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Food Lines is a quarterly publication of the

Association of Arizona Food Banks2100 N. Central Avenue, Suite 230

Phoenix, AZ 85004-1400

www.azfoodbanks.org

AAFB is a Partner State Association of:

and a partner with:

Support Arizona’s Food Banks!

Get Yours at www.ServiceArizona.com

Fighting Hunger in DC: AAFB’s Angie Rodgers led a team of advocates, shown here with Ann

Kirkpatrick (just named to House Committee on Agriculture), met with each of Arizona’s legislators.

www.azfoodbanks.org

• Hunger in America 2014 Shows Arizonans Face Tough Choices• Arizona Legislative & Child Nutrition Reauthorization Updates• Bagging Beans to Benefit the AZ Statewide Gleaning Project

Food LinesCelebrating 30 Years: 1984-20142015 Spring Issue | Vol. 31 | No. 3

/azfoodbanks | /aafb

Inside this

Issue

Join AAFB and Arizona Community Action Association to #ImagineaSolution to Hunger: Hunger Awareness Campaign to launch to find

solutions to hunger and poverty in Arizona.

Dear Friends,

Hunger Action Month doesn’t roll around until September, but I hope that fact does not stop you from speaking out against hunger and poverty in your neighborhood and community this spring. This time of year – advocacy season, where we visit our Members of Congress in Washington D.C. and the Arizona legislative session is in full swing – always finds us busy fighting for our member food banks, the clients they serve, and the efficient safety-net programs that allow households to emerge from the grips of hunger and poverty.

In this issue of Food Lines, you will read about our recent advocacy work to protect hunger relief programs and invest in resources to help our struggling neighbors. You will hear about our efforts around the upcoming Child Nutrition Reauthorization happening this summer and fall. You will see how the local community – and hopefully even some of you – came together to support our Gleaning Project at a volunteer event repacking bulk pinto beans at the LDS Cannery in Mesa. Those healthy, protein-packed beans are now being distributed to all parts of our state. And you will definitely learn more about our soon-to-launch hunger awareness campaign that invites you to #ImagineaSolution to hunger. By the time you are done, not only will you see just how busy we’ve been, but hopefully you will be inspired by our efforts and share them with your friends and family.

Most importantly, you continue to speak out! Over the past couple of months, I seem to have the same reoccurring conversation with folks. As the economy slowly recovers, we ponder why some of our neighbors continue to struggle to get back on their feet. The reasons are numerous and complex. The stories are undoubtedly tragic. The loss of a job, a medical emergency, or a serious car accident, combined with a lack of savings to be able to cushion such an unexpected expense, can quickly cause a spiral into financial upheaval. It could happen to any of us. Does this signal an inherent lack of character or laziness? No. Does it create a challenge for our economy? Yes. With one in five individuals in Arizona struggling with food insecurity, we know the causes and solutions are more nuanced than mere finger-pointing.

So today, I am asking you to do more. I am asking you to revisit your views on hunger and poverty, and really think about why it remains such a large issue for so many Arizonans. Is it something that your co-worker, neighbor, sister, or friend of a friend brought upon themselves? Was it bad luck? Or did they lack an opportunity to improve their life for their family? Simple black and white, cut and dry answers don’t allow us to get to heart of the matter, to truly understand why hunger continues to plague so many. We have to really think hard about all the factors that contribute to hunger and the struggles many face, to truly be able to #ImagineASolution.

Respectfully,

Angie B. Rodgers President & CEO

Advocacy Matters Bad Budget, Bad Bills Par for Course in Arizona Legislative Session

Arizona’s projected budget deficits (half a billion dollars this fiscal year and more than $1 billion the following year) loomed over Governor Doug Ducey when he released his initial budget filled with cuts. Then, in early March, Ducey and legislature agreed on a rushed budget with no hearings or public testimony. The budget included deep cuts to higher education, TANF (cash assistance) and K-12 funding. The K-12 cuts will harm school meal access for kids who need them the most – hungry kids can’t learn! Despite this bad budget, we remain focused on supporting hunger relief, human services and education funding against these harmful cuts any way we can.

The Arizona Republic breaks down some of the fallout at http://tinyurl.com/azcbudget, while the Center for Law and Social Policy shows how the budget harms Arizona’s low-income families: http://tinyurl.com/claspaz.

Beyond the budget, the bills haven’t been much better. In particular, we oppose SB 1328, which seeks to identify fraudby mandating a series of applicant verifications for SNAP (Food Stamps). However, the Department of Economic Security (DES) already does multiple applicant verifications to confirm income and identity, including Social Security, New Hire Directory, Unemployment Insurance, Department of Vital Statistics, lottery, and more. The resulting delay in timely eligibility determinations could cost Arizona significant federal financial penalties and imposes costs via third party vendors. An amendment to research IF there is cost savings is also costly when there is no current indication savings would be had. Last year, Arizona began replacing its antiquated case management system. This bill recreates duplicates verification processes already in place via AZTECS or Health-E-Arizona Plus and is a waste of taxpayer money.

A Message from Angie Rodgers

2015 Child Nutrition Reauthorization Talk to Heat UpIt’s hard to believe five years have passed since the last Child Nutrition Reauthorization in 2010, but it’s time for the 2015 Child Nutrition Reauthorization (CNR). Evaluated by Congress every five years, child nutrition programs such as school breakfasts and lunches, Women, Infants and Children (WIC), Summer Food Service Program, after-school meal programs, and more are up for reauthorization on September 30. These programs are a critical component in fighting child hunger and keeping kids fed at school while they learn. Be sure to bookmark www.azfoodbanks.org for the latest CNR updates and proposals, and learn more about CNR by checking out these great resources from our advocacy partners Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) and Feeding America:

• www.frac.org/leg-act-center/cnr-priorities • www.feedingamerica.org/take-action/advocate/hunger-issues/child-nutrition-reauthorization

Stay Connected: Arizona Needs Your Advocacy Voice!Stay current on all the latest news this fast-paced advocacy season by signing up for our Advocacy Team emails by sending an email to brian@azfoodbanks.org. Be sure to like us on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with breaking news. Contact your Arizona legislative members at www.azleg.gov/alisStaticPages/HowToContactMember.asp.

Order Your Hunger Relief License Plate TodayMore than 2,000 have been ordered - do you have yours? The official Arizona Hunger Relief specialty license plate can be ordered at www.servicearizona.com or by visiting any MVD or Authorized Third Party office. They look awesome and are a great way to promote the hunger cause - $17 of the $25 fee benefits AAFB and our member food banks that collectively serve all 15 Arizona counties. Keep in mind specialty license plate fees are not pro-rated, therefore your new Hunger Relief license plate will renew on your next scheduled vehicle registration renewal date.

Mark Your Calendars! Attend the AAFB Annual Conference on May 29

Advocates and hunger fighters from all around Arizona come together! Mark your calendars and make plans to attend:

Fighting Hunger Together: The 2015 Arizona Food Bank ConferenceFriday, May 29, 2015 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

at St. Patrick Catholic Community (84th Street north of Shea Blvd, just west of the 101 Freeway in Scottsdale, AZ)

Continental Breakfast & Lunch Provided - No Registration Fee

RSVP at www.azfoodbanks.org/index.php/conference or by calling Kala Weinacker at 602-528-3434. The conference is a must for food banks and emergency food providers, anti-hunger and anti-poverty advocates and organizations, the faith community, and more!

For the First Time, More than Half of Arizona Kids Ate Healthy School Breakfasts

In early February, the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) released their annual report on School Breakfast participation for the 2013-14 school year. The report shows that for the first time, more than half (50.9%) of low-income Arizona children who receive free or reduced-price school lunches ate healthy school breakfasts. However, this still ranks Arizona 27th in the U.S., the same as in 2012-13, despite 92.3% of Arizona schools offering school breakfasts. Get more Arizona- specific information at www.azfoodbanks.org/index.php/hunger/#a1 and visit http://frac.org/pdf/School_Breakfast_Scorecard_SY_2013_2014.pdf to read the whole report as a PDF.

Support AAFB at Duncan Trading Co. Dinners this Spring

Once again, local farmer Pat Duncan of Duncan Trading Co. is graciously supporting AAFB with his Farmer in the House dinner series beginning in April. Exotic fruits and vegetables from his local organic farm are highlighted during several dinner events prepared by innovative local chefs at a variety of Valley restaurants this spring. Visit http://duncanstradingco.com/dinner.php for complete schedule and more details.

Gardiners: Spring is Here, Time to Plant-A-Row

Are you one of the over 70 million Americans who plants a garden each year? If so, consider participating in the Garden Writers Association’s Plant a Row program, which has generated over 20 million pounds of produce for food banks and other hunger relief organizations. It’s easy to do: when you plant your garden, plant an extra row of vegetables and donate the additional harvest to your local food bank. Visit www.gardenwriters.org/gwa.php?p=par/index.html for more information.

Become a 2015 Summer Food Site Sponsor

The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is a federally funded child nutrition program established to ensure that low-income children, ages 18 and younger, have an opportunity to receive nutritious meals when school is not in session. Free meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack) that meet federal nutrition guidelines are provided to all children at approved SFSP sites in areas with significant concentrations of low income children. During 2014, more than 4 million meals were served at SFSP sites throughout Arizona.

While SFSP sites are oftentimes schools, sites can also be at non-profits, faith-based facilities or local government agencies. One great example is St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance’s partnership with a local Women, Infants and Children (WIC) clinic, an obvious choice due to the high volume of children visiting the clinic. Beyond the benefit of getting these children a meal, it also helps change childrens’ perceptions of the clinic to a friendlier place where they want to go. This allows SFSP to reach more parents and children who know they can count on meals over the summer.

When school is out many Arizona kids who rely on school breakfasts and lunches don’t get the meals they need. Help us spread the word about SFSP to ensure more kids get fed! Visit www.azsummerfood.gov for site locations and more information.

AAFB Quick Takes

As we previewed in the previous issue of Food Lines, AAFB and the Arizona Community Action Association have joined forces to launch a hunger awareness campaign this spring under the banner #ImagineaSolution. We invite you to follow along, contribute to and share our messages around hunger and how it ultimately impacts each and every one of us. With everyone engaged, we can find solutions to hunger in Arizona. Don’t miss any of the action! Keep up with all the #ImagineaSolution activity and join the conversation at:

Tough Choices Face Those Struggling with Hunger

@aafb@azcaa

Capturing extensive data every four years, the 2014 edition of the Hunger in America study is the sixth and most comprehensive study undertaken by Feeding America. Among many things, it provides demographics for people seeking food assistance at food banks, and data on food banks and many of their programs*. In Arizona, 238 food banks/programs were surveyed, and almost 3,000 individuals shared personal stories of living with hunger and poverty. We’ve compiled some of the most interesting Arizona results below, but you can read the full report at www.azfoodbanks.org/index.php/hungerinamerica.

11.2%

42.1% 35.9%

10.7%

Less than HighSchool

High SchoolDiploma or GED

Some College Four Year Degreeor Higher

28.2%

13.7%

23.1%17.4% 17.6%

0-17 18-29 30-49 50-64 65+

23.9%

37.5% 33.2%

5.4%

1 Member 2-3 Members 4-6 Members 7+ Members

31.9%

5.8%

51.1%

11.2%

White Non-Hispanic

Black Non-Hispanic

Hispanic Other

Age

Educational Attainment

Ethnicity

Household Size

*Does not include child-only feeding programs such as Kids Cafes.

For many food bank clients, they frequently face tough choices on how to allocate limited financial resources. They were asked if they had to make these choices and use these coping strategies at least once in the previous 12 months:

26%of clients reported they make this choice every month

27% 25% 21% 12%

The vast majority of food bank programs, especially the ubiquitous Emergency Food Box (a 2-3 day supply of food for a household in need, typically limited to one per month per household), are designed to provide temporary assistance in emergency situations. However, the slow economic recovery has caused many households to need a longer-term solution than what food banks provide. This is where safety net programs such as SNAP (Food Stamps) play a vital role in keeping households out of extreme poverty. Yet the gap between potential and actual enrollees shows the need for more outreach, critcal given more than half of Arizona SNAP recipients are children under 18:

*According to Hunger in America 2014.

Help Us #ImagineaSolution to Hunger

/azfoodbanks /arizonacommunityactionassociation

Receive a TAX CREDIT For Your 2015 DonationYou Do NOT Have to Itemize!

You can receive a tax credit for your 2015 donation! Under Arizona law (A.R.S. § 43-1088(G)(2), AAFB is recognized as a Qualifying Charitable Organization. You may be eligible to receive a FULL TAX CREDIT, up to $200 (filing as a single unmarried head of household) or $400 (married filing joint return) for donating to AAFB. Donations must be post-marked by December 31, 2015. See www.azdor.gov for more details, or call 602-255-3381 or 1-800-843-7196 from area codes 520 or 928. Consult your tax preparer or financial adviser for specific advice regarding your donation.

You Are the Key to Our Success!Without the support of generous donors like you, AAFB could not deliver food to our member food banks, encourage more effective programs and reasonable policies at the state and federal level, or champion new opportunities to feed more school children. You make all this happen and continue to be the key to our success. Thank you! Because you value the work we do you are our strongest ambassador. Please share these options for supporting AAFB with a friend.

Monthly Donations – A very convenient way to support our work and be a reliable source of income for AAFB throughout the year. The monetary amount of the contribution can be whatever is convenient for you. Set the process up online at www.azfoodbanks.org or sign up by using the envelope in this issue of Food Lines.

Planned Giving – Include AAFB in your will or donate appreciated stock from your investment portfolio as part of a planned giving strategy. If you would like to support AAFB in this way please discuss the options with your financial adviser and then contact Virginia Skinner at 602-528-3434 or 1-800-445-1914.

Let Your Employer Work for You: Employer Matching Gifts – Double your gift to AAFB through Matching Gift Programs. Many employers offer to match your gift to encourage employees, and often their retirees, to support charitable organizations. Ask your human resources office if your company offers a Matching Gift Program.

Gifts in Memory or in Honor – Celebrate the holidays, a birthday, or any special occasion by making a contribution in honor or memory of family members, friends, colleagues, or a treasured loved one. Acknowledgements, without dollar amounts, will be sent to your honorees if you wish.

Let’s Pack Some Beans: Almost one hundred volunteers helped

repack pinto beans over three shifts.

ARIZONA STATEWIDEGLEANING PROJECT

PHOENIX, AZ

A PROGRAM OF THE

Update

Volunteers at the Mesa Cannery Bag Almost 10,000 lbs of Pinto Beans

AAFB sent out a call we needed volunteers on Saturday, January 24 at the Mesa Cannery and you came up big time!

Thank you to all the volunteers who came out to help us repackage bulk pinto beans into family sized one-pound bags for Arizona’s food banks. The beans were partially underwritten by the LDS Church in Mesa as part of various SouperBowl festivities (more information at www.souperbowl.org). All told, over 100 people helped repackage 9,495 lbs of beans. That’s the equivalent of over 7,900 meals for Arizonans struggling with hunger!

The Mesa Cannery has ongoing volunteer opportunities throughout the year – see below!

Volunteering at the Mesa CanneryThe Mesa Cannery has ongoing need for volunteers this Spring! Perfect for work, church or youth groups, volunteers are needed to help repackage bulk foods, like pinto beans, pasta and cereal, into family size packages for the Gleaning Project to then transport to Arizona’s food banks, which will distribute them to families in need.

• When: Weekdays or evenings, Saturday daytime – just two hours of work can bring great results! Occasional or regularly scheduled groups are needed.

• Where: The Mesa Cannery, 235 S. El Dorado Circle, Mesa (just off the Loop 101 and Broadway) has generously offered its facility for the benefit of the food banks.

• Contact: Call Bob McNelly at the Mesa Cannery at 703-628-5771 to schedule a time.

Help AAFB Fight Hunger in Arizona

Our Mission:To deliver food and quality services to food banks

and foster relationships in support of our commitment to eliminate hunger.

Established in 1984, AAFB is a private, non-profit organization serving five-member regional food bank members and a network of nearly 1,200 food pantries

and agencies. AAFB is one of the first state associations in the nation and an inaugural partner state association of Feeding America. AAFB was

instrumental in the development of a statewide gleaning project, and our advocacy efforts have

brought about beneficial state and federal legislation for our member food banks and the people they serve.

The Association of Arizona Food Banks is not a food bank - we help make food banking better.

2014-15 Board of Directors:Board Chair: Karilee Ramaley, JD

Salt River Project

Co-Vice Chair: David Armstrong Ballard Spahr, LLP

Co-Vice Chair: Karina ErnstsenWells Fargo

Secretary / Treasurer: Jo Ellen “Jody” SereySerey/Jones Publishers, Inc.

Angela “Anne” Bellan School & Hospital Administrator (Retired)

Veronica Bossack Arizona Department of Economic Security (Retired)

Beverly B. DamoreSt. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance

Jerome K. Garrison, Sr., Ed.D. South Mountain Community College

Ginny HildebrandUnited Food Bank

Mike IversYuma Community Food Bank

David LuethSenergy Petroleum, LLC

Michael McDonald Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona

William H. NordWells Fargo (Retired)

Susan Riedel, MBAModern Woodmen of America

Sue Sadecki Desert Mission Food Bank

David SchwakeLitchfield Elementary School District

AAFB Staff:

Angie B. Rodgers President & CEO

Virginia B. SkinnerDirector of Development

Brian SimpsonDirector of Communications

Sylvia McKeeverGleaning Project Logistics Manager

Shawn Telford Children / Youth Outreach Manager

Kala Weinacker Office Manager / Executive Assistant

Sherry Hostler Business Manager

Merari Ornelas Administrative Assistant

Volunteers: Harold Graf & Debbie Kuhns MSW Intern: Breanna Olguin

AAFB is funded by donations and is partially funded by the Arizona Dept. of Economic Security–Family Assistance Administration. Points of view are those of the author and do not necessarily

represent the official position or policies of the Department. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, AAFB must make reasonable accommodation to allow a person with a disability to take part in a program, service, or activity. For example, this means that if necessary, the AAFB must provide sign language interpreters for

people who are deaf, a wheelchair accessible location, or enlarged print materials. It also means that the AAFB will take any other

reasonable action that allows you to take part in and understand a program or activity, including making reasonable changes to an activity. If you believe that you will not be able to understand or

take part in a program or activity because of your disability, please let us know of your disability needs in advance if at all possible.

Please contact AAFB at 602-528-3434.

Get Food Lines in Your Inbox:Help us save costs by receiving Food Lines in your

inbox. Saving on printing and postage costs allows us to direct more resources toward our mission!

Email brian@azfoodbanks.org to receive future issues of Food Lines in your inbox.

Food Lines is published quarterly by the Association of Arizona Food Banks. It is published in October,

December, March, and May. Send correspondence to:

Association of Arizona Food Banks2100 N. Central Avenue, Suite 230

Phoenix, AZ 85004-1400

Contributing writers and editors: Angie Rodgers, Brian Simpson, Virginia Skinner, Sherry Hostler,

Kala Weinacker

Design & Layout: Brian Simpson

Printing: Epic Print Solutions - Phoenix, AZ

Stay Connected with AAFB: Join the Advocacy Team: Stay current on state and

federal activities by sending an email with “Subscribe to the AAFB Advocacy Team” in the subject line to

brian@azfoodbanks.org.

Bi-Weekly Email Blast: Subscribe to the bi-weekly AAFB Email Newsletter by emailing Brian Simpson at

brian@azfoodbanks.org.

: www.twitter.com/aafb

: www.facebook.com/azfoodbanks

AAFB Member Food Banks Collectively Serve

All 15 Arizona Counties: Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona

www.communityfoodbank.org | 520.622.0525

Desert Mission Food Bankwww.jcl.com/foodbank | 602.870.6062

St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliancewww.firstfoodbank.org | 602.242.3663

United Food Bankwww.unitedfoodbank.org | 480.926.4897

Yuma Community Food Bankwww.yumafoodbank.org | 928.343.1243

Additional Resources:Arizona Self Help: resource pre-screening tool

www.arizonaselfhelp.org

Health-e-Arizona PLUS: online SNAP (Food Stamp) application

www.healthearizonaplus.gov

Arizona 2-1-1 www.211arizona.org

Valley of the Sun United Waywww.vsuw.org

Arizona Department of Economic Security www.azdes.gov