Georgia Mountain Food Bank - "Feeding Hope" - 2022 Spring Newsletter

Feeding

hope IN THIS ISSUE Kay’s Reflections Georgia Legal Food Frenzy Page 2

Empty Bowl 2022 Partner Agency Spotlight Page 3

Meet Kasey the Carrot School Food Drive Success Be a Monthly Donor Page 4

www.gamountainfoodbank.org

Spring 2022

Kay’s reflections Kay Blackstock, Executive Director

Kay Blackstock, Executive Director

Georgia Mountain Food Bank 2022-2023 Board of directors Brian Bailey, MBA, CFRE Major Gifts Officer/The Medical Center Foundation Joy Banks Auditor/Hajoca Corporation Julie Knight-Brown Nutrition Director/Lumpkin County Schools Justin Burruss Audit Supervisor/Rushton & Company Steven Ellis Owner/Ellis & Company Carli Jones Agritourism Director/Jaemore Farms Cheryl Jones Nutrition Director/Hall County Schools Cindy Jones Nutrition Director/Union County Schools Kas Lawson Legal Counsel/Northeast Georgia Health System Lori Lebow, M.D. Ophthalmologist/Gainesville Eye Associates Kyle Lewallen Owner/Lew’s Custom Cutting Boards Tim Monroe Nutrition Director /Forsyth County Schools Tate O’Rouke Business Development Manager/Jackson EMC

It’s unthinkable that one in six of our seniors very often face the threat of hunger. It’s a national epidemic in the second richest country in the world, and it is not going away due to life expectancy continuing to rise. The National Foundation to End Senior Hunger reports that by 2050, seniors will make up 20% of our population.

Here at Georgia Mountain Food Bank, we know that seniors very often develop worsening health conditions due to the lack of the proper food they need.

Some skip much needed prescription medications or paying for a trip to the doctor’s office because their dollars do not stretch far enough. However, the data shows that of the seniors facing food insecurity, more than 50% live above the federal poverty guidelines. The recession in late 2000 caused many seniors to lose large amounts when the stock market crashed.

Since many were already at retirement age, they didn’t have enough time to recover. All of their lives, working and saving to cover retirement expenses, was gone in the blink of an eye.

All struggling households are hurt by the historic inflation we’re all experiencing… especially our seniors who are unable to work or if they are working, are not making a living wage. Studies show that people living at or near federal poverty guidelines, are more subject to serious health conditions, especially the elderly.

Race undoubtably plays a role in food insecurity. Minorities are more likely to be in a lower income bracket. This is particularly hard on seniors of different ethnicities, especially if they are widowed, divorced, and live alone.

Here in the South, we are in the top 10 states for food insecurity in the United States. What can be done? Georgia Mountain Food Bank is part of the national network of food banks, Feeding America. Feeding America is the largest domestic hunger-relief organization in the US. We are fortunate to also be a part of the Georgia Food Bank Association and a Partner Distribution Organization of the Atlanta Community Food Bank. We work to connect food and household items to people in need every day. We look outside of the box to find solutions to break down the barriers that exist for all people to have access to the healthy, nutritional food they need. Our children, seniors and disabled are at the front of our minds in laying out strategies to close the gap on hunger.

We thank you for your generous support and ask you to stay with us “til no one is hungry”.

Keep growing the love with us,

Kay Blackstock Executive Director

Casey Ramsey Director of Emergency Management/Hall County Government

welcome new board members

Dr Carly Redding Professor/University of North Georgia

It takes a community to feed the more than 50,000 people living with food insecurity in our five-county area. Thank you for serving and being part of this community.

Scott Richardson Nutrition Director/Dawson County Schools Casey Ryals Agency Manager/Hall County Farm Bureau Insurance Lauren Samples Partner/Tillman, Baily & Associates Felix Santiago HR Business Partner/Ames Taping Tools Carl Wagster Retired/Consultant George Wangeman Member/Gainesville City Council

Carli Jones, Jaemor Farms Cindy Jones, Union County Schools Tim Monroe, Forsyth County Schools Casey Ramsey, Hall County Government

Scott Richardson, Dawson County Schools Felix Santiago, Ames Taping Tools Reneigh Satterfield, Edward Jones

georgia legal food frenzy Thanks to all who signed up for 2022 annual Georgia Legal Food Frenzy. This statewide initiative provides food and funds to support Georgia Food Banks. The legal community in Dawson, Forsyth, Hall, Lumpkin, and Union Counties competed again this to year to raise support for Georgia Mountain Food Bank. We are truly grateful for your commitment to the communities we serve. Stay tuned for news on the 2022 Legal Food Frenzy Winner.

Partner Agency Spotlight

Linda Benson and Dawson Community Food Bank & Thrift Store

Q:

How do you partner with the Georgia Mountain Food Bank?

We are a partner agency of GMFB. We get food from the food bank and are open four days (Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday) per week to serve those in need in Hall, Lumpkin, and Forsyth Counties. We try to be there for whoever needs food. We are distributing 35,000 pounds of food monthly to 700 households. On average, each household receives 50-60 pounds of food with each visit, consisting of boxes of dry goods, fresh produce and meats.

They are also able to choose some odds and ends that we have, like coffee and tea.

Q:

How has COVID-19 impacted your work?

We felt like it was very important to remain open the last two years. People were raiding the stores but the people we serve don’t have the money to do that, so it was important to stay open for them. We were very cautious and used the masks and sanitizers and had no problems. When the stimulus checks started, we didn’t see as many visitors.

Q:

Do you have a story to share about a visitor or household you serve or served?

I have hundreds of stories. For example, there is a group in town called Ninth District that had a little money left over to help people with rent, mortgage, etc. So, I asked clients if they needed help. But they shared that their pantries used to be empty but now that they found the Dawson Community Food Bank, their pantry is never empty, and rent is paid. Also, I used to deliver food to homes and there would be no furniture in some homes. And when the children saw me arrive, their eyes would light up and one little boy said, “now we can eat.”

My husband used to call the food pantry “Linda’s worship center.” It’s a ministry.

Dawson Community Food Bank & Thrift Store—A Place Where No One Goes Hungry.

Linda Benson and volunteers

You’re Invited; Empty Bowl 2022 is September 20!

Sponsorships for Empty Bowl Available Now! LaserCraft Technologies, Georgia Mountain Food Bank’s Board of Directors and Staff would like to personally invite you to one of Northeast Georgia’s most loved community events—The Annual Empty Bowl Lunch! Last year, proceeds from Empty Bowl helped provide over 1.25 million meals for area neighbors. This year, our goal is again providing 1.25 MILLION MEALS. You and your company can help us meet this goal by joining or returning as an Empty Bowl sponsor. Sponsorships range from $750-5,000.

We know you care, and we know with your help, we can help feed the children, seniors, and families in need right here in our community. For more information on becoming a sponsor, call (770) 534-4111 or email ronii@gamountainfoodbank.org

Bowl painting parties are available all year long Looking for a way to give back to your community? We need your help! Our 14th annual Empty Bowl Luncheon is scheduled for Tuesday, September 20th. Each guest at the luncheon chooses a hand-painted bowl to take home as a reminder of the empty bowls in our community.

We need 1000 bowls painted and fired for the luncheon. You can paint individually or as a group!

You can even sign out a bowl painting kit to paint at the location of your choice! Everything is provided for a donation of $10 per bowl painted. If you can help, contact us at (770) 534-4111 or email valerie@gamountainfoodbank.org.

Meet Kasey the Carrot Kasey the Carrot comes to GMFB as part of our educational programming, allowing us to reach more people with our message of “Growing the Love ’til no one is hungry”. Kasey the Carrot was always known for his keen eyesight, as most carrots are. The thing that made Kasey different was not just his ability to see but his ability to see beyond the obvious. He was constantly looking for opportunities to help and serve others and had been hearing stories about a special place called Georgia Mountain Food Bank and how they get food to families that need it. Kasey knew that hunger may not always be seen or look like we expect it to. So he decided to make a visit up to the Food Bank and stay for a while to help open the eyes of the community to see how they could be part of the solution to hunger!

If you would like Kasey to participate in your school or community event, contact Ronii at ronii@gamountainfoodbank.org or (770) 534-4111.

Be a Monthly Donor!

For so many of our neighbors, hunger isn’t a one-time experience—hunger is recurring. Every month, individuals, seniors, mothers and fathers visit food pantries and other distribution sites to feed themselves and their entire family.

By becoming a monthly donor, you ensure these families have consistent access to the nutritious food that they need.

Your monthly gift—like a small portion of your monthly budget—will make a huge impact on your neighbors facing hunger. While the amount may seem small—$25, $50, or $100—your consistent donation makes a real difference in the lives of struggling neighbors across our service area.

Use the enclosed remittance to become a Monthly Donor today, or visit us online at www.gamountainfoodbank.org. Click on the “Donate” button to set up your monthly gift today. Thank you!

School Food Drive success We are grateful to the record number of schools who participated in our school community food drive challenge! Because of the support of these schools, over 31,000 lbs. of food was collected!

WINNERS OF THE 2021 SCHOOL COMMUNITY FOOD DRIVE 1st place: McEver Elementary (4,626 lbs. collected)

2nd place: Spout Springs School of Enrichment (4,407 lbs. collected)

3rd place: Riverside Military Academy (3,259 lbs. collected)

Staff Kay Blackstock, Executive Director Ronii Diaz, Administrative Assistant Colton Donino, Business Manager Valerie Fowler, Executive Assistant Clint Frain, Driver

Perla Ibarra, Neighborhood Fresh Coordinator Bobby Leverington, Driver Lydia Johnson, Agency Services Coordinator Rebecca Thurman, Operations Director Alec Tipton, Warehouse Supervisor

Denise Bernardi, Volunteer Coordinator Ben Maxwell, Warehouse & Agency Services Associate