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Campaign Wrap-Up: Share Your Results
Once your campaign activities have concluded, please take a minute to tell us about your drive. Share your results online using this Final Reporting Form. Remember that the Meals Tracking Log can help you record food or funds raised and that each donation should be accompanied by a Food Drive Contribution Form or Monetary Contribution Form (this helps us ensure that all donations are properly credited back to your organization). Please mail checks and money orders directly to the Operation Feed bank lockbox for processing rather than bringing them to the Foodbank (several local banks offer Cash and Coin Processing Resources to help streamline processing of funds generated by campaign activities). Operation Feed's Campaign Coordinator Resources web page offers additional resources to help finish your drive. See Wrapping Up - 4 Easy Steps or contact a member of the Operation Feed team with any questions. Thank you for your support!
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Kitchen Cabinet Members Roll Up Their Sleeves
Kitchen Cabinet members took a break from Operation Feed strategizing at this month's meeting to roll up their sleeves and connect with the Mid-Ohio Foodbank mission. Members volunteered to process bakery products donated by Bimbo Bakeries. This typical volunteer project included checking expiration dates and sorting baked goods into categories, which can then be ordered by food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters and other Mid-Ohio Foodbank partner agencies. 
Volunteers are critical to the Foodbank, which -- in addition to a staff of 80 employees -- benefits from the help of over 12,000 volunteers annually. This opportunity enabled members to see first-hand one of the ways the Foodbank relies on its volunteers. Giving committee members a holistic view of the organization helps them to assist Operation Feed with future initiatives. A few months ago, members toured the Salvation Army East's choice model food pantry to get a better understanding of how clients benefit from Mid-Ohio Foodbank.
Thanks, Kitchen Cabinet members for your ongoing leadership and guidance of Operation Feed! |
Foodbank President & CEO Wins Prestigious Award
Last month, Mid-Ohio Foodbank President & CEO, Matt Habash, received food banking's highest honor, the John van Hengel Fellowship. Awarded each year at the Feeding America national conference, this award recognizes excellence in leadership, local impact, national influence, commitment and entrepreneurial spirit in the area of hunger relief.
Established in 2002, the award honors John van Hengel, who started the food bank concept in the late 1960s in Phoenix, Arizona. A retired businessman, van Hengel volunteered at a local soup kitchen, where he solicited donations of food products that might otherwise have gone to waste. Soon he was generating more food than the soup kitchen could handle. He decided to set up a warehouse to store the donated products and distribute them to local charities, and the first food bank was born. |
Mid-Ohio Foodbank Hosts National Produce Summit
In 2010, Feeding America distributed 3.3 billion pounds of food and grocery products to hungry people through its 202 food banks. 15.3 percent, or 507 million pounds, distributed consisted of fresh produce. Feeding America approached Mid-Ohio Foodbank President & CEO, Matt Habash, to help develop a strategy to procure and distribute one billion additional pounds of fresh produce annually for the next five years. About three to six billion pounds of fresh produce goes to waste each year in the U.S., plowed under and not sold in the marketplace. This initiative aims to acquire surplus produce, taking it from the fields and putting it into the hands of those in need.
Mid-Ohio Foodbank partnered with Feeding America to host Fresh Produce: An Appreciative Inquiry Gathering at its Grove City facility from May 2-5. 206 representatives of various industries from across the country attended - including food banks, logistics and transportation companies, farms, government agencies, academic and research sectors, and other stakeholders - offering a cross-section of the system needed to work toward its goal.
The three-day appreciative inquiry summit, entitled Back to Our Roots, focused on positivity, creativity and collaboration, looking at people's strengths to inspire action. Groups worked together to determine how to effectively accomplish their goal, from procurement and distribution to extending produce life and nutrition education. Produce needs to be handled differently, but they aimed to turn these challenges into opportunities. People left the summit passionate about its cause, and several groups have already begun putting goals into action.
Increasing the availability of fresh produce will provide healthy food options for clients, contributing not only to the fight against hunger but to other issues, including diabetes and childhood obesity, as well. |
RECIPE FOR SUCCESS: Germain Dealerships
Each month, the Germain team shares lunch with its associates at Germain Lexus of Dublin, Germain Lexus of Easton, Germain Nissan, and Germain Ford as a way to engage dealership employees. "Lunch with Libby" is an opportunity for the leadership team to serve lunch to and get to know the associates at each dealership.
When approached by a member of the Kitchen Cabinet's Strategic Recruiting and Retention team about getting
involved with Operation Feed, Germain decided to add
a new twist to its initiative. In May, Lunch with Libby also involved a food drive competition between the dealerships.
"Each dealership was asked to pay it forward," said Libby Germain. The associates filled boxes with non-perishable
food items, which would then be donated to Operation Feed. The dealership with the most food raised would be the
winner of the competition.
In its first year involved with Operation Feed, Germain raised 9,700 pounds of food through its Lunch with Libby competition. The Germain team decided to purchase 300 more pounds, which totals its contribution to 10,000 pounds!
Congratulations to Germain Lexus of Dublin for winning this competition; kudos to the Kitchen Cabinet for a very successful recruitment effort; and special thanks to all of the Germain dealerships for helping Operation Feed fight hunger in our community! |
SHELF LIFE: Good Samaritan Food Pantry of West Jefferson
Every Wednesday afternoon and Saturday morning, a line forms as people wait for Good Samaritan Food Pantry of West Jefferson to open its doors. Good Samaritan was founded in 1995, when its founder saw a need to help the hungry in West Jefferson who were going to pantries outside the area to get food. Serving West Jefferson, Galloway, Southern Franklin County and Canaan Park in Plain City, Good Samaritan provides food for about 300 people each week, which mainly includes seniors, handicapped and working poor. Good Samaritan receives about 80 percent of its food from Mid-Ohio Foodbank, and the rest is obtained through donations from local grocers, schools, postal offices, restaurants, businesses, churches and lodges.
 To receive food, individuals need to present photo ID and a piece of mail with a local address. If individuals are homeless, evicted or from outside the area, Good Samaritan will feed them, and then provide information on where they can get help. Volunteer teams deliver food to shut-ins. The pantry also provides diapers, paper products, hygiene items, and Ensure or Glucerna to those who need them. In November, Good Samaritan provides Thanksgiving dinners to clients. In 2010, donations supplied 225 families with a holiday meal to cook at home, including turkey and the trimmings.
The volunteers at Good Samaritan Food Pantry are honored to provide assistance for people at a time when they cannot make ends meet. Susan Maggard, Good Samaritan Food Pantry Director, describes the relationships between its volunteers and clients as a "big family." Those who come to the pantry receive more than food; volunteers often give hugs, sing "Happy Birthday" or offer to pray with clients.
Good Samaritan Food Pantry is located in the basement of West Jefferson United Methodist Church at 36 South Center Street, West Jefferson. The pantry is open on Wednesdays from 2-3 p.m. and Saturdays from 10-11 a.m. For more information about Good Samaritan Food Pantry programs or volunteering, contact Pauline Cullman at 614-879-8976. |
Support Operation Feed This Spring
"About Hunger & Resilience" Art Exhibit (May 17-27)  See the faces of domestic hunger and listen to the stories of 50 individuals as they struggled to find words to describe their personal experiences with hunger. Artist Michael Nye uses captivating photographs and audio recordings to tell the story of hunger in America in his powerful art exhibit, About Hunger & Resilience, sponsored by Nationwide Insurance. Nye spent four and a half years traveling the country, listening to and learning from these individuals. With this exhibit, Nye gives a voice to the people who are often the least heard and most forgotten in the community. Groups may view the exhibit on the second floor of Three Nationwide Plaza from May 17-27 (Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.). Operation Feed campaigns can utilize About Hunger & Resilience to educate members of their organizations about the need for hunger relief in our community and around the country. To make an appointment, please call (614) 249-6729 or email kachurk@nationwide.com. For more information about artist Michael Nye and his exhibit, visit www.michaelnye.org/hunger.
FOODFIGHT "Eat Out To Fight Hunger" (June 21)  Now in its third year, Foodfight--eat out to fight hunger is set for June 21. Mark you calendar! Each spring, the Central Ohio Restaurant Association organizes a group of member restaurants that generously volunteer to dedicate a portion of one day's sales to feeding people in need. Guests can choose a participating restaurant and enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner on June 21, with 5% of the check benefiting Operation Feed. Last year's Foodfight was a huge success, with over 40,000 meals raised in just one day. Exciting developments -- including a new, interactive www.foodfighthunger.org web site -- are in the works for Foodfight2011, so stay tuned for updates!
Kowalski Chiropractic Chair Massage Fundraiser (Ongoing)  Kowalski Chiropractic offers a unique way to help your campaign raise meals! They'll send therapists to your organization for chair massage sessions which you can "sell" to associates to benefit Operation Feed. Massage rates are $1 per minute. One therapist can raise $60 per hour; in four hours, two Licensed Massage Therapists can raise $480! Limit 1 visit per organization; 2 hour minimum. Each massage lasts 10 - 20 minutes. Therapists handle no money. Sign-up and collection of charges is coordinated by participating organization. For more information or to schedule, contact Jonny Lifeson, LMT, at kowalskichiro@gmail.com or visit www.kowalskichiropractic.com.
MyCuteJewels Promotion (Ongoing)  MyCuteJewels wants to do its part to fight hunger. Visit www.MyCuteJewels.com and 10% of your total purchase will be donated to Mid-Ohio Foodbank's Operation Feed campaign. This special promotion runs through June! Perfect for gifts or special occasions, help feed the hungry while getting something nice. It is a win win. Enter coupon code "MOFBFeedsOhio10" at checkout.
Additional Events and Promotions To learn about upcoming events and promotions, you can always visit the Foodbank's Events page at www.midohiofoodbank.org/news-events/events.
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Key Campaign Dates
- Ongoing Workplace/Organizational Campaigns - March-June
- Central Ohio Restaurant Assn.'s FOODFIGHT--eat out to fight hunger - Tuesday, June 21
- Official End of the Campaign - Thursday, June 30
- Campaign Finale - TBA (August/September)
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Next Steps
- Share your campaign results with Operation Feed.
- Explore using the Virtual Food Drive to bolster your drive.
- Don't forget to photograph activities for the photo contest.
- Schedule a visit to the "Hunger and Resilience" exhibit.
- Help us promote the community-wide FOODFIGHT 2011"eat out to fight hunger" event with members of your organization -- stay tuned for more info.
- Put us in touch with the person who updates your organization's Facebook page.
- Talk about Operation Feed with your friends, colleagues, neighbors ... and encourage them to get involved.
- Rally your associates for an outstanding 2011 Campaign!
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