Service Report for July, 2008
South Texas Food Bank
August board meeting
The signs of tough economic times were highlighted during the August monthly meeting of the South Texas Food Bank board at the Lamar Bruni Vergara Food Bank office. “There are increases of people in need and donations are nowhere near the numbers of people we’re serving,’’ South Texas Food Bank executive director Alfredo Castillo told the board in his financial and service reports.
The South Texas Food delivered 442,628 pounds in July, bringing the year’s total to 3.9 million pounds, which is an increase of 400,000 pounds over 2007 at the same date.
The total for last year was 6,865,300 (6.8 million) pounds. Inventory at July’s end was 1,687,306 pounds (1.6 million).
Through June, the STFB has served 106,692 families. Included were 90,221 children, 155,028 adults and 516,038 meals.
- For the month, through its adopt-a-family program, the food bank served 410 families, including 834 adults and 306 children.
- The Commodities Surplus program serves 6,269 elderly and 9,928 meals at 10 Kids Cafes.
- The food stamp outreach program signed up 267 families. The STFB has sign up sites at the H.E.B. stores and community centers. “We are the second highest producing food stamp outreach program in the sate,’’ Castillo said. “Obviously, the need is great.’’
Castillo also noted that because of the new farm bill passed by the federal government “we’ll see more food commodities.‘’ A report by South Texas Food Bank director of public policy, J.C. Dwyer, noted that 49 percent of the food bank’s funding is from the government. Board members agreed the need for more community awareness of the hunger problem. “We have to promote our brand name,’’ board member Olga Maldonado said. “We’re working on revamping our videos.’’
Others suggested advocacy through personal contacts and Laredo churches.
- No donations can be accepted from Sept. 1 to Nov. 14, which is the United Way blackout period.
- The South Texas Food Bank is on its way to getting an America’s Second Harvest accreditation. America’s Second Harvest representatives will visit the food bank on Oct. 1 for an inspection.
- America’s Second Harvest will soon have a new name, Feeding America.
The STFB has received United Way venture grants for Webb, Zapata and Jim Hogg (Hebbronville) Counties. Other counties served Dimmit (Carrizo Springs), Maverick (Eagle Pass), Val Verde (Del Rio) and Kinney (Brackettville).
Magazines for Meals Raises Funds for Food Bank
Michelle Klein of Tomball, Tex. has started Magazines For Meals, as mentioned in the May15 issue of America's Second Harvest "Network Connections" and on Hungernet.org under Food and Funds/Promotional Partnerships.The business is set up to specially cater to Texas Food Banks.
Magazines For Meals, offers over 700 magazines at discounted prices. It also offers a money back guarantee, excellent customer service, and best of all, 10% of every regular purchase is donated to food banks. But locally, Magazines For Meals will donate 40% of purchases made on its website to The South Texas Food Bank.
To qualify your purchase you must follow these instructions:
1) visit www.magazinesformeals.com
2) click on 'FUNDRAISER SECTION' in the left hand column.
3) select magazines to purchase from this 'FUNDRAISER SECTION' only.
4) during the checkout process type in 'The South Texas Food Bank' or 'stfb' as the coupon/promotional code.
40% of the entire sale will be given to The South Texas Food Bank.
Michelle Klein can be reached at:
1-877-654-Meal or
michelle@magazinesformeals.com,
P.O. Box 216
Tomball, Tx., 77377-0216.
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Mrs. Baird distributes bread at food bank pantry
There was be plenty of bread to go around for South Texas Food Bank clients on July 10, thanks to the Mrs. Baird Company. The Dallas-based Mrs. Baird is celebrating its 100th year anniversary and “one of its programs for the year is a food bank donation campaign we call Pass the Bread,’’ Shane Sumrow, spokesman for Mrs. Baird said. Sumrow was in Laredo delivering 3,000 loves at the South Texas Food Bank’s Christ Church Episcopal pantry.
Mrs. Baird will have another 2,500 loaves on July 21 and July 28 and 2,000 loaves on Aug. 4. The bread will also be distributed to other Laredo pantries. Christ Church Episcopal is the largest pantry of the 82 that the food bank serves. Christ Church Episcopal distributes food to “between 500 and 600 families per month,’’ STFB pantry coordinator Elia Solis said. Rev. Paul Frey is pastor of Christ Church Episcopal and the pantry volunteers are headed by Gigi Ramos, Arthur Innis and Mirna Innis.
More than 300 people left the Christ Church pantry with smiling faces as they carried up to six loaves of bread per family. The STFB thanks Mrs. Baird for the contribution, especially now during the summer when children are home and always seeking for something to eat.
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Empty Bowls nets $32,000
The Laredo Entertainment Center second annual Empty Bowls for the South Texas Food Bank netted $32,000 in June. The money will be used for South Texas Food Bank’s Kids Café and Adopt-A-Family. Almost 50 bowls went up in a silent auction as more than 500 people attended and enjoyed the entertainment of Corpus Christi comedian Happy Guerrero and the music of the Joe Guerra Jazz Band. The top-auctioned bowl was the artwork of Laredoan Amado Pena which sold for $1,500. The bowl signed by Diocese of Laredo Bishop James Tamayo with artwork by Rosario Azios went for $1,100. Jalinna Jones and Sonya Sanchez from the LEC attended a press conference at the Rio Bravo Center Kids Café to announce plans for the 2009 Empty Bowls and hand over bowls signed by the Mexican soccer team players America and Chivas for next year’s Empty Bowls. America and Chivas played a game at the LEC in June.
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June donations
The Laredo Broncos baseball team had a South Texas Food Bank Night on June 18, raising $500. The South Texas Food Bank thanks the Broncos and GM Jose Melendez.
- The Laredo Wal Mart distribution center on the Mines Road donated $5,000. The food bank thanks Rolando Aguilera of Wal Mart.
- $500 from the benefit basketball game at TAMIU between city-county officials and the media. The food bank thanks city councilman Mike Garza.
- $1,150 from Macy’s. The food bank thanks Osvaldo Leal and Pete Cedillo of Macy’s in Mall Del Norte.
For your tax deductible donation, call 726-3120
or mail it to PO Box 2007, Laredo, Tex., 78044.
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Kids Café Thanks Women City Club
Several Laredo Women City Club members showed up at the Benavides Boys and Girls Club’s John Roman Galo and Zoe Zelin Benavides Kids Café on July 2 to help serve pizza to more than 200 Boys and Girls Club Kids Café members. It was to say thank you to the Women City Club for donating a pizza oven to the Kids Café.
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Service Report for June, 2008
Figures from the July board meeting:
- Product distribution: 773,528 pounds.
- Total for the year is 3.9 million pounds. “At this rate, we’re on target to hit 7 or 8 million pounds says executive director Alfredo Castillo.
- The food bank distributed 6.8 million pounds last year.
- Clients served through May: 88,514 families; 76,013 children; 128,594 adults; 446,592 meals.
- Adopt-A-Family: 581 families in June with 1,177 adults and 427 children.
- CSFP (elderly) caseload: 6,269 individuals.
- Food Stamp assistance: 319 families.
- 10 Kids Cafes: 11,043 meals served.
- An 11th Kids Café is coming at Larga Vista, sponsored by the Laredo Rotary Club.
Next board meeting is Aug. 13, noon At Lamar Bruni Vergara South Texas Food Bank office
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South Texas Food Bank Radiothon a Success !!
From: Salo Otero, director of development for the South Texas Food Bank:
The South Texas Food Bank says “mil gracias,‘’ in fact ‘’115,000 gracias’’ and maybe more, for Laredo’s support of the third annual BMP Radio-Wendy’s Radiothon for the Hungry on March 20, 2008, which was on Holy Thursday. Donations are still coming in and we might reach about $120,000. We have $113,000 pledged.
Thanks first to BMP Radio for the 12 hours of air time and our title sponsor Wendy’s.
The hourly sponsors were:
- Conoco Phillips
- Laredo Community College
- Southern Sanitation
- First National Bank
- GEO Group
- AEP Texas
- Asmussen’s El Primero Training Center
- La Quinta Inn and Suites-Laredo Heat
- Wal Mart South Laredo
- Laredo Medical Center
- International Bank of Commerce
- Laredo Energy-Bucks
- Wendy’s
- Commerce Bank
- La Posada Hotel
- Gateway Community Health Clinic
- Modern Construction
- H.E.B.
- UETA
- Anna Benavides Galo
- Mercy Health Plans
A big thanks to the hundreds of Laredoans who called or mailed in pledges. Fixing the problem does not end with the radiothon. Hunger is an everyday challenge.
Keep us on your budget with hopes of working with you in the future.
Again, gracias, thank you and may God Bless You.
It was truly a Holy Week for the South Texas Food Bank.
Your tax deductible donations can still be mailed to the
South Texas Food Bank
P.O. Box 2007, Laredo, TX., 78044.
The phone number is (956) 726-3120
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