FLORIDA Community Focus: Word of Life Food Pantry Located in Fort Myers, FL, the Word of Life Food Pantry serves the communities of Fort Myers, Cape Coral, and Lehigh. Open several days a week, the pantry addresses the needs of 150 to 200 individuals, including their families, impacting nearly 7,000 people monthly. The pantry empowers individuals b...
We often hear this question: "Why is all this food donated?" In 2023 alone, we distributed over $482 million worth of food. Midwest Food Bank partners with food producers, manufacturers, and distributors to save products. Sometimes, the food is something they can't sell. This may result from market challenges due to economic changes, shifting consu...
Midwest Food Bank values our donors and we steward every gift with integrity. We frequently receive questions about various ways to give to MFB and one mechanism - Donor-Advised Funds - is a way donors have partnered with MFB to achieve their giving goals and benefit our mission. A Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) is a type of giving program that allows yo...
For the first time in history, enough food is produced to feed everyone. Globally, farmers are growing over 22 billion pounds of produce every day, enough to provide every person on the planet almost twice, according to the Farm Link Project. It's not about having enough food; it's about getting the roughly 30-40% of the wasted US food supply into ...
A healthy start is a challenge for children in East Africa. That start can impact them for the rest of their life. Kapu Africa (Midwest Food Bank East Africa) isn't backing away from big goals to provide that healthy start by reducing stunting in Kenya and across East Africa. What is stunting? It is when a child has a low height fo...
A bag of groceries feeds the body, mind, and spirit. That's what happens when clients drive through Gettysburg Baptist Church each month for their food distribution.The church ministers to a largely rural area in Adams County, Pennsylvania, providing a well-balanced variety of food groups and volunteers offering prayer and invitations. Recently a g...
Problem-solving has been the theme at Midwest Food Bank Pennsylvania for the last year or so. With current food partners requesting additional food and new partners being added, it was time to look at the warehouse and make improvements."Kudos to our staff, volunteers, and advisory board members who have been moving pallets, clearing out rack space...
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...
Lives Changed by Christ, a church with 19 locations in Pennsylvania, take their name to heart. It's a testament to the service they provide. The church partners with Midwest Food Bank Pennsylvania and assists in many ways. Food distribution days at MFB require many volunteers, and some men from LCBC volunteer for every distribution."We're able to s...
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...
During the pandemic, people from Ono United Methodist Church noticed some needs in their community and responded by starting a food pantry. Those needs haven't stopped. They have increased. Sometimes, up to a dozen cars are lined up waiting for food. Some of the food they distribute comes from Midwest Food Bank Pennsylvania."We have increased our s...
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...
A bag of groceries can be the start of something that transforms a life. That's how staff and volunteers at The Salvation Army in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, see food assistance. "We want to introduce other programs like nutrition education, employment assistance, workforce development, and education opportunities," says Jenny Gallager Blom, pro...
Julie DeBoard hadn't heard of Midwest Food Bank Pennsylvania until Kathy Anderson-Martin told her that she had accepted the position of Executive Director."I knew Kathy from when she worked at the Salvation Army," says Julie. "When she told me she was going to work for MFB, I decided to check it out, and I've been here ever since.Julie started help...
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...
