We've all felt the pinch of rising food and gas prices. But for people who fall into the category of "food insecure," those prices create a budget where the math can't add up. It's not just a hunch that prices are rising. The Consumer Price Index shows an 8.8% increase in food prices in March 2022, the most significant 12-month advance since May 19...
The numbers say Midwest Food Bank gave about $430 million worth of food at no cost to about 2,100 food partners in the U.S. and around the world in 2021. That $430 million number represents the food those food partners receive from MFB - at no cost. That's a big deal as it allows them to use their money in other areas of their ministries - like fue...
School is out for summer, and kids will be at the swimming pool, ball diamond, riding bikes. And volunteering at Midwest Food Bank. Yep, kids love to spend their time volunteering, and MFB has many tasks that are just right for kids. Here is what a few of the younger volunteers at the Morton location have to say about service. "It makes me feel goo...
There's a big machine in the Morton warehouse of Midwest Food Bank that produces nutritious meals - 10 million servings since 2013, to be exact. But it's the people around the machine that make it all happen. The machine packages Tender Mercies - a low-cost (20 cents per serving) and highly nutritious meal that includes rice, beans, protein, spices...
Three organizations are influential in supporting Midwest Food Bank - the Caterpillar Foundation, GROWMARK, and State Farm. All three are top supporters of MFB operations in Illinois and beyond. Over the past year, all three have supported MFB in the form of grants - $56,000 from the Caterpillar Foundation, $50,000 from GROWMARK, and $150,000 from ...
Podcasts are here to stay, and they have exploded in popularity. Consider this: there are about 4.5 million podcasts registered globally, and 57% of people in the US have listened to at least one podcast (according to thepodcasthost.com). Because podcasts are easily accessible and allow listeners to zero in on content that interests them whene...
Knowing about something and experiencing it firsthand are two different things. A community health course at Bradley University takes book knowledge to a real-life experience through a poverty simulation exercise. The class also connects the dots for students as they learn how food pantries and food banks work together and how those resources can h...
During the last ten years, Brittany Parker and her husband have started a family and put down some roots. In 2020, when the youngest of her four children went to kindergarten, she decided it was time to start giving back to her community. "I wanted to contribute to the community and found Midwest Food Bank's mission to be authentic and genuine...
The numbers are in for 2021, and it was a year of blessings. Midwest Food Bank spent $14 million and distributed $430 million worth of food. Put another way, for every dollar donated to MFB, $31 worth of food was given to those in need. MFB serves nearly 2,100 nonprofit partner agencies. Generous donors and dedicated volunteers make those numbers p...
Midwest Food Bank has again received a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, the nation's top charity evaluator. MFB has received this recognition every year since 2011. Only 3% of charities receive a four-star rating for ten consecutive years. The rating is based on MFB's demonstration of robust financial health and its commitment to accountabi...
The operations of Midwest Food Bank Morton are different than other MFB divisions as it serves as the packaging and logistics warehouse for all of Midwest Food Bank. By being the hub for coordinating and managing certain operations, MFB Morton creates efficiencies for the entire organization. An example of this synergy is the MFB Tender Mercies pro...
At many Midwest Food Bank locations, volunteers serve from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS). Their words describe their time of missionary calling: "As missionaries, we leave our homes for 18-24 months and go wherever we're called. We spend our time serving others and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with as many people ...
Brandon Lipps has joined the Midwest Food Bank National Board of Directors. His vast experience in organizational leadership aligns with the mission of MFB. Brandon grew up in the small town of Woodson, TX. He received a B.S. in agricultural economics and a law degree from Texas Tech University. His wide array of experience includes practicing law,...
The images of a natural disaster show hard-to-believe scenes - flooding up to a roof-top, a home destroyed but books still lined on a shelf, charred trees with a fire approaching an urban area, rain and high winds bending trees over. These are familiar sights following floods, tornadoes, wildfires, hurricanes. In the aftermath, there are people who...
Building relationships and partnerships extend to all aspects of Midwest Food Bank, including the behind-the-scenes vendors. One of our partnerships is the online giving platform iDonate. "It's evident that iDonate is consistent with the MFB culture," says Jada Hoerr, MFB Chief Resource Officer. "We are a growing organization, and as iDonate c...
With roles at both MFB and his family farm, Eric Hodel works in two industries associated with feeding people. This helps make Eric uniquely qualified to serve as Midwest Food Bank's CEO beginning January 1, 2022. David Kieser, MFB's current CEO, will remain the President of the MFB Board of Directors. Eric joined Midwest Food Bank in April 2017, a...
Midwest Food Bank is often the beneficiary of charitable efforts by local businesses. These fundraisers bring awareness of food insecurity and MFB's mission while providing donors with fun perks. 210 Financial's Pumpkin Pie Giveaway is a perfect example. Morton-based 210 Financial recently offered their customers a free pumpkin pie in exchange for ...
As a faith-based organization, it is the mission of the Midwest Food Bank to share the love of Christ by alleviating hunger ad malnutrition locally and throughout the world and providing disaster relief; all without discrimination. MFB is about people. Food Recipients - We work to put food into the hands of the food insecure.&...
Most US households are "food secure," meaning they have consistent access to enough food for healthy, active living. However, some households lack access to adequate food due to a lack of money or other resources. These homes are called "food insecure." Midwest Food Bank turns to the US Department of Agriculture's annual report on household fo...
What a difference two months makes. We spotlighted Brent Reddish as a volunteer in the last eNewsletter. Now, Brent has joined the staff of MFB Morton as Operations Manager. Brent will oversee and facilitate warehouse activities and manage the purchasing and inventory for Tender Mercies - an MFB meal program. His experience in sales...
