Every industry has a "language" and food banks are no different. At Midwest Food Bank we use words like "hunger" and "food insecurity" on a regular basis. But, what do those words really mean? Hunger – This is a physical condition that is caused by a lack of food. Food Insecurity – The USDA defines this as the "lack of consistent access to enough f...

When visitors come to Midwest Food Bank for the first time they are often surprised by the size of our warehouses and the amount of food on our shelves. They aren't expecting forklifts, pallets, and semi-trucks. That's when the conversation turns to the difference between a food bank and a food pantry. Food banks – Midwest Food Bank, like other foo...

 A box of cereal and a smile left a lasting impression on a 7-year-old boy in New York. Fast forward to 2020 and that boy is now a man in his early 40s and Jason Serrano can recount that event with clarity. "I know that smile was because she was doing God's work," Jason says about how the woman from a church down the street came to his ho...

Midwest Food Bank will open a new location in the Hershey, Pennsylvania, area, MFB President and CEO David Kieser announced today. Jason and Aleta Serrano of New York are leading a team of organizers to expand MFB's impact. They are currently seeking a facility to lease for the new division. "In Pennsylvania, 1 in 8 households are food insecure, an...

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...

Midwest Food Bank Texas has been providing relief to families suffering from food insecurity. The number of those families has increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  With our participation in the USDA's Farmers to Families Food Box program (story here), we have increased our distributions. MFB Texas is now working Monday through Friday ...

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...

Midwest Food Bank is pleased to announce a new employee. David Emerson has been hired as Executive Director of Midwest Food Bank Texas. As Executive Director, he is responsible for ensuring MFB's food service programs are executed with efficient use of facilities, employees and volunteers. He is also responsible for budgeting, fundraising, communit...

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...

 Midwest Food Bank Texas is one of multiple food providers in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Rural communities are less likely to receive food assistance. MFB Texas is focusing relief efforts in those communities. The photo below shows a delivery in Mexia, TX, a community of nearly 7,500. Texas has a high rate of food insecurity at 14%. Lime...

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 ...

Midwest Food Bank Texas has a new fork lift. It is more energy efficient than the units we have been using. Along with the trade-in of an older unit, a grant provided the funds to purchase this new forklift.  Also new at MFB Texas is the arrangement of our warehouse pallet racking. The reorganization creates a safer and more efficien...

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 Texas hosted a Partners Gathering on Friday, October 18 and Saturday, October 19. The goal of the event was three-fold.  Guests included corporate employee partners, non-profit agencies and MFB Board members. During the program, Rich Stoller, Texas Board President, shared the heart of how the division was started. Daniel Pres...

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 ...

Midwest Food Bank Texas continues to seek how we might better serve our agencies and provide positive volunteer engagement. Some changes recently made include our hours of operation: now MWF from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Our distribution days are Monday and Friday, the first four weeks of each month.  Here are some recent happenings: With the...

Midwest Food Bank is committed to helping the hungry of this world. However, we're concerned with more than just how much food we can provide. Our mission is to alleviate hunger AND malnutrition. Alongside our dedication to filling empty stomachs, we're focused on the nutritional quality of our products.  Think about your own grocery shopping....