Amado-Green Valley-Sahuarita
Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona
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COMMUNITY FOOD BANK OF SOUTHERN ARIZONA -
SO MUCH MORE THAN YOU THINK! Statement of Purpose: The Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona (CFBSA) is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that provides nutritious food to those suffering from hunger throughout Pima, Santa Cruz, Cochise, Graham, and Greenlee Counties in Southern Arizona. Our mission is “to change lives in the communities we serve by feeding the hungry today and building a healthy, hunger-free tomorrow.” Administrative expenses are only 4% of our budget; 96% pays for direct food and services to those in need. The Community Food Bank in Amado & Green Valley (CFB-AGV) are branches of the CFBSA.
Description of Programs and Accomplishments: The eight staff members of CFB-AGV are assisted by 200 volunteers who provide the equivalent of twelve full-time employees. |
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We provide the following services:
According to Feeding America’s latest hunger report, Arizona ranks 3rd in the nation for childhood food insecurity. One in four children (nearly 500,000) in southern Arizona are living in poverty and don’t know where their next meal will come from. In addition to the working poor who constitute the expected clientele of a food bank, we have served many families who have temporarily fallen on hard times due to job loss. Although the economy is slowly recovering, many people are still experiencing food insecurity in our region.
In most of our clients’ households, at least one person is working one or more jobs, but they are unable to meet their families’ basic needs due to low wages. At minimum wage, even with two parents working full-time, families can barely begin to meet their needs for food, shelter, utilities, transportation, clothing, and school supplies. Therefore, our services are so necessary.
In 2016 the CFB-AGV distributed 1,982,690 pounds of food to almost 20,000 individuals in need. Of these, 31% were children and 17% were seniors.
- Emergency Food Boxes - These boxes supply a 2 to 3-day supply of nutritious food once per month to anyone experiencing a food crisis. Included are federal U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) commodities, donations from area grocery stores and food we purchase with donated funds including bread, milk and eggs to ensure that the selection is nutritionally balanced.
- The federal Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) - A joint venture involving the USDA, Arizona Department of Health Services, and Pima County Health Department. It provides boxes of high-protein food such as cheese to seniors ages 60 and over.
- Client Choice System - One of the unique aspects of CFB-AGV is its “client choice” system, which was established early on by its advisory board to give more dignity to our clients. Instead of receiving a pre-selected box of food, clients can select the foods that meet their families’ specific needs. Volunteers guide clients through the food selection area, monitoring only the quantity of food clients receive within certain food groups. Abundant fresh produce, received daily from local grocery stores and the Nogales Community Food Bank, rounds out the selection.
- Additional Assistance - CFB-AGV provides miscellaneous food assistance such as second food boxes and holiday turkeys to local clients.
- Gleaning - Local volunteers visit participating residents and pick the citrus fruits grown in their back yards. We have collected as much as 55,000 pounds of fruit in one year in this unique program. This gleaning season is slated to begin January 1st and run through April 15th.
- DES ON THE GO - We partner with the Department of Economic Security to bring their mobile help program to the branches on the second Tuesday of every month, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., no appointment necessary. Everything from SNAP to aging services can be addressed.
- REFERRAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (RAP) - This program is promoted to our clients as “We Can Help.” Does your family have needs other than groceries? Maybe we can help you find resources in your community. The program is available on the first and third Tuesday of every month, 12:30 - 3 p.m.
According to Feeding America’s latest hunger report, Arizona ranks 3rd in the nation for childhood food insecurity. One in four children (nearly 500,000) in southern Arizona are living in poverty and don’t know where their next meal will come from. In addition to the working poor who constitute the expected clientele of a food bank, we have served many families who have temporarily fallen on hard times due to job loss. Although the economy is slowly recovering, many people are still experiencing food insecurity in our region.
In most of our clients’ households, at least one person is working one or more jobs, but they are unable to meet their families’ basic needs due to low wages. At minimum wage, even with two parents working full-time, families can barely begin to meet their needs for food, shelter, utilities, transportation, clothing, and school supplies. Therefore, our services are so necessary.
In 2016 the CFB-AGV distributed 1,982,690 pounds of food to almost 20,000 individuals in need. Of these, 31% were children and 17% were seniors.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
Volunteers are always needed to help in all the programs. If you would like to know more about how you can participate, or would just like to read more about all that is going on at the CFB, go to: www.communityfoodbank.org. You can also visit CFB on Facebook.
The phone number for the Green Valley Food Bank is: (520) 625-5252. Also, remember the first Sunday of every month is Food Bank Sunday. The cart to bring your donations to is in the Fellowship Hall.
Mission Committee Contact Betty Kiesle-Yoder can be contacted through the VPC Office email, [email protected]
Volunteers are always needed to help in all the programs. If you would like to know more about how you can participate, or would just like to read more about all that is going on at the CFB, go to: www.communityfoodbank.org. You can also visit CFB on Facebook.
The phone number for the Green Valley Food Bank is: (520) 625-5252. Also, remember the first Sunday of every month is Food Bank Sunday. The cart to bring your donations to is in the Fellowship Hall.
Mission Committee Contact Betty Kiesle-Yoder can be contacted through the VPC Office email, [email protected]
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Find out more by clicking on https://communityfoodbank.org/ to visit their site.
250 East Continental Road, #101 Green Valley, AZ 85614 520.625.5692 |
