Our Volunteer Family
"Life's most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?" Martin Luther King Jr. Volunteer appreciation week is this month (April 18-24), and I can't help but remember this time last year. The St. Louis Area Foodbank faced a daunting question when businesses, community groups, schools, and teams were not allowed to come out as they had [...]
A Stronger, Healthier Region
It's March, and we are officially one year into the COVID-19 pandemic. Wow! That's a sentence I never thought I would write. Rather than look back at the year that was, I feel it’s important to “Spring” forward and look ahead. After all, March is National Nutrition Month, and nutrition is a big part of our vision of creating a stronger, [...]
With Love & Service
Many years ago, walking into an office for a meeting, I noticed a small, framed quote hanging on the wall that read, "Life is measured in love and positive contributions and moments of grace." This quote by Carly Fiorina reminded me of another from Booker T. Washington; "In proportion, as one renders service [they] become great." Neither of these statements speaks about financial contributions, specific actions, or [...]
365 Blank Days to Fight Hunger and Feed Hope
It is finally 2021 - a new year filled with new opportunities. None of us can control what is going on around us; we can only control how we respond to it, so I am looking at 2021 through an optimistic yet pragmatic lens. Last January, I blogged about making the most of 2020 by viewing the days as blank [...]
My Christmas Wish
I asked my 8-year-old daughter what she wanted for Christmas this year, and she said (sternly) “I want COVID gone, Mommy - I am done with it!” and I cannot disagree with her; this pandemic has been difficult for all of us. Although our holiday season will look different this year, I still want to view it as a time [...]
Sharing and Caring for One Another
Sharing and Caring for One Another The holidays seemed so far away in March and April – and now they are just a few weeks away! While this time of year is usually filled with reserving flights and making menus for a house filled with family and friends, all too often when speaking with people this year, I hear “we [...]
Gratitude. Kindness. Selfless Service.
Gratitude. Kindness. Selfless Service. These are the words that come to my mind as I reflect on “Hunger Action Month” and all of the incredible people, companies, and groups that stepped up in September to help us provide food and hope to so many that are currently facing food insecurity. From traditional food drives and virtual food drives to volunteering [...]
Behind the Scenes: Reshaunda Thornton’s Visit to the Foodbank
Behind the Scenes: Reshaunda Thornton’s Visit to the Foodbank Recently, Reshaunda Thornton of the Dietician Against Diets podcast visited the Foodbank to learn more about what we do and how we do it. Like a lot of people, prior to visiting the Foodbank, Reshaunda imagined our facility was closer in size to many of our partner food pantries. She was [...]
What Can I Do To Help?
Well, we made it to September everyone! For many parents, this month traditionally means kiddos are back in school, fall sports are in full swing and we start thinking about making plans for spending the holidays with families and friends. This year is anything but traditional, and many parents are now adapting to their kids learning from home with no [...]
Hope Will Help Us Through This
Hope Will Help Us Through This James Stockdale, a veteran of the Vietnam War who spent seven years as a prisoner of war, attributed his survival to a simple ideal: “You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end – which you can never afford to lose – with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts [...]