May 6, 2014

Hunger Awareness Day is a spring gathering, a celebration of giving, and an affirmation of the power of doing something together, all at once. With every gift--small and large--we witness an outpour of compassion in the form of dollars that are multiplied by a factor of ten into nutritious food. For just one dollar, you can provide $10 worth of food for someone suffering in poverty who is unable to adequately provide for themselves or their family. If everyone in the county gave $1 on or before June 6th, that would be $275,000! With the power of 10 times that amount, we could provide two million meals for our neighbors in need. And we're not talking cheap Top Ramen or Mac N Cheese, but high quality fresh produce, much of it locally gleaned by GleanSLO, meat and other proteins, and healthy grains. Last year we distributed over 6 million pounds of food, so you can see the impact Hunger Awareness Day can make. Please read my blog today - a reflection on what May could mean for you.

Sincerely,

Carl Hansen, CEO

Save the date: June 6, 2014

Don't forget-- $1 provides $10 worth of food! Click here to download our event flyer with a map of donation sites.

Event Sponsor Highlights

Hunger Awareness Day 2014 Promo

We would like to thank KSBY for their ongoing sponsorship and support. Here is a sneak peak of our KSBY promo for Hunger Awareness Day!

Stop by any Rabobank branch in SLO County to make a contribution to Hunger Awareness Day now through Friday, June 6. Rabobank is also hosting a lunch this Friday, May 9th at their Creston Rd branch, next Friday, May 16th at their Atascadero branch, and Friday, May 30th at their Spring St branch in Paso to raise additional funds for Hunger Awareness Day- tickets are only $3. Visit their website for branch locations and hours www.rabobankamerica.com .

We are excited to announce that Clever Ducks is our latest partner in fighting hunger. They now provide tech support and have made a generous donation. To learn more about their services visit their website: www.cleverducks.com .

"The Clever Ducks team is passionate about the Food Bank's mission and is honored to be a part of it!"

~ Peter K. Kardel, CEO/CTO

Heart to Heart Real Estate is promoting Hunger Awareness Day during the month of May. At close of escrow 50% of their real estate commission gets donated to the Food Bank Coalition. YES... Heart to Heart pays 50% of their commissions to the nonprofit of their clients' choosing! If you have any real estate needs, go to Heart to Heart Real Estate to support us by participating in their unique business model.

Kennedy Club Fitness has generously committed to have all four of their locations throughout SLO county participate as donation sites for Hunger Awareness Day. You can make a donation now through June 6th at any of their Club locations. Click here to find a location near you!

Check Presentations

Rizzoli's Automotive chose the Food Bank Coalition as the featured non-profit for April's SLO Chamber Mixer. This event gave us the chance to highlight our programs and outreach efforts throughout SLO County. Attendees of the mixer made donations at the entrance and Rizzoli's matched these donations, totaling $500 to kick off our Hunger Awareness Day campaign.

Thank you!

Program Updates

On May 5th, Brilliant Beginnings launched the beginning of the pilot program at Baywood Elementary School. During the first 20 minutes of class, every student tried and enjoyed the healthy meal consisting of milk, yogurt, granola, and diced peaches, pears and cranberries. By the beginning of the 2014/2015 school year, every classroom at Baywood Elementary will be participating in Breakfast in the Classroom with the intention of being better prepared for the remainder of the school day.