News from the Great Plains Food Bank                                                          December 2010

   A program of Lutheran Social Services of ND
Elk Reduction Provides Protein
Steve 2nd TryNearly 4,500 pounds of elk meat has been donated by Sportsmen Against Hunger, and will be distributed through the Great Plains Food Bank to 263 partner agencies in North Dakota and Clay County, Minnesota.  The elk meat donation is a result of herd thinning at Theodore Roosevelt National Park.  GPFB Director Steve Sellent is shown above with processed elk meat that has been frozen and delivered to the GPFB warehouse in Fargo.  The funds to process the elk were donated by the ND Department of Commerce - Division of Community Services and provides an excellent source of protein for those seeking support at our partner network of food pantries, soup kitchens and emergency feeding sites.
Pantry Reaches Out to Community
The Walsh County Food Pantry was recently recognized as a spotlight pantry within the Great Plains Food Bank agency system.  Beverly Dolan and her team have involved the community of Grafton in their efforts to reach hungry neighbors in their area by actively recruiting volunteers and reaching out to those who might need help by working with clergy, city and police employees.  The volunteers give out one or two weeks worth of meals to each person requesting help.  Click here to learn more about Walsh County Food Pantry and our other spotlight agencies.
Congress Passes Child Nutrition Bill
On December 2, by a vote of 264 to 157, the House passed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. The bill was signed into law by President Obama on December 13.  Passage of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act is a victory for everyone-especially America's hungry children. And it couldn't have happened without the Great Plains Food Bank's hunger-relief advocates as well as advocates across the nation.  To learn more click here.
Stars Step in to Raise Awareness

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Economic Research Service reported that more than 50 million Americans, including 17 million children, live in hunger.  Click here to review Hunger in America:  North Dakota's Reality. To raise national awareness about the growing problem of hunger, Feeding America, of which the Great Plains Food Bank is a member, and the Ad Council recently launched a new series of national public service advertisements (PSAs) featuring Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and other actors, designed to motivate Americans to get involved in the fight against hunger. To view these announcements please click here.
In This Issue
Thinning Herds Help Neighbors
Joining Together to End Hunger
Power of Advocacy
Celebrity Council Reaches Out
 
Merry Christmas 
As we reflect on the past year, we are so grateful to have worked with you in the
fight to end hunger and feed hope.  Together we are creating
hunger-free communities
in North Dakota and
Clay County Minnesota.

 
 Congratulations to the
Fill the Dome team for once again rallying the community to help feed their hungry
neighbors in need!  Over
97 tons and $75,000 were raised by these committed young students. The
Great Plains Food Bank and members of the Cass Clay Hunger Coalition are grateful for their enthusiasm in addressing the solvable
 problem of hunger.
                
               
The Great Plains Food Bank strives to create hunger-free communities by recovering and distributing surplus food, engaging in community partnerships and advocating for social change.  The Food Bank is a program of Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota and a member of Feeding America.