No child should go to bed Hungry!

Summer is hard on food banks

The Arizona Republic reports Summer is a challenging time for Arizona's food banks. Demand rises. Donations don't.
"Typically, people think about the hungry around the holidays," says William Carnegie, head of Tucson's Community Food Bank and chairman of the board of the Association of Arizona Food Banks. "Summer is one of our most difficult times."
Complete story at: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/2011/06/30/20110630thur1-30.html#ixzz1QmENfPne

BE AWARE .... Beans are coming ...

You can count on that and You Can Help!

Surprise’s 29th Annual 4th of July Celebration – Get Your Tickets Now

Celebrate the 4th of July with the City of Surprise, 4:30 p.m. - 9 p.m., July 4, at the Surprise Recreation Campus, 15850 N. Bullard Avenue.
Surprise Stadium – Ticketed Event -- Surprise Stadium will host a Minor League Baseball Game featuring the Texas Rangers and t...he Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Gates open at 4:30 p.m., and the game starts at 5:30.
Concession stands will be offering a variety of food and ice cold beverages including a special old-time menu consisting of $1 peanuts, popcorn, popsicles and $2 hot dogs and Coke. The evening will be highlighted by a 20 minute firework show set to patriotic music following the game at approximately 8:30 p.m.
The 4th of July Celebration is a FREE ticketed family event with a donation of a canned food item, which will be donated to the St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance.

Tickets for the game are limited. To guarantee your seat to this fun family event, pick-up your ticket early at the Community & Recreation Services Office located at 15960 N. Bullard Avenue.

For additional event information, contact Community & Recreation Services at 623.222.2000

A BIG thank you to Streets of New York ...

...for donating pizza to our Red, White and Blue Rock ‘N Box event yesterday evening!

They provided enough pizza to feed 150 volunteers who help pack over 2,575 emergency food boxes providing almost 65,000 meals for our neighbors in need.

They are amazing passionate partners!!

Hunger 101 is going FREE & RETRO in July .

 ... as we present one of most popular seminars titled: FAST FOOD: Making Healthier Choices.
This seminar is open to partner agencies, donors, volunteers as well as the general the public and NO CHARGE.

Seminar Details: FAST FOOD: Making Healthier Choices

Date: July 12th (Tuesday), Time: 3-4PM

Location: St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance Del Webb Distribution Center

2nd Floor, Multipurpose Room, 2831 N. 31st Ave. Phoenix.

There is No Charge to attend but seating is limited, so register early.

To register, contact Ray Combe at rlcombe@firstfoodbank.org or 602-343-3164

More young adults are living with diabetes -

Experts are becoming increasingly concerned about the growing number of adults in their 20s and 30s coping with type 2 diabetes.

Complete story at: http://yourlife.usatoday.com/health/medical/diabetes/story/2011/06/More-young-adults-are-living-with-diabetes/48743776/1?csp=34news&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+usatoday-NewsTopStories+(News+-+Top+Stories)&utm_content=Goog

OAKVILLE GROCERY AND MAYOR PHIL GORDON LAUNCHING SUMMER WATER DRIVE - MONDAY, JUNE 27th

TO BENEFIT ST. MARY’S FOOD BANK ALLIANCE --  EVERY CASE OF BOTTLED WATER DONATED EARNS $10 GIFT CERTIFICATE TO OAKVILLE

Extreme summertime temperatures are just weeks away and that means there are thousands of Valley low-income and homeless people that... will call upon area food banks for hot weather essentials like bottled water. And that’s why Oakville Grocery and Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon have teamed up to present a special Summer Water Drive from June 27th to July 5th to help St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance to collect cases of bottled water to prepare key water distribution centers for extreme weather conditions. As part of this special event, a major downtown announcement will be made by Oakville Grocery and Mayor Phil Gordon promptly at noon.
The public is invited to participate in the Summer Water Drive by donating individual cases of water at the Oakville Grocery location.
For donations of $5, Oakville Grocery will donate a case of water on the customer’s behalf. Each person who donates a case of water will receive a $10 gift certificate to be used towards grocery items, hot or cold food, sundry products or wine at Oakville Grocery.
Cases of bottled water can be dropped off at Oakville Grocery from 10am to 5pm from Wednesday June 27th to Tuesday July 5th.

EAT HEALTHY while going Green

Try some Asparagus, Avocados, Broccoli, Celery, Cucumbers, Green Apples, Green Beans, Green Grapes, Green Onions, Green Peppers, Leafy Greens, Lettuce, Limes, Okra, Peas, Spinach, & Zucchini
http://www.hunger101az.org/

FREE TWITTER Presentation

Hunger 101AZ is offering an introductory presentation about this powerful social networking communication and advocacy tool Twitter.

Twitter has proven to be an invaluable communication tool to increase awareness of the critical issues, inform the community of food bank-related events\activities, as wells as quickly share our Thanks with those that support our Food Bank.

The session will be Twitter: Basics of a Social Networking Advocacy Tool offered June 21th (Tuesday), 1:30PM-2:30PM in the Del Webb Distribution Center, Multipurpose Room, 2831 N. 31st Ave. Phoenix.


There is No Charge to attend but seating is limited, so register early.
To register, contact Ray Combe at rlcombe@firstfoodbank.org or 602-343-3164

U-Haul Does the Heavy Lifting for the Hungry

with Great Volunteer Day at St. Mary’s
St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance would like to thank our good friends at U-Haul , a great partner in the fight against hunger. All during the year, U-Haul supports the Food Bank’s efforts through financial donations, volunteer support, an employee turkey ...drive and each U-Haul location serves as a St. Mary’s food donation drop site for the public every day of the year.

Saturday June 4, U-Haul employees filled the Del E. Webb Distribution Center to pack some of the more than 30,000 emergency food boxes the Food Bank distributes each month. When all was said and done, U-Haul’s volunteer crew has packed more than 31,000 pounds of food into more than 1,000 emergency food boxes. Afterward, the whole group posed for a photo in our Breakaway Cafe and the smiles of satisfaction says it all.
To Kelie Budd-Hale and the entire crew at U-Haul, St. Mary’s sincerely thanks you for your strong support and great partnership in the fight against hunger in Arizona

Choose My Plate

The United States Department of Agriculture has officially announced the new USDA dietary guidelines symbolized in the shape of a plate called MyPlate.

This updated nutritional approach provides an easier way for the USDA and community nutritional services to teach the public how the guidelines translate into what balance of foods would be beneficial to put on their plates. As soon as the Food Pyramid was turned on its side, it got confusing for consumers.

The Food Plate is provided as easier too to use as a reminder for us to eat a balanced meal every meal. It can be used for those who eat vegetarian meals, low carb, low fat, and even gluten free!
It’s intent is to simplify meal Ideas for Dinner, Healthy Recipes, and More!
The new online resources also have strongly incorporated social media elements with the site which can be accessed at http://www.choosemyplate.gov
This resource will be something Hunger 101 begins to share with our contacts through the range of communication and presentation Hunger 101 provides.
As I’ve leafed through the online resource, it looks to be very valuable and much more family, child & local provider user friendly than previous tools which actually were quite good already

Be Coooool, Chilllll Out

EPA Offers Energy Tips on Summer Cooling to Help Save Money, Reduce Pollution

With summer upon us The EPA has issued its annual list of ideas to help the public cut cooling costs, protect their health and stay comfortable at home.

The average home spends almost 20 percent of its utility bill on cooling. Increased energy production to run cooling systems not only raises costs, it also can contribute to pollution that adversely affects the quality of the air we breathe.

Here are 7 simple steps to keep you and your wallet ool over the next efw months:

• Change to More Efficient Light Bulbs

• Find the Best Thermostat Settings to meet your family's activities schedule and health needs

• Use Ceiling Fans Optimally. Run your ceiling fan to create a cool breeze. but remember that ceiling fans cool you, not the room
• Maximize Shade by pulling curtains and shades closed before you leave your home to keep the sun’s rays from overheating your home.
• Reduce Oven Time. Use a microwave instead of an oven to cook, when you can.
• Check Air Conditioner Filters every month. If the filter looks dirty, change it.
• Plug Duct System Leaks. Seal duct work using mastic sealant or metal tape and insulate all the ducts that you can access.

BURGERS FEED THE SOUL ...

An artist uses his paintings to help the hungry 

The Burger Show is proud to announce the launch of its new website and affiliation with St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance in Phoenix.

A national traveling art exhibit of burger paintings by artist, LUDVIC, called The Burger Show, offers prints and posters for sale with a portion of proceeds benefiting hunger relief. St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance is a beneficiary of proceeds for the Phoenix area.

Ludvic is well known as a food painter and recently completed his second exhibit at the James Beard House in New York City this year. He painted his first burger about five years ago and revisited the subject two years ago. There are over twenty burgers completed and the artist is painting new burgers all the time.
“I always paint what I love to eat,” says the artist when explaining why he paints burgers. Ludvic continues, “But as a painter, when I look at a hamburger I see color and texture, and I try to capture those variations. It is a very creative subject for me, and I always get excited about painting a new burger. The chefs creating these burgers find beauty in the simplest of meals. That’s what I do in my art – seek out the beauty of simplicity.

The ulimate part of this program is that I am able to give back to those in need and we are calling on all “Foodies” and Burger Lovers to help out. Food Banks have incredible pressures on them to serve more and more people. If my paintings can in any way assist in helping provide meals to the hungry, then I have exceeded any goal in my art.
St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance in Phoenix was the first to come aboard with The Burger Show. They saw the potential and liked the idea. We are proud to help them.”
New posters are currently available on the website and start as low as $10.00 with 20% of proceeds going to St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance. Limited edition prints are also available with 20% of gross proceeds benefiting hunger relief.
More Food Bank Info:  http://www.firstfoodbank.org/