Ann Curry of NBC news travels to Ohio, and offers a very personal look into the lives of some hungry families, impacted greatly by the recession. View the first of the videos below, or click here for the whole series.
And here in the Heartland, Ann Curry meets people waiting on line for the Lutheran Social Services mobile food pantry.
Check out this short video of the Community Organic Garden at Midway Stadium! Big thanks to Saints Baseball staff and Noodles & Company for helping put fresh food on the table for our hungry neighbors.
During the school year, approximately 290,000 Minnesota children receive free or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs. However, when the school year ends for the summer, only about 20% of these kids continue to receive these low-cost or free nutritious meals. That means that for nearly three months out of every year, more than 232,000 children in Minnesota aren’t getting the nourishment they need.
To fill the nutritional gap facing these children during the summer months, Second Harvest Heartland has teamed up with the Minnesota Vikings and Target to work with the Minnesota Department of Education to help facilitate the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) in Minnesota and help bring more meals to more kids this summer.
Do you know a family who could use a little extra help with food this summer?
Check out the Summer Lunch Map, an easy-to-use tool for finding free food for kids across the state this summer. Families can also call 2-1-1 from a landline or text 612-516-FOOD for locations.
Want to help?
Click here to make a gift. Together, we can ensure healthy, plentiful meals for Minnesota kids who need them to grow and thrive.
Bremer Bank kicked off its fifth annual “Taking Action Against Hunger” campaign this June! Bremer recognizes the growing need for food during the summer months, when more families utilize food shelves as children are home from school and have less access to subsidized meal programs.
You can help match the $100,000 Bremer Challenge Gift by making a gift today. Anytime between now and the end of the month, you can:
*A one-time donation of $10 will be added to your mobile phone bill or deducted from your prepaid balance. You will also receive up to 1 message per day from Second Harvest Heartland Alerts. Msg&Data rates may apply. All charges are billed by and payable to your mobile service provider. Service is available on most carriers. Donations are collected for the benefit of the Second Harvest Heartland by the mGive Foundation and subject to the terms found at www.mGive.com/A. To unsubscribe text STOP to 27722, for help text HELP to 27722.
Every year, restaurants from around the Twin Cities donate their time, talents and product to make Dish: Cuisine for Change possible. This year, 18 restaurants participated, and took the time to share their recipes from the samples they prepared at the event!
Download the recipe book here >>
Big thanks to this year’s restaurants:
al Vento • Bar Abilene • Chino Latino • Cosmos • Firefly Bistro & Coffeehouse • French Meadow Bakery & Cafe • Hell’s Kitchen • Ike’s Food & Cocktails • Jensen’s Supper Club • Le Cordon Bleu, Minnesota Room • Manitou Station • The Melting Pot • Muffuletta Cafe • Red Stag Supper Club • Rinata • The St. Paul Grill • The Strip Club Meat & Fish • Tryg’s
This year, we’ll be releasing our annual report in the form of a Community Action and Partnership Report, and as a special insert in this Sunday’s edition of the Pioneer Press.
The report will feature:
…and more.
Pick up your copy of the Pioneer Press this Sunday, March 28, or come back to the site on Monday to read the web version!
On March 4, WeCanEndThis.com was launched: a yearlong initiative to spark innovation and a broader engagement in the movement to end hunger in America. The project is a result of the partnership of Share Our Strength, Feeding America, Capital Area Food Bank of Texas, Mashable, PepsiCo, ConAgra Food Foundation, and Tyson Foods.
The first project is the Digital Can Drive, rewarding people for committing to take action. If you pledge to Give, Share or Volunteer on WeCanEndThis.com before March 18, you can help ensure Minnesota (or your state) gets a truckload of protein from Tyson Foods!
As I write this, Minnesota is in 10th place with 54 “Cans” pledged. Will you help spread the word, and help bring a truckload of protein to Minnesota for our hungry neighbors? The top 10 states will receive the product–so we need your help to stay above the “red line”!
Please help us spread the word!
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Donate your Digital Can >> |
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Facebook it >> |
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Tweet It >> |
You can also use the “ShareThis” link below to text, email, or blog it.
With your help, we can bring an entire truckload of food to Minnesota to help fill the tables at the homes of our hungry neighbors!
Thanks to everyone who came out in support of the Pound for Pound Challenge to The Biggest Loser Season Premiere Party in Minneapolis! Attendees enjoyed mini-manicures, brow waxes, chair massages, lessons from personal trainers, Wii Fit demos and exciting giveaways such as a Wii gaming system and Wii fit and a $500 spa getaway package.
Best of all, attendees pledged the Pound for Pound Challenge in an effort to “Lose Nationally, Feed Locally.” For every pound pledged, the Pound for Pound Challenge will donate 14 cents to Feeding America–enough to deliver one pound of groceries to a local food bank.
Check out the photos and videos from the event–and don’t forget to pledge your pounds now at pfpchallenge.com!
Video:
Photos:
Join us one week from today, Tuesday, January 5 for The Biggest Loser Season Premiere Party at Solera in Downtown Minneapolis!
Beginning at 6:00pm, you’ll enjoy hors d’oeurves, a cash bar, exciting enter-to-win opportunities and other Biggest Loser-related freebies. Two lucky guests will win a Nintendo Wii gaming system and Wii Fit!
Grab a seat at 7:00 for the show, and enjoy even more entertainment, fitness tips and other activities with KS95′ s Staci Matthews during commercial breaks. Register now and be entered to win a VIP package, including preferred seating at the event.
Space is limited, so click here to register now!
Why are we throwing a party for The Biggest Loser?
Because it’s the kickoff of the second annual Pound for Pound Challenge, of course! This exciting fundraising program was formed by a partnership of NBC’s The Biggest Loser, General Mills and Feeding America to encourage Americans to “Lose Nationally, Feed Locally.”
Sign up and pledge your weight loss goals at www.pfpchallenge.com. For every pound you pledge, the Pound for Pound Challenge will donate 14 cents to Feeding America – enough to deliver one pound of groceries to a local food bank. The more signups and pledges in our area, the more donations will come to Second Harvest Heartland to help feed those in need right here in our community.
Coming to the event? That’s great. You can pledge your pounds online at pfpchallenge.com, or just sign up at the party.
But remember, space is limited–so register for the party now!
This year, as Thanksgiving approached, I was decidedly thankful. For me and my household, 2009 was a bountiful year by any objective measure. However, both from my own circles as well as from news story after news story about the economy, it is painfully clear that the same was not true for many in MN and beyond.
So, when I as pushing my cart through the aisles of the grocery store, filling the cart with food for that one day, I couldn’t help but think about the statistic that impressed me most about Second Harvest Heartland when I first heard about the organization: that they turn every dollar donated into $9 worth of food to distribute.
Looking at my cart full of food (somewhere in the baking aisle), I came to a snap decision. For every dollar spent for my family gathering from the good year I had, I’d donate a matching dollar to Second Harvest, which they turn into nine dollars to help those who had more difficulty this year.
Once I decided, I’m fairly certain I started adding food to my cart with nearly reckless abandon. While I was feeding a fairly large group and for most of the day (not just the big meal), I was still startled when my cashier told me my total: $305.
However, I’m fairly certain she was even more startled when I grinned as I pulled out my wallet. I explained my plan to her as well as the 9:1 ratio from Second Harvest. As the giant receipt printed, she said she’d be telling other customers about the idea.
Over the next couple of days, I shared the idea with people over Twitter and in person. A few told me that they would join me on a different ratio or just giving a fixed donation and one quietly shared that their sister was actually someone who needed the help of a food shelf this year.
Earlier this week, I rounded my grocery bill up to $350 and made my donation. Based on that amazing ratio, Second Harvest will be able to distribute $3150 in food. After reflecting on the experience, I’m going to be doing this every Thanksgiving. Will you join me next year?
–
J Wynia
Minneapolis, MN
http://wynia.org