Snoopy's always a good choice for this time of year.

Not alright is tremendous demand food banks are seeing this year, up much more than usual, even though the time around the holidays is when demand historically peaks.  We did a rough back-of-the-envelope calculation a week or so ago and discovered Arizona food banks had moved 72% more food this year than at this time last year, but despite that increased distribution, they were only meeting about half of the total demand.  Scary stuff really, when you consider so many affected are children.

My CEO passed this on to me earlier today, which also helps frame the issue succinctly:   

36.5 million Americans currently take part in the Food Stamp Program, now officially called the Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).  That’s up by more than 10 million in just two years.  This program gives those on low incomes a monthly average of US $101 per person, or $227 per household, to spend on food.  Meanwhile, the USDA has also revealed the highest level of American food need ever recorded, with 17 million households, or 14.6%, struggling to put food on the table at times last year.  Across the Atlantic, 43 million Europeans are currently at risk of food insecurity (8.6% of the total EU population).

Locally, Fresh & Easy grocery stores–another favorite of mine–reported that for the third quarter of 2009, sales for the 13-week period ended November 28, climbed 37.4%, following some SNAP benefits being extended.  Costco recently announced it would accept SNAP benefits too, which is just another indication of how lucrative this market segment is… amazing to think of it as a desirable population for a retailer to reach, but there you have it.

Not all is bad though, I don’t want to bring people down, because this time of year does bring out some spirit, maybe even you could say the best in people.  Now how to harness that and distribute it equitably year-round?  Couldn’t tell you, I’m not a scientist, I don’t even like driving by Holiday Inn Expresses, but here are some recent stories from around Arizona that should put a smile on your face:

• Soup kitchen volunteers form bonds with Phoenix’s homeless, poor
• Winterhaven’s Festival of Lights begins soon - side note, anyone who’s ever been in Tucson during December will know what this is all about, truly something awesome to behold!
• Church spread good will: Parishioners pay it forward
• ‘Big, generous hearts’

Finally, I’ll mention that if you’re struggling to find a gift for someone, hate malls, or just don’t have the time to be shopping all the time, consider a gift to AAFB in someone’s name.  It’s a very honorable thing to do, and there’s a pretty sweet tax credit in it for you too!  So long as you qualify, etc., etc., blah, blah, blah… but you get the idea!  Your funds help feed your neighbor who might be down on their luck, and also helps fund advocacy that might help your neighbor not be so hungry in the first place, hopefully in the not so distant future.  Remember, hunger is a fixable problem in this country if we want to fix it.

real turkey

I wish was real turkey... on a side note, this is the best photo of the famed bird I could come up with. come on interwebs, it's like 2010 almost and nobody's bothered to archive a better pic of an 8 legged turkey? for shame...

So sticking with the theme, wouldn’t you like to help out your neighbor with the gift of turkey?  Food banks around Arizona are happy to receive turkey donations for those who might have to go without.  Check out this select list of drop-off points and turkey drives that are just waiting for your participation!  If you know of some others not mentioned here, feel free to send ‘em my way and we’ll get the word out!  And if you’ve got a good Barry Sanders or John Madden story, share that as well.

I’ll let the article speak for itself–go ahead, read it now!–but damn if this isn’t an inexpensive, worthy idea that is generating positive results.  I’ve also been fortunate to be David’s guest at the school, allowing me a first-hand view of all the activity, how the program works, and how the kids really respond to it… and respond they do!  It’s downright encouraging to see a bunch of 5th graders so eager to work together on a school activity.  You can’t help but realize they’re learning skills that will take them far in life, hands-on stuff, skills that a textbook–or I guess PC nowadays–just can’t convey in this way.

Amazingly, David tells me he’s done countless presentations, tours, demonstrations, you name it, to other principals, superintendents and school administrators, and while everyone seems impressed, very few have taken the next step to actually implement their own program, even though David has offered to help every step of the way.  Why isn’t every school in Arizona doing this?  There’s not even the excuse of there being no money in the budget.  If you’re wondering the same thing and interested in possibly doing something like this at the school you work at, or the school your children attend, feel free to drop me a line.

• Food stamp enrollment (now known as SNAP: Supplimental Nutrition Assistance Program, fancy!) is up all over the country, but it’s up over 36% in Arizona since this time last year, making us one of ten states with an increase greater than 30%.  SNAP benefits benefit us all–did you know much they help the local economies in which they’re spent?  $1.25 of economic activity is generated for every $1 of SNAP spent, helping grocers,’ producers’ and distributers’ bottom lines and abilities to hire more employees.  ABC 15 did a nice story on this, featuring AAFB CEO Ginny Hildebrand and St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance.
• The New York Times Magazine did a neat story on the California Association of Food Bank’s Farm-to-Family program, which used AAFB’s Arizona Statewide Gleaning Project as a template.  Cool stuff, and in many ways, the future of food banking.  Related, sites like Ample Harvest help connect local gardiners with local food banks.
• Not about food banking at all, but this thought provoking article looks at how much crazy $$$ we’re spending in Afghanistan and wonders what the U.S. would look like if we had instead spent this internally on nation-building, of which a tiny bit would have no doubt been earmarked for issues related to domestic hunger.  As things stand currently, 1 in 6 U.S. children struggle with hunger and recently released Census numbers show median household incomes are down and poverty is on the rise (PDF).
• AAFB celebrated its 25th anniversary on Wednesday, September 30 with a lunchtime and evening receptions inviting friends and colleagues from past and present to celebrate past successes while also learning about what our future holds.  Pics are up on the AAFB Facebook.  AAFB unveiled its new logo courtesy of The Darkly Agency.  Good times were had by all.  Be on the lookout for more 25th anniversary fun over the next several months.

sleek and stylish, in time for fashion weeks everywhere

• I’ve mentioned Peter Norback and his One-Can-A-Week activities before, but I can’t remember if I shared his blog with you or not… if not, here it is!  Follow his weekly adventures, and start your own collection in your neighborhood!
• That’s all for now.  The holidays are fast approaching and no doubt you will see lots of food drives and other festivities involving your local food bank.  I invite you to participate!