Foodsharing Fall 2015 | Atlanta Community Food Bank

Fall 2015

“It’s a way to give back.”

– Alicia, volunteer at Cobb Vineyard Church Food Pantry (center) with Pantry Director Christina Wilson and Associate Pastor Joel Balin

Once Helped, Now Helping Others As America strives to bounce back from economic turmoil, many people have discovered a silver lining. They’re helping others in the communities where they first sought help.

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IN THIS ISSUE:

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From the CEO

Healthier Choices

Meet Kyle Waide, our new President and CEO.

Lives are changing thanks to ACFB’s nutrition team.

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Hunger Action Month See how you can take action!

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Letter from the CEO Dear Friend, I want to take a moment to share with you how grateful I am to serve as the new President and CEO of Atlanta Community Food Bank. It is the opportunity of a lifetime.

The challenges and opportunities facing us have never been more exciting. Our future has never looked more promising.

The Food Bank has an incredible legacy of service and impact, built over 36 years by our founder Bill Bolling, in partnership with you. Bill has worked tirelessly and passionately to shape the Food Bank into what it is today – a beloved and trusted nonprofit that exists to serve and lift up those who face hunger in our community.

you for your support in making this happen. The food bank’s success, and the impact on the lives of the people we serve, happens because of you.

As we celebrate, we are also very aware that far too many of our neighbors continue to struggle with hunger and food insecurity. The need for the Food Bank remains greater than ever.

As a father of three, I often think about our mission when I look at my own kids and think about how I would feel if I couldn’t provide them with the food they need. It’s a feeling of helplessness that can make hope seem futile. For many of our clients, that’s a feeling that doesn’t go away.

Because of You

Together We Will Do More

By any measure, the Food Bank just completed the most successful year in our history.

We distributed more food, engaged more volunteers, and raised more money than we ever have. I am so proud of our team and our accomplishments, and I am grateful to

Our challenge at the Food Bank is to ensure that all members of our community have access to the food they need for healthy and productive lives.

We share that challenge with the 600 partner agencies that we serve, each of them led by an unheralded community

“The Food Bank’s success, and the impact on the lives of the people we serve, happens because of you.”

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2015/2016 OFFICERS Chair Mary Moore

hero who does the work each day simply because they care and because they envision a brighter future for all.

To meet that challenge, we will work relentlessly to ensure the Food Bank is better tomorrow than it is today. We know that means growing the scale of our work, engaging more partners and volunteers, fostering innovation, and enhancing our impact on the lives of our clients.

That’s something we do together. We build on our legacy and we create that better day.

I look forward to working with you as we face these challenges. Together we will do more.

We will do it even better. And we will see that transformation in our community and in the lives of our neighbors in need.

Vice Chair James Dallas Secretary Jackie Parker Treasurer Jerry Wilkinson Advisory Board Chair Brandon Sutton 2015/2016 BOARD MEMBERS Ellen Bailey Martha Brooks Eric Busko Joe Chow Steven J. de Groot Martha “Marti” Fessenden Arlene Glaser Mitch Harrison Mark Holifield Patrick Jones Robby Kukler Bill Levisay Matt McKenna Margaret “Marjy” Stagmeier Andrew Stith Wayne Vason Lesley T. Wainwright PRESIDENT AND CEO Kyle Waide GENERAL COUNSEL David Long-Daniels

OUR MISSION Our mission is to fight hunger by engaging, educating and empowering our community.

WHO WE SERVE

(Photo: Marcus Krause)

The Atlanta Community Food Bank supports more than 600 local nonprofit organizations with hungerrelief programs in 29 metro Atlanta and north Georgia counties.

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Nutrition Program Helps Women Make Healthy Choices When Shandece arrived at My Sister’s House, an Atlanta Mission shelter for homeless women and children that partners with the Atlanta Community Food Bank, she never dreamed she would discover ways to improve her health.

Since becoming a regular participant in nutrition sessions offered by the Food Bank’s Nutrition and Wellness Program, Shandece is adopting new lifestyle habits. “I’m eating more balanced meals. I have more energy because I’m eating more vegetables and drinking more water.”

Building Good Habits Shandece has attended every session so far. Health is important to her, and she wants to pass along the good habits to her mother and young son when she transitions home.

“High blood “I’m eating more pressure balanced meals. I runs in my have more energy family,” said because I’m eating Shandece. more vegetables “I’m glad we and drinking more have had conversawater.”

– Shandece tions about blood pressure.” Many women at My Sister’s House work in the kitchen. Shandece is now able to prepare more balanced portion sizes with more non-starchy vegetables. She has also noticed an increase in the amount of nutritious food coming from ACFB. “For snacks, we are getting apples and bananas instead of cookies.”

Pat Walker, Food Service Supervisor at My Sister’s House, is a proponent of

Contents Letter from the CEO

Thanks to ACFB’s Nutrition and Wellness Program, Pat Walker of My Sisters House (l) can provide healthier food and ongoing nutrition education for residents like Shandece (r). (Photo: Rachel Taft)

partnering with ACFB’s nutrition team to educate her residents. But the education wouldn’t be possible without access to more nutritious food. Thanks to the Food Bank’s implementation of the Choose Healthy Options Program (CHOP), ACFB’s partner agencies can make better choices about the food they order. CHOP is a nutrition ranking system developed by the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank. “Since utilizing CHOP, I am able to choose healthier foods,” said Walker.

Awareness Leads to Healthy Choices Since the nutrition team began visiting My Sister’s House to deliver presentations on nutrition and health topics, Walker has noticed a shift in the behavior of the women.

“The ladies are picking and asking for more vegetables, drinking more water and staying away from the vending machine.”

As we approach Hunger Action Month, it is important for ACFB to raise awareness about hunger and how it relates to health.

It is our mission to not only fill bellies, but nourish bodies with food that will decrease the incidence of chronic disease. For Walker, improving the health of her clients is an everyday part of her job. In return, ladies like Shandece can pass that knowledge onto their families and friends and have hope for a healthier future.

Nutrition Initiatives at ACFB Choose Healthy Options Program (CHOP) - ranks foods according to their nutritional value so our partner agencies can order healthier items.

Nutrition Sessions - free classes that teach clients how to select affordable, healthy food and prepare nutritious meals.

The Nourishing Nook - a tasting station for our partner agencies to try recipes made from nutritious items they can order at the Food Bank.

Connect with us 2

Follow us on Facebook at

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Nutrition Team Changes Lives 3 Volunteer & Donor Features

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Once Helped, Now Helping Others

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Thanks to Our Community

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Upcoming Events

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Hunger Action Month

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Follow us on Twitter at

twitter.com/acfb

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EDITORS Angie Clawson, Julie Bryant Fisher, Amy Hudson CONTRIBUTORS Tori Allen, Amelia Allgood, Julie Bryant Fisher, Amy Hudson, Rachel Taft, Kyle Waide, Beth Warner and Ryan Williams COVER PHOTO Allison Young DESIGN Fain & Tripp, Inc.

instagram.com/acfb

For the latest news, direct your favorite news reader app to

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Learn more about the Atlanta Community Food Bank, our events, and our community at acfb.org.

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Girl Scouts Take Action to Help Families For the Girl Scouts of Lindsay Street Baptist Church, volunteering at the Food Bank is about more than just giving back. It’s about developing core values they will carry for the rest of their lives.

The troop volunteers at the Food Bank at least twice a year “I hope that I am sorting, examinhelping families ing and packing not worry about food and other what they will eat products. Their or where they will experience working with the get food from.”

– Kellis Bond, Food Bank has Girl Scout Troop 2801 fostered in them an awareness of the struggles the people in their community face.

It Wasn't About Me For 14-year-old Girl Scout Erin Walker, the volunteer experience has been a pleasant surprise.

“I thought volunteering would be very hard and boring,” said Walker. “I soon realized that volunteering wasn’t about me, but giving back.”

It’s a realization that troop leader, Nina Goody, is proud of. By having the girls volunteer at the Food Bank, she hopes to

instill in them a willingness to serve.

“As with other community service activities we do each year, the information the girls receive at the Food Bank puts a real issue into perspective for them,” said Goody. “They learn that something they take for granted can be a struggle for many.”

The troops of Lindsay Street Baptist Church started volunteering with the Food Bank about 20 years ago, and they show no signs of stopping any time soon.

An Awesome Feeling “Our girls need to see others in action to address such issues,” said Goody. “And most importantly, the girls need to know how much of a difference can be made by the efforts of like-minded volunteers.”

The experience has educated and inspired each of the Girl Scouts in different ways. One of the scouts had the opportunity to volunteer while planning a project to win a Silver Award (the highest award a Girl Scout cadet can earn) and decided to focus it on the history of

Donor's Impact Will Live On

ACFB Founder Bill Bolling (l) and ACFB Harvest Legacy Society Donor Mark Weinstein (r) enjoy a moment at the biennial Legends of Atlanta Roast held at the Food Bank. Weinstein's planned gift will ensure future generations grow up healthy, not hungry. (Photo: Marc Krause)

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hunger in the community.

13-year-old Kellis Bond said it feels awesome to know she’s giving back to the community. “I hope that I am helping families not worry about what they will eat or where they will get food from.”

The Food Bank is proud to see girls at such a young age becoming aware of the struggle of poverty and making conscious efforts to end it.

Third generation Atlantan Mark Weinstein remembers few hardships early in life.

Growing up, he experienced many privileges – even being able to pick out a brand new car for his 16th birthday.

Mark later became a successful businessman, but then, as he describes, “I crashed and burned. I made some bad decisions and took a few wrong turns and suddenly my life was a mess.” After picking up the pieces of his life, Mark realized the impact he could make by helping others.

Mark and his family began reaching out to those less fortunate. Over a period of five years, he and his family assisted a couple of men each

Girl Scout Troops from Lindsay Street Baptist Church have been volunteering at the Food Bank for the past 20 years. (l-r) Troop 2801 members Kellis Bond and Erin Walker with troop leader, Nina Goody

year, providing them with food, clothing and a loving environment – a place to call home while they got back on their feet. A believer of helping others help themselves, Mark sent each man to vocational school for skills certification. Upon their graduation, Mark bought all his guests a reliable car.

An Honor to Help When his son asked why strangers were living in their house, Mark thought of the many people who had helped him during his time of need, and told his son that, “To those whom much is given, much is expected.” He explained that it was an honor to be able to help others just as he had been helped.

Mark believes that food and

shelter come first. He has designated the Food Bank as a beneficiary to his life insurance policy.

For Future Generations “The Atlanta Community Food Bank is the best nonprofit I’ve ever seen or dealt with and that is why I’m all in with them. I love the mission, the efficiencies, the impact, the staff and their humility,” he said. With his gift, Mark will ensure that future generations grow up healthy, not hungry.

Anyone can turn future famine into feasts through Planned Giving. To learn more about Atlanta Community Food Bank’s Planned Giving program, Harvest Legacy Society, visit www.acfb.org/planned-giving.

Continued from cover

Once Helped, Now Helping Others As America strives to bounce back from economic turmoil, many people have discovered a silver lining. They’re helping others in the communities where they first sought help.

Alicia remembers a time, five years ago, when she desperately needed help. She had lost her job and her family was relying solely on her husband’s income. She heard there was a place where she could get food and decided to give it a try. The day she arrived at Beth Day Memorial Food Pantry of Cobb Vineyard Church in Kennesaw, the pantry happened to be closed. “The man who answered the door was so friendly. He helped me even though he didn’t have to,” said Alicia.

Brighter Days These days, things are looking up for Alicia and her family. She still receives food on occasion, but the majority of her time at the pantry is spent as a dedicated member of the volunteer team. “It’s a way for me to give back,” said Alicia. “They were so good to me.” She looks forward to the first and third Saturday of each month when she volunteers. “If you want friends, if you want a place that’s like family, this is the place to come,” said Alicia.

“I miss them so much when I’m not here.”

Alicia’s husband works as a sales director for a hotel and as a basketball referee.

Alicia hopes to return to work when her youngest child goes to school. For now,

– Alicia, client turned volunteer at Cobb Vineyard Food Pantry

she stays busy caring for her family and volunteering. She knows first-hand how much the pantry is needed and is thankful for those who provide financial support for the Food Bank and its network of food pantries and meal programs. “If it weren’t for the people who give, this wouldn’t happen,” said Alicia.

Paying it Forward “We’re excited that some of the people we’ve served now come and help others because they’ve either gotten a job or their situation has improved,” said Joel Balin, associate pastor at Cobb Vineyard.

“But what we’re also seeing is that people who are getting jobs aren’t getting jobs at nearly the same level. We’re serving twice as many people as we did three years ago. I think this is a need that is going to go on for a long time.” In the meantime, Balin is encouraged that the “pay it forward” concept is growing. “I hope it will continue to be contagious, that people would see the generosity coming out of what our church is doing with the Food Bank, and that generosity would well up in them.”

According to Christina Wilson, food pantry director, “the volunteers just keep coming and many are those who have received help or are receiving help. That brings me joy to see them want to help and want to give.”

Embracing the Opportunity

After receiving help at Malachi’s Storehouse, Irma became a volunteer and a board member. She also serves as director of outreach and Hispanic liaison. (Photo: Allison Young)

“It’s a way to give back… they were so good to me.”

The trend is growing at other food assistance programs, including Malachi’s Storehouse of St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church in Dunwoody. Irma, a former client, has been a volunteer and board member at Malachi’s for the past five years. She first heard about Malachi’s when her husband lost his job. “We didn’t have money, we didn’t have food,” said Irma. “I was embarrassed to ask for help.

I never thought this would happen to us.”

After coming to the pantry, Irma shared some ideas about better ways to serve

Alicia once needed help from the food pantry at Cobb Vineyard Church. Now, the majority of her time at the pantry is spent as a dedicated member of the volunteer team. (Photo: Allison Young)

people. Pantry Co-Director Kathy Malcolm Hall not only took her suggestions to heart, but asked her to help. The results were phenomenal. “Irma was instrumental in our shift to a ‘market style’ pantry in 2012. It simplified things for us and brought dignity to our clients,” said Hall.

The pantry has grown from serving 225 to 675 people per week since Irma began volunteering.

Like Alicia, Irma’s situation has improved. Her husband now works as a night supervisor for a major hotel chain and she cleans houses to bring in extra money. “Right now, I’m okay. I’m happy.

If somebody asks for help, I say ‘I know where you can go.’ Malachi’s has given me an opportunity to be involved in ministry to help others.”

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11Alive Community Service Awards Food For All The annual “Food For All” campaign, held at participating Publix stores, raised more than $160,000! Thanks, Publix, for encouraging your customers to help the hungry. (l-r) ACFB Founder Bill Bolling, Publix Media and Communications Manager Brenda Reid and ACFB Development VP Sarah Fonder-Kristy.

Legal Food Frenzy Taste of the Nation This year’s Taste of the Nation, held on May 7 at the Georgia Aquarium, brought hundreds together for a great night of food, fun and fundraising. $746,000 was raised for ACFB and two other benefiting partners! (l-r) John Metz, George McKerrow Jr., Wylie Dufresne, Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Pano Karatassos

(Photo: Angie Clawson)

The state's top legal minds organized a recordbreaking campaign, raising more than $289,000 and 24,000 lbs. of food. Thanks to the law firms, schools, organizations and bar associations who participated, and congratulations to Joe S. Habacky, PC who took the Attorney General's Cup for donating 49,375 pounds! (l-r) Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens; Joe S. Habacky, PC; ACFB Founder Bill Bolling and Georgia Food Bank Association Executive Director Danah Craft.

Stamp Out Hunger Big thanks to the National Association of Letter Carriers and US Postal Service for the annual “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive held on May 9! Citizens across the nation left non-perishable items at their mailboxes for the letter carriers to collect, and it paid off. Here in Atlanta, more than 109,000 pounds of food were delivered.

Several letter carriers brought their families to help unload the food at ACFB and gathered for a photo.

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Full-Course Golf Classic For golf fans, this event was not to be missed. A great group of people spent the day golfing for a good cause, and PGA professional golfer Jason Bohn was there to offer tips from the pros!

This year’s Classic raised more than $110,000 for ACFB. Thank you to our players, sponsors and special guests!

(Photo: Heidi Geldhauser)

(Photo: Angela Boroden)

ACFB was honored to be selected as this year’s benefiting charity for the annual 11 Alive Community Service Awards hosted on April 30 at the Marriott Marquis. The star-studded event celebrated its 40th year of upholding stellar citizens and raised $125,000! Several ACFB staff members are pictured at the event with 11Alive News Anchor Brenda Wood (r).

(Photo: Angela Boroden)

(Photo: Angela Boroden)

(Photo: Angie Clawson)

Thanks to Our Community

Upcoming Events Tangerine Tango for Hunger Action Month Slip into your most gorgeous orange fashions and join us for the second annual Tangerine Tango Fashion Show! In support of Hunger Action Month, Bloomingdale’s will once again host a star-studded show in its Lenox store, highlighting the color orange for the month’s theme, plus bites and cocktails. Save the date for Wednesday, September 9 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. Tickets are available at acfb.org/events.

We’re taking it to the 80s with the 25th annual Can Can Ball gala hosted by the Atlanta Apartment Association and benefiting ACFB. Guests are suggested to don their best 80s fashions or black-tie options with the “Miami Vice” theme while they mix and mingle at the Sheraton Hotel Atlanta on Friday, August 21. Tickets are $75 per person and include light fare from local restaurants, cash bar and live entertainment.

(Photo: John Boydston)

Can Can Ball

Learn how to make delicious meals while also rubbing elbows with the city’s top chefs! Join us each month for a different Simple Abundance Cooking Class hosted by Cook’s Warehouse, featuring a live cooking demonstration with a multi-course menu, wine tastings and more. Proceeds from 100% of ticket sales benefit ACFB. Upcoming classes include Chef Billy Allin of Cakes & Ale and Chef Linda Harrell from Cibo e Beve. Visit www.acfb.org/simple-abundance for details!

(Photo: Allison Young)

Simple Abundance Cooking Classes

More Great Ways to Give Back While Having Fun Looking for exciting activities that will create great memories and also make a difference in our community? Look no further than the Atlanta Community Food Bank! Enjoy a variety of events and promotions throughout the year that benefit the Food Bank and help provide thousands of meals for families in need – concerts, food drives, tweet-ups, sporting events, galas and more. Find our most current listing at acfb.org/events.

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Your new newsletter has arrived!

Nonprofit Org. U.S. POSTAGE

PAID Atlanta, GA

Permit No. 3763

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ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Hunger Action Month is coming in September!

The Atlanta Community Food Bank will join 200 Feeding America food banks across the nation to raise funds and awareness for hunger relief.

Visit acfb.org or feedingamerica.org to learn more.

Fall 2015

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Inspiring stories of people who once received help and are now giving back

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