Summer 2007 - Second Harvest Heartland

Spotlight: General MillsThe international food giant, GeneralMills, is the sixth largest productdonor to Second Harvest Heartland,and contributed an astonishing518,876 pounds of food in 2006.The Golden Valley-based company has also fully embraced its hometowncommunity, supporting Second Harvest Heartland throughgrant awards from the General Mills Foundation, its employeedrivenFood and Fund drives and a strong tradition of encouragingemployees to volunteer for Second Harvest Heartland.General Mills generously matches the totals collected by employeeswith their Food and Fund held each spring. This year’s drive raised17,766 pounds of food and a remarkable $45,521.Second Harvest Heartland sincerely appreciates General Mills’financial commitment and its employees’ support and enthusiasmfor the mission of ending hunger in the heartland.DISH: Gourmet Fare for Hunger ReliefSecond Harvest Heartland would like to thank the DISH committee members andattendees and our sponsors: Gold: Target, Mpls.St. Paul Magazine, Johnson Brothers(Prestige Wine Group, Gallo Family Vineyards, Le Grand Noir, Starling Castle, RonDiaz); Silver: Ecolab; Bronze: Coca-Cola, Crystal Farms, Cub Foods, Kemps, Mutualof America, The Pepsi Bottling Group, RJF Agencies, Vertis, Wells Fargo; In-kind:Artelle Designs, College Press, Just Truffles, Minneapolis Floral, St. Croix Promotions.Your collective efforts raised more than $63,000.Help DISH Up Fantastic ResultsDo you have experience in, or an interest in, live and silent auctions, marketing, sponsorshipsor event planning/coordinating? We’re beginning to plan for DISH: GourmetFare for Hunger Relief, to be held in April 2008, and looking for volunteer committeemembers to help ensure the success of this signature event. For more information,contact Dawn Marie Nelmark at 651.209.7940 or dnelmark@2harvest.org.From the desk of the Executive DirectorEvery successful organization changesas it grows and faces moments oftransition in the process. This is oneof those moments. I have announced that I willbe retiring from Second Harvest Heartland inlate August. It has been almost six years sinceI joined Second Harvest Heartland to addressthe challenge of merging the two major TwinCities food banks. We are now one of the strongest regional foodbanks in the America’s Second Harvest national network.It is a good time for this transition. We have the strongest staff andBoard that we have ever had, all dedicated to our vision of bringingan end to hunger. Toward that goal, we will reach a record-breakingdistribution of 33 million pounds of food this year. We are finalizingthe 2008 plan and budget with strategies to sustain this growth andachieve another stretch goal that will provide significantly more foodto our distribution network.To support our planned growth, we have greatly expanded the food bank’sNow, More People Know About HungerThe radio and TV airwaves were buzzing with news about hungeron Hunger Awareness Day this June 5. The day began early, with1,300 one-dollar Cub Foods Breakfast served on Peavey Plaza. CubFoods also donated money for each Community Cupboard Bagpurchased, up to $10,000 during that week. That match was easilyreached. Kraft Foods made a $5,000 check presentation as well asdelivery of 17,522 pounds of Kraft food products.Bremer Banks joined with the Hubbard Broadcasting family of fiveradio stations and urged their customers and listeners to dump outtheir purses, dig the coins out of the couch and “Make Change” toend hunger with their donations. A total of $138,454.66 was raisedthrough the Otto Bremer Foundation, who issued a challenge grantand matched every donation made, up to $50,000.Second Harvest Heartland and its partners joined forces on HungerAwareness Day and throughout the month of June to raise funds andheighten awareness of the nearly invisible problem of hunger in theheartland.capacity to handle more food in the same facility, built a new freezer andexpanded the cooler to handle more nutritious food, upgraded our fleetof trucks, increased our network of partner organizations and programs,and sought and received support from the Minnesota Legislature. Anumber of innovative programs have been initiated, such as the SHHFood Outreach program highlighted in this newsletter.This progress would not have been possible without the generoussupport of our donors – both financial and food – nor without thetireless, dedicated work performed everyday by our partner agencies.Although it is always difficult to leave, this is the right time for me.I depart with confidence that Second Harvest Heartland is strongand well-positioned for the future. I will continue to support thiswonderful, vital organization and its incredibly important mission.Thank you all for your support and friendship.R. Jane BrownExecutive DirectorGuests of DISH enjoyed a tropical themed eveningfilled with lively entertainment, regional wines,sumptuous food prepared by the area’s top chefs, anddistinctive silent and live auctions.2 Inside the Heartland