Michelle Zelesky heard about Midwest Food Bank New England when she was volunteering at another non-profit. Now she volunteers at MFB weekly, loading vehicles on distribution day, sorting groceries, and operating a pallet jack in the warehouse. "I have seen so much progress in the facility since I began volunteering," says Michelle. "I li...

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 ...

Some people might call it an internal nudge. Local community member Nikki Reiland describes it as a "heart ping". Whatever you call it, Nikki says it means she wants to lend a hand. She got one of those pings in November, but this time she wanted to do something for the community, something bigger in scope. Nikki took to social ...

Box builder, natural leader, road warrior. That is a quick way to describe three people, volunteers of the year 2021, at Midwest Food Bank Bloomington-Normal. Let us introduce John Lindahl, Greg DeBo, and Steve Whaley and tell you how they impact MFB day-in and day-out. John Lindahl - John has become an expert at assembling boxes for...

As with all MFB volunteers, truckers are crucial to our mission. Donated and rescued food often means arranging transportation. Even local trips to grocery stores add up in milage. For National Truckers Week in September, MFB highlighted a number of our volunteer truckers.  As we continue to share volunteer truck driver stories. two more&...

You don't have to be at Midwest Food Bank Texas long before you'll see Mike Stuart. He is here daily, often for six to eight hours. You can find Mike in the warehouse, driving a forklift. Mike is retired from the Thomson Rueters Corporation. He is a widower with four children, eight grandchildren, and even one great-grand. Mike was lookin...

Haiti endured a brutal, heart-rending year in 2021 as political and economic turmoil built to a crescendo by the year's end. Security collapsed following the assassination of their president in July and a massive earthquake in August. Movement of food and fuel slowed and then crept to a virtual halt as kidnappings and violence exploded in...

People often refer to fellow volunteers at Midwest Food Bank as "family." Working together to help others creates a unique bond between people. And like any family, MFB volunteers celebrate with each other and cry with each other.  The MFB Georgia family started the year off with a birthday celebration! Faithful volunteer Billy Hargrove turned...

Fruitful ministry is about collaboration. Kapu Africa (Midwest Food Bank East Africa) was a part of just such a collaboration in November. Kapu Africa, Spread Truth, the National Government, Office of MP Uganja, and the National Youth Council worked together, each bringing a unique service to the about 1,200 people that attended in Ugunja in Siaya ...

Even when separated by distance, language, and culture, a simple story of love can show us we have much in common with people a world away. "May our almighty God who is never outdone in generosity bless you abundantly." These were the words written in a thank you note from Star of the Sea Mental Health Initiative to Kapu Africa (Midwest F...

After a 35-year career in the financial planning sector, Pat Cutilletta is ready to volunteer and use her professional expertise to help others. Pat has joined the advisory board at MFB Peoria. "I loved my career and still miss the clients and daily challenges, but I retired to have time to give back," says Pat.  Pat grew up in the Peoria...

Time and money - that is what Sun Valley Church shares with Midwest Food Bank Arizona. The church has six locations in the metro-Phoenix area and often schedules times for staff and the congregation to volunteer at the MFB warehouse. The church has also supported MFB financially in the past, specifically the California wildfires in 2017-18.&nb...

Businesses across the country went remote at the beginning of the pandemic. Employees were meeting through Zoom instead of face-to-face. New employees were introduced remotely.  Now that many organizations are returning to the office, employees need to meet in person, whether to renew acquaintance or meet for the first time. After working...

In Morgan County, Indiana, several food pantries work together. They share resources, like box trucks and facilities, to feed their communities. Loaves and Fishes, a food pantry at the Pentecostals of Nashville Church is one of those pantries.  When they opened in 2017, about 20 families came for assistance. Now they serve ...

All the food that comes in and goes out the doors of Midwest Food Bank needs to be documented. That attention to detail is critical, and volunteers often make it happen. At MFB Indiana, Marla Tolle does that vital work. She tracks the food given out on distribution days and records food that enters and leaves the warehouse. Her role as as...

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...

Erin Joy Graziani always said when she retired she would like to do mission work, spreading the love of Jesus Christ and helping others. She received an email in December of 2020 from a board member for Midwest Food Bank, New England, fitting that description. For 34 years Erin was the Senior Center Director for the town of Ellington. In 2020 she f...