to raffle off a brand-new Nintendo DS game console. At $1 a ticket, the project presented some risk of coming up short, but Lexie took on the challenge. She put up posters at the school to promote the raffle, and succeeded in getting many of the schools’ more than 350 students to participate.
It helped that, on the day of the raffle, parents and grandparents had been invited to join the students for a pre-Thanksgiving meal. "A lot of them bought 2 or 3, even up to 20 tickets," she recalls.
In Grace's Making a Difference program, the student is encouraged to select a helping others project based on the student’s talents, skills, opportunities and personal interests. Projects from others at Grace included collecting old blankets for the animal shelter and raising funds for a future playground at Fort Hall.
"I discovered I had a talent for promoting events," Lexie says.
The funds she raised will certainly make a difference in the lives of those the Foodbank serves.
For food assistance in Pocatello and Eastern Idaho, click here... |
Letter to the Foodbank
To The Idaho Food bank,
Enclosed, Please find some money to help with thanksgiving meals. I'am sending some of my allowance money, I'am ten years old, and I hope this helps those in need. Me & my family used to live in Idaho, but my Daddy got transferred to Co, we really miss living in Idaho & we keep hoping & praying that the Lord will pro form a miracle so we can move back home to "Beautiful Idaho". So when I'am older, I can volunteer at the Idaho food bank, I Love helping people. My Nana still lives in Boise, & I really miss her very much, she always sends a donation to the Idaho food bank if possible, can you please send her a copy of my letter. Her address is (withheld) Boise, Idaho 83704. My little brother (name withheld) turned three yesterday, and he enclosed some of his B-day money also. (name withheld)
God Bless
Would you like to donate, too? Just click right here... |
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The Foodbank's Newest BSU Graduate  Amy Messenger is the Foodbank's newest college graduate. Amy graduated Cum Laude from Boise State University on Dec. 19 with a B.A. in English with an emphasis in Technical Communications.
Amy started with the Foodbank in January as an intern and went full time in May. She is now our highly valued Outcomes and Analysis Coordinator and is responsible for grant fulfillment reports and for our compliance with Feeding America, the national network of certified food banks.
In addition to this good news, Amy is engaged to Jeremiah Mitchell, who is employed by the Boise Co-op. They are planning a May wedding.
Congratulations on everything, Amy. We all wish you the best of luck and a long career at the Foodbank.
Learn much more about the Foodbank with a click right here... |
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Now is the Time for Last-Minute Donations If it is your intention to make a donation before the end of the year, we hope you will keep The Idaho Foodbank in mind.
We will make it as easy for you as we can. You can mail a check to The Idaho Foodbank, P.O. Box 5601, Boise, ID 84105. You can stop by at 3562 S. TK Ave. (off Federal Way near Broadway). You can call Scot Sinclair to make a credit card donation at 336-9643, ext. 232. Or you can click on the link below. Your money will go directly into programs that feed hungry Idaho families.
Thank you for thinking of The Idaho Foodbank.
We make donating easy. Just check out our donation page with a click here... |
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Coming Jan. 19: Renewing America Together  President-elect Barak Obama has called upon all Americans to join forces on Monday, Jan. 19, for a "Renewing America Together" national day of service in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. At the invitation of the Presidential Inaugural Committee and First Lady-elect Michelle Obama, The Idaho Foodbank has committed to being a partner for "Renewing America Together."
The Foodbank will be open on Jan. 19 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for food drive and volunteer activities called "Fill the Shelves." Please watch our web site for details as we get closer to Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
You can also volunteer by signing up on our web site. Just click here... |
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The Foodbank's 2008-9 Feeding Hope Calendar This is a wonderful time of year for a food drive. The holidays will be over soon and things will slow down a little. Check our web site at www.idahofoodbank.org/fooddrive.htm for ideas or call Julie Rudolph at 336-9643, ext. 257. Remember, hunger is a year-round problem for families across our state. Thank you.
December 8-January 5 - Treasure Valley Fire Fighters food drive. Drop food at any fire station between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. Treasure Valley
December 22-January 23 – Western States Equipment Co.'s Dump Hunger food drive. The company-wide campaign seeks to fill the bed of a Caterpillar 730 dump truck capable of holding 75,000 pounds of food. Locations in Meridian, Twin Falls, Lewiston, Pocatello and Idaho Falls. 884-2249
Jan. 19 - Renewing America Together. The Foodbank will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for "Fill the Shelves." Watch our web site for details.
October 10, 2009 – A Chefs’ Affaire, Boise Centre on the Grove.
Your time and skills are like gold to us. Please volunteer now. Click here for information... |
Thank You!
The Idaho Foodbank is a network of more than 200 non-profit agencies statewide, is an affiliate of Feeding America (formerly America's Second Harvest - The Nation's Food Bank Network) and is proud to be supported by several United Ways in Idaho. Please consider helping us feed hungry Idahoans by donating online today at http://www.idahofoodbank.org/donate.htm.
You can use the handy form at the bottom to forward this edition of Idaho Foodbytes to any of your friends who want more information about hunger and poverty in Idaho, want to know more about the Foodbank or would enjoy photos of recent Foodbank events.
To see our past newsletters and get much more information about who we are and what we do, check our award-winning web site: http://www.idahofoodbank.org (First place, Idaho Press Club 2005 and 2007). You are also welcome to stop by our three warehouses: Boise, 3562 S. TK Avenue; Lewiston, 3600 E. Main; and Pocatello, 555 S. 1st Avenue.
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Thank you for supporting The Idaho Foodbank in the fight against hunger for the past 25 years. Idaho is the 24th hungriest state as measured by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and has the sixth highest rate of childhood hunger. Your donations of time, food and cash meant that with the help of more than 200 partner agencies your Foodbank could distribute 5.56 million pounds of badly needed food to Idaho families in Fiscal 2008 and 66 million pounds since 1984.
Sincerely,
The Team at The Idaho Foodbank
Ed, we sent you this e-mail in the belief that you are interested in The Idaho Foodbank, our recent events and joining us to solve the very real problem of hunger in Idaho, the 13th hungriest state in the nation.
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