BoardTalk — April 2012
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Community Outreach Tour Demonstrates Food Bank's Value
Have you ever known anyone who has received the services of the Food Bank for Larimer County? You may not think so, but the statistics speak a surprisingly different story.
Statistically speaking, one in ten Larimer County residents has received assistance from the Food Bank. And in January 2012, the Food Bank served their highest ever number of individuals in the Food Share (direct service pantry) program: 14,000.
FCBR’s Community Outreach Committee recently hosted a tour at the Food Bank. Lauren Ross, Development Manager for the Food Bank, gave us a guided tour of the facility and an amazingly detailed overview of who the Food Bank serves, and what they provide.
The Food Bank has three ways of providing nutritious food to our local community members and families that are food insecure: Food Share, Food Link and Kids Café/Child Nutrition. Each hits a different segment of the community. Food Share provides fresh and pre-packaged food directly to individuals and families; Food Link works with local agencies to provide meals to 90 different non-profit agencies, who deliver the meals to the hungry; and Kids Café/Child Nutrition, which serves Larimer County kids at risk through the schools and Boys and Girls Clubs.
A big revelation to those of us who toured the facility was that our dollars go even further than our food donations!For every dollar donated to the Food Bank, enough food can be provided to an individual to make FOUR MEALS! When was the last time you were able to get a meal for a quarter?!It’s a wonderful service to hold food drives and bring attention to the real need in Larimer County, but our monetary donations can have an even greater impact.
The source of the food that is donated and served through the Food Bank is varied. 44% of the food is donated on the local level. The biggest corporate donors are: Whole Foods, King Soopers and Wal-Mart. 51% of the donations come from individual donors and additional funding comes from foundations, member agencies, fundraising events, government, and faith communities.
As to volunteering opportunities at the Food Bank, it’s not a difficult or demanding job. Here is what Adam Weimold, Kids Café Manager, had to say, “As long as you can wash an apple and put it in a bag, you can volunteer here!”
If you are interested in volunteering, visit the Food Bank for Larimer County website and take the online volunteer questionnaire, or follow this link: http://www.fblc.org/volunteer-questionnaire to complete and submit the questionnaire.
Those of us who visited the Food Bank first-hand saw the magnitude of the need in Larimer County, and the many ways that we, as REALTORS®, can help.If you have a few moments, please take the time to watch this informative video and consider how you may be able to help: http://www.foodbanklarimer.org/ News_Events/News/Videos.aspx
FCBR’s Community Outreach Tours take place the 1st Monday of the month at various non-profits and all members are welcome. Contact Chair Heather Matz for info hmatz@thegroupinc.com
Statistically speaking, one in ten Larimer County residents has received assistance from the Food Bank. And in January 2012, the Food Bank served their highest ever number of individuals in the Food Share (direct service pantry) program: 14,000.
FCBR’s Community Outreach Committee recently hosted a tour at the Food Bank. Lauren Ross, Development Manager for the Food Bank, gave us a guided tour of the facility and an amazingly detailed overview of who the Food Bank serves, and what they provide.
The Food Bank has three ways of providing nutritious food to our local community members and families that are food insecure: Food Share, Food Link and Kids Café/Child Nutrition. Each hits a different segment of the community. Food Share provides fresh and pre-packaged food directly to individuals and families; Food Link works with local agencies to provide meals to 90 different non-profit agencies, who deliver the meals to the hungry; and Kids Café/Child Nutrition, which serves Larimer County kids at risk through the schools and Boys and Girls Clubs.
A big revelation to those of us who toured the facility was that our dollars go even further than our food donations!For every dollar donated to the Food Bank, enough food can be provided to an individual to make FOUR MEALS! When was the last time you were able to get a meal for a quarter?!It’s a wonderful service to hold food drives and bring attention to the real need in Larimer County, but our monetary donations can have an even greater impact.
The source of the food that is donated and served through the Food Bank is varied. 44% of the food is donated on the local level. The biggest corporate donors are: Whole Foods, King Soopers and Wal-Mart. 51% of the donations come from individual donors and additional funding comes from foundations, member agencies, fundraising events, government, and faith communities.
As to volunteering opportunities at the Food Bank, it’s not a difficult or demanding job. Here is what Adam Weimold, Kids Café Manager, had to say, “As long as you can wash an apple and put it in a bag, you can volunteer here!”
If you are interested in volunteering, visit the Food Bank for Larimer County website and take the online volunteer questionnaire, or follow this link: http://www.fblc.org/volunteer-questionnaire to complete and submit the questionnaire.
Those of us who visited the Food Bank first-hand saw the magnitude of the need in Larimer County, and the many ways that we, as REALTORS®, can help.If you have a few moments, please take the time to watch this informative video and consider how you may be able to help: http://www.foodbanklarimer.org/ News_Events/News/Videos.aspx
FCBR’s Community Outreach Tours take place the 1st Monday of the month at various non-profits and all members are welcome. Contact Chair Heather Matz for info hmatz@thegroupinc.com
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