Good Cheer Food Bank – 2011 Year in Review

Feb 182012
 
 February 18, 2012  Posted by Kathy McLaughlin No Responses »

2011 was a year of challenges. While the number of individual clients continued to fall from the 2009 peak the need for support from the food bank actually increased as more families were feeling the pinch of a slow economy.

The Food Bank served 3,330 people last year, with an average of 842 families helped per month. Twenty eight percent of our clients were children, 11% were senior citizens, with 146 homeless people also being served.

Good Cheer begins its 50thyear of service to the community with a foundation that could not be any stronger. This summer we celebrated reaching our goal for the Good Cheer Capital Campaign. The generous support of individuals, community businesses, service organizations, and regional foundations made it possible. The renovation of the Langley Thrift Store will positively impact the community by providing a greater amount of affordable clothes and household goods, and by increasing profits to support the Good Cheer Food Bank.

The use of thrift stores to provide the funding for the organization is quite unique. The revenues that flow through the thrift stores enable our organization to function and to provide the numerous programs that benefit our clients and community.

The Good Cheer Thrift Stores recorded record sales with an increase of close to 4% even though the store in Langley was undergoing a major renovation.

This year will mark 50 years of progress and making a difference in people’s lives. There are many that we have helped who have come back to support the food bank or volunteer their time and that is a wonderful circle of life.

We need to keep in mind the importance of how far we have come over this last half a century and what support we are now capable of offering our community.

Item donations to the food bank increased by 25% even though there were additional agencies soliciting for business on the south end of the Island.

Food donations jumped by 9% to a total of 342,153 lbs., and accounted for nearly half of the 778,913 lbs. of food distributed in 2011. These food donations are valuable since they allow us to add variety to food items that Good Cheer purchases in bulk.

Monetary donations continue to be the primary source for keeping our shelves full.

Monetary donations go to buy food and the recessionary environment that we find ourselves in has resulted in a 37-percent increase in the amount of money Good Cheer is spending on food. Good Cheer has continued to make use of a fundraising strategy that will increase the cash Good Cheer brings in and the events are fun for the community.

Volunteers are what make Good Cheer work and this last year we had almost record numbers for hours worked. Volunteering is the ultimate form of giving. It is sharing what we value with others without counting on the reciprocal expectation of recognition or gratitude. As Elbert Einstein so wisely puts it; “The value of man resides in what he gives and not in what he is capable of receiving.”

 The Good Cheer Food Bank was established in 1962 and was South Whidbey’s first charity. It serves a population of nearly 16,000. Good Cheer is run by 13 staff members and nearly 350 volunteers, and is governed by a 15-member board.

 Thanks for you continued support and gracious giving.

Good Cheer!

From the Thriving Communities Conference – The Green Bronx Machine

Feb 132012
 
 February 13, 2012  Posted by Kathy McLaughlin 4 Responses »

The Thriving Communities Conference was a great success and an opportunity to learn what other communities are doing.

Here is a story about the Green Bronx Machine and Steven Ritz a science teacher at Discovery High School in the Bronx.

Steven started bringing plants into the classroom in order to give his students a hands on lesson. But what began as a science teacher’s teaching tool grew into a mission to make the entire borough eat and grow healthy food.

The biology and earth science teacher began using farming and gardening in his classes in 2005. Back then, Ritz said he used to take his classes outside to clean up abandoned lots and plant gardens. “We cleaned up 35-50 cubic yards of trash and ended up growing 3,000-5,000 pounds of food,” Ritz said. In addition, Ritz said that the students involved in what was then called the Green Team, went from skipping half of their classes to graduating on time.

Ritz utilizes a unique gardening technology created by Green Living Technologies in Boston, in which the students plant seeds in vertical shelves; it’s like creating a green wall of food.

Here is a video of Bronx students from the Discovery HS installing a green roof as part of the hands on Green Living Technologies training program.

The project became more than just growing stuff; it was about keeping the kids off the streets and helping them find something to do. They were learning about responsibility and how to take care of something.

“We’re not just growing vegetables, we’re growing citizens and engaged communities,” Ritz said.

Ritz said Green Bronx Machine is the youngest certified workforce in America. Students who wish to join the workforce can participate in a training program, sponsored by Green Living Technologies, in order to become certified workers. The training program has three components: academic, vocational and field work.

Green Bronx Machine’s sidewalk sale! Student grown plants generate serious income and learning opportunities. They look great too!

“It’s about green minds, green hearts, green jobs, and green technology,” Ritz says. “We are trying to transform the borough. Bronx County has the highest number of food stamps in New York State,” Ritz explained. “People can use these food stamps to buy edible plants and create a self sustaining indoor garden.” Ritz and his Green Bronx Machine hope to get everyone in the Bronx eating and growing healthy foods.

Who knew Green Bronx gardening could be so easy?

Six months ago these young men couldn’t and wouldn’t sit around a table together. Today, these young men, from distinct and diverse backgrounds work as one team with a singular purpose and vision; to transform the mindsets and landscapes of America while building their future and a whole new economy.

Pretty amazing what is going on in our world!

Good Cheer!

Health Watch – Too Much Salt in Our Diets

Feb 082012
 
 February 8, 2012  Posted by Mark Clawson No Responses »

A new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that 90% of people over the age of 2 eat too much salt.

The average American eats about 3300 milligrams of sodium per day while the recommended amount is 2300 milligrams daily; about 6 out of 10 adults should further limit sodium to 1,500 mg a day. The CDC warns too much salt raises blood pressure, which can cause heart disease. Reducing the sodium Americans eat by 1,200 mg per day on average could save up to $20 billion a year in medical costs and save a few lives in the process.

The CDC is blaming bread products; one slice of bread can have over 200 milligrams of salt.

More than 40% of sodium comes from the following 10 types of foods:

Breads and rolls

Cold cuts and cured meats such as deli or packaged ham or turkey

Pizza

Fresh and processed poultry

Soups

Sandwiches such as cheeseburgers

Cheese

Pasta dishes

Meat mixed dishes such as meat loaf with tomato sauce

Snacks such as chips, pretzels, and popcorn.

You can reduce your intake of salt by buying no salt added brands. For example the sodium in chicken noodle soup can vary by as much as 840 milligrams per serving. About 65% of sodium eaten comes from food bought at retail stores, so look for lower sodium choices.

Those who eat out a lot have little control over the amount of salt in the foods that are prepared for them.

What can we do:

  • Choose to purchase healthy options and talk with your grocer or favorite restaurant about stocking lower sodium food choices.
  • Read the Nutrition Facts Label while shopping to find the lowest sodium options of your favorite foods.
  • Eat a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables and frozen fruits and vegetables without sauce.
  • Limit processed foods high in sodium.
  • When eating out, request lower sodium options.Support initiatives that reduce sodium in foods in cafeterias and vending machines.

Good Cheer and Healthy Eating!

The Good Cheer Food Bank – How it Works

Feb 032012
 
 February 3, 2012  Posted by Mark Clawson No Responses »

Good Cheer is committed to its mission of creating a hunger-free community on South Whidbey Island. Alone, the challenge would be a mission impossible, but together we are getting it done.

We live in a community that is caring and supportive; with many volunteers who devote their time and energy to make this charity work.

The hardest part for many of our clients is simply asking for help; the help that we give creates an opportunity to focus on other issues. If our clients feel safe and less stressed they have a chance to move forward with their lives in a positive manner.

The Good Cheer Food Bank is like grocery store where clients use a shopping cart, it provides a sense of dignity in that they can choose their own foods. The food bank is a grocery store with a points system where a one-person household starts with a base of 70 points to spend per month, an additional 10 points per person is added for larger households. The clients also receive an additional 3 points by providing their own bags.

The Food Bank encourages clients to select the most nutritious foods by assigning fresh vegetables, fruits, beans, rice and other raw staples with lower points. Many times during the summer and fall our clients can pick up fresh garden vegetables for no points, which really encourages healthful eating.

While it is true that many of our clients have the ability of using the Food Stamp Program the problem that many people find is that their benefits can be relatively small. The poverty threshold in America for a single person is $11,170 and for a family of four the number goes to $23,050.

Using the food bank can free up some extra cash to provide for emergency needs. Pride can always be an issue but that is just our egos talking to us.

Becoming a client at the food bank is very easy! We trust you when you say you need food. Good Cheer serves the community of South Whidbey; the boundary is Bakken Road just before the Greenbank store, if you live south of that area you qualify as a client.

The proof of residency can be a rental or lease agreement, a receipt of that rent or lease, a utility bill, pay check stub, a note from your landlord or any official mailing that comes to your address. Bring that and you are in!

One of our volunteers will take your information and set you up with an account. You can access the food bank more than once during the month; just bear in mind that you can only use the number of points that you are allotted for the month.

On your first visit to the food bank a volunteer will show you around bank and explain the points system and answer any questions that you may have. You will be given a shopping worksheet so that you can track the points that you have used. This information goes on file so that you will know how many points that you have left for the month after your visit.

Sometimes we have excess goods that are zero point items; you can take all that you can use. All baby items are free (infants 2 years or younger) make sure to document this when you register.

It is pretty amazing what 70 points will provide in the way of food!

Good Cheer – Creating a Hunger-free Community

You can donate by clicking here.

Good Cheer Thrift Stores – How They Work

Jan 292012
 
 January 29, 2012  Posted by Mark Clawson No Responses »

The Good Cheer Food Bank is funded almost entirely by your donations. Furniture, clothing, personal items and other goods brought to Good Cheer’s distribution center are cleaned and shipped out for sale at the Langley and Clinton thrift stores.

There is also a boutique clothing store called The Rack that is located in Clinton. The revenue derived from the stores helps pay for the food bank’s operation.

This is where it all starts as Good Cheer turns old furniture, clothes, appliances and knick-knacks into food for hungry families and individuals on South Whidbey. The items in high demand are house wares, linens, tools, books, men’s clothing, children’s clothing, antiques, jewelry, small appliances, and furniture. When considering donating items to Good Cheer, please ask yourself; “Is this something that I would buy. Are my donations clean, complete, usable and salable?”

To find out more about where to bring your donations and a list of items that we cannot accept click here.

If an item is donated and it is soiled; the expense of cleaning is just too much for Good Cheer. Some volunteers, in the past, actually would take the soiled clothing home and clean them. Obviously, that was not the answer.

The items are then sorted, placed into labeled boxes and put into storage.  The volunteers  then pull the boxes and  the items are priced and placed in plastic containers. The truck drivers then deliver the merchandise to the two thrift stores and the Rack where it is merchandised and ready for sale.

If you find that the merchandise isn’t the right fit or just isn’t working remember that Good Cheer has a 3 day return policy. You can return the merchandise and receive a store credit.

Each sales ticket is marked with a date and after a period of time the item will repriced. There are a number of sales that take place and we will try to keep you informed on this blog. Remember, the Bag Sale, it happens on the first Tuesday of every month. You should note that some sales may exclude new merchandise. Be sure to check with the salesperson if you have any questions. They will be happy to help you out.

Just last year, phase two of our capital campaign provided for the renovation of our main thrift store in Langley. The renovation added an additional 1,140 square feet of retail space and will help to produce additional revenues for the thrift store. The renovation will positively impact the community by providing a greater amount of affordable clothes and household goods, and by increasing profits to support the Good Cheer Food Bank.

This year marks the 50th year of Good Cheer’s presence on South Whidbey and we need to be mindful of how far we have come and what support we are now capable of offering our community. We have built a very strong foundation for the food bank and it will serve this community very well.

Just click on the photo above and you can see the changes that have taken place at the Langley Thrift Store.

To support your local food bank click here.

Good Cheer!

The Whidbey Institute at Chinook – Thriving Communities Conference

Jan 242012
 
 January 24, 2012  Posted by Mark Clawson No Responses »

The Whidbey Institute at Chinook will be hosting a series of conferences about thriving communities with the first event being held on February 2nd thru the 4th. The title will be “Cultivating Community in Challenging Times” and Good Cheer will be one of several South Whidbey non-profits to be featured at this national conference.

The Whidbey Institute is located on 70 secluded acres of forest on Whidbey Island. It is a place where people can connect with nature and each other; working together to create a better place to live and work.

From the organic vegetable garden that supplies the dining room to the winding paths through the forest, the Institute is a place of serene beauty. Imagine a community where people strive to help each other and where sustainable practices feed our neighbors in need. You need not imagine for it exists on South Whidbey Island.

Here is a video that describes the vision that The Whidbey Institute at Chinook holds so close to its heart.

The Thriving Communities Conference will be focused on food. “Food is a way into our souls,” says Executive Director Jerry Millhon. “We’re taking on food first, because it’s important to get the gut taken care of with dignity.”

The U.S. Labor Department just reported that the current average duration of unemployment is at 40 weeks, the longest in more than 60 years. And while the state of Washington had a drop in the unemployment rate to 8.7 percent in November 2011, it is still almost double the 4.6 percent in January of 2007 when the recession began. This is almost three years from the end of the “Great Recession.” With that in mind, the health of any community is how it cares for the hungry.

   

Good Cheer Food Bank, Friends of Friends, Whidbey Island Nourishes, and Hearts and Hammers are thriving charities that grow and distribute food, repair housing, help pay medical bills, and feed hungry school kids with nutritious sack lunches.

“We can’t rely on the Federal government; we need to move locally to get help for the hungry,” says Millhon.

The Whidbey Institute is planning five years of Thriving Community Conferences to explore the critical issues facing small communities, using Whidbey Island from Coupeville to Clinton as a living laboratory for change and inspiration.

At the inaugural February gathering, participants will define the attributes of a healthy local food system, create an optimal food blueprint, and identify common challenges and strategies for overcoming them.

Good Cheer Executive Director Kathy McLaughlin says that “it’s an honor to be working together on hosting a conference that will provide our community the opportunity to share, learn and grow.”

Our world is moving into increasingly challenging times, but also times of great opportunity to adapt. How do we meet the growing critical needs of individuals, families, and communities?

Join us for the inaugural Thriving Communities Conference, the first in a series of annual conferences. In sharing our experiences, all who participate can move forward intentionally into a hopeful and life-affirming common future.

A brief video about Good Cheer that was produced by Whidbey Institute for the conference with funding from a grant from the Murdoch Charitable Trust.

Good Cheer!

Obesity in America – Unchanged and Still a Big Worry

Jan 182012
 
 January 18, 2012  Posted by Mark Clawson No Responses »

Just yesterday, we learned that obesity in the United States seems to have reached a plateau. The numbers show 35.7% of U.S. adults and almost 17% of U.S.children and teens are obese. Looking at the map for the state of Washington you can see where our community (the black dot) is in the lowest range of between 11.6% and 26.6% of the population.

After two decades of steady increases, obesity rates in adults and children in the United States have remained largely unchanged during the past 12 years, a finding that suggests national efforts at promoting healthful eating and exercise are having little effect on the overweight.

Children will be entering adulthood heavier than they’ve ever been at any time in human history. Even without further increases in prevalence, the impact of the epidemic will continue to mount for many years to come.

Nobody knows exactly why obesity rates appear to be leveling off. While it’s possible that public education efforts around healthful eating and exercise have had some effect, it may be that the population has reached a biological saturation point in terms of obesity, and that those most vulnerable have already become obese.

I was looking at a chart on life expectancy (this one is for females) and it appears to me that there is a correlation between obesity rates and life expectancy.

The International Diabetes Association predicts that one in 10 adults could have diabetes by 2030, according to their latest statistics.  In a report, the advocacy group estimated that 552 million people would have diabetes in the next two decades, based on things like aging and demographic changes. There are two types of diabetes one that is more genetic and the other, type 2, that we can prevent.

While not everyone with type 2 diabetes is overweight, obesity and lack of physical activity are two of the most common causes of this form of diabetes. It is also responsible for nearly 95% of diabetes cases in theUnited States, according to the CDC.

What can you do ?

(1) If you have a family member or other loved one who is obese don’t ignore it.  Sit down with them and let them know the risks of their obesity.

(2) Start with small changes in lifestyle.  Don’t try and make drastic changes.   Small changes that build upon one another work a lot better than a radical change in lifestyle.

(3) Understand that the battle against weight is not a one time battle.  It is a continuous war that needs to be waged throughout your life.  This means changes in lifestyle so you need to get support and positive reinforcement to help you stay on track.

(4) Sugar is the enemy.  Be wary of foods that have high sugar content hidden in ingredients and watch those complex carbs that can turn to sugar in our digestion process.

(5) If someone is obese in your family it might be better to take the gloves off and sit them down and tell them that they are high risk for diabetes which in turn could lead to a significant change in their lifestyle.  Don’t expect your doctor to do the job for you.

(6) People who start to exercise often stop because they either don’t see immediate results or because of pain.  Let them know that loosing weight takes time and that results are not going to be immediate.

The costs of diabetes and obesity affects us all via higher healthcare costs but each one of us has to take personal responsibility for our own lifestyle.  You can make a difference just take that first step.

Good Cheer and Good Health!

Click Here to support your local food bank!

Good Cheer Garden Work Party on Martin Luther King Day – Monday January 16th

Jan 132012
 
 January 13, 2012  Posted by Mark Clawson No Responses »

Join us for our annual work party on Martin Luther King Day, Monday, January, 16th, from 10 am – 3:30 pm.  There will be outside winter gardening work at the Good Cheer Garden and the Bayview School Garden. Picnic lunch at noon with hot soup, and salad greens from the garden!

Come for as long or short as you’d like!

We’re having such a mild winter so far that the overwintering crops are doing really well out in the field. The spinach, kale, collards, chard and arugula are all surviving and even growing a little! The cut-and-come-again salad mix in the hoophouse is ready for a harvest!

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: ‘What are you doing for others?’” Each year, Americans across the country answer that question by coming together on Martin Luther King Day to serve their neighbors and communities.

Good Cheer!

Good Cheer’s New Video Story

Jan 092012
 
 January 9, 2012  Posted by Mark Clawson 6 Responses »

The food bank at Good Cheer is all about treating everyone who walks through our doors with dignity and respect.

The hardest part for our clients is asking for help. We give people the help that is needed and an opportunity to focus on other issues. If they can feel safe and less stressed they have a chance to move forward with their lives in a positive manner.

Good Cheer is like a grocery store, it was set up that way.

Since relocating the Food Bank to the more spacious facility in Bayview in October 2007, Good Cheer has not only been able to increase the volume of food available to neighbors in need, but has made a concerted effort in improving the quality of food with an emphasis on fresh, local and less processed foods….the Good Cheer Garden is a treasure, growing food for our clients.

The Good Cheer Food Bank is a grocery store with a points system.

The Points System at Good Cheer provides a one-person household with a base of 70 points to spend per month at the Food Bank, with an additional 10 points per person if the household is larger. The clients also receive an additional 3 points by providing their own bags.

The Food Bank encourages clients to select the most nutritious food by assigning fresh vegetables, fruits, beans, rice and other raw staples with lower points. Many times this summer and fall our clients could pick up fresh garden vegetables for no points, that really encourages healthful eating.

The food bank is there to help people survive the hard times that life sometimes throws our way. With a view towards respect and dignity we provide that sense of belonging that is so necessary in our lives.

Here is Good Cheer’s new video story. I think that it speaks for itself!

Good Cheer!

Good Cheer is Taking on the Great Recession – When Will it End?

Jan 032012
 
 January 3, 2012  Posted by Mark Clawson No Responses »

The National Bureau of Economic Research has said that the “Great Recession” ended in June 2009. In fact the chart above proves this……well a recovery but not even close the robust recoveries of the past. Looking among our friends and community at large this purported upswing in the economy is hard to identify. Unemployment remains high and many are working just part time.

What is very apparent is that the last two recessions in 2001 and 2007 have taken a toll on employment in the U.S. and the State of Washington. Notice that the last two recessions in Washington state show insignificant employment growth after the recessions ended.

The unemployment rate that we read about monthly is based on a household survey and in November the survey reported an increase of 278,000 people with jobs, pushing the unemployment rate down….. some say sharply and I’m not sure that would be accurate.

There is a bit of a cache-22……..If people stop searching for work, they’re not counted in the labor force or as unemployed even if they’d like a job. In November, some 487,000 people dropped out of the labor force, too discouraged to look for work. Adding these people to the officially unemployed would have produced a jobless rate of 8.9 percent instead of 8.6 percent so are things really getting better?

Better employment prospects may spur more discouraged workers to look for a job. Perversely, this could raise the unemployment rate. If job creation remains weak, more discouraged workers might stop looking for work and this could lower the unemployment rate. Confused yet?

The U.S. Labor Department just reported that the current average duration of unemployment is at 40 weeks, the longest in more than 60 years. And while the state of Washington had a drop in the unemployment rate to 8.7 percent in November 2011, it is still almost double the 4.6 percent in January of 2007 when the recession began. This is almost three years from the end of the “Great Recession.”

This housing based recession will not recover until the housing market recovers. The housing industry put many people to work. We have the construction industry, raw materials manufacturers, title companies, escrow companies, real estate companies and loan officers to name a few. That is a lot of jobs.

You and your Good Cheer Food Bank have been dealing with these harsh realities for many months. The fact remains that people are having a tough time finding employment.  Unemployment and hunger sadly go hand and hand and we need your support more than ever.

The impact on our food bank has been dramatic! In November the Food Bank served 962 families and that is an all time high. Hunger doesn’t discriminate. We serve children, seniors, the working poor, and the unemployed on South Whidbey Island. Food bank clients cross every race, color, education level, and increasingly the middle class. None of these folks want to ask for help but they have little choice.

The food bank has made this a better experience than most food banks, with its grocery style shopping. Our clients let us know:

“Sometimes when we have no food, I come to the food bank and leave with bags of food and tears in my eyes. Thank you!”

- From a mother with two young children

Here is a challenge for you all:

This is your food bank blog and it is a part of our social network. We know that we are reaching many of you but we would like to reach more. The more supporters we have the easier it is to spread the load and to meet our challenges.

We are asking you to forward this link to your friends and families. Just bring up your email list and plug this link into a short note about taking a close look at the Good Cheer Food Bank.

You can make us better by just sending an email! If you need help with how this is done, just email me at markvclawson@gmail.com and I’ll help you.

You can make a donation by clicking Good Cheer!

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