Hungry for Change

News from the Hoosier Hills Food Bank

GIVE ONLINE AT www.hhfoodbank.org

2333 W Industrial Park Dr / P.O. Box 697 / Bloomington, IN 47402 / 812-334-8374 / www.hhfoodbank.org

HHFB will release our 2014 Annual Report later this month, and we had to add four pages to describe the remarkable year that it was. We hope you’ll read it online or request a hard copy when we announce publication.

We distributed a record 4,076,800 pounds of food – 10% more than in 2013 and an average of 8 tons a day and 39 tons a week. Significantly, we distributed 1,074,590 pounds of fresh produce – 26% of our total and up 42% over 2013.

Our Families First Mobile Pantry program served a record number of clients and so did our CSFP Senior Food Box program. Our garden fresh food initiatives (Garden, Gleaning, Plant a Row, Farmer’s Market) posted record donations; and our volunteer hours were up 3%. In its first six months, the Garden Route on Wheels resulted in a 582% increase in fresh produce deliveries to 16 participating agencies.

As always, these reports are a mixed blessing for us – the fact that food insecurity rates remain high and many people are still in need is disheartening. But, the fact that community support helped us achieve important nutritional and distribution goals is encouraging.

Distribution trends have continued into January 2015, when we distributed 304,351 pounds of food – up 20% over January 2014! This was only possible because of holiday donations that have since dissipated, causing a real shortage in our food supply. Please consider a gift today that will help us restock the shelves. Thank you!

March 2015

In This Issue:Soup Bowl Benefit 2015

Indiana State HouseMartin Luther King DayMarch Against Hunger

Pi(e) Run

2014 – Wow!

2

Hungry for Change

To honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and all of his great work, Hoosier Hills Food Bank participated in the City of Bloomington’s MLK Day “A Day On! Not a Day Off” on Monday, January 19th. The food bank set a personal goal to recruit 250+ volunteers for our own event, and spread them out over four shifts happening throughout the day. We offered the following shifts to our volunteers: 9:30-11:30, 12:30-2:30, 3:00-5:00 and 5:30-7:00. Participants assisted with several different food bank programs, including:Commodity Supplemental Food Program: These volunteers helped pack boxes full of staple food items for senior citizens in five counties of our service area. Altogether, Hoosier Hills Food Bank CSFP volunteers successfully packed and checked 30 pallets, or 1,200 boxes!Warehouse Assistants: This program required the most volunteers. We had 40,000 pounds of loose apples delivered. Participants were responsible for bagging the apples in to five pound increments. This process took some time, but with the great turnout we had, the apples were finished during the 2nd shift!

NALC Food Drive Preparation: Each year, Hoosier Hills Food Bank partners with the National Association of Letter Carriers to host an annual food drive. To get prepared for that event, we received several plastic grocery sacks from Kroger and volunteers were prepping the bags for mail distribution.Meal Share Repack: For the 5:30-7:00pm shift, volunteers repackaged prepared food rescued from local restaurants, school cafeterias, and other establishments in the area. The food is repackaged into family-sized portions for member agencies to distribute. It was a busy but exciting day at HHFB, and across all four shifts we had 308 volunteers total 609.5 hours. Thank you to everyone for their support on this wonderful day!

“A Day On - Not a Day Off” MLK DAY 2015

3

Hungry for Change

If you are a part of the Indiana State Bar Association please think about participating in this great event for 2015. You can donate canned goods or donate financially; it’s a great way to compete against other firms and help out a local cause. For the past three years the local hero of this event for Hoosier Hills Food Bank has been Steven Douglas. He is the reigning two-time champion of the coveted Attorney General’s Cup. Steven Douglas has collected thousands of dollars and thousands of pounds of food which has been a huge spring boost to HHFB. Thanks to all those who participate, and we look forward ramping up the competition again this year. If you are interested call Jake at (812) 334-8374 or email office@hhfoodbank.org

Celebrating 10 years of FISH (Feeding Indiana’s Hungry) at the Indiana State House! Hoosier Hills Food Bank met with several represenatives and senators, including Senator Mark Stoops as seen below. We also shared our program information and current distribution models with visitors, other food banks, and members of local feeding agencies.

REMC Round UPThrough the generosity of REMC customers through their ROUND UP program, Hoosier Hills Food Bank was awarded a grant to help provide thousands of pounds of fresh produce to the member agencies we serve. Basically, customers round up their monthly electric bills, and the money is made available through grant requests to non-profit agencies. HHFB has been distributing food at record amounts and these types of community partners really help provide some relief in purchasing and distributing food, in this case fresh produce.

March Against Hunger

HHFB at the State House

4

Hungry for Change

Corporate Sponsors

SOUP BOWL

Yvonne Cripps

Special thanks to the Lotus Foundation and Gail Hale for decorations

Special thanks to our Gold Level Sponsor!

Thank you to all donors, sponsors and attendees for another successful Soup Bowl! The 21st annual Soup Bowl is Hoosier Hills Food Bank’s largest fundraising event, and we raised a record amount of money, totalling nearly $100,000! We had a great evening, filled with over 40 delicious varieties of soup, bread and cookies from local restaurants, and great entertainment. Soup Bowl attendees left with bowls hand crafted by over 30 local artists, including 7 high school artists!

We are very grateful to have such supportive community members. Without the generosity shown at the Soup Bowl, we would not be able to provide the same services to our community. We are always moved by the community’s enthusiasm for helping the Hoosier Hills Food Bank support our neighbors.

If you are interested in purchasing a commemorative T-Shirt with the Soup Bowl design on it, they are still available for sale. Please contact Jake Bruner at office@hhfoodbank.org if you are interested.

5

Hungry for ChangeTHANK YOU TO OUR VOLUNTEERS!

Girl Scouts of America, Boy Scouts of America, Bloomington 4H, Unitarian Universalist Church Youth Group. And a big thank you to all the individuals who volunteered this year and for the past 20 years.

Soup Bowl would not be possible without all of you!POTTERS:

Jan Arbogast, Pryde Bayliss, Scott Barton, Laurel Bender, Kris Busch, Ruth Conway, Eileen Crain, Cindy Duffy, Adam Egenolf, Barbara Fuqua, Karen Green Stone, Libby Gwynn, Thomas Harris, Rebecca Lowrey,

Barb Lund, Kiyomi Macy, Ed McEndarfer, Marcy Neiditz, Connie Nelson Laird, Milton Nolin, Susy O’Donnell, Walt Schmidt, Daria Smith, Susan Snyder, Larry Spears

RESTAURANTS:Anyetsang’s Little Tibet, Bear’s Place, Bloomingfoods Market & Deli East and West, Bloomington Center

for Global Children, Brothers Bar and Grill, Butch’s Grillacatessen and Eatzeria, Community Kitchen of Monroe County, Dats, Darn Good Soup, Function Brewing, Good Life/Runcible Spoon, Grazie Italian

Eatery, IU Health Bloomington Hospital, Laughing Planet, Le Petit Café, Lennie’s, Malibu Grill, Mandalay Restaurant, Michael’s Uptown Café, Nick’s English Hut, No Coast Reserve, Oliver Winery Downtown, Player’s Pub, Quaff On, Restaurant Tallent, Rush Hour Station, Sahara Mart, Salt Creek at the Depot, Samira, Scholar’s Inn Bakehouse, Siam House, Sodexo IMU Catering, Sterling House of Bloomington,

Sweet Grass Restaurant, Taste of India, Terry’s Banquets & Catering, The Owlery, Trailhead Pizzeria, The Trojan Horse, Truffles Restaurant, Turkuaz Café, Upland Brewery, Yogis

BREAD AND COOKIES:Aver’s Pizza, Baked!, Bloomington Bagel Co., Bloomingfoods Market and Deli, Food Works for Middleway

House, Kroger: Clear Creek, Jackson Creek, Seminary Square, Panera Bread, Scholar’s Inn Bakehouse, Sugar & Spice Sodexo

BEER & WINE:Oliver Winery, Upland Brewing Co., Soma Coffee House

SPECIAL THANKS:Kevin Atkins: Photography and Web Site

Yarns Unlimited & Bloomingfoods: Ticket SalesKim Ransdell: Soup Bowl Art & T-Shirts

Licia Weber: Event & Program Graphic Design Duane Busick: Video Production

SOUP BOWL PLANNING COMMITTEE:Laurel Adams, Julio Alonso, Jennifer Bass, Jake Bruner, Karen Green Stone, Gail Hale, Suzanne Halvorsen, Michael Hamburger, Michelle Henderson, Judy Klein, Robert Meitus, Carrie Newcomber, Carol Seaman, Rob Stone, Dan Taylor, Marcia Veldman, Licia Weber

MUSICAL GUESTS:The Sad Sam Blues Jam, The Monks & Brad Leftwich,

Carrie Newcomer, Chris Parker and Philip WailesHOSTS:

Robert Meitus and Friends

Thanks to our generous supporters!

BENEFACTORS $500+Bunger & Robertson, Fred & Beth Cate, Dan & Debi Conkle, Grease Monkey, ISU The May Agency, IU Health Center Staff, Meadowood Retirement Community, Monet, Rey, Miri & Esme, South Central Indiana REMC, Stumpner Building Services, Tim & Young Ae Tresslar, Susan & David

Williams, World Wide Automotive Service

PATRONS $250+Fred Aman, John & Amy Applegate,

Clendening, Johnson & Bohrer, PC, Deer Park Management Duke Energy, The Eye Center, Ferguson & Ferguson, Tom Gallagher, GSD Consulting, LLC, Michael Hamburger & Jenny Bass, Hoosier Energy, Sara Jane & A. James Hughes, Kiwanis Club of South Central Indiana, Mallor Grodner, Mann Plumbing/MPI Solar, Sylvia McNair, Robert Meitus &

Carrie Newcomer, Old National Bank

DONORS $100+Neal & Elaine Adams, Ella Bell, Bloomfield State Bank, Comfort Keepers, Alex & Erin Crowley, David Lawler & Jan Grant, First Insurance Group, Rob Fischman, Chris Gaal & Beth Florini, Faith Hawkins & Glenda Schulz, Amelia Lahn Michelle Miller, Aviva Orenstein, Jeff & Janet Stake, Alex Tanford & Phillipa Guthrie, Marcia Veldman, Drew & Melissa Water, Women’s Alliance of the Unitarian

Universalist Church

6

Hungry for Change

Charlie ThompsonHoosier Hills Food Bank lost an important member of our family in December with the passing of Charlie Thompson. Charlie was HHFB’s longest-serving board member, having joined in 1993. He was currently serving as a member of our Finance Committee, but at various times over the years he served as Board Treasurer and Board President.

Charlie was there to provide support and expertise to the food bank and its management during many momentous events over 20 years including the loss of Wetterau, the transition in leadership from Amy Robinson to Julio Alonso, the purchase and move to a new warehouse in 2008, and the rapid growth of food bank programs and distribution over the past several years.

Charlie will be remembered as a pivotal figure in the history of HHFB and part of his legacy will be the Charlie Thompson Award, which for the past two years has been presented annually at our Hunger Action Awards Reception to an outstanding volunteer. But he will also be remembered for his friendship, support, sense of humor, and as someone who tried to put up a gruff exterior to hide a heart of gold. He is missed and our condolences go out to Charlie’s wife, Gina, his family and many friends.

Give us your kindness, your hungry, your books.Planning is well underway for the “1st and 32nd Annual Bloomington Community Book Fair” which will take place October 8-13th at the Monroe County Fairgrounds.While our goal is for the book fair to be a successful fundraiser for HHFB, it is also a symbolic perfect fit for us. For 32 years, we’ve promoted a message of sustainability – that too much food is wasted and should instead be channeled to people at risk of hunger. In many ways, the same is true of used books. We can’t afford to be a throwaway society – not with food, not with books and certainly not with people. Please consider donating your gently used books to HHFB for the book fair. We can also accept CDs, DVDs, Records, Games and Puzzles. Donations are accepted M-F, 9-5 at 2333 West Industrial Park Drive. And of course, we also desperately need your food donations. Those can be dropped off during the same hours, or we’d be happy to talk to you about setting up a food drive at your business, school, church or organization. Ultimately, the more food and books we rescue, the more people can be helped. Hunger is a terribly detrimental obstacle. If we can remove it from the equation, people have a greater chance of living healthy, productive lives.

7

Hungry for Change

Help Stamp Out Hunger in May!

HHFB will again partner with the National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 828 for the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive this May. Always the second Saturday, this year’s NALC falls on Saturday, May 9th. Please mark your calendar to leave your food donation at your mailbox, and help us spread the word!

Volunteers are needed to help pick up food on heavy routes where carriers are on foot. A vehicle is required.

If you can help, please contact Ryan at volunteer@hhfoodbank.org or 812-334-8374.

Do you like running? How about pie? Well, if you answered yes to one or both, we have the event for you. For the past couple of years there has been an event going on called the Pi(e) run where patrons run along a pre-marked course and eat pie at the conclusion. This is a cool event for many reasons. One is that it’s a great pun as the event typically takes place on or very close to March 14th or “Pi” day, in fact this year the 2014 Pi(e) run will be held on Saturday March 14th, so mark your calendar!

This event also benefits the Hoosier Hills Food Bank, as the entry fee is either a cash or canned donation that benefits HHFB. What a cool way to spend a Saturday; eating pie, exercising, and benefiting a local social service.

The event will be held on March 14th at Karst Farm Park. Registration and pie drop-off will be between 2-3pm. The run will begin at 9:26 am.

For more information about volunteering or registration email pirunbloomington@gmail.com or visit http://www.pirunbloomington.com/.

Pi(E) Run 2015

NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE PAIDBLOOMINGTON, IN

PERMIT NO. 338

Hoosier Hills Food BankP.O. Box 697Bloomington, IN 47402

Email: hhfb@hhfoodbank.orgPhone: 812.334.8374Fax: 812.334.8377

www.hhfoodbank.org

Return Service Requested

Our Mission:Hoosier Hills Food Bank collects, stores, and distributes nutritious food products

to nonprofit organizations, which provide free feeding programs that serve both ill

and needy families and individuals.

If you receive two copies, please pass one on to a friend or notify the Hoosier Hills Food Bank. If you would like to be removed from our list, your request will be promptly honored

Taking the Hunger out of Poverty

Board of Directors:Chuck Cooksey, Maurice Garnier, Chris Gray, Nita Horrar, Nancy Kaster, George Huntington,

Trina Mescher, Jeremy O’Leary, Adrian Reid, Margie Rice, Kevin Robling, Tom Ruemler, Scott Shackleford, Everett Southern

Staff:Julio Alonso, Ashylnn Andrews, Brandon Bartley, Dan Baucco, Angeline Bickner, Bobbi Boos,Willis

Bruce, Jake Bruner, Leslie Burns, Kelly Fraser, Deke Hager, Erin Hollinden, Ryan Jochim, Ben Mescher, Donn Middleton, Hunter Roberts, Casey Steury, Dan Taylor, Brad Williams, Marina Young

After a record breaking year, our January distribution has already increased by 20% from the previous year.

Although we are pleased with the progress, we need your help to ensure that we can keep those numbers high! Please donate today!