Wrapping up this year's "Gives Back" tour were stops in Boise, Idaho and Omaha, Nebraska.  In Boise, John Miele and Doug James drove over to the Idaho Food Bank in a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro that matched the model given away at HR Technology, as thanks for the long partnership Workscape has shared with GM.

Representatives from two other Workscape clients, ConAgra and First Data, were on hand to present the final donation of the 2009 tour at the= Food Bank of Omaha, Nebraska.  This operation, like each one visited before it, was home to a number of creative, inspiring, and highly effective innovations aimed at ending hunger.

One clear example of these creative solution is the "Food Bank Fresh" program, now in its 2nd year.  "Food Bank Fresh" involves a simple concept with a potentially powerful impact on health and eating habits.  Food Bank employees and volunteers load up a cargo van with fresh fruit, vegetables, and yogurt, and take them directly to poverty-stricken parts of the city to be given out freely among the people on the streets.  This makes it very convenient for people to get free, healthy snacks, and can help to shape healthy eating habits for people who may not be able to afford fresh produce on a regular basis without such assistance.

In the first six months of 2009, the "Food Bank Fresh" van handed out 40,000 pounds of produce, an astounding figure.  This has been further supported by farmers of local commmunity gardens, many of which whom have set aside a plot for the food bank, to help ensure that "Food Bank Fresh" can continue to provide healthy alternatives to the most needed of the population.

On the first day of the program, a young girl was handed a pear, and she didn't know how to eat it... this was a strong signal to the food bank team that the areas they served were "produce deserts", and that this proactive offering of fresh fruits and vegetables could significantly improve health and positively affect eating behaviors.

The Food Bank also participates in the Backpack Program, a widespread solution to the widespread problem of poor children being fed while in school, but going home to an empty pantry over the weekend.  Through this program, schools receive a number of backpacks loaded with 2 breakfasts and 2 lunches/dinners so that they are able to hand these out before the weekend to the children most likely to go without a meal during that time.  In 2008, the Food Bank served 16 schools and supported more than 1,100 students through the Backpack Program... and that number continues to climb.  In 2009, they serve 28 schools, and approximately 2,300 hundred students!

The growing Backback Program need is unfortunately not an anomaly in Omaha.  Consistent with other food banks that we have visited, a Feeding America study of the area found that need had increased 30% in 2009, and one major agency has reported a spike of 73% as a result of unemployed people seeking help for the first time.

One thing that we took away from this trip is that people and local organizations are incredibly generous... and often all it takes is highlighting the need and asking for help.  In 2009, the Food Bank has seen a 10% increase in donations, which suggests that supporters are digging deep to continue the fight to alleviate hunger.  And monetary donations are big component of this because the Food Bank, through partnerships, bulk purchasing, donations, and volunteers, can stretch $1 of donated funds to $14 of supplied food.  Even in these challenging times, organizations like the Food Bank - along with their partners and sponsors - continue to provide exceptional service to their communities that has unmeasurable value.  What a trip!

Each time we visit a Food Bank on this tour (and on the 2008 trip) we expect to be inspired, and Food Gatherers was no different.  A small operation that serves Washtenaw County, Michigan, Food Gatherers has different challenges and opportunities than some of its larger partners.

As perhaps the smallest member of the Feeding America network, Food Gatherers has access to truckloads of food that are distributed across the network, but has to be careful not to waste.  Whereas in a larger food bank like Gleaners (headquartered in Detroit), truckloads of fresh produce will be immediately put to use to serve the local community, Food Gatherers serves a smaller area and does not convert deliveries to meals in the same timeframe.  Fortunately, the team at Food Gatherers is well connected to nearby food banks, and the partners are able to barter to ensure that Washtenaw Country's hungry population gets access to fresh produce and other perishables, but in a quantity that can be effectively used.

The organization also broke ground this year on a new farm plot that has produced nearly 20,000 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to date!  This on-site farm provides a predictable (weather permitting) supply of food, which is particularly important in this difficult time when demand is up.  In addition, it directly supports another component of Food Gatherer's mission: increase the amount of nutrient-rich foods that are available to those in need.  It's an incredible thing to alleviate hunger in a region, but to also address the startling stastic that only 13% of food bank visitors get their daily nutritional requirements is quite a goal.