Councilman Daniel Valenzuela leads Food Drive to benefit St. Mary’s

St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance would like to thank Phoenix City Councilman Daniel Valenzuela (District 5) for conducting a holiday food drive to benefit the hungry of Phoenix.

Valenzuela and his fellow community organizers canvassed neighborhoods in his district on Saturday, Dec. 17 and those efforts resulted in a donation of 1,612 pounds of food that can be used immediately in St. Mary’s emergency food Box programs.

Thank you Councilman Valenzuela for your efforts on behalf of the hungry in your community!

Cleveland Indians Pitcher Vinnie Pestano Helps Hungry at Knight Center

St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance would like to thank Vinnie Pestano and Ryan Lantz of the Cleveland Indians for donating their time to help the hungry of Arizona this week at our Knight Services Center.

 Pestano, who made his major league debut in September and is now a resident of Goodyear, spent more than three hours carrying emergency food boxes, signing autographs and posed for pictures, with volunteers, donors and staff. Vinnie said he had a great time and he’ll be back – hopefully with a few teammates to help out.

Thank you very much for your time Ryan and good luck next season Vinnie. Go Tribe

Best Western International Donates nearly 4,000 meals During Food and Fund Drive

St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance would like to thank the Employees Activity Committee of Best Western International for their efforts in a recent food and funds drive to benefit Arizona’s hungry.
The drive, which began in November and ran through mid-December, engaged employees by promoting drawings to win AMC Movie Gift Cards and 2-night free stays at any Best Western hotel. Employees were also allowed to redeem their Best Western Reward points towards gift cards to donate towards the food drive.

In the end, the drive raised 1,206 pounds of food and when combined with funds will allow St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance to distribute 3,971 meals to those in need this holiday season. Corinna Friday, Employee Activities Committee Chair for Best Western International Beardsley Operations Center and Jerry Hutchison, Senior Facilities Representative presented Jerry Brown of St. Mary’s with the drive proceeds.
Thank you Best Western!

The Holiday Spirit!

Fry’s Donates More Than 500,000 Meals With Special Holiday Gift To St. Mary’s

St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance had some very special visitors on Monday – Fry’s Food Stores President Jon Flora and more than two dozen volunteers from Fry’s who helped pack emergency food boxes and carry them out to the cars for hundreds of families at our Knight Client Service Center.

Those volunteers also joined Mr. Flora in a special presentation to St. Mary’s President and CEO Terry Shannon – a donation of $50,000 and an additional $25,000 worth of much-needed food items for the 1.4 million Arizonans and one in four children who are requesting assistance this holiday season. All told, that’s enough to allow St. Mary’s to distribute more than a half million meals to Arizona’s hungry.
It was just the latest in a consistent, strong show of support from Fry’s – which has now donated enough food and funds for more than 900,000 meals this year – not to mention two million-plus pounds of product donated daily through the Food Rescue Program.
Fry’s volunteers also handed out gift cards to 20 families receiving assistance on Monday, just make the holidays a little brighter. It was incredible to have so many Santa-capped, smiling faces add a special energy to the Food Bank.

Special thanks to Mr. Flora, public relations leaders Joellen Lynn and Pam Giannonatti and Zone 1 Operations Supervisor and St. Mary’s Board of Directors member Nicki Schillhahn-Amos for all their assistance – not just today, but every day – to the World’s First Food Bank.

Local Vintage Chevy Club Collects More Than 10,000 Meals For Arizona’s Hungry

St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance would like to thank the Vintage Chevrolet Club of America’s Central Arizona Chapter for their donation of $1,500 and 76 pounds of food to Arizona’s hungry on Dec. 15. Each year, the club hold two swap meets of car parts and other item at Glendale Community College, with some of the proceeds benefitting St. Mary’s.

Over the past two years, the club has donated enough food and funds to help the food bank distribute more than 17,500 meals to the one in four Arizona children who don’t know when or where their next meal will come. And we always look forward to the club members bringing their cars down to the food bank to show off their great restorations.
A big thank you to Diane Adams Club Editor, Sandy Bruyn Club Secretary, Ed Behie Club Director and Linda Behie, and Don Adams Board Members as well as all the club members for this great donation. We hope to see you all again next year. Until then: Keep on rollin!
Photos: Left to Right: Jerry Brown, Linda Behie, Don Adams, Ed Behie, Sandy Bruyn, Diane Adams

Volunteer ... TRY IT ...You'll like it.
Volunteering Details at: http://www.firstfoodbank.org/volunteer.html

Mrs. Claus for a CAUSE

beCAUSE Hunger doesn't go on a Holiday.

Listen to the Lady at: http://youtu.be/G_1VqBgIkuw

“Cadena de Gente Buena” - Univision Channel 33 Encourages Support for St. Mary’s

Univision Channel 33 Encourages Viewers to Support St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance by Paying it Forward.
From Dec. 5-10, St. Mary’s was the subject of a Cadena de Gente Buena (Chain of Good People / Pay it Forward) campaign sponsored by Univision 33 Phoenix.

The campaign included a series of stories on the World’s First Food Bank’s history, its role in the community and client success stories as well as public service announcements that encouraged viewers to support St. Mary’s. Univision also sponsored a five-hour phone bank offering opportunities for viewers to learn more about St. Mary’s services or support the Food Bank by donating time, food and money.
Goodwill stores of Arizona participated as a drop-off site for non-perishable food donations during Cadena de Gente Buena.
As part of the campaign, Univision TV and radio talent also stepped away the anchor desk and microphones to roll up their sleeves, spending the morning of Dec. 9 at the St. Mary’s Knight Services Center, and the morning of Dec. 10 distributing food at Abundant Life Center -- a St. Mary’s partner agency.]

To view the rest of the stories visit http://univisionarizona.univision.com  Keyword:  Cadena de Gente Buena

Thank you Univision 33 for your continued support through what will hope will become an annual event.

THANK YOU AAM HOA Management Company

St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance would like to thank Tempe-base AAM HOA Management Company for the record-setting virtual food drive on behalf of the world’s first food bank.

Amanda Shaw (President), Ercell Sherman (Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer) and Susan Williams (Vice President of Business Development and Marketing) presented St. Mary’s Chief Communications Officer Sarah Stuckey... with a check for $28,270 at a morning press conference – which included a special $5,000 donation from the AAM company.
More than $23,000 was raised through a company virtual food drive, with employees making online donations to purchase individual items for the food bank. AAM set a goal of $6,000 for the drive, but the generosity of those taking part resulted in nearly four time that amount ultimately raised.
For each dollar donated, St. Mary’s Food Bank can distribute enough food to provide seven meals in the community. That means the total donation from AAM will result in almost 200,000 meals for the hungry of Arizona – a truly special gift, especially at this time of year.

On behalf of the thousands who will benefit from this outpouring of generosity, St. Mary’s thanks AAM and everyone who took part in this event.

Pictured in check presentation photo: Amanda Shaw, AAM President; Sarah Stuckey, St. Mary’s Chief Communications Officer; Ercell Sherman, AAM Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer; Susan Williams, Vice President of Business Development and Marketing; Christina Calio, St. Mary’s Food Bank Development Officer.

Food Bank web site: http://www.firstfoodbank.org/

2011 Arizona Civic Health Index

The Index is the leading gauge of how Americans participate in civic life, how they connect to one another and to their communities. Find out more about the civic health of Arizona and how our state compares to the nation.

FREE Download report at: 

http://www.thearizonawewant.org/reports/chi2011.php

ARIZONA - 3rd in U.S.

for people in their 50s at risk of hunger
Arizona ranks third nationally for 50- to 59-year-olds at risk of hunger, with roughly 12 percent of people in this age group experiencing what is known as food insecurity, according to a report released in August by AARP.
Full story at: http://www.yumasun.com/news/food-73925-people-50s.html

2011 National Student Food Drive Awards

The 2011 National Student Food Drive was capped with an awards presentation on Saturday Dec. 10 at the Minnesota Wild/Phoenix Coyotes game at Jobing.com Arena.
The five-time champions from Mountain Ridge High School, runners-up from Sandra Day O’Connor High School and third-place team from Tempe Compadre High School were honored during the first intermission, and the Mountain Lions were awarded the John Van Hengel Memorial Cup by St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance president and CEO Terry Shannon and KEZ 99.9 FM reporter and Food Bank friend Marty Manning.

Congratulations to all the high schools who combined to collect over 145,000 meals for Arizona’s hungry and we hope even more schools will take part in 2012.

Currently, 1 in 4 children, 1 in 5 Arizonans, and 1 in 7 seniors in Arizona live with the threat of hunger.

YOU can help solve this problem.













Learn how at: www.firstfoodbank.org

Just a thought,
actually FOOD for thought...

actually food needed for thoughts

.

Hunger Hurts! You can help stop the Hurt

To learn more about how you can help, visit: http://www.firstfoodbank.org

Grand Tennis Club Raises More Than 42,000 Meals for the Hungry

of Surprise During 2011 Shine in the Sun Senior Tennis Tournament

Shine in the Sun Senior Tennis Tournament Co-Chairs Cheryl Bush and Vivian McCurdy joined members of Grand Tennis Club and representatives of US Bank to present a check for $6,022 to Elizabeth Wilkinson of St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance at the Food Bank’s Surprise facility.
The tournament was held Nov. 9-13 and attracted 175 participants this year. The tournament was an all-volunteer event and with the help of US Bank, $6,022 and more than 300 pounds of food was raised for the hungry of the West Valley. St. Mary’s can turn every donated dollar into enough food to distribute to seven people, so this year’s tournament raised more than 42,400 meals for the one in four children dealing with hunger issues in our state.

St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance thanks Cheryl, Vivian, Ellen Bedwell, everyone at the Grand Tennis Club and US Bank for a great tournament and a great donation that is very much needed and appreciated.

With a LOTTA HELP from our Friends

St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance Distributes Holiday Food to More Than 100,000 Neighbors For Thanksgiving


St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance would like to thank the thousands of people from around the Valley, the state of Arizona and the world for their generous donations of food, time and funds, which allowed the world’s first food bank to embark on its largest. (We say “the world” because we received a $500 donation from the United States Embassy in Bagdad, Iraq with a direction to purchase turkeys to help reach our goal!)

Because of you – because you took the time to help your neighbors and make this holiday even more special for others – St. Mary’s Food Bank can report the following totals from the week-long holiday food box distribution:

*    Statewide, more than 16,000 holiday food boxes, each containing a turkey and approximately 10 pounds of produce in addition to the normal non-perishable emergency food box. That total includes the 7,000 turkeys and holiday food boxes and the 70,000 pounds of produce distributed on Nov. 22 at the Arizona State Fairgrounds – the single-largest distribution day in the 44-year history of the Food Bank.

*   Statewide, an estimated 112,000 people were recipients of the holiday food distribution. This total is more than double the record 50,000 people estimated to be served during Thanksgiving week of 2010 – which at the time was a new record for the Food Bank. These numbers show how the need for emergency food continues to rise. This is a number St. Mary’s could not fathom reaching without the incredible public, and civic support of Arizonans who deem one in four children going hungry in our state to be unacceptable.

St. Mary’s anticipates the need for the December holiday season to also eclipse last year’s numbers. For families that will have little to nothing under the tree this year, the ability to gather at the table for a meal becomes even more important. Make your holiday season even more special by sharing your bounty with others.

Visit www.firstfoodbank.org or call (602) 242-FOOD (3663) to donate food, time and funds can help make this season better for those who need a helping hand.

Checlk out this day-in-the-life of 100,000 people dealign with HUNGER:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEHT5FIDZkE&feature=youtu.be

: