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Food for today...
Food for tomorrow.
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Greetings!
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During the winter months, many people will be confronted with difficult choices such as paying for food and paying for utilities or heating fuel. Fifty million Americans are food insecure; meaning they lack consistent access to enough food at some point during the year, or don't always know where their next meal will come from.
Here in Western Mass., more than 135,000 of our neighbors seek food assistance from the emergency food network made up of The Food Bank of Western Mass. and 300 member agencies. And there are likely many more who need our help.
The 'heat or eat' dilemma effects many of those individuals, especially seniors on a fixed income. About seven percent of the clients we serve are seniors, many of whom report having to make tough choices between paying for medical expenses, rent or mortgage, and food. In the cold months, the additional cost of heating fuel only adds to that difficult choice.
Help us ensure those individuals struggling with accessing enough food for themselves and their families can get assistance at a Food Bank member agency or Brown Bag:Food for Elders site. Every $1 donated to The Food Bank provides at least 3 meals--that's more than $9 worth of food. In lieu of a valentines gift, honor your sweetheart and become a sustaining donor. For just $10 a month, you can ensure that 360 meals are provided over the course of a year. Thank you for your continued support. We couldn't do it without you.
Sincerely,
The Staff at The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts
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One Nation. Underfed.
|  Partnering with Amherst Cinema The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts will present a special early screening of A Place at the Table on Thursday, March 7 at 7 pm. Brought to you by Participant Media (Food, Inc., Fast Food Nation, An Inconvenient Truth), A Place at the Table focuses on three real Americans struggling with food insecurity. View the trailer for A Place at the Table.
Following the film, Food Bank Executive Director Andrew Morehouse will lead a panel discussion with Representative Jim McGovern (D-MA, featured in the film) and UMass Professor Julie Caswell who will discuss local and national hunger.
Tickets are available now online at www.amherstcinema.org and at the Amherst Cinema box office. |
Upcoming Volunteer Project
|  Volunteers are a crucial part of The Food Bank's work to reduce hunger and increase food security.
The Food Bank will be participating inFeeding America's Hunger Study from April through August. The study will help us identify those who are facing hunger, while also providing insight to the underlying causes. We need a dedicated team of 60 volunteers to speak with families and individuals seeking food assistance and gather data at member agencies across the Western Mass. To get more information about this opportunity, or to set up a volunteer interview, please contact Erin Sullivan at sullivane@foodbankwma.org or (413) 247-0312 x128. |
In The Bank: The Food Bank Blog
|  Read The Food Bank's blog to get a deeper look at our day-to-day work. Find healthy, affordable recipes from The Food Bank Kitchen, profiles of our member agencies, updates on important advocacy issues, and updates and insights on hunger-relief and awareness from around the country, like a recap of Newark Mayor Cory Booker's "Food Stamp Challenge".
It is a great way to interact with The Food Bank and learn more about hunger in your community. By sharing the posts you find interesting or informative through Twitter or Facebook, you'll help raise awareness for the 135,000 individuals in our community struggling with food insecurity every day, and what you can do to help.
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Vote for The Food Bank!
2013 "Best of the Valley"
|  The polls are open for The Valley Advocate's 2013 Best of The Valley. Be sure to vote for The Food Bank of Western MA for best local non-profit (in the "At Your Service" section) and The Food Bank gala for best charity event (in the "Get Out" section).
Hunger is real in Western Mass. More than 135,000 of our neighbors seek food assistance from The Food Bank and our member agencies. By voting for The Food Bank, you're helping us support our programs, spreading the word about local hunger, , and showing the community the importance of working to end it.
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Upcoming Events
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WAMDA Annual Fitness 5K Walk/Run and Health Fair  to benefit The Food Bank of Western Mass.
On March 2nd, in celebration of National Nutrition Month, the Western Area Massachusetts Dietetic Association (WAMDA) will hold its 20th annual Fitness 5K Run/Walk and Health Fair at Look Park in Northampton.
For further details visit their website www.wamda.org. A perfect way to prepare for the 2013 running season and help The Food Bank at the same time!
 The HuKeLau presentsThe Motown Soul Legends Show | March 10th at 1 pm and 6 pm Guests are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to be donated to The Food Bank of Western Mass. A 50/50 raffle will be held and a portion of proceeds will benefit The Food Bank. Tickets and information are available by visiting www.hukelau.com or by calling 413-593-5222.
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Save the Date: Will Bike 4 Food
|  Mark your calendar's for Will Bike 4 Food 2013! The date has been set for Sunday, September 29th, 2013. The Food Bank hopes to make this years event better than ever.
The four routes will feature a family friendly 10-mile ride, along with 25, 50, and 100-mile treks through the beautiful fall scenery in Western Mass. Last year riders rode a combined 3,000 miles and raised more than $40,000 for The Food Bank.
Follow the link to our First Giving registration page and find out more. Stay tuned for more details and updates including route maps, prizes, and entertainment. We'll see you there!
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Affordable & Healthy Recipe:
Sweet Potato & Black Bean Burgers
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 The Food Bank's nutrition department helps families eat better by providing tips and recipes for healthy, affordable home cooking. Many people don't realize that it's usually cheaper - and healthier - to prepare meals at home than to go to the local fast food chain. Emphasizing nutrition and affordable ways to eat healthy is an important part of creating food security. Check out this month's recipe for a delicious, affordable and healthy meal to ring in the new year: Sweet Potato & Black Bean Burgers! |
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About The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts
The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts provides individuals facing hunger with the food they need to survive and leads communities towards long-term solutions to the problem of hunger. Serving the four counties of Western Massachusetts, The Food Bank is the leading provider of emergency food that reaches individuals and families with lower incomes in our region. We are committed to working with our community to reduce hunger and increase food security. The Food Bank seeks to make nutritious food affordable and accessible for all residents in our region. For more information on how you can get involved in your community, visit foodbankwma.org.
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