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2017 FALL NEWSLETTER A FOOD BANK OF IOWA NEWSLETTER Mission We provide food for Iowa The children, families, and seniors to lead full and active lives, Foundation strengthening the communities where they live. of our Vision Future A hunger free Iowa. Our service area Last January, Food Bank of Iowa staff gathered in the “This year marks Food Bank of Iowa Distribution Center Service Area Des Moines warmth of our office to celebrate a milestone. For the Redistribution Organization Ottumwa first time ever, we had distributed more than 1 million Food Bank of Food Bank of Iowa distributes lbs. of food in one month. Just as we recognized this Iowa’s 35th to approximately 500 partners accomplishment, though, we also recognized that 1 in 55 counties. million lbs. is not enough. Anniversary, but Despite the truckloads of food leaving our warehouse we haven’t spent Efficient is Effective each day, hundreds of thousands of Iowans are still struggling with hunger. In order to fully serve the a moment of After our renovation, we’ll be hardworking Iowans who struggle with food insecurity, able to store more than twice it dwelling on we need to double our distribution. Over the past 12 as much food as we can today, months at Food Bank of Iowa, one word has been the where we’ve without adding a single inch to focus: more. our warehouse! been.” We have been working on important initiatives to build our capacity and allow us to do more: renovating our facility and adding the right staff to make the most of it. continued on page 2 The Foundation of our Future continued from page 1 If you visited the Food Bank this summer, you know that our facility is as much a construction site as a food warehouse. The total overhaul of our facility, which began in March, will transform our warehouse from one designed for a beer distributor into one that fits the needs of our state’s largest anti-hunger organization. This project is independently funded through an ongoing capital campaign. A new racking system with an intelligently designed layout will provide a 300 percent improvement on our previous storage capacity. Massive new coolers and freezers, with full racking inside, will allow us to accept much larger donations of frozen meat, fresh produce, dairy, and eggs – the most nutritious products we distribute. Improvements to the warehouse layout will help keep our staff, partners, and visitors safe. An on-site pantry will allow us to serve our immediate neighbors for the first time ever, learn the challenges that our partners face, and pilot new techniques in food distribution. Volunteers will be able to come in during evenings and weekends to help us sort food, break down bulk packages, and more, thanks to our new volunteer center and clean room. Finally, our office space, which suffered from inefficient insulation, windows, and HVAC, not to mention mold and asbestos issues, has been remade with the benefits of modern materials and techniques. New staff will help us to make the best of our overhauled facility. We have added two food sourcers: a food acquisition coordinator, who solicits bulk donations and handles purchase orders, and a retail donation coordinator, who connects our partners with local retail stores like Hy-Vee, Wal-Mart, Fareway Stores, and Kum & Go. New regional partnership coordinators, who manage the partnerships we have with food pantries, soup kitchens, schools, and other community organizations, have helped us build our network and feed more Iowans in need. Two new warehouse staff members are already making a difference in keeping food flowing smoothly in and out of the Food Bank, and both are working on their commercial drivers licenses. This year marks Food Bank of Iowa’s 35th Anniversary, but we haven’t spent a moment of it dwelling on where we’ve been. Our eyes are focused on the road ahead. Our vision has always been a hunger free Iowa. Together, we’ll get there. 2 | FOOD BANK OF IOWA | fall 2017 A Note From Our CEO Dear Friends, Our 35th anniversary is a bittersweet milestone: Thirty-five years from our founding, Iowans are still struggling to get access to food they need to thrive. Over the past three and a half decades, however, this organization has grown from Karen Ford’s heartfelt dream into our state’s largest anti-hunger organization. This year, while we reflect on where we’ve been, we’re laser-focused on where we’re going. Big changes are happening all around us – literally! Our office team moved back into a renovated work space in October, and our warehouse team is soldiering through the total overhaul of 48,000 square feet of warehouse space. In Ottumwa, a new team member is managing the transformation of Food Bank of Southern Iowa, which has been our redistribution organization for years, into a full branch of Food Bank of Iowa. These big changes are focused on big goals: we are determined to meet 100 percent of the needs of food insecure Iowans in the 55 counties we serve. It’s a mountain of a challenge, but we’re ready for it. Last January, we surpassed distribution of 1 million lbs. of food per month for the first time ever. With our newly renovated warehouse, we’ll be set to double that distribution. Feeding America CEO Diana Aviv joined us for a celebration of our projects last month, and she confirmed what we at Food Bank of Iowa already knew: when your work is as important as ours, big changes can reap big rewards. Thank you for joining us on this 35-year journey in food banking. Now, let’s see where the next decades take us! Sincerely, Michelle Book President & CEO Food Bank of Iowa www.foodbankiowa.org FOOD BANK OF IOWA | fall 2017 | 3 FACES OF HUNGER RACHELLE & MARKOS, Creston, Iowa Raising three kids is a challenge for any couple, but Rachelle manages a local sandwich shop, and when an unexpected injury sidelines a parent, an began her relationship with the Creston Area Food uphill climb becomes a mountain trek. Rachelle, Pantry as a donor, donating loaves of unused bread from Creston, Iowa, is faced with just that. to the pantry. Rachelle and her son Markos started volunteering, and got to know the folks who run About a year ago, Rachelle’s husband—a the pantry. Now, the tables have turned. construction worker—ruptured a disc in his back while not at work. He’s been out of commission “The longer he’s out of work, the more our bills pile for nearly a year, suffering through batteries of up,” Rachelle said. “When you have one income, tests, consultations, and surgery. Recently, he three kids, and your husband’s sick… that’s what began physical therapy to get back to full strength brought me down to the pantry.” and mobility. Without workers compensation assistance, the family has relied on Rachelle’s income to stay afloat. Food Bank of Iowa staff gathered these stories and portraits from real clients at Food Bank of Iowa partners. 4 | FOOD BANK OF IOWA | 2017 annual report GORDON, Des Moines, Iowa Gordon is a pay it forward kind of guy. A few years ago, when he worked for a vending machine company restocking snacks, he made sure that no food went to waste. Gordon would deliver snack cakes, crackers, and all sorts of food that was near its expiration date to a local shelter, where it would be used immediately. Now, Gordon’s the one who needs a hand. “Right now, I’m temporarily laid off from my job,” Gordon said. “I have to have surgery, so I’m going to be out of work for a month. I’ve come to the pantry to get some help.” Luckily, Gordon will return to work once he’s regained his health. But for now, he’s glad he can get help at a local food pantry. “If you can get some help in one area, that gives you less stress in another area,” he said. “You don’t have to worry about where your next meal is coming from.” SUE ELLEN, Ames, Iowa Sue Ellen calls herself a stereotype buster. She holds a master’s degree and had a solid career in communications, working on publications and websites at Iowa State University. She also struggles with food insecurity. Over the past two years, Sue Ellen has visited Ames’ Food At First pantry once or more each week. “In the beginning, you’re hoarding because you’re so afraid,” Sue Ellen said. “When you calm down, you’re more able to see that, you know, you’re going to be taken care of.” After separating from the university due to mental illness, Sue Ellen now subsists on Social Security Disability benefits. Her current income provides enough money to pay all her bills—but leaves no money for groceries. Food At First makes the difference. “I would rather not have to be here,” she said. “But I know that these people are volunteering and doing the best that they can... it means that somebody cares.” HUNGER Hunger doesn’t take a break, so neither do we. Last year, we provided more than 11 million meals to Iowa children, families, and seniors. PARTNERS We distributed 7,326,156 lbs. of food through food pantries and meal providers within our network of partners. MOBILE PANTRIES Through 40 mobile pantry distribution sites, we provided 1,440,363 lbs. of food to 52,119 individuals Year in Review last year.