INSIDE

Kids Academic Success Tied to Hunger A Familys Story of Crisis and Hope Join Us at Empty Bowls on April 26 Letter Carrier Food Drive on May 11 Thanks to Matching Gift Programs Strykers Food & Fund Drive APRIL 2013

Fast Facts

THE JOB THATS NEVER DONE

Heres to all those who help ensure food security every day. Whether its in our own home, at school, at agencies like Ministry with Community or the YWCAs Domestic Assault Shelter, or here at Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes, one thing we know is that even when weve had all the food we need today, tomorrowno matter whatwell need to eat again. I love the story from the family who used the Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes Grocery Pantry Program a year ago. Alexandra, her husband Allen, and their five-year-old daughter called us after Allen suffered a massive heart attack and underwent quadruple bypass surgery. Alexandra found herself the sole breadwinner for the family, yet even with a college degree she wasnt able to find employment. They started to sell their possessions to pay their bills and were relieved when a friend suggested they call Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes for help. I was really touched one time when I went to a pantry and somebody had donated fresh vegetables from their garden, said Alexandra. Alexandra has since found a stable job and is able to feed her family regularly. She and her family have also found ways to give back. Last spring, my daughters school let us have a garden on their property, she said. Whenever the vegetables are ready, I give some of them to the food pantry. I was so excited to give because I remember that day when I was there. Im glad my friend gave me KLFs number because I dont know where I wouldve gone otherwise. Thanks, Alexandra, for reminding us of the circle of care that is Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes. Thanks to this community, we stand ready to step in when there is need. And, thanks to Alexandra and others who find ways to give back when circumstances allow. Building a food secure community will always be a job thats never done. But, thanks to this community, it is a job that we at Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes are committed to addressing each and every day because we know that a food secure community is one with vitality and health that supports us all.

KLF takes care to stretch your donationsfor about $7, we can fill an entire grocery cart with food through low- and no-cost food procurement via the charitable food pipeline.

Are you receiving multiple newsletters? We can take care of that. Contact Jon at jon@kzoolf.org or 488-2617 ext. 206 to update your account.

KLF also shares news with the community through Table Talkour advocacy eNewsletter every other month. Sign up online to receive updates in your inbox on the fight against hunger.

assistance has helped you or someone you know?

Do you have a story to share about how food

We want to hear from you. Contact Kimberly at 488-2617 ext. 218 or kimberly@kzoolf.org.

KIDS ACADEMIC SUCCESS TIED TO HUNGER

More than 50% of kids in the City of Kalamazoo live below the poverty level and arent sure where their next meal is coming from. For children who live in food insecure households, the consequences of hunger can follow them outside the home and into the classroom. Adequate nutrition, primarily breakfast, can dramatically impact low-income childrens academic, health and economic futures, according to a new study released by Share Our Strengths No Kid Hungry campaign. On average, kids who participate in a school breakfast program have achieved 17.5% higher scores on standardized math tests. They also have more frequent school attendance and are 20% more likely to graduate from high school. Its been shown that high school graduates

typically earn upwards of $10,000 more per year than those who didnt graduate from high school. The seemingly simple act of ensuring that children get school breakfast offers the potential for students to experience greater academic achievement, increased job readiness and ultimately more economic prosperity for our nation, said Billy Shore, founder and CEO of Share our Strength. In the fall of 2012, Kalamazoo Public Schools made their universal breakfast program available to all 17 elementaries. Next fall, its expected to be phased into middle schools too. Fighting childhood hunger takes the hard work of many. Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes supports the achievement of our communitys kids and knows a healthy foundation begins with having enough to eat every day. Stay tuned for our summer Food is Fuel Kids Campaign

for your opportunity to help combat childhood hunger right in your own backyard. Visit www.kzoolf.org in the coming months for more details.

THERE WILL BE DINNER TONIGHT: FAMILYS STORY OF CRISIS AND HOPE

Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes food assistance resources are available to anyone in Kalamazoo County who selfdeclares their need for help. Whether or not youve been in a situation where you sought out food assistance, weve all experienced times in our life when a helping hand was needed and graciously accepted. For many people, that time comes in the wake of an emergency or crisis situationlike a house fire, a home eviction, a job lay-off or an unexpected medical crisis, like the one Alexandras family faced (see page 1). A priority for Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes is to make food readily available to households who may not have the adequate food resources when dealing with a crisis. Joycea KLF call-center volunteerrecently assisted a woman who was seeking food assistance for her family for the very first time. A young woman called [KLF] and told me how her husband had gone to work the week before, only to find the door to the company locked and a note stating that they were closed, said Joyce. Their troubles werent only that her husband had just

lost his construction jobhis employer still owed him several weeks worth of wages and now wouldnt be able to pay him. With four children at home, the family stretched their food resources as far as they would go. The day she finally called KLF, the cupboards were empty. She said when the kids come home from school, they wont have any dinner, said Joyce. She didnt show concern about missing meals herself; she just couldnt live with the idea of telling her kids there was nothing for them to eat. Joyce was able to make a same-day appointment for this household to pick up four days worth of a balanced variety of groceries. Her tears of anxiety turned into tears of happiness, said Joyce. You just cant imagine people without food, but they exist. Because of the support volunteers like Joyce and community donors provide to KLF, we are able to make peoples lives a little more bearable by connecting them with food. Together, we are able to help parents tell their children: There will be dinner for you tonight. For information on how to get involved in our call-center, call Laura Winther at 488-2617 ext. 209. For information on how you can support programs that feed local families, call Jennifer Johnson at 488-2617 ext. 213.

More than one-quarter of our Countys children live below the poverty level. To raise awareness of all these unheard voices of hunger, Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes partnered with Kalamazoo Public Schools once again on the Empty Bowls Project. This series brings together elementary schools with KLF staff, volunteers and sponsors to enjoy a simple meal while sharing our strength and resources in the fight against childhood hunger. Thanks to the sponsorship provided by United Healthcare, KLF has already hosted three Empty Bowls events at Arcadia Elementary, Edison Environmental Science Academy and Spring Valley Center for Exploration. All of these events featured students

JOIN US FOR EMPTY BOWLS ON APRIL 26

handmade artwork on display and Empty Bowls at Edison with KPS staff, KLF a hearty meal for students and their volunteers and United Healthcare staff families. By making and donating their artwork, students learn that they can make a difference in solving large problems, like hunger, themselves, said Doug Duncan, art teacher at Prairie Ridge Elementary School. This April marks our fourth year of hosting an Empty Bowls event at Prairie Ridge Elementary School. For a donation of $5 per household, guests can enjoy dinner as well as receive one student-made Empty Bowls Dinner & Art Event bowl to take home. The event will also feature a silent auction Prairie Ridge Elementary, 2294 S. 9th St. of professionally made ceramic Friday, April 26, 5:307:30 pm pieces. Contact Kimberly at 488-2617 Requested $5 Donation Per Household ext. 218 for more information.

Open to the Community!

SPRING INTO ACTION BY SUPPORTING THE LETTER CARRIER FOOD DRIVE

place your non-perishable food items near your mailbox on the morning of Saturday, May 11 and your letter carrier will do the rest. With the need for food assistance growing, donations are in real need this year. Food items most in demand are canned fruits and vegetables, high-protein items like soups and stews, canned meat and peanut butter. We cannot accept unlabeled, opened, long-term expired or homemade food. Special thanks to local branch 246 and all who make a difference for hungry people in our community.

Get You
Mark your calendars for May 11. That is the day the National Association of Letter Carriersvia local branch 246will be collecting food donations for Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes, Portage Community Center and The Salvation Army. Its easy to participatesimply

er r the L ett nations fo Give o d d o fo ase your 10 Simply r to purch d redeem your $ s are available e ij e M to n o a a rd 4 pm. od d rive onation c Carrier fo t the checkout. D weekdays, 8 am ad and e St., ull Ro c a rd a donation ffice at 901 Portag t Meijer stores G donated to o e c b F le l L e il K at s it w at the eem them ensure a $10 cred ust redeem your d e r n a c to You ou m dge Ave. gift. ift card. Y S. Westne form of a Meijer g for this generous F e L K L F in th y 18 to qualify K a hich has ogram w ies. If you c a rd b y M r p s u o r e r this gen r 20 0 food pantr ive card, fo Meijer fo han ks to nearly $5 million em your Simply G e d d e te r a r to e ge n xt. 218. how ns about K L F at 48 8 -2617 e o ti s e u q y at have ll K imberl please ca

ns at Donatio

M e ij e r

Join the Loaves & Fishes Team

Interested in helping Kalamazoo become a hunger-free community? Weve got a place for you! Attend an orientation meeting to get started in our warehouse, call-center, or on our special events planning team. VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION DATES: Saturday, April 13 Thursday, April 25 Thursday, May 23 Sign up with our Volunteer Coordinator, Laura Winther: 269/488-2617, ext. 209 laura@kzoolf.org

KALAMAZOO MUD RUN TO SUPPORT HUNGRY PEOPLE

Get down and dirty in the Kalamazoo Mud Run on June 8 to support feeding local people. This charity run features a 5k course through 44 wooded acres surrounding Kalamazoo Community Church, 2435 N. 26th St. You can participate as an individual, team, or a family in the kids fun run. Registration fees start at $39 for adults until May 27. A portion of those funds will benefit KLFs Mobile Food Initiative program, which provides supplemental groceries to local households at seven sites, including Kalamazoo Community Churchand clean water organizations in Africa. If one mud run isnt enough for you, register for both the Kalamazoo Mud Run and the Muddy Patriot (to take place on June 29) at the same time for a discounted price. To register, visit www.kalamazoomudrun.com. the devastation hunger creates. Get involved by forming your own 2 or 5 mile walking team with friends, family, co-workers or a faith group. You can also sponsor a walker by helping them reach their donation goal. About 25% of the funds will be donated to local anti-poverty agencies, including Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes. The rest of the donations will support Church World Service, an international faith-based organization working to fight global hunger. For more information or to sign up, go to www.kalamazoocropwalk.org and join us on the afternoon of April 28 at Bronson Park to walk against hunger.

WALK AGAINST HUNGER DURING CROP WALK

Join the nations oldest anti-hunger event this month by walking to fight local and global hunger. The Kalamazoo Valley Crop Hunger Walk on April 28 is a movement to bring people together to literally walk throughout our neighborhoods in an effort to raise funds and awareness of

FOOD WISH LIST

April: May:
Canned tuna

KLF April Giving Coupon

APRIL 2013 COUPON #117
AMOUNT $________________ I wish to remain anonymous. Hunger hasnt gone away - some of our former donors now seek food assistance through our programs. Your gift can help Please send your contribution by April 26.

Low- or no-salt canned vegetables Foods high in protein (6 grams or more) are always needed in our warehouse, too.

KLF May Giving Coupon

2013 COUPON #118
MAY
AMOUNT $________________ I wish to remain anonymous. Some days success can mean getting the family together for a simple nutritious meal. You can help make that happen for a local family. Please send your contribution by May 24.

LOCAL CELEBRITIES KICK OFF STRYKERS FOOD & FUND DRIVE

The employees at Stryker are putting a dent in hunger this spring. Their monthlong food and fund drive kicked off on March 7 with a pancake breakfast which raised $1,175 to benefit Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes. Several local celebrities joined Stryker and KLF staff to serve breakfast, including pro football player Greg Jennings, Western Michigan University basketball coach Steve Hawkins, Von Washington of Southwest Michigan First, Tim Terrentine of Kalamazoo Chamber of Commerce Employees from Stryker, Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes, and several community member guests and Southwest Michigan First, Portage Mayor Peter Strazdas and Kalamazoo Mayor Bobby Hopewell. Every spring, this group of dedicated colleagues come together to collect the most food and funds possible to support this communitys fight against hunger. This years activities include a silent auction, a canned food sculpture contest, and a Stuff the Stryker Truck challenge. Keep an eye on our website, www.kzoolf.org, for final donation totals. Thank you to everyone at Stryker for making a difference in the daily lives of local residents who struggle with hunger.

CONNECT WITH US!

Food drive information Marvin King, Warehouse Director 269.488.2617 ext. 224 Fund donation information Jon Riccio Donor Database Coordinator 488.2617 ext. 213 Volunteer information Laura Winther, Volunteer Coordinator 488.2617 ext. 209 Food assistance information Art Cole, Services Director 488.2617 ext. 207

THANKS TO PFIZER AND EMPLOYEES FOR MATCHING GIFTS

For years, The Pfizer Foundation has been a strong supporter of bettering the Kalamazoo community through their employee matching gift program. In 2012, more than $34,000 was donated to Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes in Pfizer matching giftsthat means nearly 80% of all of KLFs 2012 matching gifts came through Pfizers program! Pfizers Op-Ex team, August 2012 KLF has a strong relationship with Pfizer employeesdozens of retirees volunteer with us on a daily basis. Pfizers Operational Excellence also initiated a Day of Caring project in our clean room in August 2012. Thank you to all who have donated to KLF through a matching gift program at Pfizer or elsewhere. If youre not sure if your company participates in a matching gift program, view a list at www.kzoolf.org of local businesses that do, or speak with your HR representative. www.facebook.com/ KalamazooLoavesAndFishes

www.twitter.com/ KzoLoavesFishes

NONPROFIT ORG. US POSTAGE PAID KALAMAZOO MI PERMIT NO. 1693

901 PORTAGE STREET KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN 49001-3005 FOOD REQUEST LINE: 269/343-3663 P 269/488-2617 F 269/343-3669 WWW.KZOOLF.ORG

Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes will feed hungry people and engage our community in the fight to end hunger.

Our Mission

Our Values
Compassion Respect Justice Integrity Advocacy

TRIBUTES 1/1/2013 3/4/2013 Special thanks to those who honor friends and family through contributions to KLF.
John Allen Jackson Altwies birthday Esther L. Ashbys birthday The Bagley Family Lesley Bodarys birthday Sidney Brushs birthday Richard C. Byces birthday Joyce DeCrocker Randy & Polly Graham Levi Guy Ed Hageman Layla Jaboori Kalamazoo Central High School Class of 1954 Kalamazoo Diaconate The February birthdays of Susan Kavanaughs friends Phyllis, Pat and Glo Peter Livingston Ron Molitor

IN HONOR OF

Collin Palmers birthday Susan Pauls birthday Ron Shepard Victor Siemers Eris Smiths birthday Shannon & Jeremiah Smiths wedding David J. Stafford Suprotik Stotz-Ghoshs 40th birthday Nancy Westons birthday

John Boody Patrecia Breen Margaret Burns The Cook, Fetterer, Haas & Henehan Families Al Crandle Tom Crooks Robert Crowhurst

IN MEMORY OF

Joyce DeRight James Dillon, Sr. Margaret Dircks Loretta Doerschler Mary Elsenraat Marc A. Fisher John P. Flynn Laurel Freestone Kendall Hatton Marcia Jackson Norman Johncock Philip Pearce Johnson Jill Klimp Marguerite Kolb Lance Lambert Maxine Louden M.S.N. Murty Mike Meyers Naomi Miller Kathy Mizeur Jaimie Oorbeck

Frank Ossiff, Jr. Rick Ostericher Janelle & Neil Peterson Gerald L. Pochyla Darrell Rostami Toni Rostami Marilyn Scheel Ken Schlaack Violet Shephard Joani Siwik Robert Stearns John Sydor Richard Dick W. Tanner Richard B. Valley Roon Visser Shirley Walter

Board of Directors
Jack Abate Patricia Carlin HJ DuBrule Bob Ezelle Alan Harbaugh Mike Henderson Robert Lohrmann Karen McPhail Harvey Myers Helen Norris Stacey Randolph Martha Ream Martha Simpson Jan Tiderington

Staff / Business Office

269/488-2617 Joan Atwell, Call Center Lead Paul Bushek, Warehouse Assistant Art Cole, Services Director Bob Dekker, Warehouse Assistant Pat Early, Warehouse Assistant George Geissel, Bookkeeper Kathy Gernaat, Operations Director Dave Hafer, Warehouse Assistant EXT. 201 211 207 211 211 222 212 211

Phyllis Hepp, Organizational Development Director Mary Hutchins, Warehouse Coordinator Jennifer Johnson, Resource Dev. & Public Relations Director Deb Josephson, Services Coordinator Marvin King, Warehouse Director Anne Wend Lipsey, Executive Director Ruth Matteson, Call Center Lead Jon Riccio, Donor Database Coordinator Kimberly Schoetzow, Communications Coordinator Carolyn Tyler, Operations Coordinator Laura Winther, Volunteer Coordinator

210 211 213 214 224 208 201 206 218 222 209