May 11, 2010 - Stamp Out Hunger! food drive sets local record
April 6, 2010 - Weld Food Bank receives exemplary marks in recent monitoring
March 19, 2010 - DCP Midstream donates $10,000 to Weld Food Bank
February 19, 2010 - Weld Food Bank authorized to feed additional seniors through CSFP
February 5, 2010 - Hunger is on the rise in Weld County
January 29, 2010 - Anadarko donates $150,000 to Weld Food Bank kitchen project
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Stamp Out Hunger! food drive sets local record
May 11, 2010 -- On Saturday, May 8, Weld County letter carriers again helped Stamp Out Hunger! across America in order to provide assistance to the rapidly increasing number of Americans who are struggling with hunger. This year’s food drive raised over 36,000 pounds of food for Weld Food Bank. This year’s food drive total shattered the previous record of 25,881 pounds set back in 2007.
This donation of food will be distributed in record time from the food bank’s warehouse to the 115 partner agencies throughout Weld County. During the summer months, the need is increased with the lack of school-based meal programs in operation, and food donations typically decline at the same time.
Weld County letter carriers collected bags of food from homes and businesses along their regular postal routes and delivered those donations to Weld Food Bank.
The Postal Carriers set up donation sites at four Greeley grocery stores: Westlake King Soopers, University Square King Soopers, Wal-Mart on 47th Avenue and Wal-Mart on 23rd Avenue. The Rocky Mountain District of Kiwanis supported the food drive by providing volunteers from their Kiwanis clubs, Key clubs and Builder’s clubs donating over 200 volunteer hours.
Weld Food Bank and the Dwight Palser Branch 324 of the National Association of Letter Carriers would like to thank the community for their outstanding support of this food drive and to all of the letter carriers who supported this effort.
“My biggest thank you is to the community that gave”, said Troy Weber, union representative for the local chapter of the National Association of Letter Carriers.
Weld Food Bank receives exemplary marks in recent monitoring
April 6, 2010 -- In a recent audit by Feeding America, Weld Food Bank was found to be compliant in all areas. The goal of compliance standards is to establish and maintain a credible, safe and effective distribution system for donated products. The standards define mandatory operating procedures and practices to ensure food safety, financial and inventory accountability and administrative cohesion relative to the business practices throughout the Feeding America Network.
As a member food bank in the Feeding America Network Weld Food Bank is bound by a signed contractual agreement known as the Member Contract. In order to ensure compliance with the policies and procedures in the contract, staff from Feeding America conduct an on site compliance audit of each Member every 18-24 months. The audit process is not only a way to measure compliance, it also provides the opportunity for resource sharing and technical assistance.
Weld Food Bank was not only found to be compliant in all areas of the audit, but also found to be an exemplary example of a small food bank in a network of 204 food banks nationwide, based on the number of pounds of food distributed in the last fiscal year.
“Feeding America thanks Weld Food Bank for their great work that they have done serving the people who need food assistance in the Weld County community. They continue to operate with high standards for their organization, distributing food safely and efficiently. And, they are a leader in hunger advocacy ensuring that those in need have a voice in Colorado” said Debbie Fabriquer, Compliance & Capability Assessment Representative with Feeding America.
The Board of Directors of Weld Food Bank applauds the excellent accomplishments of Weld Food Bank staff and administrators. The successful review by the Feeding America assessment reflects team efforts that have produced exceptional outcomes. We are proud that Weld Food Bank is recognized as one of the finest in the country.
DCP Midstream donates $10,000 to Weld Food Bank
March 19, 2010 -- DCP Midstream has donated $10,000 to Weld Food Bank to support the organization’s effort to provide sustainable safe and nutritious resources for families in need.
Weld Food Bank will use this contribution for its general operations and to further its mission of leading and engaging our community in the fight against hunger.
Leona Martens, executive director for Weld Food Bank, says, “DCP Midstream is really committed to Weld Food Bank’s mission through participating in our Corporate Food Challenge, volunteering and contributing financially”.
“We are proud to be such an important part of the energy industry active in Weld County. Like Weld Food Bank, we make sure society has its basic needs met, by providing energy. We applaud Weld Food Bank for its vision in addressing the sustainable needs of the State, and we are pleased to partner with them for the benefit of our community for the long-term,” says Joe Kuchinski, vice president, operations, DCP Midstream.
DCP Midstream supports local community efforts that care for health, wellness, and education of the communities in which they operate. Safety and emergency preparation are well aligned with their core goals of being a reliable steward.
DCP Midstream employees present Leona Martens, executive director of Weld Food Bank, with a $10,000 donation.
Weld Food Bank authorized to feed additional seniors through CSFP
February 19, 2010 - When a household can’t afford enough food and they reduce the amount they eat or skip meals, sometimes for an entire day, UDSA terms this “Very Low Food Security”. In the recently released Hunger in America 2010, the Colorado State report, it was revealed that in Colorado 26% of the seniors getting emergency food assistance fall into the “Very Low Food Security” category. That means 1 in 4 seniors are hungry!
For a generation that worked hard, served their country and in many cases cared for not only their children but grandchildren as well, this is not acceptable. Good news came last week when Weld Food Bank was given the authority and food to serve an additional 83 seniors through the Commodity Supplemental Food Program.
Through CSFP seniors will get a monthly food package of such items as canned meat, fruit, vegetables, juice, peanut butter, cereal and cheese. Eligibility criteria include:
All income eligible seniors are encouraged to apply for this food. CSFP was designed as a nutritional effort to get food to people and keep them healthier. For more information please call Bryndi at 970-356-2199 Ext 311.-60 years of age or older
-monthly gross income (before Medicare or other deductions) for a family of one is $1,174 or for a couple is $1,579.
Hunger is on the rise in Weld County
February 5, 2010 - A newly-released study shows that hunger and food insecurity are on the rise in Weld County and throughout Colorado.
The research was commissioned by Feeding America and completed by Mathematica Policy Research, a widely respected nonpartisan social policy research firm based in Princeton, New Jersey. Weld Food Bank completed more than 250 in-person interviews with clients seeking emergency food assistance at locations throughout Weld County, and also conducted 81 non-profit agency surveys. This data was then compiled and compared to data collected in 2006, the last time a Hunger Study was completed.
The data shows that since 2006, the number of households who have had to make the choice of whether to pay for food or housing has increased 35%. Half of all respondents in Weld County report having to make this decision, while the statewide average is 44%. In addition, 85% of food bank clients are classified as food insecure, 6 percentage points over the statewide average of 79%. Despite the strong agricultural base in Weld County, 23.6% of clients with children said that their children were hungry at least once during the previous 12 months and they could not afford to purchase food.
Leona Martens, executive director of Weld Food Bank, states, “These troubling statistics highlight the increased demands facing hunger relief programs in our community. Although there is such great need, only .3% of our clients at the food bank are receiving any government welfare benefits, and the national average is 12% among food bank clients. We have a great task ahead of us in 2010 to meet this growing problem for our children, the elderly, and other vulnerable populations.”
Anadarko donates $150,000 to Weld Food Bank kitchen project
January 29, 2010 – In partnership with Weld Food Bank, Anadarko Petroleum Corporation has pledged to donate $150,000 to the organization’s Kitchen Campaign. This donation will help advance the project to its next step in construction.
“This great act of support and leadership has led to the training room being named the “Anadarko Training Center,” stated Leona Martens, Weld Food Bank executive director.
In the short term, the Kitchen Project will provide a place to prepare meals for Weld Food Bank’s Kids Cafe program and hot meals in times of disaster. Eventually, nonprofit agencies will have access to prepared meals; training and educational programs will be offered to children, families, and the general community through the Anadarko Training Center. The long term goal will provide employment training for cooks and chefs as well as business skills such as marketing, networking and food safety.
As a committed partner of the Weld Food Bank, Anadarko has supported the organization in numerous ways by volunteering, participating in the Corporate Food Challenge, sponsoring events and having staff members serve on the Board of Directors.
“I am very grateful to work for a company that exhibits compassion and support for those who need a helping hand,” notes Greg McIntosh, Weld Food Bank board president and Anadarko operations manager. “With Anadarko’s donation, the food bank can further their vision and mission in the fight against hunger in Weld County.”
Greg McIntosh, Weld Food Bank board president and operations manager for Anadarko, and Mike Weaver, production engineering manager for Anadarko, present Leona Martens, executive director for Weld Food Bank, with a $150,000 check from Anadarko to support Weld Food Bank’s Kitchen Project at the future site of the Anadarko Training Center.
