We have an annual food drive for local food pantry collecting non-periishable items from our Team Members.  Also, we have two major events  in the plant where food is served and send all remaining to Salvation Army or food pantry. I'm sure there are many great ideas out there and I'll be watching for other comments.

We we're a little late reserecting an old food bank program called Plant A Row. So we modified it a little. We made wanted posters calling for Donate a Row. We've placed them in all Co-ops, nurseries, garden centers and wherever else sold garden supplies. It's been a week and we've had numerous calls. We will be doing the same thing with the posters for Hunters for the Hungry. I personally will be giving some of my garden. Old ideas need to be brought back. The saying goes if it ain't broke don't fix it. Folks, I'm here to tell it's broke. Please share ideas they worked in the past for feeding people n need. Nothing is insignificant.

Many families in poverty are doing all they can to just put food , any food, on the table.  We certainly know that most high carb food is much cheaper than good nutritional food.  I see at risk families in line at the fast food places.  They are tired from working and want the cheapest, fastest way to feed their children. I know that even if fresh vegetables and meats were available,  many of these families wouldn't know what to do with them.  They take preparation time for the family to eat them.  The working Mom is too tired to prepare the meal and the kids are really not much help.  Many at-risk mothers are part of the poverty cycle that grew up with no the kitchen knowledge on food preparation and nutritional information.  They have nothing to pass on to their children since many of these moms dropped out of school and can not get a job that pays above minimum wage. No education and no help and no money. We can also help those in need with accessing food stamps, but they must learn to spend what little they have on wise choices. 

Education is so important.  We need to do all we can to keep these kids in school and taking survival courses such as cooking and sewing.  At least I learned to boil water and know the foods that were good for me.  (I know this last statement really dates me)  Now cooking is no longer required.  In fact, many of the skills kids need to take care of themselves are no longer being required in school.  this also includes gym that promoted exercise.  They are not getting these skills at home either.  I would love to get cooking and sewing back into the schools and really make the courses beneficial to the kids.  Maybe the pendelum is swinging back.  I think many of us in food banking and in the food business can take advantage of these hard times to train families better in money management and food nutrition.  I know we are continuing to have more nutritional food at the food bank since we are now having to purchase so much of it.  Nutrition education is a goal at our food bank.  We will be doing more of this after we complete our new Community Kitchen.  We are now preparing 850 dinner meals a night to take to four local Kids Cafes in Amarillo public schools.

The hunger problem calls for a mass change in values across the board.  Yes, tired, single, working moms sometimes have to opt for the cheapest and fastest way to feed several children in the hour break between job 1 and job 2 or between job 2 and classes.  However, people willing to work that hard are not the nutrition/hunger problem.  I know, I am that single mom with 2 jobs and going to school, and McDonalds is NEVER However, I don't like being stereotyped as an "at risk".  Perhaps it is that we are all much more "at risk" than we realize . . . New Orleans, and now the Midwest.

Nutrition is becoming a lost art . . . as is being a neighbor.

My parents and grandparents had the family garden . . . what was grown and preserved from that garden was what the family existed and sometimes subsisted on for the rest of the year.  Now, we seem to have more resources available, but are less resourceful.

We need to get past the idea that poor food choices are dictatated by class--poor food choices, which all of us make, are dictated by what is fast and easy, despite widespread knowledge that fast food and easy carbs are bad for us.  Where is a drive in farmer's market?  Where do organic veggies come with a stir fry recepie attached?  Why does my 80 something mother have to sign up for food stamps (which she will not do) to afford fresh produce?  We have created the fast food nation--and we can recover our country of wise local food choices if we put entreprenurial energy into the solutions.  Franchise farm stands, anyone?  Carol F

Carol--You raise a very interesting point.  The market--consumer demand--is what has led us to where we are today.  There are many who believe food companies are responsible for the emergence of fast, convenient and inexpensive. Fact is, food companies respond to consumer demand--they really  have no other choice. In spite of what some believe it is really virtually impossible for marketing to send consumer demand in a direction to which it's not naturally inclined, and price is a huge factor.  When Tyson introduced certified organic chicken six years ago, it lost money hand over fist for the four years the product was on the market. Because of economies of scale adn the ability to absorb those losses, Tyson was able to offer the products at a lower cost than most others offering organically produced chicken.  Yet consumers were simply unwilling to pay the extra required to produce the product (due to certified organic feed ingredients and other more expensive inputs).   When local organic farmers can effectively compete  on the basis of price with large scale production(and granted, some do), buying locally will be a more attractive option for those to whom cost is a major factor. Meanwhile, your idea of offering stir-fry recipes with organic vegetables is a good one. Education will go a long way. Translating economies of scale and convenience into better nutritional choices for all would take it a step further.