Stories of Hope - the quarterly newsletter from Second Harvest Heartland.

1. Stories Hope
Winter 2011
of
THE HEART OF
THE HEARTLAND
An inside look at the pg 4
warehousing of hope
®
I n s Id e
• Ten days to change the world
• The March Campaign kicks off
• Organizing relief on a ground level
• More access to CSFP pg 3 pg 6 pg 7

2. The Mission Beyond
the Mission ten days to change the world
It was a lofty goal, but employees of the
A message from our executive director Schwan Food Company rose to their own
challenge and changed the world for a
A food bank, and so much more
number of our hungry neighbors.
The company’s inaugural Food & Fund
In the last issue, I talked about Second near expiration. He began collecting that 92% of every dollar donated to us directly Drive for Second Harvest Heartland, held
Harvest Heartland’s new look and feel—a food, and soon had much more than the into our programs. Without sophisticated in January, was a grand one, generating
reflection of what we aspire to be: a dining room could use. He approached St. delivery routes, dedicated volunteers and 20,629 pounds of food and more than
transformational hunger-relief organization Mary’s Basilica with his idea of creating generous corporations, we couldn’t have $10,000—making it the second largest first
with a steadfast commitment to our a central location where agencies could delivered nearly 60 million pounds of food time corporate food drive in our history.
neighbors in their time of need. I also told receive needed food for their clients at no in 2010. And without Feeding America—the
And they did it all in ten days. Schwan’s Ten Days to Change the World campaign generated 20,629 pounds of food.
you how your support has enabled us to go cost. The Food Bank was born—and in its nation’s food bank network—food banks
above and beyond the traditional role of first year, collected and distributed more like Second Harvest Heartland and St. The Ten Days to Change the World
a food bank—to innovate, create and lead than 250,000 pounds of food. The new, Mary’s Food Bank Alliance wouldn’t have campaign started because employees at Why aren’t we doing more to end hunger?’” Minnesota, and warehouses in Kentucky
new initiatives that create sustainability efficient, innovative concept helped remove the opportunity to share best practices and the Schwan’s Consumer Brands Office said Karl Reichensperger, Consumer Brands and Kansas—included a root beer float sale,
in the system and move us closer to filling food from the waste stream and put it in the work together to ensure we provide as many in Bloomington wished to become more Customer Team Manager. “We were all very a silent auction of local sports memorabilia
the missing meal gap. And while I’m proud meals as possible for our fellow Americans. involved with hunger relief. “There was a excited to get involved.” and a pizza sale that ended up being the
hands of people in need.
of our programs and the success we’ve general feeling of, ‘We’re a food company. event’s crown jewel.
We are, at our core, a food bank. When the A food bank can’t solve the problem of The Schwan drive truly embraced the fun
experienced, I want to take this opportunity hunger alone. But thanks to the pioneering in a Food & Fund Drive with a wide range The original pizza plan was to ‘rescue’
Minneapolis and St. Paul food banks merged
to be clear about the primary reason we’re spirit of Mr. van Hengel, the unyielding of events and activities. The office broke slightly wounded or poorly packaged pizzas
more than nine years ago, Second Harvest
able to do what we’re doing. support of our generous community (of up into teams and competed against each from Schwan production facilities and offer
Heartland was born unto decades of rich
The world’s first food bank—St. Mary’s Food which you are a part), and the foundational, other, charting each team’s total and them to employees at a discounted rate,
history, knowledge and strength wrought by
Bank Alliance in Arizona—was formed in unprecedented efficiency of our food bank individual progress on posters and charts with all proceeds going to Second Harvest
these pioneering predecessor organizations.
1967 on one basic premise: there is enough operation, we can continue to pioneer and posted throughout the four floors of the Heartland. The sale was a great success, but
While population, distribution capacity create sustainable, new solutions to a very
food to go around, if the system is in place to building. “Everyone really embraced the it was the post-sale effort that truly pushed
and the economic landscape have changed old problem.
deliver it where it can be used. A man named competition, paying close attention to the the event to another level. Every leftover
significantly since 1967, the fundamentals of pizza was delivered directly to our food
John van Hengel was volunteering in the As always, thank you for your continued graphs and seeing who was in the lead,” said
food banking have not. bank by Schwan trucks. Over 17,000 pounds
community dining room at a church, when support of Second Harvest Heartland. Karl. “It was exciting.”
Left to right: Mark Dalrymple and Arnie Strebe of pizza for our hungry neighbors to enjoy!
he learned that grocery stores disposed of Without a meticulous operational engine as
of the Schwan Food Company, Tony Mans and Other elements of the drive—which quickly
food that had damaged packaging or was our foundation, we would not be able to put -Rob Zeaske Sara Ibis of Second Harvest Heartland and expanded beyond the Bloomington office
Schwan’s Scott Peterson and Greg Flack. Continued on page 6
to involve the Schwan depot in Plymouth,
Together we are
transforming hunger relief. Mission Impossible? not if you help.
You can help. Mark your calendar with these events.
Go to 2harvest.org/events for more details. It’s March, which means it is once again it’s daunting, and it’s beyond the means of one
time for the Minnesota FoodShare March person to accomplish. But as a community of
Campaign. The campaign is the largest people who believe that in a land of plenty, no
Get in Gear single food drive in the state, and annually one should go without food, it’s a challenge
Thursday, April 21 • St. Paul RiverCentre Saturday, April 30 • Minnehaha Park, Minneapolis aims to restock 300 food shelves throughout March Campaign we can meet together.”
Dish: Cuisine for Change is an elegant evening of fine Raise funds by participating in the Get in Gear 10K, Minnesota.
CUISINE FOR CHANGE
For 29 years, Minnesota FoodShare, a
food and wine, auctions, entertainment and hope. 5K Run/Walk, Half Marathon or 2K Fun Run.
program of the Greater Minneapolis Council
Presented by:
In 2010, the March Campaign raised a record
Visit dishcuisineforchange.org to reserve your Visit getingear10k.com for more information.
tickets and tables! 12 million dollars and pounds (4.6 million of Churches, has coordinated the March
pounds of food and $7.4 million) for our hungry neighbors. The Campaign. The campaign brings together thousands of families,
2011 goal is to meet or exceed those numbers. We’ve already proven companies, faith communities, schools and civic groups and raises
Pound for Pound Challenge stamp Out Hunger
Now - May, 2011 Saturday, May 14 • Your mailbox that this mission isn’t impossible, but it will be without your help. a significant percentage of the annual food distributed by its
The need in our community is growing at a rapid rate, and your recipient food shelves.
For every pound you pledge to lose, the Pound For Pound Help us reach our goal of 1.3 million pounds this year by donating
Challenge will donate 11¢ to Feeding America. right at your mailbox! participation is vital. To contribute directly to the 2011 March Campaign, visit
Visit pfpchallenge.com for more details. To learn more, visit stampouthunger.2harvest.org. “Minnesota FoodShare has challenged its partners to provide 12 2harvest.org/marchcampaign. To find out how your company or
million pounds of food to Minnesota food shelves,” says Second organization can get involved, visit mnfoodshare.gmcc.org.
Harvest Heartland Executive Director Rob Zeaske. “It’s ambitious,
2 Winter 2011 Winter 2011 3

3. Welcome to
Moving Millions of pounds of hope
THe HeART OF THE HEARTLAND
The food bank is the core of the Second Harvest Heartland network. With your generous support and a strong
1 • Fresh MeeT MIKe
commitment from the people in this building, we sourced, sorted and delivered nearly 60 million pounds of food to
more than 468,000 of our hungry neighbors in 2010. Join us as we go ‘behind the curtain’ and highlight the people and Kate takes waste
processes that put the heart in the Heartland. seriously. As Director
of Food Rescue, she works
ON The COver: with more than 200 retailers
Our fleet of 22 food to beat the expiration date on
rescue trucks travels
nearly half a million bakery, produce and dairy products—
miles every year, eliminating vast amounts of waste
rescuing fresh food that
might otherwise go
while providing our neighbors with tons
to waste. Food Rescue of fresh food. Thanks in part to Kate’s work,
Driver Jason is pictured 20 percent of our total distribution is fresh.
with Kate, our Director
of Food Rescue.
1 As Director of Food
An AIB International Bank Operations,
2 • saFe food safety audit awarded Mike is the air traffic
Second Harvest Heartland an ‘excellent’ rating controller of the
for food safety and hygiene. As our sanitation warehouse. At any
team leader, Don is instrumental in keeping our given time, there is
facility safe and clean. enough food here to
provide a meal for
just about everyone
James and LeCore in the Minneapolis/
3 • eFFicient undertake the epic St. Paul metro area.
3
tasks of inventory and shipping/receiving, Mike oversees the
transforming incoming pallets and generous sourcing, sorting and
jumbles of Food & Fund Drive donations into distributing of millions
custom orders for quick turnaround throughout of pounds a year.
our network of 1,000 agencies and programs.
2 The MurAl
4 • compassionate This mural—an
artist’s rendition of
Pat and her staff make a direct impact
the entire Second
on our neighbors, serving more than
Harvest Heartland
1,000 seniors every month at our
process—hangs in
drive-up window. Second Harvest the warehouse and
Heartland also operates more highlights everything
than 200 additional Commodity we do, from food
Supplemental Food Program sourcing to storage
distribution sites in 41 and distribution to the
4 counties in Minnesota. wonderful end result.
4 Winter 2011 Winter 2011 5
“I was drawn to this project to capture both the scale of
FrOM The PhOTOgrAPher the operation and to personalize the individuals who
make it work. Understanding the impact Second Harvest Heartland has on the community can broaden
involvement. I found exceptional individuals working as a team. Simply put, they move tons of food
where it needs to be.”
-Rhett Arens

4. Voices of Hunger
the Front lines oF hunger relieF
DIANA MADSeN: goal was to close Blue Earth County’s The dynamics may be different, but the
missing meal gap and sustain a certain level response has been incredibly positive. Rock
Community Programs
of local organization and the number of County formed the relief group Hunger Free
Advocate provided meals. Rock County and their first initiative was to
Community involvement is one of the Blue Earth officials reacted impressively, develop a partnership with local pharmacies
most important aspects of hunger relief. forming Feeding Our Communities to promote local hunger relief efforts on
Diana Madsen is at the forefront of the Partners (FOCP), an incorporated every filled prescription during peak cold
Second Harvest Heartland effort to organize nonprofit hunger relief organization with and flu season. In Martin County, discussions
community leaders and their available the ability to seek funding opportunities to install a community food shelf are just the
resources on a local level. As a Community only available to nonprofit groups. FOCP beginnings of a concentrated response.
Programs Advocate, she’s helped make has been instrumental in a number of Increased access to programs like the Commodity Supplemental Food Program is vital to the transformation of hunger relief.
Thanks to successes like those in Blue Earth,
significant strides in the struggle against relief initiatives, including a vital food
Martin and Rock counties, the community
hunger ‘on the ground.’ rescue program in Mankato.
organizing program is already exceeding
“We’re all working to fight hunger in our The success of the Blue Earth County expectations. “We were projected to be
More access in more places
beyond
own ways,” she says of the project. “But program led to the formation of the Second
Above &
working in ten counties by the end of 2011,”
many of our community leaders have never Harvest Heartland Community Organizing Diana says. “We hit that number by October As Second Harvest Heartland continues to transform Heartland Child and Senior Nutrition Manager Pat
worked as a group, or shared information team and a two-year community organizing of 2010.” New projections see the project the system of hunger relief in Minnesota, we Pearson. “They receive so many positive comments
and resources.” project. The primary objective of the project expanding into six to eight additional focus more and more on providing access to our about the program.”
In 2009, as an answer to the Missing Meals is to organize local task forces within counties in the next year. community’s available resources.
report which found that Minnesotans miss the 31 rural counties in Second Harvest Because we see firsthand how valued CSFP is to
Though results are difficult to track with The federally funded Commodity Supplemental those who use it on our own doorstep, we realize
125 million meals every year, Second Harvest Heartland’s Minnesota service area in an
statistics, the project is vital to spreading Food Program (CSFP) is a perfect example of how important access to the program can be. Many
Heartland began an initiative to start effort to fill the meal gap in those areas.
awareness about the hunger issue that is our increasing effort in this area. With additional of those who require food assistance simply don’t
closing the missing meal gap in Minnesota Diana and her fellow Community Programs
Advocate, Alanna Shoquist, identify key universal yet unique to every community. funding in 2011, we’ll not only directly serve 500 have the means to travel very far, which is why we
on a county-by-county basis. Because rural
players in the community and help those Just by placing community leaders in the more of our hungry seniors, mothers and children place extra emphasis on bringing the program to
counties are particularly challenging to
serve due to the scarcity of organizations, leaders take advantage of the strengths same room and creating dialogue about those who need it most. As of February, we will
volunteers and financial resources, an extra and shore up the weaknesses in their area’s hunger, we’re reinventing hunger relief in an extra eFFort For our provide CSFP at a total of 214 sites throughout
our communities.
emphasis was needed in these areas. existing relief efforts.
hungry neighbors Minnesota, serving 9,200 seniors, children and
The pilot program targeted Blue Earth Though the program uses Blue Earth County “There are so many people who are working families. Sites include local food shelves,
County and focused on three objectives: as a model, the project takes root in different passionate and dedicated to serving others,” churches, senior centers, programs and shelters
every month—we’ll provide 14 more sites where
to work with and organize county leaders; ways in every community. “Of course we try says Diana. “It is extremely gratifying to be throughout our 41-county Minnesota network.
they can easily access this valuable resource.
to identify locally available–but unused– to replicate what Blue Earth County did in part of the process of creating change and The Commodity Supplemental Food Program
While we’re proud of every Second Harvest Heartland
hunger relief resources; and to better direct every area,” Diana says. “But the dynamics working with people who are so determined provides a box of nutritious food each month
program and initiative, CSFP is very near and dear
existing resources in the area. The ultimate are different in every county.” to help others in need.” to income-eligible post-partum women 6-12
to our hearts. It’s one of the only programs through
which we physically place food into the hands of our months who are not breastfeeding and who are not
FooD & FunD From page 3 hungry neighbors, since CSFP can be accessed right served by WIC, and children between the ages
here at out Maplewood distribution center. Through of five and six through the Mothers and Children
“The Schwan’s Consumer Brands Food and Fund Drive was one of our least four volunteer events benefiting Second Harvest Heartland, as
use of a drive-thru window, we personally serve Program (MAC) and to low income seniors 60 years
largest first-time drives, but what really impresses me is their high well as a cash donations program and additional food drives.
more than 1,800 qualified participants easily and and over through the Nutrition Assistance Program
level of engagement,” says Second Harvest Heartland Campaigns
“We are so appreciative of the hard work Schwan has devoted and efficiently every month. for Seniors (NAPS).
Coordinator Sara Ibis.
the thousands of meals they are providing for our hungry neighbors,” “Through CSFP, our staff and volunteers build If you think you may be eligible for CSFP or
“Everyone at Schwan was committed to participating and giving
said Sara. relationships with our clients that they might know someone who may require assistance, visit
generously.”
not otherwise experience,” says Second Harvest 2harvest.org/csfp.
The Schwan Food & Fund Drive is only the beginning of an extensive To find out how you can organize your own Food & Fund Drive, visit
foray into hunger relief. The company has already made plans for at 2harvest.org/foodandfund.
6 Winter 2011 Winter 2011 7

5. Nonprofit
Organization
US Postage Paid
Second Harvest
1140 GERVAis AVE., sT. PAuL, MN 55109-2020 Heartland
Cause and effects
You supported the cause. here is the change you’ve effected.
Community Organizing Project
The Second Harvest Heartland community organizing initiative
is a resounding success! County leaders have truly embraced our
challenge to transform hunger relief on a local level, and thanks to
their efforts, we are more than a year ahead of schedule. For more
information about the project, see page 6.
Community leaders in Blue Earth County
helped institute a backpack lunch program,
providing weekend lunches to children who
receive free or reduced lunch on school days.
Contact Info
Projections for the Community
Organizing Project
Original projections for the community
organizing project showed up to ten counties second Harvest Heartland
affected by the project at the end of 2011.
Phone: 651.484.5117
Thanks to an impressive response from
community leaders, we hit that mark by October, Toll Free: 888.339.3663
2010. New projections show up to 18 counties Fax: 651.484.1064
with organized hunger relief by December.
With your help, we’ll eclipse that mark, too. 2harvest.org
Counties with some level of
hunger relief organization
®
Counties targeted for
organization
8 Winter 2011