Cutoff Date for 2011 Operation Feed Contributions: July 31
It's been another great year for Operation Feed. Each day, our team is impressed and humbled by the energy and creativity displayed through your activities. As the campaign begins to wind down, we are very excited to assess the success of this year's effort. Over the next few weeks, the team will be working to wrap up the 2011 drive and calculate campaign results.
To help us prepare for a late-August campaign finale, we ask that food and financial donations be submitted by July 31st. All organizations reporting by this date will be eligible for campaign awards and the Benchmark campaign designation (see below for additional information).
If you haven't already, please take a moment to share your results using this online form: www.surveymonkey.com/s/OpFeedResults. If your group plans to raise meals past July 31st, please contact Joan Lloyd at jlloyd@midohiofoodbank.org or 614-317-9410 to discuss your contribution. Many thanks for your ongoing support! |
Share Your Feedback, Help Strengthen Operation Feed
Your partnership with Mid-Ohio Foodbank is the essential component of Operation Feed's ability to provide food for thousands of local families in need. As the 2011 drive winds down, your input is requested. We value your campaign expertise, and your feedback will help us provide tools and support to make coordination efforts as convenient and effective as possible.
Please take a few minutes to tell us about your experience. Just visit www.surveymonkey.com/s/EvaluateOpFeed to access an online evaluation. Responses are anonymous and should require approximately 10 minutes to submit. Thanks in advance for your comments. |
Awards for Outstanding Campaigns -- Descriptions and Criteria
Each year, Operation Feed recognizes the accomplishments of a select group of outstanding campaigns across several categories, including: - MOST MEALS RAISED PER CAPITA For organizations with a current employee or member count on file, this award is presented to an organization with 1 - 249 associates, another organization with 250 - 999 associates, and a third organization with 1000+ associates.
- LARGEST PERCENTAGE INCREASE For returning organizations, this award also goes to three differently-sized organizations: 1 - 249 associates, 250 - 999 associates, and 1000+ associates.
- AWARD OF EXCELLENCE This award is presented to a company that meets two of three criteria: a 40% increase over the previous year, a 25,000 meal increase, and at least 50 meals per capita.
- OUTSTANDING NEW CAMPAIGN With a special focus on recruiting new organizations to participate in Operation Feed, this award recognizes a campaign showing great ingenuity, creativity, and effectiveness in implementing its first-year meal raising strategies.
- OUTSTANDING VIRTUAL FOOD DRIVE This award recognizes the organization that makes best use of the online Virtual Food Drive tool to involve friends and family in raising meals for Operation Feed.
- COMMUNITY PARTNER AWARD Community partnerships are critical to the success of Operation Feed and each year one outstanding partnership will be recognized.
- DIRECTOR'S CHOICE AWARD This award is selected by Operation Feed staff and is used to recognize exceptional campaign achievements.
- BENCHMARK CAMPAIGN DESIGNATION Benchmark level contributors are recognized for successfully reaching goals suggested by Program staff, based on average Operation Feed campaign meals raised per capita.
Be sure to submit results by July 31 to be eligible for this year's awards. We look forward to announcing 2011 outstanding campaigns at the campaign finale event planned for late August. Learn more about the organizations recognized in 2010 by visiting www.midohiofoodbank.org/act/operation-feed/2010. |
RECIPE FOR SUCCESS: K.D. Yoder & Associates
 K.D. Yoder & Associates recently took a stand against hunger in its annual Operation Feed campaign. K.D. Yoder provides Columbus with exterior home remodeling and new construction services - such as siding, window and door installation - and with a full time staff of just five people, an Operation Feed campaign raising over 3,000 meals is an incredible feat!
Even with such a successful end result, there were still bumps along the way and the campaign was slow to start. "We had three people show up for the euchre tournament, and I was a little disheartened," Campaign Coordinator Tammy Spring said. When the road got tough during the campaign, she proceeded to consult with other coordinators she had met in the coordinator training sessions to ask for their suggestions and support. After seeking the advice of her Operation Feed peers, she made a tactical change and focused mainly on the large cookout for their finale event.
After changing the approach, she reached out to K.D. Yoder's vendors, distributors and clients, inviting them to participate in the cookout by making donations. The vendors and distributors provided food for the cookout, prizes for drawings or a monetary contribution. In exchange for a donation, K.D. Yoder & Associates gave free advertising through their newsletter, website and Twitter, in addition to highlighting contributors during the cookout itself. Advertising fueled competition among the vendors and further propelled success of the event by enhancing the prize baskets, which in turn sold more raffle tickets and led to more money for the campaign.
"The cook-out just fell into place. And the Universe blessed us with some wonderful weather," said Tammy about the success of the cookout. K.D. Yoder & Associates has shown that a small organization can raise just as many meals as an organization three times its size. Congratulations to the team for a wonderful contribution to Operation Feed! |
Photo Contest Deadline Extended to August 1
 It's time to round up your photo for our 2011 contest. To give everyone a chance to participate, the deadline has been extended. All photo entries must be received by Monday, August 1, 2011.
Submissions will be posted to the Foodbank's Facebook page and fans will have the opportunity to "like" their favorites. Winners will be announced at the Campaign Finale event and will be used in Operation Feed 2012 marketing materials. For contest details, visit www.midohiofoodbank.org/photo-contest. |
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Reminder: Wrapping Up Your Campaign
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 bring them to the Foodbank (several local banks offer Cash and Coin Processing Resources to help streamline processing of funds generated by campaign activities). All of these forms are available on Operation Feed's Campaign Coordinator Resources web page, along with 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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SHELF LIFE: The PCMA Food Pantry of Pickerington
Over the last decade, the city of Pickerington, a southeast Columbus suburb, has almost doubled in population. As the only resource of its kind in the area, the Pickerington Christian Ministerial Association (PCMA) Food Pantry has the daunting task of serving this rapidly growing community, and the need has grown at an astounding rate.
The PCMA Food Pantry became affiliated with Mid-Ohio Foodbank just last year, and perhaps not a moment too soon. "Just comparing the first quarter of 2010 to 2011, we had a 31% increase in the amount of food and resources we distributed," said Program Director Dianna Kassouf. She conservatively estimates that the program prepared and gave out over 87,000 meals last year. 
The program began as a church outreach ministry 20 years ago, expanded and eventually relocated to its current facility in the lower level of the old Carnegie Library building in Olde Pickerington. Representatives from the city of Pickerington, Violet Township, the Pickerington Local School District, the Chamber of Commerce, and five Pickerington-area churches serve on the board of directors.
The clientele runs the gamut from seniors and working families to the underemployed. To qualify for assistance, individuals must demonstrate that they are residents of the Pickerington Local School District and fill out an income eligibility form.
The PCMA Food Bank primarily distributes food items, along with school supplies, toiletries and other items donated in bulk. Approximately 75% of the resources are provided by Mid-Ohio Foodbank, with the community of Pickerington providing most of the rest. "The residents of this community have been very generous in their support, especially in donations of supplemental items that are not staples of Mid-Ohio Foodbank," said Kassouf.
The PCMA Food Pantry recently became a partner agency of United Way of Fairfield County, which will provide additional relief. The agency has a group of 40-50 volunteers to stock shelves, serve clients and perform the other necessary tasks. "We have a wonderful group of volunteers that keep the pantry running," said Kassouf.
The PCMA Food Pantry of Pickerington is located at 15 E. Columbus Street. For more information, or to inquire about donations or volunteering, please contact Dianna Kassouf at 614-834-0079 or visit www.pcmafoodpantry.com. |
Support Operation Feed This Summer
Kayaktastic! (July 23)
 This new event will feature two kayak races, including a triangle race with an obstacle course and a sprint race. Awards for male and female kayakers will be presented. The event will take place at Leatherlips Yacht Club (9230 Shawnee Trail, Shawnee Hills, across the river from the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium on Scioto River). The races will run 10 a.m. - noon with kayaker registration set for 9 a.m. The cost is $20.00 per kayaker, and participants will receive free food and goodie bags (food charge for spectators). Live music included. All proceeds benefit Operation Feed. For more information, contact Bruce Cameron at bruce@frontlinemarketing.org or 614-437-9859.
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.
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
- Official End of the Campaign - Thursday, June 30
- 2011 Contribution Cutoff Date - July 31
- Photo Contest Submission Deadline - Monday, August 1
- Campaign Finale - TBA (Late August)
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Next Steps
- Share your campaign results and feedback with Operation Feed by July 31.
- Don't forget to submit a picture for the photo contest.
- Watch for more information about a late August campaign finale event to be coming soon.
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