Summer lunches get a boost from WalmartInside:

SUMMER 2013VOLUME 23ISSUE 2

From the Executive Director 2

Star Spangled Spectacular 2

Agency Feature

3

Thank You . . . 3

Morgan Stanley 3

Ways to Help 4

Stamp Out Hunger 4

FROM THE GREATER BERKS FOOD BANK

In April, the Greater Berks Food Bank had the opportunity to acknowledge the many individuals who volunteer their time to help us fight hunger in our community. These volunteers are an irreplaceable resource, working along side us in our mission to feed our hungry neighbors. They pack food in our warehouse, hand out Produce for Kids bags and drive our van to pick up donations at local grocery stores. They also volunteer within our network of 300 charitable food programs.

Nearly 200 volunteers joined us for our annual Volunteer Recognition Breakfast held at Easy Does It, Inc. in Leesport. This year’s event had a basketball theme, “Our Volunteers are a Slam Dunk.”

The Breakfast also gives the GBFB the opportunity to recognize two individuals who have made a significant impact to alleviate hunger in our community. Greg Gattone (pictured on right with GBFB program coordinator Ashley Snyder) was presented the Vicki Krick Above and Beyond Award. “Greg is an extraordinary volunteer, as are all of our volunteers. What makes him a stand out volunteer is the contagious love and compassion he shows to the GBFB employees, fellow volunteers and the clients he serves - you can’t help but smile when Greg is around!” stated Snyder.

Chip Fossett (pictured with his wife, Becky, and GBFB warehouse supervisor Ed Cox) was presented with the Volunteer of the Year Award. Chip, who retired in 2012 from ATV Bakery, picks up grocery store donations weekly in the GBFB’s cube truck. “Chip is a huge help for us. Our staff drivers’ days are already full making deliveries, picking up donated food and unloading trucks. Chip’s help takes a big weight off our busy schedule. We truly appreciate Chip being part of our team,” said Cox.

For the second summer in a row, kids across the city of Reading are enjoying nutritionally-balanced, delicious lunches through the GBFB’s Summer Food Service Program. This year, the GBFB is supplying meals to nineteen host sites, feeding more than 800 children each weekday. Host sites include Olivet Boys and Girls Clubs, city recreation centers and parks, churches and the Reading Salvation Army.

Our operation of this costly, but impactful, program received a major financial boost from both the Walmart Foundation and from you, our loyal supporters and Facebook followers. In April, Walmart ran a Facebook campaign in which they awarded forty, $45,000 grants for child hunger initiatives to Feeding America food bank members. The winning food banks were chosen based on votes cast daily by supporters throughout the month of April. In an extremely competitive contest, you helped us finish 30th, and amongst the winners!

If you do not already follow us on Facebook, be sure to do so. You can find us at www.facebook.com/GreaterBerksFoodBank. Not only will it help you keep up on our latest news, perhaps you can help us win another grant in the future!

Our volunteers are a slam dunk!

30 th ANNIVERSARY

It has been an incredible year so far, a busy spring and summer that replicates the storm of activity we are used to during the holiday season. Already in the first six months we have increased our distribution of food by 16% compared to last year. Just alone in the frozen foods, center of the plate items like ham, chicken and beef, we have distributed 60% more than the first 6 months of

2012 - which equals 735,262 total pounds of frozen foods distributed so far this year.

It’s amazing that we have nutritional foods like this to offer our network of 300 plus food assistance programs. But we have maxed out our warehouse and every inch of space is being utilized. We are now distributing 308% more total pounds a year than we did in 1995, the year we moved into our current location. We simply cannot do more.

So we continue our search for a place to expand and grow our operations. As we begin this process, which necessitates funding for a larger warehouse, a funding feasibility study currently is underway. Also, an independent investment analysis has been completed which concluded that our risks will be small in this venture.

I do believe by this time next year I will be writing about our new digs and how excited we are to begin new direct service programs such as a mobile pantry. Our mission is huge - “to feed the hungry” - and we need a vast warehouse to fulfill it. Literally, thousands of families rely on our food for their meals and the GBFB relies on thousands of families such as yours to contribute to our cause so we can fill the empty plates with nourishing foods. Thank you for allowing us to provide a strong and resilient safety net for food assistance in our community.

a member of

* Food drives of at least 100 lbs. and fund drives of at least $100 from 3/1/13 to 7/12/13

From the Executive Director

On the night of July Fourth, the Reading Symphony Orchestra (RSO) filled the air with both fantastic music and fireworks at their Star Spangled Spectacular at FirstEnergy Stadium. The capacity crowd also filled barrels with donated food to nourish our hungry neighbors.

The GBFB was excited the RSO once again included us in this wonderful community event. While the concert was free, the RSO asked all attending to bring a non-perishable food donation. Held every other year, this year’s concert helped collect nearly 3,000 pounds of food for the GBFB. Thank you to all who donated and a big bravo to the RSO for their amazing support!

Star Spangled Spectacular

Board of DirectorsRobert Barto, President Roland StockEric White, Vice President Redner’s Warehouse MarketsEd Williams, Treasurer Discovery Federal Credit UnionIsabelle Moon, Secretary Penske Truck Leasing

John Badal Liever, Hyman, & Potter, P.C.Mary Kay Bernosky Berks Women in CrisisTherese Bogia Bogia Engineering, Inc.Judy DeTemple M & T BankGwen Didden Family Promise of Berks CountyLori Endy Met Ed/First EnergyAnn Howe Gage Personnel ServicesBr. Raymond Knapp Franciscans of Reconciliation (OFR)Rev. Rich Leiby Rosedale United Church of ChristJay Mahoney Gallen InsuranceRick Ott Vanity Fair Corp.Bob Rippley Associated Wholesalers, Inc.Jennifer Rivera Med Ed/First Energy

StaffPeg Bianca, Executive Director

Althea Albright, Program CoordinatorTim Becker, Operations ManagerDave Bradbury, Warehouse/TransportationPhil Ciofalo, Warehouse/TransportationEd Cox, Warehouse Supervisor Francis Delauretis, Warehouse/TransportationDeb Gehris, Finance ManagerDoug Long, Marketing & Development ManagerTom Marsh, Warehouse/TransportationDeb Mest, Program ManagerDuane Miller, Warehouse/TransportationAlford Pouse, Warehouse/TransportationAshley Snyder, Program CoordinatorJane Vitalo, Customer Service Representative

If you have any comments or questions, please contact the editor.Editor: Doug LongE-mail: dslong@feedingamerica.org

A copy of the official registration and financial information of the Greater Berks Food Bank may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State

by calling toll-free within Pennsylvania 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.

A generous local couple is donating $1 for every $4 donated by new donors throughout 2013. They will donate up to $25,000 to the GBFB. If you have never donated, please consider doing so today. If you are a loyal supporter, please encourage your friends and family to help us meet the match!

Please help us meet the match!

Agency Feature - Teen Challenge Training Center

Set in the quiet hills of western Berks County is the Teen Challenge Training Center, a special place that has been helping restore lives for over 50 years.

Teen Challenge was started in Brooklyn, New York in 1958 by Rev. David Wilkerson - a young country preacher from eastern Pennsylvania. One February afternoon, Wilkerson read an article in LIFE magazine about seven teenagers on trial for murder in New York. Troubled by what he read in the article, and sensing a calling to do something for the teens, Wilkerson made a trip to New York City.

Sometime after this, Rev. Wilkerson moved to New York City to work full time with teenage gang members. This new work was eventually called “Teen Challenge” and soon began to also offer help to those addicted to drugs and alcohol. By the early 1960s, Teen Challenge opened a new facility, on 300 acres, in Rehrersburg, Berks County.

Today, Teen Challenge has more than 250 centers in the U.S. and 1,000 programs worldwide in more than 100 countries. In spite of what the name suggests, Teen Challenge offers addiction recovery help and life training for men and women of all ages.

More than 200 residents are receiving the help they need at the Rehrersburg Center. After finishing a four month induction program, residents spend another ten months at the facility. During this time, in addition to their recovery counseling, they receive job training and work experiences, life skills (job preparation, parenting, etc.) and Bible study.

A member agency of the Greater Berks Food Bank since 2008, Teen Challenge received nearly 50,000 pounds of food from our warehouse in the past year (valued at $82,500). According to Teen Challenge’s head cook, Ray Crouteau (who has nearly 50 years of cooking experience and is himself a 2005 graduate of the program), their kitchen especially appreciates acquiring drinks, cereal and items for bagged-lunches for those who

leave the campus for daily work experiences.

Teen Challenge’s President, Rev. Joseph Batluck, Sr. D. Min. said that without the help of the GBFB the “lights would be flickering” at Teen Challenge – meaning the money we save them on food expenses helps allow them meet their operating and program costs. This point illustrates that when you support the GBFB, you are in turn helping hundreds of other worthwhile programs in our community.

We thank the following businesses, organizations and places of worship that recently hosted food and fund drives*:

Atonement Lutheran Church, WyomissingBerks Career & Technology Center,

East CampusBerks Co. Assoc. of School RetireesBerks Visiting Nurse Assoc.Chick-fil-A, ExeterCNA InsuranceGenesis HealthCare, Berkshire CenterGreen Valley Elementary SchoolHeidelberg Run West neighborhoodJacksonwald Elementary SchoolMifflin Park Elementary, Shillington

MOMS Club of Douglassville WestMorgan StanleyNational Association of Letter Carriers ,

Branch 258Penn State Berks CampusReading Eagle CompanyReading Health SystemsReading Lodge #549 Free & Accepted MasonsReading Symphony OrchestraReform Congregation Oheb SholomRoyer’s Flowers & GiftsSenior Berners

Shippensburg University Alumni, Berks Chapter

Sovereign Bank Mortgage OperationsTeleflex MedicalTravelers Insurance CompanyTulpehocken Area School DistrictUnion Lodge #479 Free &

Accepted MasonsWells Fargo BankWest Wyomissing Fire Company

* Food drives of at least 100 lbs. and fund drives of at least $100 from 3/1/13 to 7/12/13

Knowing a good investment when they see it, the Morgan Stanley Foundation and Morgan Stanley’s Wyomissing office recently invested funds, food and time into the GBFB.

We were fortunate to be recently awarded a $25,000 grant for our Weekender Backpack Program through the Morgan Stanley Foundation. The grant was a result of a national multi-year partnership Morgan Stanley has established with Feeding America, the national organization of food banks of which the GBFB is a member. The funds will help support our twelve Backpack sites (serving 1,200 low-income students a week in suburban and rural elementary schools) this upcoming school year.

The Wyomissing branch took the partnership a step further by organizing a month-long food drive amongst their staff and clients and by spending a day volunteering in the GBFB’s warehouse. We truly appreciate the extra efforts they put into helping us feed our hungry neighbors!

The Wyomissing office, led by Sr. V.P./Branch Manager Bryant Ferris (in the blue shirt, right), presents the ceremonial check to the GBFB’s Doug Long (in white shirt, left).

Morgan Stanley invests in GBFB

Nonprofit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDReading, PAPermit No.14

Greater Berks Food Bank

1011 Tuckerton CourtReading, PA 19605

Phone: (610) 926-5802

Fax: (610) 926-7638

Email: pbianca@feedingamerica.org

www.berksfoodbank.org

About Our Organization . . . The Greater Berks Food Bank, estab-lished in 1983, collects, purchases, stores, and distributes over six million pounds of food annually to the more than 300 programs which feed the hungry in Berks, Schuylkill, and western Montgomery Counties.

The Greater Berks Food Bank1011 Tuckerton CourtReading, PA 19605

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Letter carriers deliver nutrition for the hungry

Ways you can help...

An incredible 95,000 pounds of food was collected by the members of the National Association of Letter Carriers Branch No. 258 as part of the 21st Annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive held on Saturday, May 11. Thank you to all in our community who donated to this success and to the more than 100 volunteers who helped pack the food!

A huge expression of gratitude is extended to our local letter carriers. Their dedication to this food drive has contributed to its amazing success in recent years. We appreciate the extra loads they carry on the day of the food drive. Their hard work results in our biggest food drive of the year and helps us feed hungry families throughout the busy summer months.

Feeding America has designated September as Hunger Action Month 2013 - a time for food banks across the nation to raise hunger awareness and support.

You can honor this month by:

Hosting a fundraiser at your place of work. Fundraisers can be simple to plan – hold a “jeans day” where employees pay to dress down or have a “eat in for hunger day” where employees bring a bag lunch and donate the money they would have spent on lunch.

Hold a food drive at your company, church or school.

Make a gift to the GBFB in honor or memory of someone special.

Big or small – all fund and food drives help. Remember, for every $1 you raise we are able to acquire $20 worth of food!

30 th ANNIVERSARY