News
- LAZY DOG RESTAURANT & BAR Raises $15,180 for The Foodbank
Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar, a leader in the upscale casual dining sector, has made a matching gift to the proceeds generated during their 2012 holiday gift card fundraiser for The Foodbank of Southern California. With Lazy Dog’s $15,180 total donation, The Foodbank will be able to serve the equivalent of more than one million meals to hungry citizens in the area to further their mission of providing basic sustenance and proper nutrition to those in need. The fundraiser allowed customers to not only share the gift of a Lazy Dog meal with friends and family, but also extend that giving spirit to provide a warm meal to those who need it the most.
For more information go to www.lazydogrestaurants.com.
- Foodbank Receives Highest Award in 2011 Feinstein Challenge
The Foodbank of Southern California received the highest award in California and 9th in the Nation for the Feinstein Challenge to Fight Hunger. The Feinstein $1 million award was split among nearly 2,000 participating food providers from across the county. The Foodbank was awarded $10,395.74 for the substantial donations of cash, checks and food items, obtained from March 1 to April 30, 2011. A huge thank you is extended to our constituency of loyal donors for making this matching gift possible.
For more information go to www.feinsteinfoundation.org.
- Long Beach Harvest Festival
The Foodbank of Southern California is partnering with Harvest Festival Original Art and Craft to help community outreach efforts to feed hungry people in the community. The Long Beach Harvest Festival will be held September 23-35, 2011 at the Long Beach Convention Center (Hours: Fri/Sat: 10am-6pm; Sun 10am-5pm). Patrons who bring nonperishable food items for donations will receive a $2 discount off admission.
The Harvest Festival fields the finest in arts & crafts, entertainment, and specialty foods. It is revered as the west coast’s largest and finest craft show with over 24,000 handmade items from artists throughout North America. With entertainment and tantalizing gourmet foods, the festival atmosphere makes exploring the exhibits an exciting day of discovery.
For more information go to http://www.harvestfestival.com/visitors/shows/longbeach/index.aspx.
- USDA Announces School Meal Changes for Health and National Security
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is taking comments on its proposal to make school meals healthier. Click here to see USDA’s current video on this issue.
- RT Booklovers Convention Giant Book and Food Drive
The Foodbank of Southern California is honored to be the recipient of the upcoming RT Booklovers Convention Food Drive. The RT Booklovers Convention will take place April 6-10, 2011 at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites in Los Angeles. On Saturday, April 9th, from 11 am to 2 pm, at the giant book fair, The Foodbank will place empty barrels outside the entrance for donations. For more information about the RT Booklovers Convention go to www.rtconvention.com.
- The Foodbank of Southern California named “6th Best Charity in America” by Mainstreet.com
The Foodbank of Southern California was honored to be listed among the top 20 charities in the nation by MainStreet.com. The list was created for “Anyone who chooses to use their hard-earned money to help others.”
- Foodbank Partners with Modern House Call for 2010 Women’s Conference
The Foodbank of Southern California is pleased to be a partner in the upcoming Modern House Call Event; an add-on to the 2010 Women’s Conference sponsored by First Lady of California, Maria Shriver. The Modern House Call Event is a comprehensive health, wellness, and financial services clinic available at no charge to uninsured, underinsured, and unemployed women. The holistic event will include educational exhibits and counseling services provided by non-profit organizations and government agencies to encourage healthy lifestyles and preventive care. The Foodbank of Southern California will be preparing 3,000 bags of nutritious foods; including health and beauty products for event participants. To volunteer with The Foodbank for this effort call 562.435.3577.
The Women’s Conference attracts more than 35,000 women to its annual event, in which participants from diverse backgrounds are “educated, inspired, and empowered” to create change in their local and global communities. In attendance will also be First Lady Michelle Obama; Oprah Winfrey; and judges, Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The Women’s Conference is scheduled for Friday, October 22, 9am-7pm; Saturday, October 23, 7am-5pm; and Sunday, October 24, 7am-5pm. The location is The Walter Pyramid at California State University at Long Beach.
For more information about the Modern House Call Event go to www.themodernhousecall.com. For more information about the Women’s Conference go to www.womensconference.org.
- United Cambodian Community Award Recipient
The Foodbank was honored by the United Cambodian Community in recognition of its dedicated service to the affairs of the community and for demonstrating civic pride by assisting in building bridges with refugee communities. At the award ceremony, certificates of Commendation and Recognition, were presented to The Foodbank from Don Knabe, Supervisor, Fourth District; Jenny Oropeza, Senator, 28th District; Bob Foster, Long Beach Mayor; Bonnie Lowenthal, Assemblymember; and Alan Lowenthal, Senator.
- Crystal Vision Award and Certificate of Recognition
Bonnie Lowenthal, California State Assembly Member, 54th District, presented a Certificate of Recognition to The Foodbank of Southern California in response to their receiving a Crystal Vision Award from the Employees Community Fund of Boeing California. The Foodbank was honored for their excellence in community service in Southern California. Boeing’s Crystal Vision Award is making it possible for The Foodbank to connect restaurants, caterers and other food service providers with nonprofit food distribution centers to deliver their “leftovers” to those in need.
- For A Good Cause
Residents of Long Beach help people all year through a variety of activities. Listed below are the results of some projects, as well as more opportunities to reach out to others. The Wells Fargo Foundation has donated $10,000 to the Foodbank of Southern California, which has seen a 42% increase in need for its services since last year. The Foodbank is the primary food provider to more than 700 community-based organizations through the Southland including Long Beach.
- Restaurants, food banks team up as need grows
John Knapp, president of the Food Bank of Southern California, is frustrated by both the growing ranks of hungry families that need his organization’s services and the tons of prepared restaurant foods regularly sent to landfills instead of the needy. As the lingering recession continues to take its toll, demand for the food bank’s services were up more than 40 percent in June from a year ago, he said, noting that those who don’t know where their next meal is coming from include more middle-class families, single mothers and seniors. But many operators, who in California throw out an estimated 1.5 million tons of prepared food annually, according to the Integrated Waste Management Board, are not stepping up to the plate, Knapp said.
- States passing laws to assist food pantries
As pantries across the nation face increasing demands for help, a growing number of states have enacted or are considering laws to make it easier for restaurants to donate leftover food to charities….Many of the new laws are designed to add extra liability protection for food donors.
A California bill aims to ease communication between food banks and restaurants willing to donate. The bill would establish a database containing the contact information of food outlets interested in donating their leftovers, making it easier for food banks to contact them. The bill is in committee and awaiting its first hearing, according to the Legislature’s website. State Sen. Jenny Oropeza, a Democrat, introduced the bill and also sponsored a similar one in 2008. That bill failed, but the recession motivated Oropeza to try again. “There simply is too much perfectly good food being wasted in California,” Oropeza says. “Sadly, too many people are struggling financially and going to bed hungry.”
John Knapp, president of the Food Bank of Southern California, says: “In an ideal world, this bill would have passed three decades ago. It’s a moral imperative that we donate food.”
- Food bank president hopes inaugural address mentions Hunger
Many charities are straining to keep up with increasing number of people who need help feeding themselves and their families. KPCC’s Debra Baer reports that the head of one of the region’s largest food banks harbors high hopes for tomorrow’s inaugural address.
- Foodbank Feeds Los Angeles County
The nonprofit provides food to more than 600 churches, shelters, senior centers, soup kitchens and other organizations, distributing about 1.3 million meals each week. It is aided by the Los Angeles Times Family Fund.
Feinstein Challenge to End Hunger
For the 12th consecutive year, The Foodbank is participating in the Alan Shawn Feinstein Challenge to Fight Hunger. The Feinstein Foundation will award $1 million to anti-hunger agencies nationwide based on funds raised for the challenge between March 1 and April 30. Last year The Foodbank received $11,108 in matching funds. We hope that you will partner with us in this challenge by making a philanthropic donation to The Foodbank by April 30.
Here are just a few critical issues our community is experiencing:
• Rising food prices, high unemployment and underemployment are all contributing to high food hardship.
• For many low-income households, the lack of money simultaneously contributes to both hunger and obesity. Healthy foods can be expensive, and impoverished people find it difficult to purchase foods for healthier diets, often relying on cheaper, high calorie foods to stave off hunger. Unfortunately, maximizing caloric intake for each dollar spent, often leads to consuming more calories and less healthful diets.
• The Foodbank is experiencing a steady demand for services due to the number of Los Angelinos living in poverty. As of December 2012 there were still 494,000 unemployed people in the County, who need healthy, nutritious food for their families.
The Foodbank’s primary goal is to prevent and alleviate the damage persistent hunger inflicts by providing access to healthy food choices. With your support our supplemental feeding program helps a child’s capacity to learn and perform in school, advances healthy aging and facilitates independent living for seniors, and lessens the daily burden of the working poor to choose between paying for food and other necessities such as utilities, housing, or medical care.
Your support will bring hope, joy, and life to those in need by fulfilling the basic human right and need for nutritional food. One-time and recurring donations to The Foodbank can be made in a variety of ways: click the DONATE NOW button on the website, mail a check to 1444 San Francisco Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90813, or call us at (562) 435-3577.
Thank you for considering the gift of life.
RYDER Fall Food Drive and 25% Truck Rental Discount Coupon
Ryder Commercial Rental will be collecting canned foods and dry goods for the entire month of November. When you donate a non-perishable item for the hungry, at any Ryder location, Ryder will give you 25% off your next rental.
See this flyer for more information Ryder Food Drive and Discount Coupon.
