A good use for those used backpacks

United Food Bank is asking kids to donate gently used backpacks to help kids in need.

From now until the end of June, children who donate their backpacks will receive a free ice cream and a special certificate recognizing their good deed. The backpack drop-off location is from 8am to 4pm Monday through Friday at United Food Bank, 245 S. Nina Drive in Mesa.

The Backpack Program gets nutritious food to kids who are at risk of going hungry over the weekend by sending them home from school each Friday with a backpack full of food. This program is extremely important for children who qualify for free or reduced lunch at school but have little to no access to food over the weekend.

United Food Bank provides more than 500 backpacks every single week during the school year; many rip, get lost and need to be replaced.

“It may be hard to imagine this, but one in four children in Arizona do not know where their next meal is coming from,” said Lisa Goin, United Food Bank’s Chief Development Officer, in a press release. “We hear from parents who thank us for this food, saying that without this program, their child would literally just be eating the free lunch provided at school. It’s an unfortunate reality for so many people that there isn’t a single morsel of food in the house.”

For more information about donating a backpack or joining the Kids Lunch Bunch, visit unitedfoodbank.org or call 480-926-4897 ext. 207.

Your chance to make Thanksgiving happy for the Valley’s needy families

If turkey donations don’t pick up soon, many of the Valley’s needy families could be left empty handed this Thanksgiving.

Photo courtesy of United Food Bank.

So United Food Bank has extended hours at its drop-off sites in the hopes of encouraging more donations of turkeys and non-perishable fixings like canned vegetables, boxed stuffing and packaged mash potatoes.

“We know that the economy is affecting everyone right now. For many, putting a Thanksgiving dinner on your own table is putting a strain on your budget, let alone donating one,” says Bob Evans, President and CEO at United Food Bank. “But if everyone pitches in something — whether it’s a dollar, a turkey, or some nonperishable food — we can feed more people this Thanksgiving.”

Hours for incoming donations at the United Food Bank facility at 245 S. Nina Dr. in Mesa:

8am-5pm through Friday, Nov. 18
8am-noon Saturday, Nov. 19
8am-8pm Monday through Wednesday, Nov. 21-23

A United Food Bank refrigerated truck will be on hand at these locations this weekend:

9am-5:30pm Saturday, Nov. 19 at the Gilbert Days Parade and Expo

6-9pm Saturday, Nov. 19 at the Benefit Concert at Superstition Springs Center

Visit unitedfoodbank.org to see a complete list of off-site turkey drive locations.

School-age kids can join the fight against hunger

United Food Bank has come up with a way to teach school-age children about philanthropy and community service.

By donating one jar of peanut butter and one jar of jelly at a participating “Peanut Butter and Jelly Drive” location your child becomes a member of the Kids’ Lunch Bunch Club. New members of the club receive a certificate and a token of appreciation from participating business.

“Every night one out of four kids in Arizona goes to bed hungry,” says Bob Evans, United Food Bank President and CEO.

The program is designed to raise children’s awareness of hunger in Arizona and make them part of the solution. “This is a kids-helping-kids program,” says Evans.

Below is a list of “Peanut Butter and Jelly Food Drive” participating businesses, food drive dates and the item children who show up will receive.

AUGUST  1-31

Children’s Museum of Phoenix
215 N 7th St, Phoenix
childrensmuseumofphoenix.org
Participation enters your child in a drawing for a free membership (admits two) at the Climber level.

Bounce U
1166 South Gilbert Rd, #110, Gilbert
bounceu.com
Open bounce pass.

Arizona Museum for Youth
35 N Robson St, Mesa
arizonamuseumforyouth.com
Free admission pass, 1 per family (some restrictions apply).

My Pigsty Furniture
1528 W San Pedro #7, Gilbert
mypigsty.com
$10 off coupon and a special prize.

Superstition Springs Center
6555 E Southern Ave, Mesa
Superstition Springs Center
Special PB&J drive participation sticker.

August 1-7

Yodipity
yodipityyogurt.com
1033 N Dobson Rd, Mesa
15% off purchase.

August 19-21

Gameworks
5000 Arizona Mills Circle, Tempe
arizonamills.com
30 minutes of unlimited game play.

Fiddlesticks
1155 West Elliot Rd, Tempe
fiddlesticksaz.com
Unlimited ride wristband.

Brunswick Zone XL
1160 South Gilbert Rd, Gilbert
bowlbrunswick.com
Coupon for one free game of bowling.

United Food Bank is a private nonprofit organization that provides hunger relief/food assistance by collecting, acquiring, storing and distributing food and related commodities through a network of partner social services agencies in the East Valley, eastern Maricopa County, Gila and Pinal counties and southern Apache and Navajo counties. Learn more.

Nonprofits seek water donations for Valley’s homeless

Image via Wikipedia

With another scorching hot summer nearly here, the danger of dehydration is very present and real, and this health risk is even greater for the Valley’s homeless, who often do not have access to life-sustaining water.

Nonprofit groups across the Valley are committed to providing these at-risk individuals and families with the water they desperately need to survive another triple-digit summer.

The Department of Economic Security reported in 2009 that nearly 7,000 children and youth in Arizona experienced homelessness and received services from state nonprofit organizations.

MARICOPA COUNTY

There are more than 8,000 homeless individuals in Maricopa County alone. The Human Service Campus, a group of 15 homeless service providers, has created the “Thirst Aid” program in an effort to reduce incidences of heat-related death among the county’s homeless population. They hope that the community will support them in their goal of collecting and distributing 500,000 bottles of water between May 1 and September 30.

Tax-deductible donations can be made online at ThirstAidAZ.org, or by mailing checks payable to the Humane Services Campus to 204 S. 12th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85007.

Cases of bottled water can be donated directly to one of the following three locations:

Human Service Campus Office at the Success Center

• 204 South 12th Ave., Pheonix 85007
• 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday -Friday

Central Arizona Shelter Services

• 203 South 12th Avenue, Phoenix 85007
• 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday -Friday, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Saturday

Lodestar Day Resource Center

• 1125 West Jackson Street, Phoenix 85007
• 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday -Sunday

Pickup services are also available in some areas. For more information or to schedule a pickup, contact Holly at 602-229-1242.

MESA

For the fifth year in a row, the City of Mesa will partner with local nonprofit groups to provide bottled water to the city’s homeless in the sweltering summer months through the Hydration Donation Program. Residents donated and distributed over 100,000 bottles last year.

The program’s five drop-off locations will receive donations of bottled water beginning June 1 through September 16. These locations include:

Mesa Fire Department Volunteer Center

• 2830 E. Adobe (located behind Fire Station 206 at Lindsay and Adobe)
• 24 hour drop-off in parking lot

Red Mountain Multigenerational Center

• 7550 E. Adobe
• 5:30 a.m. – 9 p.m. Monday – Friday; 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. Saturday

United Food Bank

• 245 S. Nina Drive (north of Broadway between Extension and Alma School)
• 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday-Friday (collection bins available on weekends)

Paz de Cristo

• 424 W. Broadway
• 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday – Friday; 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday – Sunday

A New Leaf – MesaCAN

• 635 E. Broadway
• 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday in the lobby

Give the life-giving gift of water to homeless children, adults and families in the Valley! — Sadie Smeck

United Food Bank seeks backpack donations

United Food Bank in Mesa is seeking donations from Valley kids who are ready to retire their “gently loved” backpacks. The drive, which will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. Friday, May 27, is a part of the “Backpack Program” that provides weekend meals for underprivileged children every Friday by packing food items discreetly into backpacks.

The initiative recently received a grant from the Halle Family Foundation to expand the program, so more backpacks are needed. Children who donate their backpacks on Friday will receive a certificate from United Food bank, along with a free ice cream sundae.

Donations will be accepted at the food bank’s facility at 358 E Javelina Ave. in Mesa. — Sadie Smeck

United Food Bank seeking donations

Shane Crum, United Food Bank warehouse manager, receives Ryan Rupa's donation.

Eagle Scout Ryan Rupa of Gilbert set a goal for himself: to provide 210 cases of water to United Food Bank. Last Monday, he exceeded that goal, delivering 223 cases, much to the delight of the food bank staff.

“As the temperatures warm up, donations tend to decrease, but the need, especially for water, is still there,” says Bob Evans, United Food Bank President and CEO. United Food Bank provides food to more than 270 agencies throughout five counties in Arizona and serves the entire East Valley.

“I chose United Food Bank because I felt a sense of comfort when studying about them and I knew their goal was a lot similar to mine,” says Ryan. “I chose water because I know how ridiculous these Arizona summers can get and how extreme the temperatures are. It is so sad to think that people can’t drink water when it’s over 100 degrees.”

Ryan went door to door, telling people when he would be by to collect the water. “After the initial collection, I was short, so I asked friends and family to help,” he says.

Others who would like to donate water can bring it to United Food Bank at 245 S Nina Drive in Mesa from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

“We provide food and water to 230-plus agencies in Arizona, including homeless shelters, soup kitchens, senior citizen centers and kids’ programs,” says Lisa Goin, chief development officer. “During the summer, we never have enough water to serve all of the groups that we help.”

The Town of Gilbert and the City of Chandler have launched a friendly food drive competition for its residents and employees. Several drop-off points have been set up throughout the two communities. Water and non-perishable foods such as tuna, peanut butter, canned vegetables, soups, beans, nuts are needed.

“As temperatures heat up, donations of both food and money dip for us, but the need is still there, so this competition comes at the perfect time,” says Evans.

To get a food donation box at your office or business, call 480-503-6766 for the Town of Gilbert and 480-782-2000 for the City of Chandler. Gilbert residents can drop off donations at Town Hall buildings or any local fire station. For a list of locations where donations can be dropped off in Chandler, visit chandleraz.gov/fooddrive. The competition runs through May 31.

Food drives kick into high gear for the holidays

Volunteers process donations at Interfaith Cooperative Ministries.

A sure sign that the holidays are upon us is the surge of food drives taking place around the Valley. Here are three we’ve learned about; please feel free to share news of food drives in which you are involved in our comments section below.

Ford and the Children’s Museum of Phoenix

Ford Motor Company and the Children’s Museum of Phoenix have teamed up to support Mesa-based United Food Bank.

Beginning today, one free general admission ticket to the Children’s Museum of Phoenix will be provided to each person who donates three nonperishable food items at any of the Valley’s 11 Ford dealerships. Donations can be dropped off through Sunday, Nov. 28 and the ticket is redeemable throughout December.

As part of Ford’s Operation Goodwill Phoenix campaign, Ford Motor Company is sponsoring “Ford Technology & Innovation Month” at the Children’s Museum of Phoenix during the month of December. In addition to the museum’s regular interactive exhibits, new activities and programs will be themed around technology and innovation reflecting the enterprising spirit of Henry Ford.

“Technology and innovation are important to both Ford Motor Company and the Children’s Museum of Phoenix,” Stephanie Jarnagan, field coordinator with Direct Impact, which is providing public relations support on behalf of Ford Motor Company. “Henry Ford’s innovations, including the Model T and the assembly line technique of mass production, brought automobiles to the general population and have inspired children all over the world to fall in love with cars. Likewise, the Children’s Museum of Phoenix was developed to inspire children and give them opportunities to create and innovate.”

For more information about the United Food Bank, visit unitedfoodbank.org.

THE PRIMROSE SCHOOLS

The Primrose School of East Mesa encourages students, families and neighbors to be “helping hands” throughout the year, according to Bob Seifert, who owns the school with his wife, Kathy.

The school is conducting a Food Drive that will wrap up on Friday, Nov. 19, with all of the Primrose Schools and Ben and Matt from KNIX.

“Our character development events are not just collecting items to donate,” says Seifert. “We take the opportunity to teach our students other valuable life lessons. For example, during the food drive, our students perform extra chores at home for which they are paid. Each student tracks how much money they earn over several weeks. The students then prepare a food budget to determine how many food items they could purchase for the food drive. We take the students to the supermarket to spend their budget. At the end of our event, our students have an opportunity to learn about: charity, community, work, math (adding up their earnings / allocating and spending their budgets), budgeting, food prices and shopping.”

The Primrose School of East Mesa is an educational childcare facility for children ages six weeks through private kindergarten that also offers before- and after-school care for older children. 480-354-2966 or PrimroseEastMesa.com.

ICM FOOD AND CLOTHING BANK

The Interfaith Cooperative Ministries (ICM) is the largest food box provider in Maricopa County and served 67,000 individuals in 2009. This year, the need is greater than ever.

“People in every pocket of the Valley are going through the toughest financial times of their lives,” says Executive Director Renea Gentry. “It’s quite possible that we could have one household donate food to us and, unbeknownst to them, their very own next-door neighbor is coming to us for a box of food to feed their family. Nearly 20 percent of the people coming to us for help have never been here before.”

Donations to this year’s Food and Clothing Bank will help those in need through the Thanksgiving and Christmas season. Items most needed are any non-perishable food items, such as canned vegetables and soups as well as protein-rich food like tuna fish and peanut butter. Diapers and toiletries (shampoo, lotion, soap, toothpaste) also are needed. 602-254-7450 or icmaz.org.