THANKS TO ASU4FOOD & ALL SUNDEVIL DONORS FOR MAKING HUNGER DISAPPEAR AT HOMECOMING!

St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance would like to thank the ASU4FOOD on-campus group and all the Sun Devil fans who helped to “Make Hunger Disappear” at the annual ASU Homecoming parade and carnival this past Saturday. Thousands of cans of soup were purchased by Sun Devil rooters from the six-foot tall letters that spelled out HUNGER … and it was great to see the word literally disappear as the day went along!

Our thanks to everyone involved in the day, the United Food Bank, Salvation Army and State Farm Insurance, who sponsors the annual Territorial Cup Food Fight between ASU and the University of Arizona. And to cap off the day, the Sun Devils routed Colorado in the annual Homecoming Game to move to 6-2 on the season.

Thousands of cans of soup donated. Thousands of dollars raises. Thousands of people fed. What a great to spend a Saturday. Our thanks to all!

Arizona Surprise Police G.A.I.N Night

In partnership with local businesses, the Surprise Police Department will host the event 5 to 9 p.m. Nov. 12 near the Surprise Aquatic Center, 15480 N. Bullard Ave. It’s a time when police and residents learn how they can work together to prevent crime and keep their community safe.


During the event, activities will include demonstrations from the police department’s special assignment and K-9 units, as well as safety information for all ages, children’s fingerprinting kits, inflatable children’s rides, free raffles, face painting and food vendors.

Music will be provided by personnel from the Surprise Block Party Trailer Program. The Surprise Fire Department will showcase its fire prevention trailer. Neighborhood Watch volunteers will sign up participants.

Those looking to assist the less fortunate during the holiday season can donate non-perishable food items and new unwrapped toys, which will benefit the St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance and Surprise Police Toy Drive.

Go "Make Hunger Disappear" During ASU Homecoming!

Stacked Cans Will Spell Out “HUNGER” 6-Foot Tall on University Drive;

All Donations from Event to Benefit St. Mary’s and United Food Banks

Using nearly 5,000 cans of soup to spread its message, volunteers from ASU4Food, St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance and other food banks will construct the word “HUNGER” in six-foot tall, 30-foot wide letters near College Avenue and University Drive on the morning of Saturday, Oct. 29 as part of the annual Homecoming Block Party celebration.

ASU4Food and Food Bank and Salvation Army volunteers will be selling each soup can for one dollar – or $20 for a “sleeve” of 24 soup cans. With every can of soup that is taken from the display, the word, “HUNGER” becomes smaller and harder to read. The goal is to sell all 4,800 cans of soup over the course of the day and literally make “HUNGER” disappear.

The event is one in a series held during the school year by ASU4FOOD, an on-campus club formed with the purpose of fighting hunger in the community. ASU4Food is facing off with their rivals from the University of Arizona in the third annual ASU vs. UA Food Fight. Sponsored by State Farm through the Territorial Cup Series, the Food Fight a competition to see who can raise the most donations, both monetary and food, for their local food banks, through events held during the school year.

NSFD Question #3 WINNER!

Way to Go Jennifer!!!!

Question #3: As noted in the 2011 NSFD Food Drive Resource Packet … How many of Arizona’s children live in poverty and what percentage are below the age of 5?

Answer (per the Food Drive Resource Packet): 338,000 Arizona children live in poverty with 37% below the age of 5?

Jennifer Dong will receive two (2) theater passes to a Harkins Theater and a Toni Can-Can stuffed toy turkey.

Question #4 coming by Friday.

3rd ANNUAL ZOMBIE WALK OCT. 29 THROUGH DOWNTOWN PHX!

UNDEAD UNITE! HELP FEED ARIZONA’S HUNGRY

Walk Entry Fee is 3-Can Food Donation to St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance;

Music, Food, Costume Contests Capped By Zombie Walk through Streets

 

Phoenix, AZ – Legions of undead will converge in Downtown Phoenix for Zombie Walk 3 as part of a full cauldron of Halloween fun Saturday, October 29. The Downtown Phoenix Partnership and X103.9 present an afternoon and evening gathering with something for the entire family - from tiny ghouls on up to freakish adult Zombies.


And they'll be able to get so much more at the gathering at Heritage Square & Science Park. More than 2,000 walking dead showed up for the main event last year - the Zombie Walk. This year, for a donation of three canned goods to St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance, all sorts can take part in the frightening stroll of the undead throughout Downtown scaring any and all who dare to unknowingly enjoy a peaceful urban night out. What they'll find is that the real entertainment will be street side when families, decked out in scary or other Halloween fare, show their true and often bloody colors. For additional donations of canned goods, wanna-be Zombies can have their make-up done on site.



At a Glance

Who: Downtown Phoenix Partnership

What: Zombie Walk 3 and Halloween Fun - Nightmare on Adams, Halloween festivities

When: Saturday, October 29, 2011

Where: Heritage Square and Science Park, Downtown Phoenix. Walk meanders through the Downtown core.

Cost: Canned food donation for St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance

Calendar of Events

2pm - 3:30 pm: Purple Kush (music)

4 pm - 5:30 pm: The Recovery Junkies (music)

5:30 pm: Zombie Walk line up

6 pm: Zombie Walk 3 begins (takes about one hour)

8 pm - 9:30 pm: The Relics (music)

10 pm: Celebrity Judge "Gadger" from X103.9 emcees the Zombie Costume Contest

Organically sound riddle:

When is a pumpkin not a pumpkin?  

 When it's dropped and becomes Squash!

Food Bank Info: firstfoodbank.org

ARIZONA STATE FAIR “WE CARE WEDNESDAY” FOOD DRIVE NETS MORE THAN 32,000 POUNDS

St. Mary’s would like to thank the thousands of Arizonans who took advantage of the Arizona State Fair’s “We Care Wednesday” special event on Oct. 14 benefitting the food bank. St. Mary’s would also like to sincerely thank the State Fair for generously offering free admission to everyone who brought three or more nonpe...rishable food items to the fair.

The final totals? More than 16 tons – that’s 32,000 pounds of food, folks – was collected in just over six hours. That’s more than 5,000 pounds an hour! And fairgoers brought lots of canned meals, fruits, vegetables and soups – just the kind of food St. Mary’s desperately needs to fill the more than 40,000 emergency food boxes expected to be distributed just in the month of October.

Come Help Families With TruWest Credit Union!

TruWest® Credit Union is partnering with St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance® to help Arizona families by collecting much needed diapers and hygiene products.

You can help by visiting any of the following branch locations to drop off your donations:

When: Saturday, October 22, 2011 at 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Where: 6550 E. Superstition Springs Blvd. (Superstition Springs Blvd. & Power Rd.)

OR

1982 W. Main St. (Main St. & Dobson Rd.)

Commonly needed items:

Diapers (infant or adult, all sizes)

Baby Wipes, Bottles, Pacifiers, Bath Wash

Shampoo, Lotion, Toothpaste

Hand Sanitizer, Household Paper Supplies

Any Non-Perishable Food Items

TRY YOUR LUCK & HELP FEED THE HUNGRY AT CONNECTIONS CASINO NIGHT!

Enjoy a great night of fun and a great way to learn more about networking groups from around the Valley as Marriott Courtyard and Residence Inn hosts the third annual Casino Night and mini-trade show benefitting St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance and Back on My Feet.


Sponsored by the Deer Valley Connections, North Valley Connections and Central Connections Networking Groups, the event is set for Thursday, Nov. 3 at the Marriott Courtyard Happy Valley (2029 W. Whispering Wind Drive, south of Happy Valley Road on 19th Avenue). Along with complimentary appetizers and a 50-50 raffle, a $20 donation will earn $500 in casino chips for you to try your luck at more than a dozen casino gaming tables including blackjack, poker, roulette and craps.

The networking groups and Marriott have worked hard to fight hunger in Arizona. In the first two years, this event has combined to raise more than 58,000 meals those in need and struggling with hunger in our community. For more information on tickets or to donate, contact Heather Visca at the Courtyard/Happy Valley at (623) 580-8844 or Carl Ulbrich at (602) 674-5675.

If not you, WHO?

1 in 5 American kids face hunger everyday.
No child should go to bed hungry

You can help do something about this by making a call or asking a question, contacting a local family services center, checking with your local school or touching base with a food bank to learn more of the many ways YOU CAN HELP! If not you, WHO?

www.hunger101az.org

VALLEY HARLEY OWNERS GROUPS® RAISE RECORD 84,000 MEALS DURING THIRD ANNUAL BIKER’S CHALLENGE FOOD DRIVE

St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance would like to that the more than 100 Valley of the Sun Harley Owners Group® members who took part in the Sunday Oct. 16 ride and BBQ to celebrate the completion of the third annual Biker’s Challenge Food Drive.

The H.O.G.® Chapters really out did themselves this year, more than doubling their meal donation for the second consecutive year. After contributing 15,000 meals in 2009 and 35,000 meals in 2010, this great community group went all out in 2011 and donated more than 7,000 food items and more than $10,000 in cash to feed Arizona’s hungry. That’s more than 84,000 meals this year alone, bringing the three-year total of this drive above 130,000 meals.

 

Congratulations go out to Pete and the H.O.G. Chapter 2376 out of Buddy Stubbs Anthem location, who were the overall winners this year and went home with the coveted Biker’s Challenge trophy for this year. That puts the gang from Anthem in charge of the 2012 Challenge, and we are already hearing plans to set a new record. Did some

one say 100,000 meals?

To all the competing chapters – the 2010 champs from Superstition H.O.G. Chapter 1743 in Apache Junction, the 2009 champs from Buddy Stubbs H.O.G. Chapter 93 in Phoenix and all those who took part, thank you on behalf of the thousands of people who will benefit from your selfless act of generosity. See you next year!

 

FORD MOTOR COMPANY, CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF PHOENIX & ST. MARY'S FOOD DRIVE TEAM UP!

Receive A FREE Ticket to the Children’s Museum by Dropping Off 3 Nonperishable Food Items at a Valley Ford Dealership Between Oct. 22-31

PHOENIX – Ford Motor Company and the Children’s Museum of Phoenix have teamed up with St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance on the 10-day Ford Operation Goodwill Phoenix food drive taking place from Sat., Oct. 22 to Mon., Oct. 31 at Valley Ford dealerships.

Phoenix-area Ford dealerships will collect donations of nonperishable food that will provide nourishment to those in need in our state. The Children’s Museum of Phoenix will assist in the drive by providing one free general admission ticket to the Children’s Museum to each person who donates three nonperishable food items at any local Ford dealership. The tickets will be redeemable at the Museum during the month of December 2011.

As part of Ford’s Operation Goodwill Phoenix campaign, Ford Motor Company is sponsoring “Ford Technology & Innovation Month” at the Children’s Museum of Phoenix during the month of December 2011. In addition to the interactive exhibits, activities and programs will be themed around technology and innovation, and will reflect the enterprising spirit of Henry Ford.

“Our partnership with the Children’s Museum of Phoenix and St. Mary’s supports Ford’s global effort to address hunger relief in communities around the world,” said Mark Witthar, Phoenix regional manager for Ford Motor Company. “To date, Ford-related food drives have collected millions of pounds of food and we’ve supported those drives with refrigerated truck donations to food banks across the country.”



Last year, local Ford dealers were able to collect more than 5,000 pounds of food for United Food Bank in Mesa. The nonprofit also received a refrigerated F-550 truck from Ford Motor Company in 2009.



Those interested in donating nonperishable food in support of the Ford Operation Goodwill Phoenix food drive may drop off items at any of the following 11 Valley Ford dealerships:


• Camelback Ford Lincoln Mercury, 1330 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix, AZ 85014

(888) 264-1851

• Chapman Ford, 7100 E. McDowell Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85257

(480) 946-3900

• Don Sanderson Ford, 6400 North 51st Ave., Glendale, AZ 85301

(623) 842-8600

• Berge Ford, 460 E. Auto Center Drive, Mesa, AZ 85204

(480) 497-1111

• Earnhardt Ford, 7300 W. Orchid Lane, Chandler, AZ 85285

(602) 893-0000

• Bell Ford, 2401 West Bell Road, Phoenix, AZ 85023

(602) 866-1776

• Power Ford of North Scottsdale, 8555 E. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd., Scottsdale, AZ 85260

(480) 991-3333

• Peoria Ford, 9130 West Bell Road, Peoria, AZ 85382

(623) 977-8888

• Robert Horne Ford, 3400 S. Tomahawk Road, Apache Junction, AZ 85219

(480) 474-2500

• Rodeo Ford, 13680 W. Test Drive, Goodyear, AZ 85338

(877) 746-1110

• San Tan Ford, 1429 Motorplex Loop, Gilbert, AZ 85296

(480) 621-3700

VIRTUALLY YOURS? Half Empty or Half Full?

Either way the National Student Food Drive is Half Over! So, now's the time to lean back in your chair, reach out to your keyboard and visit the VIRTUAL National Student Food Drive site with more than 20 schools ready to accept your donations to the school of your choice. With just a few touches of the keyvboard, you can help these high students help others meet the challenges of living with hunger using the link below.

The Virtual National Student Food Drive  http://www.firstfoodbank.org/NSFD.html

Over 30 HIGH SCHOOLS … TWO FOOD BANKS … ONE GOAL … -- 1/2 Way There!

The month long 2011 National Student Food Drive is at its half-way mark with a coordinated effort between St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance and United Food Bank. We want to share a SHOUT OUT for their efforts so far and those planned for the last weeks of the drive..  GO FOR IT --  Apollo High School, Arcadia High School, Caeer Success High School, Carl Hayden High School, Centennial High School, Compadre High School, Compadre North High School, Copper Canyon High School, Corona del Sol High School, Crestview High School, Deer Valley High School, Desert Ridge High School, Dysart High School, Greenway High School, Ironwood High School, Liberty High School, James Madison Prep Academy, Maryvale High School, Marcos de Niza High School, Millennium High School, Moon Valley High School, Mountain Pointe High School, Mountain View High School, Mountain Ridge High School, Raymond Kellis High School, Sandra Day O’Connor High School, South Mountain High School, South Ridge High School, Tolleson High School, Trevor Brown High School, Williams Field High School and Willow Canyon High School.

Please support these schools with your support, food and funds donation.

 

PEORIA’S HALLOWEEN MONSTER BASH OCT. 29

Looking for a safe place to take your kids for a great Halloween experience? The City of Peoria has the perfect destination.
The annual Halloween Monster Bash & Balloon Illumination will be Friday, Oct. 29 from 5- 9 p.m. at the Peoria Sports Complex. It’s the perfect place for kids from toddlers to age 12 to enjoy all the atmosphere of a small-town Halloween fair in the big city.

Activities include a hot air balloon illumination sponsored by Alliance Urgent Care, a parade of costumes for each age group (ages 1 & under through 12), a haunted house, hay rides, inflatable’s, carnival games, puppet shows, slime making, rock walls, face painting a much more.

Admission is FREE with a canned food donation to St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance in Surprise! Last year, this drive raised over 9,000 pounds of food for the hungry of the West Valley, and with the holidays right around the corner this food is desperately needed to fill emergency and holiday food boxes. For more information, visit www.peoriaaz.gov.

Soaring Suburban Poverty Catches Communities Unprepared

Millions of suburban households in a nation previously accustomed to thinking of suburbia in upwardly mobile terms: They are poor.

They are officially so according to the federal government's definition, which sets the poverty line for a family of five at an annual income of $26,023 or less.
Full Story: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/13/suburban-povertys-dramati_n_1007332.html?igoogle=1?igoogle=1

2011 National Student Food Drive Video Showcase No. 1: Mountain Ridge High School

Poised to defend their NSFD crown for the fourth consecutive year, the Student Government team from Mountain Ridge High School showed their enthusiasm and determination this year when KEZ (99.9 FM) and Marty Manning visited the campus recently.

Here is Marty’s report, including interviews with the students, principal and staff from the champs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkKbpC3l_C4&feature=youtu.be

We are almost halfway through this year’s October-long drive, hoping to top last year’s record total of 145,000 meals and give the Food Bank and big boost heading into the holiday season. KEZ will be checking in with Marcos de Niza, Mountain Pointe and South Mountain High School during the course of the month to see what the Padres, Pride and Jaguars are up to when it comes to making Mountain Pointe sweat this year!

Peralta Elementary School Teams Up With St. Mary's Food Bank & Target's "Meals for Minds" Program

More than 80 percent of the children at Peralta Elementary School in west Phoenix are members of families who struggle with hunger on a daily basis. But thanks to a great partnership with Target and its “Meals for Minds” , St. Mary’s Food Bank distributed more than 22,000 pounds of fresh fruits, vegetables and bread to more than 1,000 Peralta students and their families on Oct. 7.

It was a huge day for Peralta in other ways. Target also completely refurbished the school’s library, adding 2,000 new books, a complete technology upgrade with computers and iPads as well as new furniture, carpet and shelves. Each student also received seven new books to add to their own at-home collections.



St. Mary’s will visit Peralta and Garfield Elementary School in central Phoenix every other week this fall, distributing more nutritious, fresh food like potatoes, salad, pears, cauliflower and celery for the kids to take home to their families to incorporate into meals. The smiles on the faces of the children, parents and St. Mary’s and Target employees told the story – this was an incredible community event that will replayed again and again this fall.

Thanks to Fox 10’s Alexis Vance for the great television coverage. Thanks to the administration and staff at Peralta for being such wonderful hosts. And to Target leader and St. Mary’s Board Member Paul Magee and all the hard-working Target employees – thank you for all your hard work and we’ll see you all next time!

Click here to see Fox 10 Story:

http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news/education/school-participates-in-targets-meals-for-minds-program-10072011

2011 National Student Food Drive Video Showcase No. 1: Mountain Ridge High School

Poised to defend their NSFD crown for the fourth consecutive year, the Student Government team from Mountain Ridge High School showed their enthusiasm and determination this year when KEZ (99.9 FM) and Marty Manning visited the campus recently.
Here is Marty’s report, including interviews with the students, principal and staff from the champs: Check out the Mountain Ridge Food Drive Video Showcase at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkKbpC3l_C4&feature=youtu.be

We are almost halfway through this year’s October-long drive, hoping to top last year’s record total of 145,000 meals and give the Food Bank and big boost heading into the holiday season.

KEZ will be checking in with Marcos de Niza, Mountain Pointe and South Mountain High School during the course of the month to see what the Padres, Pride and Jaguars are up to when it comes to making Mountain Pointe sweat this year!

H.O.G's Biker Challenge: Provided 80,000 Meals

Anthem H.O.G. Chapter 2376 in Anthem wins Third Annual “Bikers Challenge” Trophy;
Will Host Post-Ride Award Ceremony and Lunch on Oct. 16 @ Buddy Stubbs Harley-Davidson
The Valley chapters of the Harley Davidson Owners Groups (H.O.G.) have just completed the third annual Biker’s Challenge Food Drive for St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance – with enough food and funds collected to provide a record 80,000 meals for the hungry of Arizona.

The total of meals collected for 2011 more than doubles the 35,000 meals collected in 2010 and raises the total number of meals collected during the three-year challenge to more than 130,000 meals.


This year’s “Biker’s Challenge” Trophy goes to H.O.G.® chapter 2376 based out of the Buddy Stubbs Harley-Davidson location in Anthem. This is the third different chapter in three years to capture the trophy, Joining Buddy Stubbs H.O.G. Chapter 93 in Phoenix in 2009 and Superstition H.O.G.® Chapter 1743 in Apache Junction in 2010.


As champions, Chapter 2476 and Buddy Stubbs/Anthem (41715 N. 41st Drive in Anthem, 85086) will also serve as the final destination of this Sunday’s Biker’s Challenge Hunger Ride, with stops at each participating Harley-Davidson locations to collect the food and funds raise for the ride to Anthem prior to a celebration lunch and award ceremony. St. Mary’s would like to thank Anthem Harley –Davidson and Hammered HOGS BBQ for donating all the food and fixings for the lunch.

Help St. Mary's Food Bank & Enjoy FREE Admission to the AZ State Fair!

The Arizona State Fair opens on Oct. 14 with a great lineup of entertainment, rides and all that delicious food! And this year, the Fair is partnering with St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance for the first of three “We Care Wednesdays” to benefit local Valley non-profits.

OK, here’s the deal: Anyone who brings a donation of three non-perishable food items (per person) to the fair on Wednesday, Oct. 19 receives FREE ADMISSION into the fair from noon to 6 p.m. The offer is good for an unlimited amount of people, but each person will need three items to receive the discount. Just look for the St. Mary’s Food Bank volunteers stationed at each of the four main entrances to the fair and exchange your donation for a voucher that can be used at the ticket trailer.

Wait, it gets better! From noon to 6 p.m. all rides and games at the fair are just two dollars. So not only can you save on admission but you can save money on all the fun as well.

So come on out on Oct. 19 and help yourself to a great deal while helping to feed Arizona’s hungry. St. Mary’s thanks the Arizona State Fair for this opportunity and encourages everyone to have fun at the fair!

Recession Officially Over, U.S. Incomes Kept Falling

In a grim sign of the enduring nature of the economic slump, household income declined more in the two years after the recession ended than it did during the recession itself, new research has found.
Source: New York times, Robert Pear, October 9, 2011
Full Story: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/10/us/recession-officially-over-us-incomes-kept-falling.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha2

We DARE You!

CVS Caremark Raises 35,000 Meals For Arizona’s Hungry!


St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance would like to thank Jim Hintzen and the crew at CVS Caremark who were able to raise $5,000 – allowing the Food Bank to distribute enough meals for 35,000 meals this year. Getting participation from all four Scottsdale locations and CVS Caremark’s Corporate approval, a Jeans Week was hosted – with employee’s donating $5 each to St. Mary’s Food Bank to be able to wear jeans to work that week. This is their third and most successful year of fundraising yet!

Lou Evers helped by coordinating volunteers and also donated a guitar signed by Hall of Fame inductee Alice Cooper. Lots of tickets were sold separately for the guitar drawing and it generated lots of interest. Gloria Ortega of St. Mary’s created a joint fundraising website which significantly helped to raise money. Mike Barro of Barro’s Pizza also generously donated pizza and wings for a volunteer appreciation/check presenting ceremony. Next year’s fundraising event is already being planned!

For Hunger Action Month, Thank You!

Thank you to everyone who took part in Hunger Action Month during September 2011!


St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance was overwhelmed and impressed with the number of people who took the “30 Ways in 30 Days” challenge to a new level and set about making a difference. The size and scope of each gift was wide, but the idea and the goal was the same: Helping our neighbors
.
We received a 55,000-meal donation from Scottsdale Bible Church, a $40,000 donation from Fry’s Food Stores, 30,000 pounds of protein from Tyson, 5,300 pounds of canned food from Flagstaff neighborhoods taking part in the “First Frost First Drive,” 2,000-plus meals from Gordon Biersch through their keg tapping party and more than 100 cans from a little girl named Catherine who walked around her block asking neighbors for help.


There were also thousands of other Arizona’s who dropped cans into a food box, made a cash donation St. Mary’s or volunteered their time and energy at one of our four locations or dozens of off-site events. On behalf of the hungry of Arizona, we are humbled and we applaud your efforts.


A big thanks from The Chew!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=QFOfgUy4NJc

Just the FACTS please!

OK, here are the FACTS.  Hunger FACTS
• Nearly 1 in 5 Arizonans lives in poverty. That is 21% of the population. This number is higher than the national average of 1 in every 6 Americans, equal to 15% of the population.

• 2 million Arizonans are considered working poor, living at or below the Federal Poverty Guideline. This is the majority of those served by the Food Bank’s EFB (Emergency Food Box) program.

• Nearly 400,000 Arizona children, about 1 in every 4, live in poverty; 37% are under the age of 5. 
• More than 574,000 low-income and children in Arizona participate in the National School Lunch Program, which provides thousands of free and reduced-price lunches.
http://www.firstfoodbank.org/

FREE FACES & BASICS Training Available

St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance’s Hunger 101AZ education programs continues to offer learning opportunities  related to the issues of  poverty, hunger, and advocacy to better understand these issues , as well as effective means to advocate for change to face these challenges in Arizona.  The training is offered at No Charge to the public.

There are still seats available  for our  Hunger 101 Faces  of Hunger (Oct 18th)  and Advocacy: The BASICS (Oct 21st) training.  These  two (2) presentations are very valuable to  have a fuller understanding  as to who are these people facing the  challenges of hunger in Arizona, why this situation exists and what  can individuals and groups due to help be part of the solution to these and related issues facing those in need in our state.
 

For more information or to register contact Ray Combe at rlcombe@firstfoodbank.org

or 602-343-3164.

Way To Go Copper Canyon High School

Copper Canyon received the first 2011 National Student Food Drive Virtual donation through St. Mary's individual high school virtual food drive pages. 

Now, let's see what the other many schools can gather in the "Virtual World" during this drive.

FIRST FROST FOOD DRIVE COLLECTS 5,300 POUNDS FOR NORTHERN ARIZONA’S HUNGRY

St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance would like to thank all those who took part in the third annual “First Frost Food Drive” on Sunday Oct. 2.

Flagstaff homeowners left more than 5,300 pounds of non-perishable food items on their doorsteps and in front of mailboxes – the most food ever collected in the three-year history of the drive! More than 70 volunteers teamed to sour the neighborhoods and make sure the food was collected and brought back to St. Mary’s to fill the hundreds of emergency food boxes distributed to northern Arizona’s hungry each month.

People in northern Arizona who still wish take part, simply bring your non-perishable food donations to the St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance Flagstaff facility (1801 W. Route 66) between 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and a St. Mary’s representative will be happy to accept your gift to help the one in four children in northern Arizona who struggle with food insecurity.

"More Than Food... Hope"

Reverse Radio-a-Thon: One Phone Call Equals A Donation from Culinary Confessions!

A food and restaurant showed called "Culinary Confessions" is celebrating its 15th anniversary this week. They are on KAZG (1440 AM) each day from 11 am to 1 p.m., and this Thursday on October 6, 2011 they will be holding a “Reverse Radio-a-Thon” to celebrate their birthday and raise money for St. Mary’s. For that two-hour time slot, they are asking people to call in, say hello and tell the hosts what food they are most grateful for. In other words, you’re favorite food. That’s it.

This is how easy it is: You call, tell them your name & your favorite food and then they say, “We’re talking to John Dough. He says hello and that she’s most grateful for Pepperoni Pizza.”
Boom. Done. $10 to St. Mary’s.

Last year, the show took 65 calls and raised $650 for United Food Bank. I think we can do better. If we light up the phone lines consistently for two hours, we can sneak in 100 calls and raise $1,000 – 7,000 meals for a few phone calls.

The phone number is (480) 668-EATS. That’s (480) 668-3287. You can start calling right at 11 a.m. If you get a busy signal, wait a few minutes and try again. You can listen to the show on 1440 AM, but don’t forget to turn down your radio if you get through and are put on hold.

ONE phone call will make a difference. Help St. Mary's Food Bank put a stop to hunger.

"All Ways You Can Help"

WAY #8:

Hold a school or community event where admission or discounts are provided when food donations are provided during attendence!

Have fun and get everyone involved to help stop hunger!

"All Ways You Can Help"

Everyone can help end hunger. Here's one way you can lend a hand: Contribute to and participate with St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance food drives. For more information, visit http://firstfoodbank.org/hunger101/

END HUNGER - CHANGE LIVES.

Help St. Mary's & Help Yourself to a FREE Treat!

Here’s a great way to help Arizona’s hungry while satisfying your sweet tooth. During the entire month of October, bring two non-perishable food items for St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance to any of three Culver’s locations and enjoy a free one-scoop dessert. There is no purchase necessary, but when you see the great menu of goodies that Culver’s has to offer, just a dessert won’t be good enough.

The offer begins on Oct. 1 and is good at the following Culver’s locations:

*825 E. Camelback Road. in Phoenix

*16145 W. Bell Rd. in Surprise

*8271 W. Ludlow Dr. in Peoria