Young and old, child and adult, we all love celebrating a birthday! At Midwest Food Bank, we enjoy celebrating with you. Here are 5 ways we equip you to celebrate your own birthday or someone else's: 1. Tribute Gift: When you donate online, you can make your gift a tribute to celebrate a birthday. Midwest Food Bank will send a card to the person yo...
The passion of the Midwest Food Bank employees and volunteers is contagious. Just ask Jan Murphy, a Midwest Food Bank Share Partner (a donor offering a regularly scheduled contribution). She is the former Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost at Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois. In 2018, ISU President, Larry Dietz, encour...
Midwest Food Bank has again received a coveted four-star rating from Charity Navigator, the nation's top charity evaluator. MFB has received this recognition every year since 2011. Only 4% of charities are given a four-star rating for nine consecutive years. The rating is based on MFB's demonstration of robust financial health a...
In partnership with the Coca-Cola organization, the NCAA recently contacted Midwest Food Bank Indiana with good news. A donation of products was being made for the food recipients we serve weekly. Over 100 pallets of Coke sports drinks and various Coke products, nearly five semi loads were donated. When a community comes together, it's a ...
Between February 21 and March 1, the people of eastern Kentucky experienced multiple ice storms and floods. Due to the severe weather, residents were left without electricity, homes were damaged or lost, and roads were washed away. Marin County, in particular, is already considered one of the poorest counties in the United States. Pa...
Every county in Texas was under a state of emergency following a rare winter storm in mid-February. The heavy snow, ice, and bitterly cold temperatures caused widespread damage as water pipes froze in many locations. Millions were left without power for several days. Midwest Food Bank was ready to respond when partner The Salvation Army reque...
Midwest Food Bank Indiana received two bus loads (you read that right, two bus loads!) of donated food and non-perishable items in from IndyGo. In mid-December, IndyGo, the largest public transportation provider in the state, had a day when fares were waived if riders donated a canned food item or other non-perishable item. Their riders r...
The cookie elves worked over-time during the holidays at Midwest Food Bank Indiana. It was a sweet way to thank the faithful volunteers that logged countless hours in 2020. In December, MFB staff and volunteers Verna and Rita prepared 100 dozen homemade cookies and 60 pounds of candies that were given to key volunteers as a token of thanks for...
As the pandemic continues, more people are learning about food insecurity and understanding what existed before COVID-19 and how more families now need assistance. A group of people in Connecticut are not just learning. They are taking action. Their willingness to serve is the reason Midwest Food Bank announced the opening of a...
At Midwest Food Bank, Share Partners make a continual positive impact. They donate a set amount on a regular schedule - weekly, monthly, or quarterly. If you think our Share Partners are all wealthy retirees giving huge amounts, we'd like to introduce you to Allysha. Allysha Nordyke lives in Los Angeles, CA, and works for the government. She i...
While the impact of the Coronavirus Relief bill of March 2020 had far-reaching effects, there is a lesser-known benefit in the bill. It's a benefit that helps charitable givers AND charities $300 Charitable Giving Deduction Taxpayers who don't itemize their deductions (that's most of us) can take advantage of a special $300 tax deduction. In t...
Here at Midwest Food Bank, we can't say enough about the many volunteers that walk through our door. They not only do essential tasks but their attitudes and spirit are beyond measure. Jeff Davis is one of those volunteers. We were humbled recently to learn he shared his thoughts about MFB in a letter to the editor, Indianapolis Star. Here is...
MFB Indiana recently expanded into a second warehouse (story here). This new space has allowed us to host larger groups. Recently, we had the blessing of being able to fill Disaster Relief boxes to be distributed through our partnership with The Salvation Army. In October, over 1,200 Family Food Boxes were filled by a variety of volunteer groups. T...
As we near the end of 2020 it's hard to know what holidays will look like this year. The large family gatherings or church traditions may be different but one thing stays the same - the desire to bring meaning to Christmas by helping those around us. We thought it would be helpful to provide some ideas (links below) on how to give and experience ho...
The term "food desert" is becoming more common but if you don't live in a food desert, it's hard to know what that means. A food desert is a geographical area with little to no access to healthy, affordable, nutritious food. People that live in these areas might have a corner convenience store or gas station that carries milk or limited produ...
Midwest Food Bank, hosted Brandon Lipps and Tim English, of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in late October. Brandon is the Deputy Under Secretary for the USDA Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services, and Tim is the Midwest Regional Administrator. Mr. Lipps reached out and requested a tour of the MFB location in Normal, Illinois after reviewing ...
A simple internet search, a love for fashion, and a desire to help people around the world - that's how Meri Barnes, CEO and founder of California based The Shop Forward, connected with Midwest Food Bank. The apparel company supports a variety of causes including disaster relief. The recent derecho in Iowa and hurricanes in the southeast...
Midwest Food Bank congratulates the World Food Programme for receiving the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize. We are thankful for the efforts of the WFP and fully agree that their impact is worthy of this world-class recognition. WFP is a leading humanitarian organization and addresses hunger and promotes food security worldwide. In 2019, WFP provided assista...
Today, October 16, is World Food Day. It's an internationally recognized day in honor of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 1945. It's celebrated by organizations concerned with food insecurity. World Food Day meshes well with of mission of alleviating hunger. This year's theme, "Grow, Nourish, Sustain. T...
COVID-19 created a disruption in the US food supply chain. Food producers and suppliers were unable to have food processed and transported. The USDA created the Farmers to Families Food Program to support US farmers and distributors and get that food to people that need it. The program has been authorized through the end of 2020. Midwest Food Bank ...
