Proposed Changes Prompt Network-Wide Advocacy
In September, the Administration made a troubling proposal that would increase the likelihood of legal immigrant families becoming food insecure. Under current policy, an immigrant may be denied legal permanent residency if they demonstrate a likelihood of becoming dependent on government benefits, also known as a public charge. Officials make this determination by considering whether or not an individual receives [...]
Upcoming SNAP Assistance Opportunities – Illinois
Need SNAP Application Assistance? Our Illinois Agency Relations Coordinator, Melanie, will be available at several locations in throughout the month of June to assist with SNAP applications for Illinois residents. Melanie will be able to answer questions about SNAP, pre-screen applicants, and evaluate current SNAP benefits for those already receiving SNAP. Dates and Times for SNAP Assistance: Wednesday, 6/20/18 – [...]
Walmart and Tyson Foods Donates 10,000 Pounds!
Walmart and Tyson Foods teamed up to donate 10,000 pounds of food to the St. Louis Area Foodbank through a partnership with Feeding America® to help end hunger across the United States. On Friday, March 16, the Foodbank received 10,000 pounds of protein to help feed more families. “We know that we can’t win the fight against hunger alone. It [...]
Ashley Goes to Washington, D.C.
The St. Louis Area Foodbank Sends Delegate to the National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference and Lobby Day At the end of February, I took a trip to our nation’s capital to attend the National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference organized by the Food Research & Action Center and our national organization, Feeding America. During the conference, I connected with leaders in the anti-hunger movement, [...]
A Farm Bill for Our Future
January is nearly over, but 2018 has only just begun, and it’s shaping up to be a big year for anti-hunger advocates. September 30, 2018 marks the expiration of the Agricultural Act of 2014, commonly known as the Farm Bill. That means that the USDA and Congress are busy at work putting together a brand-new Farm Bill to reauthorize and [...]
Pantry Spotlight: Affton Christian Food Pantry
The Affton Christian Food Pantry (ACFP) values the connections they make with their community. “Relationships with people in need are sometimes as important as, if not more than, the food we can give them,” says Dana George, Pantry Manager at ACFP. Serving 100 families every week in the Affton community is no small task, but the staff takes time to [...]
Frank’s Farewell Letter
Our President and CEO, Frank Finnegan, has written many letters for our newsletter. His most recent letter was written for our December newsletter, and he shared a pretty big announcement for the Foodbank community. In the spring of 1980 I was interviewing for a position with a social service agency in Phoenix, Arizona, trying to convince the woman on the [...]
Feeding Hope in Williamson County
Last month, one of our Agency Relations Coordinators, Melanie Hager, was able to go above and beyond for a woman in need in Williamson County, Illinois. Below she shares her story. I was at Williamson County Programs on Aging conducting a CSFP training/meeting with our contact, MaryJane Fuller. She had just met with a woman and was very shook up [...]
Volunteer Spotlight: Joe Venable
Joe Venable has been coming to volunteer at the St. Louis Area Foodbank for 5 years. He brings a group of 12 -15 volunteers from Scott Air Force Base with him, and they are very appreciated in our Volunteer Center. “Whenever we see that Joe’s group is on the schedule, we know we’ve got to have a lot of work [...]
Decatur’s Farm Bill Listening Session
This year the House Agriculture Committee has hosted Listening Sessions all across the country to hear from key stakeholders as they prepare to draft and pass a new Farm Bill in 2018. The Farm Bill is a massive piece of legislation that establishes programs and appropriates funding for everything from agricultural research to crop insurance to federal nutrition programs like [...]