Food For All

Success with Young Volunteers

2011-06-30T11:39:00.000-05:00

With the summer months comes a crop of young volunteers and, while it’s nice to know kids are doing great things, it can mean additional headaches. At WAFER, a number of young people are completing mandated community service and are not volunteering of their own volition. While a couple of young volunteers are usually no problem, a group can affect service, clients, and adult volunteers. Here are eight suggestions:

1. Set a minimum age limit, under which a child must be accompanied by an adult.

2. Keep males and females separate as much as possible.

3. Provide ongoing tasks that do not require extensive supervision.

4. Avoid putting more than two young people on a single task unless a supervising volunteer is with them.

5. Allow only one young person on a restroom break at a time.

6. Thoroughly explain the consequences of inappropriate behavior.

7. Learn more about the young volunteer—ask about school, sports, music or hobbies.

8. Above all, though, use lavish praise for a job well done!

Hungry Senior Citizens

2011-05-19T11:08:00.000-05:00

A recently published study from the Center for Poverty Research at the University of Kentucky examined hunger issues for senior citizens. Little is known about this issue except that millions of seniors are impacted and that the numbers are likely to grow over the next twenty years. The study, conducted between 2001 and 2005, found that 11.4% of senior citizens faced some kind of hunger issue; that number mirrored the general food insecurity rate. However, today’s food insecurity rate is closer to 14%.

Senior citizens who live alone are particularly vulnerable, as are renters, and those between the ages of 60 and 64. By 2025, the number of food insecure senior citizens is expected to grow by 75% (from 2005), with an expected 9.5 million senior citizens at risk. Other than that, little research has been completed addressing the issue of senior citizen food insecurity.

WAFER is making a small dent in helping area senior citizens via our Senior Share program, in which 3-4 days worth of groceries are delivered to specified Coulee Region sites. This program began with 65 participating senior citizens in March 2010 and currently helps 170 senior citizens. If you know of anyone over age 60 (low income) who could benefit from the program, feel free to contact us at WAFER.

Take the Hunger Challenge

2011-04-26T10:13:00.000-05:00

Can you survive on $28 for food? It’s not easy.

For the last three years, the San Francisco Food Bank has issued a Hunger Challenge asking people to alter their food spending for at least one week to mimic that of someone using food stamps. It can be a daunting task.

For the most part, participants find themselves purchasing minimal amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables, stretching milk with water, and cooking meals that lack variety and, for the most part, flavor. Fast food dollar meals, while not nutritious, offer calories and a sense of fullness and so are appealing to someone on a tight food budget.

Those taking the challenge find themselves with decreased concentration, a less enthusiastic approach to cooking, and little opportunity for special meals on holidays or birthdays.

To see how you would do on a minimal food budget, visit this Hunger 101 interactive site: http://www.sffoodbank.org/about_hunger/h101.html

The Rising Price of Food

2011-03-18T12:43:00.000-05:00

A recent headline emphasized the increase, and expected continued increase of food prices. In particular, produce is being hit hard. The La Crosse Tribune ran an AP story stating a food price increase of 3.9% in February, the largest in over 35 years. The causes are not only due to the recent freezes affecting crops in the southern United States, but also to worldwide draughts, increased demand, and a rise in the price of animal feed.

Steeper food prices have a profound effect on those individuals already struggling to make ends meet. Where someone with a sizeable income will simply decrease some of their discretionary spending, people at the poverty level have nothing to cut except the very basics like food, utilities, rent, and fuel.

Rising costs have an impact on WAFER as well, from both a donation and purchasing perspective. A donor who normally buys $25 worth of groceries for donation will get less for their money and, consequently, WAFER will receive fewer items. The food WAFER purchases will simply cost more, forcing quantity versus quality decisions.

A New Kind of Pantry

2011-02-24T12:45:00.001-06:00

With one in four US residents in poverty, the need for food assistance keeps growing. The question of how we best get more food to more people is one we, at WAFER, often think about.

Client choice pantries, those in which clients “shop,” as in a grocery store, are gaining momentum. They not only allow more dignity for both clients and volunteers, but also tend to use less food. Even better are those panties that allow clients to come whenever they need food, rather than on a regimented monthly schedule. This idea has considerable merit.

When pantry visits are limited to once a month, clients schedule a time to come, whether they need food or not. When food on a specified list is offered, most agree to take all that is presented. However, having an open pantry would encourage people to come to the pantry only when they needed food, and to take as much as they needed for the week.

The drawback, of course, is that people will visit the pantry every week, taking cartloads of food each time. However, I anticipate this is the exception, rather than the standard modus operandi. How much better one would feel about visiting a pantry if all choices were left to the individual.

Eat Healthfully? Not at the Expense of Profit

2011-02-08T10:58:00.000-06:00

Although the U.S. Department of Agriculture is recommending Americans eat less, but some fast food companies are preferring profits to healthy living. Beth Mansfield, of CKE Restaurants, Inc, owner of Hardies, says “if we wanted to listen to the food police and sell nuts and berries and tofu burgers, we wouldn’t make any money and we’d be out of business.” (La Crosse Tribune, 2-7-2011).

This is the same kind of reasoning tobacco companies use to defend cigarette smoking: if it makes money, no matter what the long term impact, give people what they want. Companies with this type of attitude absolve themselves of any kind of social responsibility.

The implication from Mansfield’s statement is that it’s perfectly acceptable to sell unhealthy foods, as long as people will buy them. While this idea has some merit, after all, everyone should be accountable for their own health, it lacks any kind of ethical support. Mansfield seems to acknowledge that the foods her company sells are unhealthy, but not worth reevaluating in terms of lower profits.

The Best of Plans

2011-01-18T07:23:00.000-06:00

It was the best of plans, or maybe not. Last fall, WAFER purchased land adjoining the building with the intention of constructing a large warehouse addition. The land purchase made sense, as we were using it as a parking lot (with permission of the Mc Cloone, the property’s owner). We were going full steam ahead, drawing up plans, forming a capital campaign committee, dreaming of the changes the new building would bring.

Then we came to a grinding halt after learning we faced a FEMA regulation prohibiting us from adding onto the current facility in any large dollar amount. However, despite being quite cramped for space in the current building, this gives WAFER more time to consider other, more long-term options, perhaps even combining with other hunger –based organizations.

We, at WAFER, are disappointed as we were looking forward to having dedicated warehouse space, a classroom, a better food distribution process, and room to add on to our growing list of hunger programs. Still, we will continue to dream and to work towards our next step, whatever that may be.

Volunteering

2011-01-06T11:13:00.000-06:00

Wisconsin ranks 13th among the 50 states for the number of residents who volunteer; about 33% of the population volunteers, accounting for an average of 36 hours per resident over the year. The majority volunteer in either religious or educational settings, and about 16% volunteer in a social service setting like WAFER.

As a comparison, these are the top three states for volunteering:
Utah 44%
Iowa 38%
Minnesota 38%

At the low end are Florida, Louisiana, New Jersey, Nevada, and New York, all at about 20%.

In 2010, WAFER volunteers gave almost 10,000 hours of their time (actual time is likely higher as some volunteers do not record their hours) averaging 88 hours per person. Nationally, between 2008 and 2009, volunteerism increased by 27%; since 2008, WAFER’s volunteerism increased by 30%.

Across the country, a portion of the increase is being attributed to the downward economy—as work hours are reduced or deleted, people are using their time to volunteer. At WAFER, we have had a number of volunteers saying they are giving their time because they are out of work and want to do something.

Leadership in a Food Pantry

2010-12-31T08:56:00.000-06:00

While this blog focuses on hunger and food pantries, Ieadership must also be involved if we expect any results. Most of my “staff” are volunteers, although WAFER has six half-time employees. Here are three lessons learned about leadership in a food pantry, though most apply to leadership in any type of organization, from a simple project to an international corporate setting.

1. Let people do their work. You might know how to do someone’s job better than they can, but they are with you to do that job, so let them. Correct them only if what they are doing is detrimental to the success of the project. In other words, do not micromanage.
For the most part, people take pride in the work they do, but that pride suffers if they are constantly supervised. If you have a weekly volunteer who stocks the shelves, let them determine where items should go. There’s no need for a manager or a leader to get involved.

2. Mind your own business. I have a colleague who, if I leave the office for another part of the pantry, finds a reason to be where I am. This person suddenly needs to check on something or something where I happen to be. Minding your own business is a follow up to letting people do their work. If you do not need to be involved, stay out. This does not mean complete laissez faire, as it is important you know what is going on in your organization. However, it does not mean you need to know the result of every phone call or interaction.

3. Respect your clients or customers. Many of those coming to a food pantry do so as a last resort; there is no reason for them to be happy, or even grateful. While it is fun to help someone who thanks you, not all clients can vocalize their thanks. Some are mad simply because they’ve been reduced to needing a food pantry’s help. Instruct your staff, volunteers or paid, to treat each client on an individual basis, as if that client were the only one of the day. Some clients need more time than others and, unless the line of clients waiting is extremely long, make eye contact (unless culture prevents this), avoid shouting, even if it means more legwork, and thank the client for coming to your pantry.

This list reflects the very basics of good leadership in a food pantry setting. For more information, read books by Peter Drucker, John Kotter, and successful CEOs like Meg Ryan.

Fast Food

2010-12-20T15:08:00.001-06:00

Fast food is considered cheap food and, while this may have some substantiation, it is rarely as cheap, or as healthy, as preparing the same items at home.

Let's take the example of a cheeseburger, fries, and soft drink. On average, a meal of this type purchased at a fast food restaurant costs about $5.50. If the same ingredients are purchased in a grocery store and the meal prepared at home, the cost is about $2.00 less, even figuring in the energy costs involved in preparing the food. (Transportation costs between driving to and from the grocery store and the restaurant likely balance each other out.)

Naturally, preparing food from scratch takes longer, but the result generally tastes better, is more economical, and is healthier (the home cook has more control over the ingredients). However, even a hamburger and fries will likely take less than 45 minutes to fully prepare.

Some fast foods do not translate to the home cook quite so easily. Pizza, for example, is time consuming (the dough must rise) and difficult to reproduce (high oven temperature and proper pans). However, tacos, hamburgers, baked potatoes, and pasta dishes can be prepared at home for less money than needed to purchase these meals.

Cooking at home has advantages in addition to the economic ones. Children in the household may show interest in cooking, more food variety is available, and families eat together without the distraction of background noise, other conversations, and the temptation to purchase other food items.

Healthy People 2020

2010-12-15T09:02:00.001-06:00

The United States has issued Healthy People 2020 to help combat the levels of obesity and health concerns associated with poor nutrition in our country. Research suggests those in poverty tend to eat less nutritiously as cheap foods tend to be high calorie. In some instances, particularly in large areas of poverty, little more than fast food restaurants and convenience stores may be available for food purchase.

Food Pantries know all too well that cheap foods are often less nutritious. In order to fill its shelves, WAFER relies on finding lost cost foods. Much of the time, this means filling the pantry with sugary cereals, salty soups and canned foods, and very little fresh produce or dairy items. If a food pantry, working on a restricted budget cannot supply highly nutritious items to its clients, how can the clients put highly nutritious meals on their own tables?

We must make more of an effort to educate the public as to how to help feed people in poverty. We must do more to locate left-over and overflow foods with higher nutritional quality.

However, at the same time, we must do more to help those in poverty make smarter food choices, even when healthy food availability is low.

Give a Gift

2010-11-29T10:26:00.000-06:00

This is a happy time of year for many food pantries. End of the year solicitation letters bring in monetary donations and, in the “holiday spirit,” dozens of food drives flow in. Life is good at WAFER in November and December. Our biggest problems are where to store all the wonderful food gifts and how to find the time to record and deposit the checks! I wish these were our problems year round.

This year, I’ve heard from an increasing number of people and businesses who are choosing to give to charity rather than exchanging gifts or receiving another bottle of hand lotion. The question is, though, how to encourage this type of giving not only during this time of year, but year round as well.

Over the next few months, I will be preparing information for our website and for a brochure/handout encouraging donors, and prospective donors, to think along these lines. The information will not be geared toward bequests, another topic entirely, but towards general food and monetary donations.

Some donors approach giving like this on a regular basis. Several times over the last few years, children, even as young as five years old, have asked for food pantry donations in lieu of birthday presents. Some Baby Boomers, as they reach retirement, are more interested in donations than accumulating more “stuff.” However, WAFER Food Pantry can always use more “stuff.”

Food Pantries, and all charitable organizations, should work to encourage awareness of this kind of giving. Please pass the word.

Hunger in the U.S.

2010-11-16T11:45:00.001-06:00

Feeding America just complete a study of over 37,000 hunger agencies across the country. WAFER, because it purchases some food from Channel One, a Feeding America food bank, was part of the study. Finding suggested that one of every eight Americans rely on a food pantry for grocery help; about one-third are employed, but just can’t make ends meet. Thanks to our donors and volunteers, WAFER helps feed many of those people.

In La Crosse County, about 10% of the population is in poverty and WAFER is here to help. Currently, about 8% of the total County population came to WAFER last year. While some people make just one visit, others receive food monthly. Because WAFER is here, fewer people in poverty have to choose between food and rent, food and medicine, or food and transportation. Food pantries like WAFER help people from having to make these difficult choices.

Special Holiday Food? Maybe.

2010-11-01T09:15:00.000-05:00

I am frequently asked, from clients, donors, and volunteers, if WAFER does anything “special” for Thanksgiving or Christmas. In other words, do we distribute holiday food packages, give each client a turkey or a ham, or offer gift cards for holiday shopping? The answer to all of these is “no,” and here is why:

WAFER's purpose is to provide the kinds of foods people eat on a regular basis, not just for holidays or special occasions, though we do our best to accommodate those times when and if possible. The Coulee Region is fortunate to have a Community Thanksgiving Dinner, which takes the pressure off many pantries and meal sites for that meal. Other organizations supply gifts, food baskets, or festive meals to many people, including those who are WAFER clients. Yet, once the turkey is sliced or the pie devoured, people still must eat. Once the last of the leftovers have been swallowed, plates must still be filled. Hunger doesn't stop because the holiday is over. WAFER concentrates on getting groceries to the hungry so that they have food to eat day in and day out, not just a couple of days a year. That being said, we are extremely grateful to those organizations that do provide special meals.

Nevertheless, WAFER will look for ways to incorporate some aspect of holiday food if at all possible. For example, stuffing mixes, instant mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin are generally available at low cost to the pantry. Each year, during this time, we keep our eyes open for deals on baking items, including pie crusts and nuts. Finally, through word of mouth, we let businesses know they can donate extra fruit baskets or other goodies ordered for their own employees. One local business gifts their staff with Thanksgiving turkeys, but let s their employees know they can “regift” the turkeys to WAFER. Special arrangements are made to receive the birds.

I hope this helps you understand a little bit better about how WAFER operates and why it makes certain food choices.

It Takes a Village... Or At Least Some Great Companies

2010-10-14T11:20:00.000-05:00

Sometimes we tend to minimize the importance of all the additional areas needed to keep an organization like WAFER up and running. While food donations are the mainstay of what we require to assure everyone in the Coulee Region has enough to eat, we also need significant funds and in-kind donations in order to keep our doors open.

Many of our expenses are no different than those of any other business. We pay for utilities, wages, building upkeep, and snow removal. However, we also regularly have nine freezers and coolers (about half are commercial units and most are fairly old) serviced. We pick up food donations on a near daily basis, so fill the WAFER van gas tank regularly.

One area not often publicized is the amount of free or discounted services WAFER receives that are not directly food related. These donations and vendor relationships are equally as important to WAFER’s survival as are the thousands of pounds of donated food that come our way. In the last few months, local businesses have been kind enough to furnish database services, parking lot gravel, printer paper, two toilets and installation, spiral binding, and computer upkeep. WAFER receives discounts on electrical work, building repairs, and outside printing services. (Donated items and services are listed in detail on our website and in the WAFER newsletter).

Food donations seem to get all the glory; we highlight those of significant poundage and know WAFER would not exist without them. Remember though, that all that food needs to be stored and distributed and that simply opening our doors each morning is the result of another level of donors who simply do not get thanked enough. Here’s a start to that.

Tomato Soup

2010-09-29T11:09:00.000-05:00

As I walk through the pantry, I see WAFER’s shelves well stocked with soup, but nearly every can of it is tomato. As long as that’s your favorite kind of soup, there’s no problem. What if, though, you don’t enjoy tomato soup in the least?

At WAFER, we try to keep a variety of food items so that anyone coming to the pantry will leave with foods they like. Sometimes, though, particularly in summer and early fall, when donated food tends to be minimal, there is very little choice.

I know what you’re going to say: if someone is hungry, they should be willing to eat anything. However, put yourself in our client’s place. What if the only meat you received was blood sausage, tripe, or something else you found unpalatable? What if you were allergic to tomatoes? What if your child cried because they were forced to eat a food he or she would rather spit out?

WAFER counts on its donors to help us provide a nutritious variety of foods to our clients. We thrive on food drives as they mean we will see ten or twenty kinds of soup, rather than the one or two types we purchase within WAFER’s budget.

The more choices WAFER can offer, the more likely clients will be able to put an enjoyable meal on the table. Please remember WAFER when you clean out your own pantry and help us fill our shelves with all kinds of wonderful foods.

6000 Cans of Soup

2010-09-22T11:12:00.001-05:00

How long would it take you to use 6000 cans of soup? If you ate one can a day, you would need over 16 years to consume it all. WAFER distributes 6000 cans of soup in a single month.

Every 30 days, WAFER distributes almost that many cans of vegetables, close to 3000 bags of pasta, and over 2700 boxes of cereal. The numbers can be mind boggling.

It takes a tremendous sense of community to keep our shelves full and I am proud to say nearly every client receives all food items on each visit. While the selection may be minimal, we can assure one type of food in each category. This includes canned fruits & vegetables, pasta & spaghetti sauce, tuna, beans, cereal, soup, peanut butter, crackers, frozen meat and toiletries.

Every client also receives “extras,” items that don’t appear in any of the above categories. Over 4000 of these foods (items like cake mixes, salad dressings, cookies, chips, drinks, & ethnic foods) leave the WAFER shelves each month.

Poundage-wise, in August, WAFER purchased 22,000 pounds of food, took in 60,000 pounds of food donated by individuals and organizations, and received 19,000 pounds of government commodity foods.

Thanks to our donors, both financial and food, we can keep 6000 cans of soup moving in and out the pantry doors every month.

What's With the Long Line?

2010-09-16T11:42:00.000-05:00

Drive by WAFER on select Saturday mornings during the summer and you'll see a long line of people standing in front of our building, and quite a commotion going on in the parking lot. These are the Channel One Food Bank & WAFER Food Fairs, events in which we distribute carts full of groceries to each participating household. In September, some of the foods included cereal, juice, apple snacks, potatoes, oatmeal, cookies, and pizzas. WAFER and the Hunger Task Force also set out produce and bread.
Here's how the program works:

In the month prior to the Food Fair, clients pick up a ticket for entrance. The Food Fair is open to any La Crosse County low-income resident, not just WAFER clients. Participants choose between picking up their food at either the WAFER or a West Salem location.

Channel One, WAFER's Feeding America connection, trucks in pallets of food from their Rochester MN warehouse, setting the pallets up in the WAFER parking lot. While we may have some advance notice of what will be available, for the most part, we simply wait to see what will be unloaded. The folks at Channel One spend the prior month setting aside at least ten different items for WAFER's Food Fair.

Two volunteers per pallet (about 30 are needed for the morning)distribute the items; every household receives the same amount of food, usually one or two of each food. Shopping carts are borrowed from Festival Foods because clients typically receive more food than they can easily carry. Volunteers also assist in crowd and traffic control, escort disabled clients negotiate the line, and help with set-up and clean up.

Outdoor Food Fairs are held May through October. This year, McCloone Metal Graphics is donating indoor space so the Food Fairs can continue year round.

Though the wait in line can be painfully long, especially in hot weather, over 600 families participated in the September Food Fair. We are so happy for this partnership and for the chance to bring more food to more people

Food Stamps

2010-09-02T12:44:00.000-05:00

Foodshare (Wisconsin's food stamp program) is used by 10% of Wisconsin's population. The amount received varies according to the size of the household, assets, disabilities, and a variety of other factors, but, for every recipient, it helps fill in the gaps for those low-income families and individuals who do not have enough to eat.

By the way, Foodshare is no longer a "stamp" program, but a debit card device, reducing the stigma of using "stamps" in a grocery line.

However, did you know Foodshare helps the entire community by generating spending. Consider these facts, provided by the Federal Department of Human Services and Second Harvest Heartland.

$5 in Foodshare spending generates $9.20 in community spending (jobs required to produce and distribute food, etc.).
50% of Foodshare recipients leave the program within 9 months, returning to self-sufficiency.
$1 of Foodshare spending results in $0.25 to $0.50 in new food spending.

Nearly half of the Foodshare recipients in Wisconsin are children, many of whom also receive school meals. Still, close to 20% of those children will miss meals during the year. Food pantries help put even more food on the table for these families. This year, WAFER is helping record numbers of clients and we are making a point of assuring households new to us are aware of the Foodshare program.

Who is Hungry?

2010-07-13T11:18:00.000-05:00

Nationally, one in every three families in the U.S. will need food assistance, usually in the form of food stamps, at some time in their lives. While in western Wisconsin, and much of our country, few are dying of starvation, hunger is nevertheless a concern.
Cheap food tends to be the least nutritious, leading to a while host of problems with health problems, including obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and tooth decay. While WAFER, and other food pantries, try to fill shelves with good food, budgets often dictate what will be purchased. High sugar cereals are cheaper than low-sugar items and high salt soups cost less than those with few additives. Still, we look for ways to fill pantry shelves with healthy, wholesome foods. For example, we are decreasing the number of prepared side dishes (like Hamburger Helper) and replacing them with bags of rice. Hot cereals, like oatmeal, are taking up space formerly filled by cereals with empty calories.
This year, WAFER will distribute food to over 3,500 households, or about 8% of the area's population, and we are just one of several pantries in the Coulee Region. Close to half of the households have children, but just over 6% of WAFER clients are senior citizens. We know the number of low-income senior citizens in the area is closer to 20%, and we are working hard to find and feed them.