Summer 2019 Mapping the In this issue: • New Truck Acquisition Meal Gap in • Big Y Depot Drop Western MA • Volunteer Appreciation THANK YOU The following businesses, organizations and foundations made a gift of $1,000 or more between January 1 and March 31, 2019 Alekman DiTusa, LLC Irving And Sulamith Blackberg Charitable Atkins Farms Foundation Bank of America Kraft Heinz Company Barings Laudable Productions LLC Berkshire Brewing Company Inc. Leprechaun Plunge- Brunelle’s Marina Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation Living Springs Foundation Chauncey Loomis Fund - Endowment/ New England Lawn Companies, Inc Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation Nexamp, Inc. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts PeoplesBank Workplace Giving Campaign Caroline Blanton Thayer Charitable Trust S. L. Gimbel Foundation Church World Service-Hilltown, MA CROP ShopRite Partners in Caring Fund Hunger Walk Stop & Shop New England Coghlin Construction Services Fund River Valley Market LLC Community Foundation of Western Stop & Shop Family Foundation Massachusetts TJX Companies Inc. Grobman and Bollinger Family Fund Tommy Auto Group Crane Hill Disc Golf Club Unilever/Ahold Delhaize Feeding America Multi-Donor Government USA Hauling & Recycling Inc. Shutdown Support Weinberg & Garber Feeding America Whole Foods Market Florence Savings Charitable Foundation, Inc. Women’s Benevolent Society of Customer Choice Grant Longmeadow, MA Green & Greenberg The top food donors between January 1 and March 31, 2019 1. Big Y* 5. Walmart* 9. Pepperidge Farm 2. Stop & Shop* 6. C & S Wholesale Grocers 10. Bozzuto’s, Inc. 3. Coca-Cola/Minute-Maid Co. 7. Ocean State Job Lot *multiple chains combined 4. BJ’s Wholesale Club 8. Cumberland Farms The Food Bank’s vision is to create a western Massachusetts where no one goes hungry and everyone has access to nutritious food. Vol 8 — Issue 3 — Summer 2019 Published by The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts 97 North Hatfield Road, Hatfield, MA 01038 For regular updates on Food Bank activities, 413-247-9738 • [email protected] • foodbankwma.org sign up for our Executive Director, Word of Mouth Editor: Andrew Morehouse enewsletter at Contributing Writer: Lillian Baulding foodbankwma.org Design & Layout: Sarah Adam The Food Bank is committed to promoting cultural diversity through its board, staff, volunteers and member agencies. This institution is an equal opportunity provider. To file a complaint of discrimination write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Washington, DC 20250-9410. Your name is safe. We have never rented, sold, or loaned our donor list, and we never will. Without our donors, our work would not be possible. We value your support & privacy. 2 foodbankwma.org From the Executive Director Mapping the Meal Gap in western MA Dear friends, in Franklin County up to 10% in omething is seriously wrong in Hampden County. Sour society when so many adults The analysis also finds that 33% of and children struggle to put food on residents of western Massachusetts their table on any given day, week or who are food insecure are likely month of the year. How do we know ineligible for federal nutrition how many people experience or are assistance under current program at risk of hunger? Internally, we requirements. This means that many track the number of individuals who households must rely even more on receive food assistance from our own charitable food assistance such as direct delivery programs and at the from The Food Bank. 171 feeding programs Total FI Child FI Child that are part of our MA County FI% Pop. Pop. FI% region’s emergency food network. In Berkshire 12,350 9.7% 2,980 13.2% addition, Feeding Franklin 6,280 8.8% 1,570 12.3% America, the nation’s Hampden 46,890 10.0% 15,920 15.3% network of food banks, Hampshire 15,430 9.6% 2,770 11.2% independently issues an annual report Western MA 80,950 9.8% 23,240 14.2% called Map the Meal Massachusetts 616,090 9.0% 159,950 11.7% Gap 2019* on food We are committed to preventing insecurity and the cost of food at both people from going hungry and to the county and congressional district forging long-term solutions to end level. It is the only study that provides hunger as we know it. For this food insecurity data at the local level. reason, we are planning strategies The report reveals that food and investments in new resources to insecurity exists in every county in increase our impact across our entire our western Massachusetts service region in the years to come. We will area. It also shows that children announce them in the coming months. are more likely to be food insecure, As always, we are grateful for your with the child food insecurity rate past and continued support of our at 14.2% compared to 9.8% of mission. the total population for the four counties of western Massachusetts. Overall, food insecurity (FI) in western Massachusetts ranges from Andrew Morehouse a low of 8.8% of the population Executive Director *Map the Meal Gap 2019 (map.feedingamerica.org) uses data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and food price data and analysis provided by Nielsen, a global provider of information and insights. Summer 2019 3 Through a generous donation, The Food Bank purchases a new truck hen asked about the countless So last year, when John and Wtimes his old truck had broken Jerry Soechting of Great Barrington down in the past two years, Tom approached The Food Bank, asking Leporati, driver at The Food Bank, how a charitable donation could doesn’t hesitate to recall the specifics. help get more food out to the region, “The truck had plenty of problems,” Andrew Morehouse, Executive he says. “I had a day in Lenox where Director, brought up the need to the hydraulic lines on the gate blew replace the old truck. and I had to wait around two hours for “They wanted to make an somebody to come and fix that.” investment in something that would Leporati’s concerns about the have a lasting impact. We discussed truck are not self-centered. His route several options and they settled on the covers deliveries for Brown Bag: Food truck,” Morehouse says. for Elders sites in all four counties The Soechting’s donation was of western Massachusetts. When made in honor of John’s late mother, his truck was out of commission, it Elisabeth Soechting, who had a strong sometimes meant that food-insecure commitment to charitable giving and seniors relying on a free bag of organic farming. groceries each month as a supplement “She would be thrilled to know that had to wait for distribution to be she contributed to the acquisition of a rescheduled. For individuals with truck to distribute food to the elderly,” limited access to transportation the Soechtings stated. and healthy food, postponements like these can lead to inadequate nutritious food. Read more about the Soechtings generous donation atfoodbankwma.org/news 4 foodbankwma.org willbike4food.org Four routes. One destination. A community without hunger. Sunday, September 29, 2019 ill Bike 4 Food is returning Participating cyclists are invited to Wfor its ninth year on Sunday, stay for a free fun-filled After-Party September 29. This exciting event at the finish line. Enjoy a cookout provides a special opportunity for and craft beer, music, games and riders of all ages and riding abilities more. Non-riders can join the fun to enjoy a fun-filled day with other by purchasing After-Party tickets on cyclists, while helping to feed our our website. neighbors in need. Choose the 10, 25, Register now for the lowest 50, or 100-mile route through the fundraising minimum and to scenic Pioneer Valley. guarantee your free t-shirt. To register Last year, a record-breaking 400 or donate, visit willbike4food.org. riders raised over $161,000 to prevent hunger in our region. WHEN: We’re counting on your support to Sunday, September 29, 2019 make this year’s event even bigger 7:00 a.m. — 5:00 p.m. and better than ever. By signing up (start time depends on route) for Will Bike 4 Food, you’re raising WHERE: awareness of food insecurity in our Lion’s Club Pavilion area and providing sustenance to 15 Billings Way, Hatfield, MA children, seniors, veterans and hard- working families who still can’t afford REGISTER & DONATE: to make ends meet. willbike4food.org You can choose to ride as an Registration Deadline: individual or recruit family members, Friday, September 27, 2019 friends or co-workers to form a team. If your business would like to be a sponsor for this special event, call (413) 247-9738, or email [email protected]. Summer 2019 5 For Big Y, hunger relief is a major commitment in Berkshire County very Tuesday morning, Ea driver from Big Y World Class Market delivers a tractor trailer load of donated food items to our St. John Paul charity Center volunteers left to right: warehouse in Hatfield. Jim Dynes, Bernie Bassi, Larry Clairmont. Our warehouse staff has local food pantries and meal sites a carefully orchestrated system for – receive weekly deliveries of food unloading the pallets of food, which for distribution to food-insecure contain tens of thousands of pounds households in their communities. of items whose containers have been “We all have a responsibility to help damaged or whose industry “sell end food insecurity and hunger in our by” dates are nearing. In addition, community and at Big Y, food security we fill the Big Y trailer back up with and hunger relief are one of the pillars other items — healthy groceries that of our commitment to families and volunteers already have inspected, those in need in our region,” stated sorted and picked for the weekly Charles L.