food for

Community FOOD BANK of Eastern Oklahoma

Fighting Hunger, Feeding Hope

www.cfbeo.org

Summer 2012

Board of DirectorsPresidentScott LewisOptimus Corporation

Vice PresidentSteve Lehto Reasor’s

TreasurerEric KunkelCurzon, Cumbey & Kunkel PLLC

SecretaryColleen Almeida SmithTulsa World

MembersBarry AbelsAccess Opportunities

Ted BeaumontIndependent Consulting Geologist

Steve BroussardHall Estill Attorneys at Law

Mark CavinsColdwell Banker Select

Donna McElroy DuttonMcElroy Manufacturing

Hilary EliasChurch of St. Mary

Richard FickenWPX Energy Marketing, LLC

Kathy LaFortuneOklahoma Indigent Defense System

Jeff MarlowOaks Country Club

Megan MooneyRely Energy

Doug PadgettPendergraph, Inc.

Anthony PhillipsBank of Oklahoma

Karen Barr PowellSpirit AeroSystems

Tony RiveraRenaissance Tulsa Hotel & Conv. Ctr.

Steve SwetohaTulsa Shock

Willie Mary WaltersCaring Community Friends

Rev. Steve P. WhitakerJohn 3:16 Mission, Inc.

Ex-officio MembersMargaret ButlerBill CopelandKeith KellyJudi McCoy

2 Food for Thought

From the Desk Of...Eileen BradshawExecutive Director

Like the newsletter? Good news, it only looks expensive! Due to changes with our printer, we’re able to bring you this larger format, full-color newsletter at no additional cost to the Food Bank. You’ll receive “Food for Thought” six times throughout the year, to keep updated on all the latest news at the Food Bank.

If you want to stay updated between newsletters, become our Facebook fan(facebook.com/cfbeo), follow us on Twitter (twitter.com/foodbankok) or visit usonline at www.cfbeo.org.

VisionFood security, with dignity, for all Eastern Oklahomans.

MissionFeed the hungry of Eastern Oklahoma through a network of Partner

Programs and engage the communities in ending hunger.

  On the cover of this newsletter, you will find a picture of the Tulsa Drillers andHornsby holding a giant fork. It is a fun photo which we hope will draw attention to the not-so-fun issue of hunger. September is Hunger Action Month nationally and we areusing this fork to showcase the concept of “Fighting Hunger, One Fork at a Time.” I like this phrase because it breaks down the problem, which can appear at times to beindomitable. By feeding one person, we are making a difference. So please get yourpicture taken with the fork, post it on your social media, eat out during Restaurant Week or join us at any of the activities planned for Hunger Action Month. They are all designed to get people talking about, and acting on, the issue of hunger in our midst.

In this issue, you can also read about Senior Servings, our new pilot program inconjunction with AARP. It brings pantry staples, fresh bakery goods and produce toseniors in low-income housing. Seniors are often forced to make choices between food and medication. They are also the least likely demographic to ask for help. I had the opportunity to attend our first distribution for Senior Servings and saw how grateful the recipients were; I also witnessed remarkable kindness. One woman came through and picked up her items. She hung the grocery bags on her walker, and began making her way down the hall to her apartment, declining our offers of help. It appeared that each step was causing her a bit of pain. About 15 minutes passed, and I was surprised to look up and see her again. Concerned, I asked her if we had omitted something from her bags. She smiled and said “No, everything is great. I just came to help my friend with hergroceries because she doesn’t have a walker.” Then she began the slow processional to her friend’s room, walker again laden with bags. Undaunted by her own circumstances, she is taking an active role in helping to fight hunger.

  Within these pages you will also find a great story about Millie Vestal, a McAlester resident and Partner Program representative who shares food for the body and hugs for the soul. You can also see the breakdown of the Food Bank’s activities for the past fiscal year by the numbers. In terms of pounds distributed, it is the second highest in our32-year history. We could not do this work without you. Thank you for your partnership.

On behalf of the Hungry,

Eileen Ryan Bradshaw, Executive Director

Cover Photo: Left to right, Kent Matthes, Hornsby, Kiel Roling. Photo taken by Drew LaFollette.

Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma 3

SeniorSe rvings

New program targets senior hunger As a nation, we have a special responsibility to our most vulnerable populations such as children and seniors. Older Americans have built the economy and national infrastructure from which we benefit and now need our help. The Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma and AARP Oklahoma are committed to fighting hunger among this vulnerable population, so seniors do not have to make the difficult choice of purchasing food ormedicine.

The Food Bank’s Senior Servings Program was launched August 6th at West Edison Plaza, a 65-unit affordable senior housing facility in west Tulsa. In part-nership with AARP Oklahoma, the Food Bank provides seniors healthier food choices by providing fresh produce, bread and non-perishable sacks of food that have been pre-packaged to help meet specific dietary needs.

“We are very excited to partner with AARP Oklahoma to bring assistance to seniors in need,” said EileenBradshaw, executive director of the Food Bank. “For those on limited  fixed incomes, the choices can be very tough. The Senior Servings program allows us to bring food directly to folks where they live.”

According to a recent report by AARP, Oklahoma ranks 14th among states for risk of hunger among older adults, and it is estimated 1 in 8 seniors have to choose between purchasing food and medicine.

“AARP Oklahoma is pleased to partner with the Com-munity Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma to launch Senior Servings as part of Drive to End Hunger,” said AARP Vol-unteer Iris Chandler. “The launch of a program dedicated toward combating senior hunger in eastern Oklahoma has been a long-time goal of AARP. Many seniors live on fixed incomes and often have to choose between paying for medicine and paying for groceries. Senior Servings will be a lifeline for many older residents in some of the most food insecure communities in Oklahoma.”

  For many seniors, living on a fixed income can be a struggle. Between rent, bills and medical expenses, asenior’s budget can sometimes leave little room forpurchasing food.

“With this food, I won’t have to worry about going hungry at the end of the month,” said Susan Potts, aresident at West Edison Plaza. “I really am grateful.”

The Senior Servings program is currently in phase one and will focus on Tulsa, Osage and Nowata counties,providing 200 sacks of food to senior residents.

“We’re researching the best ways to expand Senior Servings throughout our service area,” said CindyCummins, deputy director of business development at the Food Bank. “Ideally, we’d love to see this program in all 24 counties we serve.”

An important component of the Senior Servingsprogram will be Supplemental Nutrition AssistanceProgram outreach, or educating seniors on their eligibility for SNAP benefits and assisting them with enrolling in the program.

“Many seniors may not be aware they are eligible for SNAP benefits,” Cindy said. “We want to connect them with resources designed to help them, so SNAP outreach is an important piece of this program.”

  Volunteers at the Food Bank pack the sacks of food, which might include milk, cereal, canned fruit, canned vegetables, pasta, spaghetti sauce and canned tuna or chicken.

As the program expands, volunteers will be needed to distribute sacks of food to the seniors every other week.If you’re interested in volunteering your time to theSenior Servings program, contact Kate Pelizzoni at918-936-4512 or kpelizzoni@cfbeo.org.

4 Food for Thought

If you are receiving this newsletter, you are already committed to fighting hunger in Oklahoma. September is Hunger Action Month, a 30-day national hunger aware-ness campaign through Feeding America and its network of 202 food banks across the country. Together we will unite to mobilize the public to raise awareness and take action in support of domestic hunger relief. Because the nearly 49 million Americans and more than 660,000 Oklahomans who struggle with hunger often do so in silence, you are asked to “Speak Out” in September to end hunger. By lending your voice, you can make a tangible contribution in the fight to end hunger for our neighbors, our co-workers and our friends whose struggles often go unheard. This year, the opportunities to become engaged encompass a wide range of activities. Your participation is essential to making this Hunger Action Month truly transformational. Whether it’s by advocating and rais-ing awareness, making donations or volunteering, you can find the way that is right for you to make a difference during September and Hunger Action Month. This is our opportunity to create a movement throughout the month that has a real and lasting impact on our mission to fight hunger, feed hope here in Oklahoma and across America.   Among these pages, you will find a list of events that help shine a light on hunger here in eastern Oklahoma. On Saturday, September 15th, the Jewish Federation of Tulsa will host the public at the Zarrow Campus for a farm-to-table dinner celebration. During the evening, patrons can experience their new 6,400 square-foot

Here are a few photos taken for this September’s “Fighting Hunger, One Fork at a Time” campaign. This is your chance to get involved and be as creative as you wish.

Shown: OSU’s Pistol Pete; kids from the staff of Tulsa Kids Magazine; Sam and Marilyn King from Tulsa Pets Magazine

community garden. Over a year in the planning, thisgarden is open to anyone who wishes to supportsustainable community gardening. Food generated in this garden will benefit the Food Bank. To learn more about how you can make a difference, contact Karen Blum at kblum@jewishtulsa.org. Beginning September 1st and running through the month, the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma will be featuring giant-size forks across town to symbolize our “Fighting Hunger, One Fork at a Time” campaign. Courtesy of Little Mountain Productions, the community will have an opportunity to be featured with the fork. The campaign is designed to be driven through social media, so we are asking you to load your picture of the fork on your social media network. Help us reach our goal of growing our social media following. Also during the month, be a part of the “Find the Fork” contest where you will be invited to let us know if you have found the fork for the day. We can’t do this without you and you canalways check the Food Bank’s Facebook, Twitter and Flickr pages to see whose pictures have been recently added. Below are a few examples so far of thosewho have joined the fight against hunger.  Later in the month, the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma’s staff and Culinary Center will be providing a lunch at the Tulsa Day Center for the Home-less. Sharing a nourishing meal provides each of us the opportunity to say we care about our neighbors who are struggling.

Mayor Dewey Bartlett and First Lady, Victoria, mirroring the American Gothic painting. Photo taken at Viva le Ranch by Beth Hawkins.

Speak Out for Hunger Action Month

Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma 5

PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS L D Call restaurants for hours and reservations.• Lunch • $25 dinner • $35 dinner • $35/two dinnerDowntown•• Baxter’s Interurban 717 S. Houston Ave., (918) 585-3134 no lunch Sat./Sun.•• The Boulder Grill 17 West Seventh St., (918) 585-5898•• The Chalkboard 1324 S. Main St., (918) 582-1964• Dilly Deli 402 E. Second St., (918) 938-6382 • El Guapo’s Cantina 332 E. First St., (918) 382-7482•• Hey Mambo 114 N. Boston Ave., (918) 508-7000 • James E. McNellie’s Public House 409 E. First St., (918) 382-7468 • The Tavern 201 N. Main St., (918) 949-9801•• Ti Amo 219 S. Cheyenne Ave., (918) 592-5151 * closed Mon. night•• Yokozuna 309 E. Second St. (918) 508-7676*Brookside • Biga 4329 S. Peoria Ave., (918) 743-2442•• Cosmo Café & Bar 3334 S. Peoria Ave., (918) 933-4848•• In the Raw 3321 S. Peoria Ave., (918) 744-1300 *•• KEO 3524 S. Peoria Ave. , (918) 794-8200*•• The Local Table 4329 S. Peoria Ave., (918) 794-8013•• Sonoma Bistro & Wine Bar 3523 S. Peoria Ave., (918) 747-9463Cherry Street/Utica•• McGill’s 1560 E. 21st St., (918) 742-8080•• Palace Café 1301 E. 15th St., (918) 582-4321 closed Sun. night/Mon.•• Polo Grill 2038 Utica Square, (918) 744-4280•• SMOKE. on Cherry Street 1542 E. 15th St., (918) 949-4440•• Wild Fork 1820 Utica Square, (918) 742-0712Midtown•• Bodean Restaurant and Market 3376 E. 51st St., (918) 749-1407•• Cardigan’s 6000 S. Lewis Ave., (918) 749-9070•• DuJour 3711-D S. Harvard Ave., (918) 200-9399 *South Tulsa•• Bluestone Steak House 10032 S. Sheridan Rd., (918) 296-9889•• The Bistro at Seville 10021 S. Yale Ave., (918) 296-3000•• Duke’s Southern Kitchen 10441 S. Regal Blvd., (918) 364-3853 • Cyprus Grill at the Renaissance 6808 S. 107th E. Ave., (918) 307-2600 *•• French Hen 7143 S. Yale Ave., (918) 492-2596•• McGill’s 6058 S. Yale Ave. (918) 388-8080 • The Melting Pot 300 Riverwalk Terrace, Ste. 190, (918) 299-8000•• Michael V’s 8222 E. 103rd St., Ste. 137, (918) 369-0310•• Ti Amo 6024 S. Sheridan Rd., (918) 499-1919 *Wagoner •The Canebrake 33241 E. 732 Rd., (918) 485-1810

WEEKRESTAURANT SEPTEMBER 8-16

BENEFITTING THE COMMUNITY FOOD BANK OF EASTERN OKLAHOMA’S FOOD FOR KIDS PROGRAM

Presented by:

STEP UP TO THE PLATE TO

FIGHT HUNGERDURING HUNGER ACTION MONTH

GEORGE KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATIONA supporting organization of Tulsa Community Foundation

*Closed Sunday Sponsored by:

Calendar of Events

September 6Miss Jackson’s Fashion Night OutThis event, sponsored by Vogue and the Council of Fashion Designers of America, will promote new fall fashions and encourage people to shop locally. If you’re strolling through Utica Square inSeptember, stop by and check out Miss Jackson’s window display.

September 7Hunger’s Witness Display and ReceptionYou are invited to join us at the Zarrow Museum of Art and Education for “Hunger’s Witness,” a display of artwork and pictures from recipients of the Food for Kids Backpack Program and clients of our Partner Programs.

September 8-16Restaurant WeekDine at these participating restaurants and benefit the Food Bank’s Food for Kids Program.

September 15An Evening in the Garden A farm-to-table dinner party introducing theTulsa Jewish Federation’s new Community Garden, a project benefitting the Food Bank.

September 18Circle Cinema Movie ShowingTulsa’s historic Circle Cinema will host a one-night only showing of a hunger relief documentary. Check our website for more information.

September 27Recipe to End HungerChef Austin Terry from Fleming’s Steakhouse will be the featured chef at this month’s Recipe to End Hunger. He will prepare a three-course meal, each course paired with wine, and demonstratecooking techniques and recipes. Seating is limited and reservations are required. RSVP to Regina Pickens at 918-936-4511 or rpickens@cfbeo.org.

September 27 – October 7Can-struction at the Tulsa State FairStop by the QuikTrip Event Center during this year’s Tulsa State Fair to see Can-struction, two giant-size structures designed by two localarchitecture firms made entirely of canned food.

September 29Live Local, Give Local at Cherry StreetFarmers’ MarketA partnership of four grassroots organizations empowering donors to connect with localcharities providing hope and help in the fight against hunger in the Tulsa area will have a booth at the Cherry Street Farmers’ Market. If you haven’t yet taken your picture with the giant fork, don’t miss this chance.

6 Food for Thought

“I don’t shake hands , I give hugs.”  Visit the First Christian Church in McAlester and you’ll be greeted by Millie Vestal—and a big hug.

At 85 years old, Millie doesn’t have to work, but hun-dreds of families in McAlester are glad she does. After a 31-year career with the federal government, Millieofficially retired in 1992, although it was short-lived.

“I retired for nine months,” Millie said with a smile. “I couldn’t handle it. I crocheted nine afghans in that time and I am not even that good at crocheting.”

So she went to work at First Christian Church inMcAlester, a Community Food Bank of EasternOklahoma Partner Program for more than 14 years, which operates a soup kitchen and food pantry. The soup kitchen is open every Tuesday and serves nearly 500 people each month. The food pantry is open one day a month, serving 120 families a month on average.

“When I get here on a food pantry day, I’ll have 45 to 50 people waiting on me,” Millie said. “There are always new faces each month and I feel it is a blessing to be able to help them.”

Millie will also provide food to families who need emergency food assistance throughout the month.

“I had a lady come in the other day and her husband just got laid off from his job. He had worked there 17 years and they just let him go. It’s going to be a struggle for him to find work and his family needs help to get by

in the meantime. It wasn’t a pantry day, but I wouldn’t send her home empty-handed.”

Millie will celebrate her 20th year of working at the First Christian Church this year, and she has undoubtedly impacted thousands of families throughout her tenure.

“If someone came in off the street, even if Millie didn’t know them or their story, she’d do anything she could to help them,” said George Norwood, a grateful recipient of food assistance from Millie. “She’s an amazing lady. If there were more people like her in the world, maybe things wouldn’t be so bad.”

You can’t mention Millie’s name around the Food Bank without hearing a story or seeing a smile. She makes an impact on everyone she meets.

“It is a joy to know Millie,” said Joanne Burdick, director of agency relations at the Food Bank. “She is the personification of loving concern for others and is truly dedicated to helping those in need. Everyone can’t help but smile when Millie’s name is mentioned.”

For those in need, Millie provides hope. The love and food she provides is a blessing, but Millie feels she is the one blessed the most.

“Everyone is so good to me, I just love them all. They look at me like I’m on their level, and I am. I’m thankful for the opportunity to help, I really am so blessed.”

The Food Bank will celebrate the grand opening of the McAlester branch this month, which will better servePartner Programs in southern Oklahoma like Millie’s.

HugsandHope

Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma 7

Hope1.2 m

A Review of Fiscal Year 2011-12

Food and Fund Drives:Food drives totaled: 615,703 pounds

Fund drives totaled: $267,036

Governor Fallin’s Feeding OklahomaFood Drive totaled 91,010 pounds

and raised $41,591

Food2Familes totaled 77,822 poundsand raised $44,504

Stamp Out Hunger/National Association of Letter Carriers food

drive totaled 255,073 pounds

Mobile Pantry Program152 Total Distributions

Served 45,232 Individualsrepresenting 14,758 households

Distributed 1.2 millionpounds of food

Special EventsTotal $556,613

Panera Hunger Run: $19,866

T.D. Williamson, Inc. celebrating their annual ‘Make a Difference Day’.

Culinary Center NumbersTotal pounds produced: 39,320 Total meals provided: 32,767

The Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma has been providing food for those in need since 1981. Across our 24-county service area, the 2011-12 fiscal year saw its second highest distribution total in its 32-year history.

Distributed 15.5 million pounds of foodand served 12.9 million meals

Food for Kids Backpack Program226,500 total sacks distributed

7,345 children were served aweekly backpack at 195 sites

In Tulsa County, 127,700 sacks of food were distributed to 76 sites,serving 4,136 students

Outside Tulsa County, Food BankPartner Programs distributed98,800 sacks to 119 sites,serving 3,209 students

227 k1.2 m

616 k42 k

15.5 m

39 k Volunteer Numbers

Total no. of volunteers: 9,824Total no. of hours: 41,691

20 k

Food Distribution by County in Pounds (July 1, 2011 - June 30, 2012)Adair 507,290 Haskell 200,262 Muskogee 466,569 Pushmataha 302,928Cherokee 213,719 Latimer 39,445 Nowata 57,407 Rogers 212,691Choctaw 50,057 LeFlore 312,213 Okmulgee 269,335 Sequoyah 503,024Craig 155,808 Mayes 345,566 Osage 161,568 Tulsa 7,983,640Creek 559,545 McCurtain 255,626 Ottawa 402,540 Wagoner 667,687Delaware 587,324 McIntosh 335,662 Pittsburg 326,283 Washington 649,955

Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma1304 North Kenosha AvenueTulsa, OK 74106

Community FOOD BANK of Eastern Oklahoma

Fighting Hunger, Feeding Hope

www.cfbeo.org

See more Food Bank photos on

www.flickr.com/communityfoodbank

Faces around the Food Bank

View the fundraising update, food and fund drive highlights and food distribution by county at www.cfbeo.org.

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