Midwest Food Bank has been shipping Disaster Relief all over the US since March (stories here and here). Family food boxes have have been helping people affected by business closures and layoffs. Volunteers have been assembling, filling, and driving food boxes every week. The Tender Mercies packing machine has been running non-stop, setting new pro...
Typically, in July and August, Midwest Food Bank is preparing for the Disaster Relief we will provide during hurricane season. 2020 has been anything but typical. Much of our effort since March has been focused on Disaster Relief. The COVID-19 crisis has placed many people in a position of food insecurity. Thanks to your support, we have been ...
Midwest Food Bank is participating in a new USDA program benefitting food suppliers as well as those in need. The program is called the Farmers to Family Food Box Program. The USDA is partnering with national, regional, and local suppliers, who have been significantly impacted by the closure of food service businesses. The USDA will purchase u...
It's that time of year again. Articles with titles like "Top ten gifts for Dad" show up. They appear for a reason. It can be difficult finding a meaningful gift for a parent. Forgive us for adding one more suggestion to the mix. Some truly unique and purposeful time spent with Dad would be a gift to both the giver and recipient. What dad wouldn't a...
Challenges and opportunities describe the food supply chain in the United States due to COVID 19. At Midwest Food Bank we are focusing on the opportunities and how we can link potential food waste to people in need. MFB has started a "Save the Pork Program" that allows farmers to donate their hogs. With financial help from donors, MFB can cover the...
There is a new face at Midwest Food Bank Bloomington-Normal. Shelby Moore has joined our team as the new Volunteer Coordinator. "Shelby has a unique skill set that will effectively complement our team," says Tara Ingham, Executive Director of MFB Bloomington-Normal. "She has a huge heart for local and global outreach." Shelby has her BA in Bu...
The Midwest Food Bank central team welcomes a new bookkeeper to our team: Julie Bakewell. Julie will be assisting on the central and Haiti MFB accounts. She will be working out of the Bloomington-Normal location. Julie comes to Midwest Food Bank with many years of experience in accounting and non-profit work. They include time spent at State Farm a...
This is an unprecedented season of Disaster Relief at Midwest Food Bank. Responding to the needs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is posing unique challenges. Most states are experiencing work suspensions and quarantines, causing food insecurity. Rather than sending relief to a single disaster area, our partner, The Salvation Army, has been re...
Dear Friend of Midwest Food Bank, What an extraordinary time this is! Just one short month ago, we would not have thought all of the changes we've been through were possible. And yet now many of us are sheltering in place, watching unusual events unfold. Much has changed in the 15 years since Midwest Food Bank began providing Disaster Relief after ...
National Volunteer Week, April 19-25, celebrates the impact of volunteer service across the nation and in our communities. We invite you to be a part of this special week. Midwest Food Bank Bloomington-Normal volunteer efforts are still planned in our warehouse with some slight modifications. We are all focused on health and sh...
When we say Midwest Food Bank volunteers do just about anything and everything, we mean it. Drive 3 1/2 hours to pick up food? Sure, no problem. Scrub a warehouse floor? They get after it. Speak to a community group about the MFB mission? No stage fright here. Recently at the Bloomington/Normal warehouse, three volunteers were recognized for ...
Have you ever wondered what happens to the excess products at local grocery stores? Midwest Food Bank is fortunate to receive those quality excess products - bakery goods, dairy, produce and meat for example. That food is then given, free of charge, to food pantries throughout our region. Six mornings a week MFB Bloomington-Normal volunteers ...
Save the Date! The Gala Dinner & Auction to benefit MFB Bloomington-Normal will be held on Saturday, April 18. This beautiful evening features appetizers and a delicious, plated meal. Live and silent auction items may be viewed beginning at 5 p.m., with the live auction starting after dinner. Tickets will be available soon (on...
Midwest Food Bank Bloomington-Normal distributes food to partner agencies almost every work day. Most of those are smaller distributions of produce or to smaller agencies. But six day each month, we have a full-day distribution, when the our agencies receive the bulk of the food they give to their clients. On those full day distributions, a lu...
Late in 2019, two business publications have recently had favorable things to say about Midwest Food Bank. Business.org published a list of "The Best Charities for Your Money in Every State." Midwest Food Bank was selected as the best charity for your money in Illinois. Based on transparency and program expense, each of the fifty chariti...
Midwest Food Bank has begun a monthly remote distribution in Belle, WV, 12 miles south east of Charleston. Once a month, a truckload of food will travel to Belle for a single day distribution. There are currently 12 partner agencies who will receive the food to distribute to those in need. The first truckload of food will leave MFB Bloomington-Norm...
We continue to utilize the help of volunteer nutrition and dietetics interns to enrich our services to the pantries we serve. This semester's interns have pioneered a new agency/client newsletter, featuring powerhouse foods, recipes featuring products we distribute, and food safety tips. They have also made themselves available to our agencies by p...
Humility = Success. This is just one of the many pieces of wisdom shared by David Kieser, Midwest Food Bank's President and Founder, during a podcast interview on The Savvy Sauce. Laura Dugger, The Savvy Sauce host, invited David to share some of the "God stories" he has experienced at MFB. During the 84th episode of the weekly podcast, David ...
When you gather with family and friends to give thanks this year, will there be food on the table? Sounds like a ridiculous question, but for many local families, it is not. Last year, Midwest Food Bank Bloomington-Normal partnered with Home Sweet Home Ministries to provide 2,200 Thanksgiving meal boxes to local families through the Give Thanks pro...
Midwest Food Bank Bloomington-Normal recently received a donation from Compeer Financial. The gift came from their social media campaign in June called #GiveGallons. For every person who used that hashtag with a picture of themselves enjoying a dairy product, Compeer Financial donated two gallons of milk. Tara Ingham, Executive Director o...
