Posts Tagged ‘Capital Area Food Bank’

Posted by Alicia Camden | March 21st, 2011

[Cross-posted from Capital Area Food Bank]

Whether you’re a master gardener or a terrified newcomer to backyard gardening (like me), you can help the Capital Area Food Bank relieve hunger with your extra squash and tomatoes.

The Grow a Row program connects D.C., Virginia and Maryland gardeners with CAFB partner organizations in their neighborhoods, creating “produce partnerships” that bring more nutritious fruits and vegetables to underserved communities.

We’ll set you up with someone who’s doing some good in your community, someplace where you’ll hopefully get a chance to see the positive difference your donation makes. Not only will you have someplace for that inevitable overabundance of one-thing-or-another, you’ll be a part of relationships that build stronger communities.

You’ll provide underserved communities with a resource they desperately need but have little access to. You’ll enjoy the unique satisfaction of filling a need while enjoying a stress-reducing, money-saving, earth-friendly hobby.

Best of all, you’ll get this great sign for your garden! For free!

You don’t need to quit your day job to grow food for the hungry. Whatever the size of your donation, we’ll find you a partner that will get your produce into the homes and onto the tables of your neighbors in need.

For more information, contact Alicia Camden at growarow@capitalareafoodbank.org

Posted by Jody Tick | July 20th, 2010

Here’s a thought experiment:

How much food could you buy for $16 per month?  Furthermore, what could you buy for $16 that would be nutritious and didn’t involve fast food joints?  For too many individuals in our community, the $16 thought experiment is actually a reality.  As of April 2009, the minimum SNAP (formerly food stamps) benefit is $16 per month. Sadly, this is an increase from the previous minimum of $14 per month.

So, how are SNAP recipients to cope? The good news is that with a bit of planning, $16 can go a lot further at the grocery store than you might think!  Join the Capital Area Food Bank’s Director of Nutrition Education, Jodi Balis, on July 22nd as she facilitates an interactive workshop on how individuals can stretch their food budget–and still eat nutritious meals. This workshop is aimed at service providers as they seek to communicate healthy eating on a budget to clients.

The Nutritious $16 Food Bag
11am-1pm on Thursday, July 22^nd
George Mason Regional Library
7001 Little River Turnpike
Annandale, VA 22003

Click here to register for this free workshop.

If you are interested in other free workshops offered by the Capital Area Food Bank, check out this website or send an e-mail to aaa@capitalareafoodbank.org.

Posted by Jody Tick | July 15th, 2010

It’s that time of year when the bounty from the garden abounds! Now that you are eating zucchini three times a day and your neighbors are politely declining any more produce from you, we have the perfect solution to your problem of plethora…

Donate it to us!

At the Capital Area Food Bank we can take donations of fresh produce anytime between 8:30am-4:30pm Monday through Friday. Drive up, dash in, drop off, fill out a 2 minute donation form, and you are off!There is no schedule or advanced notice required. It’s that easy!

Looking for something more sustained? We have a partnership program called Grow A Row that pairs your beautiful garden with a neighborhood non-profit feeding program. You donate directly to them through the end of the growing season.

Visit our Grow A Row webpage or email us for more information about donating fresh produce.

Happy Growing!

Posted by Kathryn Baer | February 16th, 2010

Cross-posted from Poverty and Policy.

Under TEFAP (the Emergency Food Assistance Program), the U.S. Department of Agriculture distributes food commodities to states, which then distribute them to food banks and/or directly to emergency food providers like soup kitchens and pantries. As I recently wrote, the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) is said to need a supplemental appropriation because it can’t otherwise provide enough food commodities to meet the increasing pressures on food banks.

Still on my learning curve, I contacted Marian Peele, the Director of Agency Relations at the Capital Area Food Bank, to find out what the situation is there.

CAFB is the Feeding America network partner for the greater Washington D.C. area. It uses federal funds channeled through the D.C. and Virginia state governments to purchase TEFAP food commodities. It also gets free TEFAP bonus commodities when they’re available and suitable to its needs.