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FoodforThought

Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes913 E Alcott Street, Kalamazoo, MI 49001Business: 269.488.2617 / Fax: 269.343.3669Food: 269.343-3663 / Email: ino@kzool.org

October 2008

On a recent Monday morningI spent 30 minutes in the CallCenter. Just 30 minutes. I

experienced, frst hand, the enormousincrease in demand or KLFs GroceryPantry Program (GPP). And, I caughta glimpse o the changing reality ohunger in our community.

During that 30 minutes I talked withmore than 20 people, all o them look-ing or emergency ood support. Anumber o the callers had utilized theGrocery Pantry Program beore, butI was startled by the number o newolks, people who hadnt used our ser-vice in more than a year, and some orwhom this was a frst time experience.

Who was calling that morning? Therewere single-parents with kids; house-

holds made up o several generations;amilies with little kids and ones withteens; couples, singles, seniors, andyoung adults. For each, the challengeo ensuring their households ood wasimmediate and, in some cases, heartwrenching. Many related their eortsto stretch limited dollars in the ace orising ood and energy costs$4 ora gallon gasoline ormilk?

A few real life stories from that

30 minutes one morning:l A working mother o two who uti-lized KLF services in the early 90s, toldme she had to start seeking emergencyood again this past year. Increasedgas and ood prices mean she doesnot have enough to make ends meet.Shes learned to cook dierently, toounderstanding that stretching ooditems to last longer still needs to meangood ood or her growing teenagers.

Website: kzoolf.org

Inside This IssueReality Doesnt Change Itself 1

Promotion Concepts Support KLF 1

Peer Support Team 2

Independence From Hunger 2

World Food Day 2

Volunteer Corner 3

You Can Help 3

Celebrations 4

Fast Facts:

lFacts Sheet: Just the Facts

Interested in learning more abouthunger in our community? EmailJennier@kzool.org or an electroniccopy o our latest Facts Sheet.

lKLF Opens 2ndSaturdays

On Saturdays, October 11 and Nov-ember 8, the KLF warehouse will beopen rom 9 a.m.noon to accept ooddonations and schedule volunteeropportunities outside normal businesshours. I you would like to learn moreabout how you can help or where werelocated, please call 488.2617, ext. 210.

lNewsletter by Email

More and more people are asking toreceive this newsletter by email tosave time, money, and trees. I you

would like to be added to our preeremail list, please send a message toJennier letting her know i youd likejust the newsletter, or all correspon-dence rom KLF, via email. Email:Jennier@kzool.org.

l Another woman experienced adivorce and the loss o her home thisyear. In the past she has been a donorgiving what she could to help others.Now, shes on the receiving endneeding emergency ood assistance tomake it through the month.

lThen, theres the woman whose son

and daughter-in-law moved in withtheir new baby due to pressing fnan-cial issues. This working grandmotheris now utilizing KLFs Grocery PantryProgram with its lack o bureaucracyto make ends meet. Feeling the need tooset the service she has received thesepast months, she is now a regular pantryvolunteerserving others in need.

Margaret Wheatley, in her book,turning to one another, says Reality

doesnt change itself. We need to act.

As ood security becomes a pressingreality or more o us, KLF actswithyour help. Our expanded Grocery PantryProgram allowed me to schedule grocerypick up or a good number o house-holds in that 30 minutesmore thanwe would usually be able to serve.

Together, the KLF network scheduledaccess to emergency ood assistance ormore than 160 households that day and

indeed, each day that week. Faced withsteady, enormous increases in requestsand the costs of providing service, wesimply couldnt do it without you.KLF is able to actto get ood to hun-gry people through volunteer and staeorts, partnerships with groups acrossthe community, help o donations oood and dollarsto make ood securitya non-issueat least or today.

Anne Wend Lipsey

Reality Doesnt Change Itself

8/8/2019 KLF Newsletter Food for Thought October 2008

2/4913 E Alcott, Kalamazoo, Michigan 49001 / P: 269.488.2617 / F: 269.343.3669 / E: info@kzoolf.org / W: kzoolf.or

Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes: FoodforThoughtOctober 2008 Pag

Michigan HarvestGathering SupportsFood Providers andthe Hungry PeopleThey Serve

Its harvest time across Michigan and,as we say at KLF, its all about ood.Fresh produce galore, canning or

reezing, making jam, and baking withzucchini. While most o us fnd all atime o bountiul ood, more and morepeople in our community are hungryregularly. And, more and more emer-gency ood providers across Michigan,like KLF, are signifcantly challenged tokeep up with requests.

When the Food Bank Council o Michi-gan (FBC) started Michigan HarvestGathering (MHG) in 1991to raise oodand unds or the regional ood banks/providers, it couldnt have anticipated thenumber o people acing hunger and eco-nomic crises in Michigan we see today.Unortunately, were all touched by cur-rent economic conditions. Fortunately,many o us are able to help assure peopleacing harder times have enough to eat.

Locally, many ood/unds drives dur-

ing September, October, and Novemberwill celebrate MHG while helping fllthe KLF warehouse with non-perishableoods. Dollars raised will help purchasehard-to-obtain ood items and covertransportation costs o collecting anddistributing ood to our Grocery Pantriesand other community partners. All theood and money collected stays in Kala-mazoo County.

This year, were requesting oods we never

have enough o and which cost us themost to purchase: peanut butter, cannedmeats, open-heat-eat meals, ruits, andvegetables. Were requesting unds to helppurchase oods needed to assure balanced,nutritional oerings.

I you would like to start a ood/undsdrive at your workplace, congregation,or neighborhood, wed like to help.Please contact Jennier or training, tips,and boxes at 488-2617, ext. 213.

Food Drive Basics:Its Easy, Fun, &Everyone Can Do It!

Considering a ood drive in honor oMichigan Harvest Gathering or theupcoming holidays? Here are fve easy

steps to success.

l Call KLF (or help, boxes, etc.)

l Organize (place, date, theme)

l Promote (let everyone know)

l Deliver (to the KLF warehouse)

l Thank(celebrate your success!)

Income Tax Creditsand DeductionsOffer Win-WinThe Michigan Income Tax Credit and

a ederal tax deduction are available toindividuals and businesses making moetary donations to KLF. Limits includIndividuals50% o contributions up$200; Couples50% o contributionup to $400; Businesses50% o contbutions up to $10,000.

Talk with your tax proessional or modetails on how you can decrease yourtaxes while helping eed hungry peoplWin-Win!

Above: Members of Lord of Life Lutheran Churchdropped off 701 lbs of food on September 8, 2008,from their recent food collection drive.

Below: Students at Kalamazoo Christian WestElementary School bring their food to the gymduring their Thanksgiving food drive last year.

Grocery PantryNetwork Update

As we reported in the August ne

letter, KLF has seen a hugeincrease in the number o da

o ood provided to hungry people in

Kalamazoo County since January o2008. In act, through our Grocery Patry sites, by the end o August we hadalready distributed more ood than in o 2006. Increasing the number o pansites is a key component to meeting oulong term goal o expanding the servicarea in Kalamazoo County.

The most recent addition to the GrocPantry Network is Calvary Bible Churon the citys west side. Calvarys pantry

led by Pantry Coordinator Norm Copland and 16 very committed volunteerhas provided a much needed service tothat region o the city during the twobusiest weeks o the month. The keything so far is the convenience of havinga pantry on the west side,says CopelanThe response has been great because weclose to where the need is,he continued

Welcome, and thank you, Calvary BibChurch or joining KLF and helping

increase our capacity to deliver moreood to more people.

It is the generousgiving of ourselvesthat produces thegenerous harvest. Orison Swett Marden

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Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes: FoodforThoughtOctober 20Page 3

913 E Alcott, Kalamazoo, Michigan 49001 / P: 269.488.2617 / F: 269.343.3669 / E: info@kzoolf.org / W: kzoolf.or

KLF October Giving Coupon913 E. Alcott, Kalamazoo, MI 49001

October 2008 Coupon #64

Amount $__________

Michigan Harvest Gathering is an annual event (September-November)during which ood and unds are raised to support local ood banks.This month make a donation in honor o this annual celebration.

Please send your contribution by October 27.

KLF November Giving Coupon913 E. Alcott, Kalamazoo, MI 49001

November 2008 Coupon #65

Amount $__________

Celebrate Thanksgiving by giving thanks with a monetary contributionto Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes.

Thank you or helping hungry people in Kalamazoo County.

Please send your contribution by November 24.

l Buy:With a chill in the air comesthe need for stick to your ribsfoods. Donate open and eat chili

or stews in the cool months ahead

October: Mac & Cheese

November: Hardy Soups, Chili

l Save: The dateOctober 16 World Food Day!Hold a food driveand educate friends and neighborsabout increasing hunger in ourcommunityand how you can makea difference. Ideas at: www.kzoolf.org

l Do:At your work place, organize

and encourage aSkip Lunch forHunger Day. Donate the money

you would spend on lunch to KLFto help feed hungry people inKalamazoo County.

l Leave a Lasting LegacyCall Anne at 269.488.2617, ext. 208,to explore ways you can includeKLF in your will or estate plans.

You Can Make A DifferenceFor more information, please contact Jennifer at 269.488.2617, ext. 213

Increasing Access toEmergency Food

FoodTalk o ood is everywhere thesedays. We all talk about it: Cost increases,changing uses o ood crops, weather, distri-bution and saety issues are hitting world sup-plies hard. Speculations abound about whythis crisis has developed; who knows whosright or how it all fts together...or i explana-tions really matter to people acing anotherhungry day.

HungerIn the KLF network, weare all painully aware that lack o access toadequate, nutritious ood is a crisis or morepeople across our community than everbeore. In many homes ood is the dominantocus in their lives. Getting ood to hungrypeople so they can carry on with their lives is

the goal o every emergency ood distributionorganization. That ood system is complex,so we want to share with you how KLF ftsinto it.

KLF:A Food Bank PLUS+lMost Food Banks serve as the wholesale

arm o emgerency ood servies. Theygather donated and rescued oodresources or distribution to organiza-tions that serve hungry people.

l KLF is a Food Bank PLUS+. We gather

donated and rescued oodand pur-chase large amounts of food to providebalanced, nutritious food.

l KLF accepts cash donations that are putto work buying and transporting ood,and supporting the inrastructure thatcontinues to build capacities and providemore service.

lAnd, through our extensive networko Grocery Pantries, meal sites, andother partnersthe eorts o over 400volunteers and 17 t/pt staKLF

directly serveshungry people.

l Thereore, KLF includes both thewholesale and retail sides o theemergency ood systems.

KLF is a unique, mission-driven network.By building capacity and operating with thegreatest possible efciencies, we continue torespond to unprecedented requests, volumeso ood, and costs. Our Food Bank PLUS+is getting more ood to more hungry peoplein Kalamazoo County than ever beore.

l Volunteer Your Timeand Talents:

Open OrientationUpcoming Open Orientations a

October 14, November 11, and

December 9 at 11 a.m. at KLF.

Learning more about KLFs missionand how you can contribute your tim

andtalentstohelpingfulllit.

Call Center Take calls from people requesting

emergency food assistance and directhem to a pantry to receive service.

Receptionist Greet visitors, direct phone calls.

Second Saturdays

KLF will be open the second Saturdof October and November for fooddonation drop-offs and special projefor volunteers who cant schedule tim

duringweekdayofcehours.

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FoodforThoughtOctober 2008 Page

Celebrations Thank you to all who honored loved ones with gifts to KLF. The following gifts were received between July 12 and August 5, 2008If your gift arrived after August 5, it will appear in the next newsletter.

Gifts in memory of:

Robert Amrhein . Barbara Bowers . George Bruda . Marge Brundage . Bruce L. Burrows . Dr. Allen Buskirk . Edward H. Camisa . John Chandler

Erwin Charlesworth . George Commissaris . Lois Jean Darst . Robert Eager, Sr. . Alberta Ellis . Helen Estree . Sophie Fisher . Gene & Dot Fontain

Carl A. Fry, Sr. . Mrs. Helen Graham . Evonne Gustas . Louise Horner . Leonard Klok . Marguerite Kolb . Brad Lindsey . Frances N. Malotte .

Victor Marcon . Bill Martin . Louis Marvin . Michael J. McKinley . Al Moldavon . Suzanne Newnum . Thomas Oorbeck . Dr. Joseph Phillips .

Jessica Renauld . Margery Sadler . James H. Schaap . Dr. Peter Schmitt . Bill Selles . Joani Siwik . Georgiana Smith . Raymond Smith . Ralph Star

Dora A. Sulka . Etta Teachout . The Holysko Family . David Thomas . Margaret Timm . Carl Trimble, Jr. . Wanda Nadine Vanderberg .

Roon Visser . Jane Wend . Bret Wilmarth . James D. Wrinkle . Curtis Yaul

Gifts in honor of:

Frederick & Jean Baggemans 66th wedding anniversary . Jean Dobbins 60th birthday . Kate Ferraros birthday .

Stephanie Frez & Ash Nortons marriage . Lois Gay . Linda Grdinas birthday . The birthday of Jim Hess .

Grant & Evelyn Hogarts 60th wedding anniversary . Eileen Holaday . Ed & Jeannne Kozerskis 40th wedding anniversary .

Patricia & Gerald Kroehns 50th wedding anniversary . Anne Wend Lipsey . Madison & Joseph Loomiss 12th birthday .

Cal & Alice Mastins 50th wedding anniversary . Robert & Kathleen Res wedding anniversary . Jim & Tootie Ritchies 50th wedding anniversary

Emma Robbins . Mr. & Mrs. Rohs 50th wedding anniversary . Katherine & Harvey Seilheimers 62nd wedding anniversary .

Judy Sivaks birthday . Dick & Dora Standishs 50 th wedding anniversary

Board of Directorsan BrownLeatta ByrdPatricia CarlinGeorge ErickcekRobert EzelleBruce GelbaughMartin Glista

Lynn Jessel

913 E AlcottKalamazoo, Michigan 49001

Business Phone: 269.488.2617Food Request Line: 269.343.3663

Fax: 269.343.3669Email: info@kzoolf.org

Website: kzoolf.org

Non-Profit

Organization

U.S. Postage

PAID

Kalamazoo, M

Permit No. 169

OUR MISSION:To expand the availability ofemergency food resources andpromote the ability of hungrypeople to feed themselves.

OUR GOAL:Food SecurityAccess by allpeople to enough food for anactive, healthy lifeevery day.

OUR VALUES:lCompassionlRespectlJusticelIntegritylAdvocacy

Chris KenneyCheryl KnappSam LealofiDonna McClurkanHarvey MyersHelen NorrisMaija Petersons

Martha Simpson

Staff/Business Office 269.488.2617 ext.Dick Anson, Warehouse Assistant 211Art Cole, Services Director 207Linda Fitzgerald, Administrative Assistant 206George Geissel, Bookkeeper 206Kathy Gernaat, Operations Director 212Phyllis Hepp, Project Planner 210Lou Hoekstra, Warehouse Assistant 211

.Jennifer Johnson, Volunteer/Com Coordinator 21Deb Josephson, Services Coordinator 21Marv King, Food Director 21Anne Wend Lipsey, Executive Director 20Bobbe A. Luce, Com/Dev Director 21Shelley Markle, Warehouse Assistant 21Sue VanderMeer, Services Coordinator 20