July 2007

Playing for the Food Bank

A local piano teacher challenged her students to raise food donations by practising at least 5 days or more out of every week. For each week they were successful, a sponsor found by the student (friend, family member, neighbour, etc.) would donate one food item.  They raised over 600 food items with a total weight of 672 lbs!
Donna Mak (L in both pictures) is shown with the top food earners and Food Bank rep Stephanie Venne (centre right).

L-R:  Katharine Schmidt, Executive Director, Tim Jackson, President of the Board of Directors and Wendi Campbell, Associate Director of The Food Bank at the Volunteer Impact Awards Gala.

Innovative Volunteer Involvement Recognized at Volunteer Impact Awards Gala!

The Volunteer Action Centre honoured extraordinary individuals, organizations and businesses for their investment of time and talent, expression of innovation and invaluable contribution to our community.

Food Bank Board President Tim Jackson received the Leadership Award. 

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L-R:Georgia Derhak, student, Tyler Careless and Jason Embro, grade one students at Lester B. Pearson with all the food collected.

Spring Food Drive

at Lester B. Pearson Public School

A Tonne of Fun

Each class was challenged to bring in donations totaling the weight of the school mascot ‘Lester Linx’. Each class that was successful was entered into a draw for a pizza lunch. The school goal was one tonne of non-perishable food (2200 lbs).  They raised 5,014 lbs!!!

The Food Bank Needs a New Roof.  We have 90% of the funds needed.  Please consider contributing.

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2007 Spring Food Drive

March 28 to April 11

Please set an extra place at your table! 

Our goal is to raise 150,000 lbs of food.  

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How you can help...

Pictured Left: Students at Wilfrid Laurier University helped the Food Bank kick off its Spring Food Drive on March 28 (with Katharine Schmidt, centre)

$9,000 raised = $72,000 worth of food

From our neighbours for our neighbours.

The Food Bank of Waterloo Region and the Waterloo Region Labour Council thank everyone who participated in

Lunch Money Day on February 22nd , 2007. 

Your donations totaled a whopping $9,000!

Thank you for helping us to continue to provide emergency food to those in need in our community.

List of Participants and Results

L-R:  Khalila Sawyer, Marketing Coordinator with Your Choice Personal Communications, presented Rose Tanyi, Volunteer Coordinator at The Food Bank, with a donation of $1,025 raised by employees!

Lunch Money Day

On February 22, 2007, donate what you would normally spend on lunch to The Food Bank of Waterloo Region.

Lunch Money Day is an easy way for members, individuals, companies and schools to help our neighbours in need.  Every $1.00 donated equals $8.00 worth of emergency food.

There is a growing need for emergency food from people on fixed incomes, the elderly and people working in low paying positions. 

Fill the Mini Christmas Campaign

The Tech On Call team filled their mini with donations of non-perishable food for the Food Bank. Great job!

(Pictured left): Jody Wilson, Josie Grundy, Cecilia Harris and Chris Kajba.

(Pictured right): Chris Kajba delivered 500 lbs of food to The Food Bank on a balmy late December day.

Loblaw employees ran several special events throughout 2006 to raise funds for The Food Bank.  Representatives delivered approximately $1500 to The Food Bank on December 20th.

Pictured left (L-R): Loblaw representatives Tony Kean, Katharine Schmidt (of The Food Bank), Mary Lebert and Rick Howard.

On November 22, Manulife employees shopped for The Food Bank at Costco.  Manulife matched employee dontations of food with dollars resulting in a donation of 5,611 lbs of food and $5,000.  Manulife also made an additional donation of $5,000.  

Pictured left are Manulife and Costco staff with Food Bank volunteers.

Ajmar Mandur (R) is shown with his brother donating 2,306 lbs

of rice from Onkar Foods & Spices to the Stuff A Bus campaign.

With their help, Stuff A Bus raised 38,321 lbs of food and$18,438.

Deb Gagnier (Pictured in Left photo, far right), Coach and Team Leader with Pampered Chef, presented Katharine Schmidt with a cheque for over $800 raised through the Round-Up from the Heart campaign from March 1 through August 31, 2006.

Pictured right: Local Pampered Chef Consultants helped sort food at The Food Bank on November 6, 2006.

Ron Stickel (L) of Crawford Adjusters Canada, President of the K-W Chapter, Insurance Adjusters Association and Chris Nezny (R) of Programmed Insurance Brokers were pleased with the results of the first Insurance Industry Food Drive in Waterloo Region

Thanksgiving Food Drive -- September 27 to October 11, 2006

“Remember to set a place at your table by helping us reach our goal of 325,000 lbs of food,” was the reminder given to community supporters, volunteers, staff, board members and agency representatives gathered to officially kick-off the 2006 Thanksgiving Food Drive at St. John’s Kitchen.  Colourful placemats made by students at Glencairn Public School helped to deliver the message.  This food will help The Food Bank of Waterloo Region’s 66 member agencies and community food programs through the fall and into the winter months to provide food assistance where it is needed. 

St. John’s Kitchen, a program of The Working Centre, is one of the agencies that receives food from The Food Bank.  The Kitchen is able to serve approximately 300 hot meals a day and provides between 30 and 50 food hampers per week. 

Some Highlights from our Kick-Off ...

When people access food assistance at St. John’s they are opening a door to many other services that can improve their lives.

“Food is a right for every person who lives in Waterloo Region,” stated Jennifer Mains, Coordinator of St. John’s Kitchen.  “The community of St. John’s Kitchen shares this belief as well as a strong spirit of generousity with The Food Bank.  We are extremely grateful to The Food Bank and its volunteers for providing 95% of the food we prepare and eat each day, for providing the food for the hampers that are distributed and fresh produce and deli-products for our daily market program.  Without The Food Bank and the support of the entire community we would not be able to provide the volume, the variety and the quality of food we serve.”

Jennifer Mains, Coordinator of St. John's Kitchen.

Two pace-setting food drives were recognized at the Food Drive Kick-off.  They each have made significant contributions to launch this critical drive.

• The Royal Canadian Legion Ladies Auxiliary raised 1,314 lbs of food and $550 at their recent convention.  The Food Bank is able to provide over $8 worth of emergency food for each $1 donated.
• The Golden Triangle Sikh Association has set a goal of raising 10,000 lbs and $1,100 for The Food Bank this fall.

Food donations can be made at any local grocery store, fire hall or at The Food Bank.  Foodraising and fundraising events, including the Onkel Hans Food Drive during the Oktoberfest Thanksgiving Day Parade will be held between now and October 11th.  Businesses, places of worship, schools and organizations are also encouraged to coordinate food drives on behalf of The Food Bank of Waterloo Region.

Kitchener Council's Grillefest

was one of many events held in the Region of Waterloo to help The Food Bank reach its goal of raising 325,000 lbs of food during the Thanksgiving Food Drive.

Kitchener Council's Grillefest raised more than ever for The Food Bank...$4015!!!

Thank you to the Mayor, members of Council, Kitchener Fire Department, City Staff,  M & M Meat Shops and Pepsi for making Grillefest such a big success!!!

Hunger Doesn’t Take a Vacation
The Need For Food Is Year Round

In the summer we all think about enjoying the warm weather and vacationing with our families. Unfortunately it is also the time when food donations are reduced and we have to cut back or substitute what we can give to the individuals and families in need.

Our shelves are getting bare. Please let us know if you can help fill them.

Most needed items: Pork and Beans, Stews, Sugar, Rice and Peanut Butter.

CCGG Hosts Record-Breaking “Empty Bowls” Event

WATERLOO, ON, June 14, 2006: The Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery and the Waterloo Potter’s Workshop hosted the most successful Empty Bowls to date on Thursday, May 18th.

The Food Bank of Waterloo Region will convert the $15,847 raised by this year’s Empty Bowls Event into approximately $120,000 worth of emergency food in our community. “We are very grateful for the fabulous support from everyone involved in this very unique event," said Katharine Schmidt, Executive Director of The Food Bank of Waterloo Region.

The event, now in its 8th year, supports The Food Bank of Waterloo Region. This year’s event expanded to two seatings from 12:00-2:00pm and 4:30-6:30pm; both were completely sold out, with over 500 participants. Each attendee chose one of nearly 600 hand-crafted bowls created by members of the Waterloo Potters Workshop and enjoyed gourmet soups from local chefs and a variety of freshly baked breads.

“This year was the best yet, because of the two-seating format,” said William Hlowatzki, Venue Manager. “The atmosphere was very relaxed – guests were able to stay a bit longer and at the same time we were able to accommodate many more people.”

“This event combines the beauty of art and community service to help feed the hungry,” says Rose Startek of the Waterloo Potter’s Workshop. “ Every time the participants take their bowl out of their cupboard they are reminded that they helped to alleviate hunger in Waterloo Region. We are proud to be able to help our community in this way.”

Participating restaurants included Charbries, Classic Indian, Conestoga College, Hannah’s Bella Bistro, Jane Bond, King Street Trio/King Crab, Solé, Rushes and Rude Native. Breads were provided by, Bread & Bretzel Basket Inc., City Café & Bakery, Nougat Bakery & Deli, St. Jacob’s Bakery & Café, Stone Crock Bakery and Vincenzo’s. Services and materials (including clay for the bowls) were donated by Clarica, S&S Pottery Supplies, Tucker’s Pottery Supplies, M&T Printing Group and Straight Street Event Services, and harpists Barbara Hall and Christine Marée.
* * *
Ruth Friendship-Keller, Manager of Community Partnerships, The Food Bank of Waterloo Region,519-743-5576 ext. 225.

Rose Startek, Waterloo Potter’s Workshop, Empty Bowls Co-ordinator, ron_and_rose@hotmail.com.
Kate Holt, Marketing Manager, Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery, kate@canadianclayandglass.ca or 519-746-1882, #234.

Hunger Awareness Day was June 6.

The Food Bank of Waterloo Region encouraged the community to help alleviate hunger in our region by participating in Brown Bag Lunch Day.

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Pictured right: Food Bank staff Olive Coke and Allison Andres make their brown bag lunch contributions.

Spring Food Drive

Our community stepped forward during this Spring’s Food Drive to help our neighbours right across the Region of Waterloo. We have “wrapped up” the 2006 Spring Food Drive exceeding our cash goal of $55,000 by over 10%. And, we came very close to our food donation goal of 150,000 lbs of food with a total weight of 140,000 lbs.

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2006 Municipal Challenge

The 2006 Municipal Challenge raised over $3,000 for The Food Bank of Waterloo Region and the Cambridge Self-Help Food Bank. The draw for the lucky prize winners was held at the Cambridge Self-Help Food Bank on April 27.

Pictured right: Cheryl Czerwinski presents cheque to firefighter Dan McNamara, the winner of the City of Waterloo Municipality Challenge draw.

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