Volunteer groups at Midwest Food Bank New England know how to grab a hairnet, gloves, and measuring tools to help make a nutritious meal. We are grateful for the groups who recently hand-packed Tender Mercies. Tender Mercies was developed by dietitians for MFB and is a highly nutritious, low-cost blend of rice, beans, and fortified s...
Perceptions and reality don't always match up. You might be surprised to learn that 53% of food-insecure people work full-time.So, the suggestion "Why don't they just get a job?" falls flat for more than half the people choosing between putting gas in their car, paying a utility bill, or going to the grocery store.The USDA defines food insecurity a...
Keep or pitch? That's the question everyone faces when cleaning out a refrigerator or a pantry. The date on the product is usually the determining factor if it stays or goes. But those dates are one of the biggest reasons that 30-40 percent of food in the United States is thrown away even though it is still safe to consume. The dates printed ...
MFB began a partnership with Amazon as a food donor in 2020. Since then, Amazon has provided loads of product across the MFB footprint and is a valued food donor for the organization. Some divisions have picked up Amazon Fresh regular loads - a tremendous source of nutritious and fresh food. That partnership continues to grow and expand in exciting...
A hot meal, seven days a week, no questions asked.Enfield Loaves and Fishes provides that to those who walk in their door. Those doors are open again after the board of volunteers navigated the challenges of feeding the food-insecure during the pandemic. Late in 2019, Loaves and Fishes moved to a new location, but once the pandemic hit, they c...
At first, Glenn Koehler thought he would spend his retirement years teaching. It seemed like a natural transition after spending 38 years as a pediatric dentist, serving on a school board, coaching little league, and being a board member of a children's museum."I just kept returning to fulfilling a human need, like feeding people," says Glenn.Then ...
Experience and faith make Corey Barrette an excellent fit for Midwest Food Bank New England. He joined the staff in February as the Volunteer and Community Relations Manager."God provides the right people at the right time," says Jan Young, MFB New England Executive Director. "We greatly appreciate Corey's volunteer management experience and his he...
Midwest Food Bank values our donors, and we make effective use of every gift with integrity. We frequently receive questions about various ways to give to MFB, and one mechanism – IRA Qualified Charitable Distribution - is a way that benefits donors and MFB. Making an IRA Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) You can donate up to $100,000 in...
Friends and volunteers Janice Grant and Phil Crosby help Midwest Food Bank, New England, one box at a time. Actually, it's about 1,000 boxes a month. Their volunteer time is one of the many ways volunteers make it all happen at Midwest Food Bank. Janice and Phil are active in two area food pantries. They discovered MFB about a year ago when they dr...
"I am absolutely convinced that nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus has embraced us." This is one of Brent Carl's favorite quotes from the Apostle Paul (Romans 8:38-39). It continues to grace the wall of our Volunteer Manager office, offering an ongoing reminder of Brent's even calmness, kindly influence, and dee...
Backpacks not only hold books and homework. For some students, backpacks are how food is sent home for the weekend. Fern Street Backpacks is one of the food partners of Midwest Food Bank New England. They receive food, without charge, from MFB to put in the backpacks sent home to students in West Hartford Public Schools."We hope to provide sustenan...
How Melanie Tennell became the new Marketing Director at MFB is a "God story." She felt a little unsettled in her previous position at Pekin Insurance when her former boss Jackie reached out to her. Jackie connected Melanie with her acquaintance, Jada Hoerr, MFB Chief Resource Officer. "God's timing prevails," says Melanie. "Every. Single. Tim...
Have you ever wondered what a nonprofit board does? Like all nonprofits, Midwest Food Bank is governed by a board of Directors. These twelve volunteers provide strategic and financial oversight for the organization. Additionally, each of the twelve MFB locations has an advisory board. While the employees lead the daily operations, the board pl...
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. I Thessalonians 5:11 On November 30 and December 1, Midwest Food Bank Directors for all US location met in Morton, IL, for two days of encouragement, fellowship, and support. This included directors from Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Il...
Big or small - businesses have found a way to support Midwest Food Bank. From a coffee shop to a grocery store chain to a heavy equipment manufacturer, they've all found ways to contribute to our mission. Their support comes in a variety of ways as they create a culture of giving. Here are a few ways they impact nonprofits. 1. Grants - Some busines...
From manufacturing to healthcare to Midwest Food Bank, Temple Roe has a professional path that will be an asset to MFB. She joined the MFB staff as Human Resources Director this fall. "I'm thrilled to have found my way into a non-profit that provides to so many families and communities in need," says Temple. As the HR Director for Midwest Food...
Josh sounds like a typical 12-year-old. He likes playing video games, jumping on a trampoline with friends, and playing with his family's six cats.He also likes to volunteer at Midwest Food Bank New England, and he brings energy and curiosity to every task."When he's volunteering, he's a real dynamo, a bundle of energy," says Brent Carl, MFB New En...
Partnerships are essential to Midwest Food Bank, and Provision Ministry has become a valued one for MFB New England. Provision Ministry is one of MFB's food donors, and weekly they provide anything from meatballs to new shoes."It's a wonderful partnership, and we share a common mission," says Jan Young, Executive Director of MFB New England. "It's ...
"In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words Lord Jesus himself said: It is more blessed to give than to receive." Acts 20-35 When Midwest Food Bank New England hosted a ribbon cutting to announce its opening Millie Texidor-Maffucci was there. She toured the facility and left w...
Food surplus can end up as waste unless someone takes action. Gary Guminiak took action. Gary is a senior industrial engineer for Ahold Delhaize USA, a multinational retail and wholesaling company with brands that serve millions of customers in the US, Europe, and Indonesia. Ahold Delhaize's companies in the US include established and well-kn...