The 10th anniversary of A Chefs' Affaire featuring nationally renowned Chef Tyler Florence is our big announcement this month, but Feeding the 5,000 Families in Pocatello continues to take donations, the Feinstein Foundation Spring Campaign to Fight Hunger is underway, and the Letter Carriers Food Drive is coming up very quickly.
Be sure and save the date for A Chefs' Affaire – Saturday, June 7 – at the Boise Centre on the Grove. Our goal this year is to fund 600,000 meals. And let us know if you can help with any of these events.
This is the March edition of Idaho Foodbytes, The Idaho Foodbank's electronic newsletter, Volume VII, Number 3.
-- David Proctor
March Contents
1. Food Network’s Chef Tyler Florence to Headline 10th Annual A Chefs’ Affaire
2. Pocatello Perspective: Feeding the 5,000 Includes Dinner and Food Drive
3. The Congressional Medal of Honor Society Names Roger Simon as Award Finalist
4. Foodbank Teams with Boise Parks & Rec for Afterschool Program
5. Feinstein $1 Million Challenge is Off and Running
6. Anti-hunger Groups Help Pass Tax Rebate
7. Free Cancer Screenings for Women
8. Another Smart Way to Donate
9. Research Shows Benefits of Breakfast for Adolescents
9. Gallery of Giving: CBS 2
10. Facts of the Month: Picnic in the Park
11. Quote of the Month: Norman Ernest Borlaug
12.The Foodbank's 2008 Calendar
Saturday, June 7, at the Boise Centre
Food Network’s Chef Tyler Florence to Headline 10th Annual A Chefs’ Affaire
The Idaho Foodbank is proud to announce that the Food Network’s Chef Tyler Florence will be our featured guest at the 10th annual A Chefs’ Affaire fundraiser, presented by SYSCO Food Services of Idaho.
In addition to his active participation in the A Chefs’ Affaire dinner and auction, Chef Tyler Florence will give a cooking demonstration prior to the dinner, presented by the Idaho and Eastern Oregon Onion Committee. Tickets are $50 and seating is limited.
As always, A Chefs’ Affaire promises to be an evening to remember as 20 of the Treasure Valley’s most talented chefs prepare a five-course gourmet meal and you, our pampered guest, can choose from a wide assortment of Idaho’s finest wines.
The silent auction will feature a wide array of dining packages, merchandise and services from the area's restaurants, caterers, wineries, hotels and retailers. To top off the evening, the participating chefs will be auctioned to the highest bidder.
It will be an evening unlike any seen in Idaho, an evening of great fun, mouth-watering food, a celebrity chef and a room full of caring and very talented people.
Since 1996, Tyler Florence has been the star of several Food Network shows and a regular guest on numerous other programs. He was named the "Sexiest Chef Alive" by People magazine.
Tyler graduated from the College of Culinary Arts at the Charleston, South Carolina, campus of Johnson & Wales University in 1991. The university later awarded him an honorary doctorate and named a scholarship after him.
He hosted the programs Food 911 and How to Boil Water, and currently hosts Tyler's Ultimate on the Food Network. His culinary talents have been widely acclaimed by publications that include Food & Wine, GQ, Wall Street Journal and USA Weekend.
Chef Tyler has also been featured on television commercials for the Applebee's restaurant chain and has contracts with Macy’s, Mikasa and Braun.
A Chefs’ Affaire, presented by SYSCO Food Services of Idaho, is set for Saturday, June 7, at the Boise Centre on the Grove. Tickets for the Tyler Florence cooking demonstration are $50. Tickets for the dinner and auction are priced at $125, $200 and $500. At the $200 and $500 level, only full tables of 10 will be sold. Tickets priced at $125 are available individually, for group purchases or for full tables. They all can be reserved by calling Michelle Shobe at 336-9643, ext. 249. We hope you will join us for this fantastic evening.
To see more about our celebrity chef, use this link... |
Pocatello Perspective
Feeding the 5,000 Includes Dinner and Food Drive
Feeding the 5,000 Families, Pocatello’s annual ecumenical food and fund drive for the Foodbank, wrapped up on Easter Sunday but not before it put Pocatello's generosity in the spotlight. After the Community of Faith Concert on Feb. 9 at Central Christian Church, donors enjoyed a progressive dinner at Central Christian, First Presbyterian Church, Caldwell LDS Church (above) and Holy Spirit Catholic Church. On March 15, volunteers collected 1,225 pounds of food and $1,240 at a Ridleys and an Albertsons store.
For more information about our Pocatello facility, here is a direct link... |
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 2008 Above & Beyond Citizen Honors
The Congressional Medal of Honor Society Names
Roger Simon as Award Finalist
The Congressional Medal of Honor Society has announced this month that Roger Simon, (above) executive director of The Idaho Foodbank, was chosen to be one of the 51 state finalists for the inaugural Above & Beyond Citizen Honors.
The Above & Beyond award is the first time all 107 living Medal of Honor recipients have banded together to create a national platform to promote and honor "Service before Self." "The thousands of nominees prove that we have among us, heroes in the most fundamental meaning of the term. Wonderful Americans who because of confluence of time, circumstances and events, choose to challenge fate or reality as they understand it to be, and literally change the world. We are humbled by their deeds and their commitment to service before self," said Col. Bob Howard, President of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society of the United States.
Roger’s nominating citation reads: "Roger Simon of Boise, Idaho, for going above and beyond with his devotion to feeding the hungry. In 1994, Simon took over the faltering Idaho Foodbank and since then has seen it triple in size and capability. In 2007 alone, 729,105 meals were served and 5.25 million pounds of food distributed. Under Simon’s leadership the Foodbank now has direct-service programs such as Kids Café, Chefs to the Rescue, and the Mobile Pantry for the inhabitants of rural Idaho. Simon is wholeheartedly committed to giving his time to non-profit organizations and providing for thousands in need."
"I think it is an amazing statement about what this Foodbank has accomplished through the efforts of so many wonderful employees, volunteers and committed citizens of Idaho," Simon said of the nomination. "I have the honor and pleasure to serve as the leader of an agency that is focused on results – getting food to those who need it. Recognition I receive is a testament to the accomplishments of all."
Every year the Above & Beyond Citizen Honors will pay tribute to three civilian Americans who have made a difference in the lives of others through a singular act of extraordinary heroism or through their continued commitment to putting others before themselves, without regard for personal gain. These are ordinary Americans who perform extraordinary acts of selfless courage, dedication and sacrifice in civilian life, that, were they in uniform, would warrant consideration for receipt of the Medal of Honor.
The 51 Finalists, one from every state and Washington, D.C., were selected from nominations collected during a nationwide submission period which was open to every American from October 9th through December 16th, 2007.
Three of these 51 finalists were chosen to be the 2008 Above & Beyond Citizen Honorees, and these remarkable citizens were honored during a ceremony on March 25, Medal of Honor Day, in Washington, D.C.
For more information and a complete list of nominees, just click here... |
Boise Mayor David Bieter (left, at lectern) announces the city's new Mobile Recreation Unit to students at Jefferson Elementary, while Jefferson students (right) take advantage of the arts and crafts offerings.
Mobile Recreation Unit
Foodbank Teams with Boise Parks & Rec for
Afterschool Program
The Idaho Foodbank and the Boise Parks and Recreation Department have expanded their partnership to include the new Mobile Recreation Unit. The specially outfitted van was unveiled by Mayor David Bieter on March 4 at Jefferson School.
The Mobile Recreation Unit is loaded with art supplies, games and recreational activities, including balls, jump ropes, bases, painting supplies and a sound system, as well as equipment for fitness, nutrition, art, drama and dance activities.
The Foodbank, funded by a ConAgra Foods Feeding Children Better Foundation grant, will provide a healthy snack for every child who participates in this innovative afterschool program. The grant will also provide enrichment and hands-on nutrition education by Humphreys Diabetes Center.
The goal of the Mobile Recreation Unit (MRU) is to provide children in low-income areas with safe, educational after-school activities that will offer an attractive alternative to video games and television, and to include healthy snacks that can replace junk food.
The Foodbank and Parks and Recreation have worked together for many years on a variety of projects, notably Picnic in the Park, the highly successful summer feeding program that provides free, nutritious lunches for children in Boise parks during summer vacation.
City funds purchased the van and will provide the staff. Additional funds came from ConAgra, the University of Idaho’s Expanded Food and Nutrition Program, the Sunrise Rotary Club and the Boise Weekly, which awarded a grant for $3,750 to the Boise City Arts Commission for an artist-in-residence program.
This spring the MRU will make regular stops at nine Title I (low-income) schools in the Boise School District. The summer schedule has not been determined, but it will visit parks and other locations.
We can't do it without you. Contact us right here to help us fund programs like this one... |
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Feinstein $1 Million Challenge is Off and Running  Starting March 1, Alan Shawn Feinstein has begun his eleventh year of giving away $1 million. And you can help the Foodbank receive a share of that money.
The Rhode Island philanthropist (at left)
will divide his $1 million among hunger-fighting agencies like the Foodbank based on the amount each organization raises. So the more groups like yours can bring in, the higher his match will be.
Anyone can participate – churches, school groups, businesses or individuals. The more donations made and money raised between now and April 30, the more Feinstein money we will receive. There is still plenty of time to get your campaign underway.
The donations can include cash, checks and food items (valued at $1.00 per item or pound) as well as pledges.
Feinstein’s past $1 million challenges have helped anti-hunger groups like the Foodbank raise $760 million nationwide.
The Feinstein Challenge has become the most successful grassroots campaign to fight hunger of all times, and you can be part of it. Contact Jill Palmer at jpalmer@idahofoodbank.org or 336-9643, ext. 242.
There is much more information at the Feinstein web site, right here… |
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Anti-hunger Groups Help Pass Tax Rebate The Idaho Legislature has sent to Gov. Butch Otter a bill that will increase the rebate on the sales tax Idahoans pay on food.
Currently, the tax is 6%, but residents who file tax returns get $20 rebates while seniors who file get $35. If the governor signs this bill, the tax rebate will increase to $50 to each for each member of a family of four that earns less than $25,000. Members of families who earn more would each get $30.
The rebate would rise by $10 each year until it hits $100 each for family members and $120 for seniors.
This bill was a compromise between those who wanted to take the tax off at the cash register and those who favored the rebate or wanted no tax relief at all. Still, it is a major achievement in the fight against hunger in Idaho. Special praise must be directed to the Idaho Interfaith Roundtable Against Hunger and the Idaho Hunger Relief Task Force. Both groups played significant roles in getting this legislation to the governor’s desk.
The Task Force produced an issue paper early in the session that pointed out that Idaho was the only state in the country that did not allow those who earn too little money to file tax returns to receive the tax rebate that was created to help them. That paper was picked up by Spokesman Review reporter Betsy Russell and became an important part of the debate.
IIRAH lobbied the bill with great energy and creativity. The group collected 1,600 signatures from 23 legislative districts on a petition to change the current law and organized six testimonies during February alone.
At this writing, Gov. Otter has not signed the bill, but we have great hope that he will. Congratulations to all those who worked so hard to make this happen. Your work will benefit Idahoans for years to come.
Use this link to see why this legislation is so important to Idaho... |
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Foodbank and Health & Welfare Promote 
Free Cancer Screenings for Women
The Idaho Foodbank and the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare have entered into a new partnership to spread the word about Women’s Health Check, a program that provides free breast and cervical cancer screening to women aged 40 and over who are uninsured and economically disadvantaged.
The idea is to use the Foodbank’s statewide network of food pantries to distribute information about the free cancer screening to the target audience.
The goal is to increase the number of women who have annual mammograms and Pap tests, which will reduce the number of deaths from breast and cervical cancer in Idaho.
The campaign is tentatively scheduled to run through the end of April. Pantries, feeding sites and other Foodbank partner agencies will receive a rack and information cards about the free screenings that can be easily displayed.
This is a new strategy to reach Idaho women in need. Historically, Women’s Health Check has enrolled women for its program through advertising on television, radio and newspapers. While this has been successful, the Department has limited resources and officials have recognized that mass media is not always the most effective way to reach women who need free screening services. Since the Foodbank already has a network of more than 200 non-profit agencies in touch with the program’s target audience, the partnership is a natural one.
The hope is, by working with the Idaho Foodbank and its various partners, Woman’s Health Check will be able to reach more women who will benefit from life-saving cancer screening.
For more information, you can call 211, the toll-free Idaho CareLine, or use this link… |
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Another Smart Way to Donate
With tax season upon us, here is a tip to help lower this year's tax obligation.
As many taxpayers know, it is better to donate appreciated stock or securities than write checks. If you have held a stock for more than one year, you are able to deduct the full fair-market value of the security – without having to pay taxes on the appreciation.
Let's say you bought 1,000 shares of stock in a company over a year ago for $14 per share, and it's now worth $20 per share. You would be able to deduct the full $20,000 without ever paying tax on the $6,000 in appreciation. For those in the 15% bracket, the move saves an additional $900 (15% of $6,000) in taxes, which further reduces the real net cost of your donation.
Even with the current market fluctuations, many of you still own securities that have significantly appreciated in value while in your portfolio. You get the tax benefit, and the Foodbank gets to focus your support on addressing hunger in Idaho.
If this idea appeals to you, contact Jill Palmer at 336-9643, ext. 242 or jpalmer@idahofoodbank.org.
To make that donation of stock or securities, just click here for more information... |
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Research Shows Benefits of Breakfast for Adolescents At study of more than 2,000 teens in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area found that those who eat breakfast regularly tend to weigh less than those who skip the meal. Teens who eat breakfast also exercise more as well as consume an overall healthy diet.
The study focused on measuring Body Mass Index (BMI) – lean individuals have lower BMIs than those who are overweight or obese. Adolescents who skipped breakfast, according to the research published in the journal Pediatrics, weighed as much as five pounds more on average than the teens who ate breakfast every day. It's believed that breakfast helped teens control their hunger, and kept them from binge eating at lunch and dinner.
Study author Mark Pereira, of the University of Minnesota, noted that adolescents who ate breakfast are "much more physically active and…have lower fat intake, lower cholesterol intake, higher fiber intake." The study mentioned that approximately 25% of the nation's teens skip breakfast.
For more information on this study and a video clip from MSNBC, click right here... |
Gallery of Giving
On Friday, Feb. 29, CBS 2 held a day-long Drive, Drop and Donate event in their parking lot at 140 N. 16th in Boise. During this one event, CBS 2's generous viewers donated an amazing 11,287 pounds of food. In the photo, unloading the SYSCO Food Services of Idaho are CBS 2's Rich Brase, Director of Programming & Promotion and Bob Thomas, Vice President and General Manager, with able assistance from members of the CBS 2 staff. This was an especially important food drive because it came after the holidays and before the Letter Carriers drive, a time when food supplies are down. We are most grateful to the staff and management at CBS 2 for their compassion and dedication.
Another way to give is to use the Foodbank's virtual food drive. Just click here for a look... |
Fact of the Month
Last summer, Picnic in the Park, our summer feeding program in Boise, distributed 71,448 free lunches. Watch for the number to increase again this summer.
Our partners last summer included the Boise City Parks and Recreation Department, Moseley Center Boys and Girls Club, Humphreys Diabetes Center, Ada Community Library, Albertsons, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Idaho State Department of Education and United Way of Treasure Valley.
http://www.idahofoodbank.org/donate.htm |
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Quote of the Month  "Without food, man can live at most but a few weeks; without it, all other components of social justice are meaningless."
Norman Ernest Borlaug
American agronomist, humanitarian, Nobel laureate, and has been called the father of the Green Revolution. One of five people in history to have won the Nobel Peace Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal. Borlaug is often credited with saving over a billion people from starvation.
Care to lend a hand in the battle against hunger? Here's the link to our volunteer page... |
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The Foodbank's 2008 Calendar February 9 – March 23 – Feeding the 5,000 Families annual food and fund drive. Theme this year: "I Was Hungry and You Gave Me Food." Pocatello. (The drive is over, but it's not too late to donate.)
March 1 – April 30 – Feinstein Foundation Spring Campaign to Fight Hunger. Statewide.
March 24-28 – Lunch Break program is serving free lunches at Boys and Girls Clubs in Garden City, Meridian and Nampa, and Nampa Salvation Army. Volunteers needed.
April 21 – April Extravaganza Fashion Show and Competition by the School of Hairstyling. ISU Student Union Ballroom. $5 admission benefits the Foodbank. Information: Jeni at 232-9170. Pocatello
May 10 – National Association of Letter Carriers Food Drive. (Please help us reach our goal of 250,000 pounds.)
May 31 – American Bikers Aiming Towards Education (ABATE) scavenger hunt to benefit The Idaho Foodbank. 233-8811. Pocatello
June 7 – A Chefs' Affaire, the 10th anniversary celebration, featuring Chef Tyler Florence. Boise
Your time and skills are like gold to us. Please volunteer now. Click here for information... |
Thank You!
The Idaho Foodbank is a network of 200 non-profit agencies statewide, is an affiliate of America's Second Harvest - The Nation's Food Bank Network and is proud to be supported by several United Ways in Idaho. For the second consecutive year we have been awarded the coveted four-star rating by Charity Navigator and judged to be the most efficient non-profit organization in Idaho. That means your donations go further at the Foodbank than at any other non-profit in Idaho. Please consider helping us feed hungry Idahoans by donating online today.
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To see our past newsletters and get much more information about who we are and what we do, check our award-winning web site: http://www.idahofoodbank.org (First place, Idaho Press Club 2005). You are also welcome to stop by our three warehouses: Boise, 3562 S. TK Avenue; Lewiston, 3600 E. Main; and Pocatello, 919 S. 2nd Avenue.
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This link will take you to our secure donation page... |
Thank you for supporting The Idaho Foodbank in the fight against hunger. Your donations of time, food and cash meant that with the help of more than 200 partner agencies your Foodbank could distribute 5.25 million pounds of badly needed food to Idaho families in 2007 and 65 million pounds since 1984.
Sincerely,
The Team at The Idaho Foodbank |
