Thirty Years Later, CAFB Still In Demand - Capital Area Food Bank

EVENT
HIGHLIGHTS &
SPECIAL THANKS
TD Bank, through the TD Charitable
Foundation, granted the food
bank with $30,000 towards our direct
outreach programs in Prince George’s
and Montgomery counties in Maryland.
The goal of TD Bank’s charitable
giving arm is to help non-profits in sustaining
vibrant and thriving communities
where they work, live and do business.
Capital One presented the food bank
with a $2,500 donation to help with the
purchase of food. We are grateful for
this generous gift.
Project Performance Corporation
in McLean, VA held a companywide
food drive benefiting the CAFB.
PPC’s annual food drive resulted in a
donation of 8,084 pounds of food and
$6,010. Way to go PPC!
The Philip L. Graham Fund, a long
time supporter of the food bank, provided
a $150,000 grant fund dedicated
to an account on which CAFB partner
agencies unable to pay their standard
shared maintenance can withdraw for
the food they need to supply their programs
in the community. This grant will
help many of our 700 nonprofit partners
who find themselves visiting the food
bank more frequently as demand for
their services increases.
The Wachovia Wells Fargo Foundation
granted the food bank $50,000
to increase distribution of nutritious
food, including fresh produce, to agencies
and their clients. As more families
struggle to get enough food, this grant is
very timely and welcome.
The state of Virginia provided $1 million
to the Federation of Virginia
Food Banks for food purchase that
will benefit all seven food banks in the
Commonwealth, including the food
bank’s Virginia facility. Food banks
will receive eight truckloads of needed
product from July through September
2010.
Delcor Technology Solutions
hosted its 8th Annual food drive and collected
more than 27,000 pounds of food
for the CAFB. Over 34 organizations
participated to help the food bank meet
increased demands.
CAFB Marks 30th Anniversary
while facing ‘Most challenging
year in its History’
Against the backdrop of unprecedented
numbers of individuals and
families seeking food assistance, the
Capital Area Food Bank marked its 30th
Anniversary on January 14th and 15th
with a special anniversary dinner and a
policy forum.
“CAFB at 30: History, Hunger and Hope”
was the theme for the commemoration,
which included an anniversary dinner
with remarks from Washington Post
Company CEO Don Graham; and a
policy forum “Ideas and Inspirations for
the Future” moderated by NPR’s Allison
Keyes that featured a wide range of
views about food banks, their mission
and how to tackle systematic hunger in
the Washington metro region.
With a keynote by Feeding America
President and CEO Vicki Escarra, the
panelists included: John Cook, Ph.D.,
Boston Medical Center, Boston
University School of Medicine;
George Jones, executive director, Bread
for the City; Janet Poppendieck, Ph.D.,
Luther Place Memorial Church, D.C.;
Jim Weill, president, Food Research and
Action Center; and Mark Winne, author
and former food system executive
director.
“CAFB at 30: History, Hunger andHope”
was made possible by the generous
support of ConAgra Foods, The Washington
Post, ALON and White Oak
Technologies, Inc.
remembering abe pollin
he Capital Area Food Bank lost a
Tlong-time friend and supporter this past
November with the passing of Abe Pollin,
owner and chairman of the Washington
Wizards and Washington Sports & Entertainment.
His family continued Pollin’s
legacy this past May and honored working
families, Verizon Center employees and
more than a dozen civic and public service
organizations, including the food bank,
with a free concert featuring the legendary
Stevie Wonder.
Pollin was a builder of sports franchises,
communities, dreams and he was an
ardent supporter of the food bank. In the
summer of 2002, the DC Free Summer
Meals Program was not reaching all the
children in the Washington metro region;
however, through Pollin’s resources, the
CAFB was able to fill the gap and provide
over 68,000 meals to children in need.
And in 2006, Pollin along with Don Graham
and Bill Marriott, became co-chair of
the food bank’s Capital Campaign – helping
us raise $36 million. More recently, he
pledged over $333,000 to help CAFB partner
agencies provide one million meals in
response to increased demand. Pollin understood
the transformative power of food,
Panelists John Cook (center) and George Jones
(far right) discuss the current state of hunger
with moderator Allison Keyes at the
food bank’s policy forum.
Abe Pollin, with wife Irene, was a champion of
the food bank and the issue of hunger.
which we need to not only survive but
to thrive as healthy, productive citizens.
He understood that food was a gift that
needed to be shared – that it is a basic human
need. His life and deeds will forever
live in this city and the world. And as we
reflect upon a life well-lived, we know that
we speak for not only ourselves, but the
tens of thousands of Wizards and Capitals
fans and area residents, when we thank
Abe Pollin and his family for all they have
done for the nation’s capital.
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