Inside the HeartlandA Publication of Second Harvest HeartlandSummer 2007

1Inside the Heartland

The scene is a familiar one: Adults and children, three deep, in a line that stretches down the block, around the

corner and another block long. They’re here for a Second Harvest Food Outreach on a wind-whipped Thursday June evening at Park Avenue United Methodist Church in the heart of Minneapolis.

“Before Second Harvest could finish the sen-tence . . . Would you be interested in hosting a…We said YES,” exclaimed Wanda Bryant, Director of Cornerstone Ministries, housed in the lower level of the church. “We had 60 volunteers ready to set up when the truck first pulled in.” Good thing. By the end of the evening, more than 36,000 pounds of grocery products had been doled out to 629 families in just two hours at the Food Outreach event.

Glenda Yunga, her son Jonathan and mother -in-law Adelaida Yunga were family num-ber 82 in line that evening. They live in the neighborhood and had come for cloth-ing that is available through Cornerstone

Ministries. That’s how they heard about the Food Outreach. “We need this. It is a bless-ing to us,” murmured the somewhat shy mother.

The new program, Second Harvest Food Outreach, was implemented to help SHH reach its goal.

So far, the program has been overwhelm-ingly successful. Second Harvest Heartland can distribute about 30,000 pounds of food to 350-400 families in just two hours in one stop. These distributions are conducted in partnership with local agen-cies, churches, and other organizations in areas that are considered under-served by America’s Second Harvest standards.

For Al Bacon, number four in line at the first Food Outreach at Park Avenue United Methodist, this was also a personal first: his first visit to a food distribution of any kind.

“The $150 in food stamps every month doesn’t go very far,” he stated. He is waiting

for disability benefits and his buddy of 15 years, num-ber five in line, gave him a ride to the Food Outreach.

The setting in Cambridge, Minnesota was similar. Some 350 families were lined up in the City Hall offices on a steamy late June evening to receive such items as crackers, mouthwash and laundry detergent.

Candace Broll and her teenage son, Trent, volunteered at the event and also received items. “I’m well educated,” said the non-profit marketing director with a ready-smile, empha-sizing that many of the recipients, like her, are employed. “This [distribution] helps my fam-ily of six. I have four boys who eat me out of house and home!” she said. Candace has volun-teered at the Cambridge Food Outreach since it began in March and has seen the progress of

Continued on page 3. . .

Second Harvest Heartland Feeds More Hungry People with Food Outreach

Joining forces to end hunger

Glenda Yunga, her camera-shy son Jonathon and mother-in-law Adelaida Yunga appreciated

the variety of grocery items they received and called the outreach a “blessing.”

Long lines, such as this one at Park Avenue United Methodist Church in Minneapolis, have been a familiar sight at Second Harvest Heartland Food Outreach distributions.

Candace Broll, a volunteer and recipient at the Food Outreach in Cambridge, has been impressed by

the variety and quality of items.

2 Inside the Heartland

Now, More People Know About Hunger The radio and TV airwaves were buzzing with news about hunger on Hunger Awareness Day this June 5. The day began early, with 1,300 one-dollar Cub Foods Breakfast served on Peavey Plaza. Cub Foods also donated money for each Community Cupboard Bag purchased, up to $10,000 during that week. That match was easily reached. Kraft Foods made a $5,000 check presentation as well as delivery of 17,522 pounds of Kraft food products.

Bremer Banks joined with the Hubbard Broadcasting family of five radio stations and urged their customers and listeners to dump out their purses, dig the coins out of the couch and “Make Change” to end hunger with their donations. A total of $138,454.66 was raised through the Otto Bremer Foundation, who issued a challenge grant and matched every donation made, up to $50,000.

Second Harvest Heartland and its partners joined forces on Hunger Awareness Day and throughout the month of June to raise funds and heighten awareness of the nearly invisible problem of hunger in the heartland.

Spotlight: General MillsThe international food giant, General Mills, is the sixth largest product donor to Second Harvest Heartland, and contributed an astonishing 518,876 pounds of food in 2006.

The Golden Valley-based company has also fully embraced its home-town community, supporting Second Harvest Heartland through grant awards from the General Mills Foundation, its employee-driven Food and Fund drives and a strong tradition of encouraging employees to volunteer for Second Harvest Heartland.

General Mills generously matches the totals collected by employees with their Food and Fund held each spring. This year’s drive raised 17,766 pounds of food and a remarkable $45,521.

Second Harvest Heartland sincerely appreciates General Mills’ financial commitment and its employees’ support and enthusiasm for the mission of ending hunger in the heartland.

From the desk of the Executive Director

Every successful organization changes as it grows and faces moments of transition in the process. This is one

of those moments. I have announced that I will be retiring from Second Harvest Heartland in late August. It has been almost six years since I joined Second Harvest Heartland to address the challenge of merging the two major Twin

Cities food banks. We are now one of the strongest regional food banks in the America’s Second Harvest national network.

It is a good time for this transition. We have the strongest staff and Board that we have ever had, all dedicated to our vision of bringing an end to hunger. Toward that goal, we will reach a record-breaking distribution of 33 million pounds of food this year. We are finalizing the 2008 plan and budget with strategies to sustain this growth and achieve another stretch goal that will provide significantly more food to our distribution network.

To support our planned growth, we have greatly expanded the food bank’s

capacity to handle more food in the same facility, built a new freezer and expanded the cooler to handle more nutritious food, upgraded our fleet of trucks, increased our network of partner organizations and programs, and sought and received support from the Minnesota Legislature. A number of innovative programs have been initiated, such as the SHH Food Outreach program highlighted in this newsletter.

This progress would not have been possible without the generous support of our donors – both financial and food – nor without the tireless, dedicated work performed everyday by our partner agencies.

Although it is always difficult to leave, this is the right time for me. I depart with confidence that Second Harvest Heartland is strong and well-positioned for the future. I will continue to support this wonderful, vital organization and its incredibly important mission. Thank you all for your support and friendship. R. Jane BrownExecutive Director

DISH: Gourmet Fare for Hunger ReliefSecond Harvest Heartland would like to thank the DISH committee members and attendees and our sponsors: Gold: Target, Mpls.St. Paul Magazine, Johnson Brothers (Prestige Wine Group, Gallo Family Vineyards, Le Grand Noir, Starling Castle, Ron Diaz); Silver: Ecolab; Bronze: Coca-Cola, Crystal Farms, Cub Foods, Kemps, Mutual of America, The Pepsi Bottling Group, RJF Agencies, Vertis, Wells Fargo; In-kind: Artelle Designs, College Press, Just Truffles, Minneapolis Floral, St. Croix Promotions. Your collective efforts raised more than $63,000.

Help DISH Up Fantastic ResultsDo you have experience in, or an interest in, live and silent auctions, marketing, spon-sorships or event planning/coordinating? We’re beginning to plan for DISH: Gourmet Fare for Hunger Relief, to be held in April 2008, and looking for volunteer commit-tee members to help ensure the success of this signature event. For more information, contact Dawn Marie Nelmark at 651.209.7940 or dnelmark@2harvest.org.

Guests of DISH enjoyed a tropical themed evening filled with lively entertainment, regional wines,

sumptuous food prepared by the area’s top chefs, and distinctive silent and live auctions.

3Inside the Heartland

Food Outreach continued from page 1

Upcoming EventsCub Foods Round-Up

Sept. 2 - Oct. 20Tell your cashier you want to help support Second Harvest Heartland by rounding up your total. Your extra change will be used to help SHH meet their goal of ending hunger. Cub will match customer donations two-to-one. Since its incep-tion in 2004, the Cub Round-Up cam-paign has raised $293,000 for SHH.

The Sample CircuitAugust

Adventurous diners can choose a date to be paired up with new gourmet experi-ences at a considerably reduced price. A portion of the proceeds benefits Second Harvest Heartland. Visit www.samplecir-cuit.com to purchase tickets.

City Pages Iron Fork Event October 18

Experience signature dishes from more than 15 restaurants, beer and wine samples, and a unique Iron Chef competition.

For more information, please visit 2harvest.org.

SHH Names New Vice President of Partner RelationsCarla Johnson has joined the SHH staff as the Vice President of Partner Relations and is responsible for agency relations and programs. She brings a wealth of experience and knowledge in food banking, most recently as Executive Director of Channel One Food Bank in Rochester. Previously, Carla was Executive Director of the Northfield Community Action Center, which provided support services and programs for low-income people, including a food shelf, an emergency shelter and transi-tional housing.

Please consider Carla a resource. Contact her at 651.209.7933 or cjohnson@2harvest.org.

Get in GearThe 2007 30th Annual Get in Gear Run/Walk raised $7,632 for Second Harvest Heartland. Thank you to all who donated.

National Association of Letter Carriers’ Food Drive

On May 12, the National Association of Letter Carriers representing Minneapolis

Branch 9 and St. Paul Branch 28 col-lected 927,691 pounds of food for those in need, a record number and almost three times the amount col-lected last year! Stamp Out Hunger, in its 15th year, is the largest one-day food drive in the nation. Thanks to the letter carriers, Cub Foods and WCCO Radio for a super successful drive.

INTERNATIONAL MARKET SQUARE

Thursday, October 18th | 5:30-9:00pm

More Success With Spring Fundraisers

Bremer Bank volunteers sort food items from the NALC food drive.

the now smooth-running operation. “The looks on people’s faces! – especially when they see the detergent – it’s amazing. I can’t say enough good things.”

Peggy Kowal of Isanti, a single mother of three, visits a food shelf once a month and uses food stamps to supplement her salary as a nursing assistant. “My mouth just dropped when I saw the items; there’s a good variety! I feel blessed and thankful,” she said. Peggy appreciates how the supplemental items available boost her budget. “I’m wearing my daughter’s shoes, which are too small for me,” she said, looking down at the tight fit. “The money I would have spent on these items I can now use to buy new shoes!” she said excitedly.

“The response has been greater than we first imagined,” said Carla Johnson, Vice President of Partner Relations, stressing that the Food Outreach program is not a duplication of efforts but a real growth measure to ensure that those in need have access to supplemental food and necessary household items. “To borrow a phrase,” she said, “This is a quick and easy way to serve those who are quick and easy to serve.”

The program is a win-win for all involved. “The hosts don’t need to do any ordering; we put the order together with items we know people will benefit from,” said Johnson. And there’s no special infrastructure needed – the sites would not otherwise have been used.

“Together with all our other partners, we’re excited about the effect that Second Harvest Food Outreach distributions are having in reaching more people, right in their backyard, who are facing hunger.”

Thanks to your contributions, Food Outreach distributions are making a huge impact on ending hunger in your community. For more information, please visit the Second Harvest Heartland Agency Zone at http://agencies.2harvest.org.

“At Cub Foods, we consider it our responsibility to help strengthen the

communities we serve,” explained Brian Huff, president of Cub Foods. “The first

step in building a stronger community is to end hunger, and we’re delighted to support

Second Harvest’s incredible efforts.”

NonprofitOrganization

US Postage PaidSecond Harvest

Heartland

Inside the HeartlandSummer 2007

Second Harvest Heartland1140 Gervais Avenue

St. Paul, MN 55109-2020Phone: 651.484.5117

Toll Free: 888.339.3663Fax: 651.484.1064

2harvest.org

Inside the Heartland is published for the partners and stakeholders of

Second Harvest Heartland throughout Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

Every measure has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the names and

information printed in this newsletter. We apologize if we have overlooked

any organization or individual.

Joining forces to end hunger

A member of America’s Second Harvest - The Nation’s Food Bank Network

Inside: Second Harvest Heartland Feeds More Hungry People with Food Outreach. . .

Second Harvest Heartland Fiscal Year Giving

FY 2007 – October 1, 2006-September 30, 2007Second Harvest Heartland is close to its goal to distribute 10 percent more grocery products this year for a total of 33 million pounds. The generosity of donors continues as Second Harvest Heartland wrapped up the third quarter of the fiscal year.

2007 Goal $4.66MAs of June 30

$4,006,945 donated

Dollars Donated Pounds of FoodDistributed

$1M5M

10M

15M

20M

25M

30M

$2M

$3M

$4M

Join forces with Second Harvest Heartland to End HungerJoin one or all of three SHH giving clubs. These clubs will increase the ability for donors, like you, to make lasting and impactful contributions to Second Harvest Heartland.

Become a Monthly ContributorJoin the Heartland Harvesters and use the ease of

credit card or electronic fund transfers (EFT) to make regular donations.

Planned GivingMembers of the Legacy Society include Second Harvest

Heartland in their will and/or estate plans. These long-lasting contributions support hunger relief

now, and far into the future.

Annual GivingThe Heartland Community consists of financial

donors who give $1,000 or more and provide major impact in the quest to end hunger.

Use Jon Guy as a resource. Call 651.209.7932 or jguy@2harvest.org.

2007 Goal 33 million

24,362,507 pounds As of

June 30