AFAC Info, August 26, 2010

Wednesday Morning Volunteers needed
Join the Wednesday morning distribution team. You’ll help clients check-in and pick out groceries, or help sort through food in the warehouse. Volunteer hours are 9:30am-12:30pm. You will be needed once a week on an ongoing basis. You should be able to stand for 3 hours and lift 20-30 pounds.

From Farm to Table for AFAC Clients
Are you a cook and lover of healthy food? Help bring AFAC’s abundant summer produce to our clients’ tables! AFAC is now holding cooking demonstrations and tastings using summer vegetables twice weekly during morning distribution. Volunteer cooks and Spanish translators are needed to help teach our clients new, simple, delicious and healthy ways to cook summer vegetables. This past week, Chef Alison made Asian Style Zucchini. Spanish translators are also needed to translate recipes. Please contact Amy Garcia (acj4e@yahoo.com) for more information and if you are interested in volunteering.

Shred for Bread
Shred for Bread will be held on Saturday, September 18th, 10am-1pm at Arlington Church of the Brethren, 300 N. Montague Street. We need two volunteers to help from 9:30-11:30am and 11:30am-1:30pm. Please contact volunteer4afac@afac.org if you can help.

Glean with us during Hunger Action Month
Join AFAC Volunteers as they pick crops with the Mid-Atlantic Gleaning Network (MAGNET) and USDA/College Park on Saturday mornings, September 11th, 18th, and 24th. Contact Susan Callegari at masoncal@mac.com for details of these trips.

T-shirts to Support Plot Against Hunger
Please support Plot Against Hunger by planting seeds for fall crops and purchasing our new, 100% organic cotton Plot Against Hunger t-shirt for $15. Contact: Puwen.Lee@afac.org for more information. AFAC provides free seeds to our clients and to gardeners who will grow fruits and vegetables to help feed Arlington families in need. This year is the fourth in AFAC’s local effort to obtain more fresh produce for the families it serves. It is part of the national Plant A Row for the Hungry program through which gardeners are urged to donate a portion of their vegetables and fruits to local food pantries.

AFAC Info, August 26, 2010

Come Tour AFAC on Wednesday, September 1st, 6:30pm
Have you been thinking about volunteering at AFAC? Have you wondered where your donations are being used? If so, please join us for a short tour on Wednesday, September 1st at 6:30pm. After the tour, we’ll join the volunteers bagging groceries. The tour and bagging will end by 7:30pm. Please let us know if you plan to come by emailing us at volunteer4afac@afac.org.

Hunger Action Month Kick-off Event
Please come enjoy the live jazz music, food and poetry next Thursday, September 2nd from 6:30-8:30pm at Busboys and Poets in Shirlington for our kick-off party. Admission is a $10 donation to AFAC and a non-perishable food item – buy your tickets ahead of time! There are free parking garages in Shirlington – the closest one is near the Harris Teeter.

Shred for Bread
Shred for Bread will be held on Saturday, September 18th, 10am-1pm at Arlington Church of the Brethren, 300 N. Montague Street. ProShred, a professional shredding company, is generously donating their time and service to shred your personal papers in a safe and secure way – right there on the spot. Bring a donation to AFAC – food or monetary – in exchange for the shredding.

CROP Walk 2010
Mark your calendars for CROP Walk, an annual event which benefits both international efforts and AFAC’s local efforts to alleviate hunger. This year’s Arlington walk will take place Saturday, October 16th. Be part of AFAC’s Team of 100 walkers! A free AFAC t-shirt to each participant. For details, email us at volunteer4afac@afac.org.

Live jazz music and poetry: AFAC Info, August 26, 2010

September is Hunger Action Month! Please come enjoy the live jazz music, food and poetry next Thursday, September 2nd from 6:30-8:30pm at Busboys and Poets in Shirlington for our kick-off party. Admission is a $10 donation to AFAC and a non-perishable food item – buy your tickets ahead of time! There are free parking garages in Shirlington – the closest one is near the Harris Teeter.

Please visit our new and improved website for a list of ways you can help during September. We welcome individuals, couples, families, companies, congregations, and schools — anyone can choose an action item(s) and do something about hunger in Arlington.

Many thanks to Allie Lundquist for making the video of volunteer activities for the County Fair table; to Kathleen Stemplinksi for sewing repurposed rice bags into totes and shoulder bags that sold at the fair; to Tim, Michael, and Harmon Cleary for building and painting AFAC’s Wheel of Fortune; and to our many booth volunteers for ensuring that everyone had fun playing AFAC’s Wheel of Fortune and that AFAC was well represented.

Thank you also to all the volunteers who helped with the Village at Shirlington’s Jazz and Wine series this summer.

Staff and volunteers have been enjoying using our newly renovated, streamlined kitchen area. Thank you to Pam Gillen, AIA of ESOARC Studio for her pro bono architectural design services and the Arlington Community Foundation for their generous support that made the renovation possible.

Charlie

Charles Meng
Acting Executive Director
703.845.8486
Charles.Meng@afac.org
http://www.afac.org

AFAC Info, August 19, 2010

Donato Soviero plays tonight at the Village at Shirlington’s Jazz Series
Come and enjoy the last music and wine tasting tonight, August 19th from 6:30-8:30pm. Proceeds from the wine sales benefit AFAC. We hope to see you there!

Arlington Central Library Garden
It is not too late to plant an extra row for AFAC clients. Tonight, Thursday, August 19th at 7pm, Master Gardener Henry Staples will discuss “Container Gardening: Discover how to grow flowers, herbs, and vegetables successfully even in small spaces, such as a balcony, patio or deck.” Produce from the Library’s Community Garden, located near the east doors facing the tennis courts, is being donated to AFAC.

Join AFAC at the Arlington County Fair!
Between the go-cart and ferris wheel rides, please stop by the AFAC booth and visit us. Spin AFAC’s Wheel of Fortune and win a prize. Buy an AFAC Plot Against Hunger t-shirt or a re-purposed tote made from rice bags. The indoor booths are open from 7pm Thursday, August 19th through 5pm Sunday, August 22nd. For more information on the fair, please visit http://arlingtoncountyfair.us/.

Come Tour AFAC on Wednesday, September 1, 6:30pm
Have you been thinking about volunteering at AFAC? Have you wondered where your donations are being used? Do you volunteer for AFAC at another site and want to see the warehouse and office? If so, please join us for a short tour on Wednesday, September 1st at 6:30pm. After the tour, we’ll join the volunteers bagging groceries. The tour and bagging will end by 7:30pm. Please let us know if you plan to come by emailing us at volunteer4afac@afac.org.

AFAC Info, August 19, 2010

Client Focus Group
On Tuesday, August 24th, 12:30-3:00pm, we will be conducting our next Client Focus Group. We need volunteers who can help take notes during the Focus Group (Spanish speakers a plus!). Please contact mona.bormet@afac.org if you can help out.

Gleaning this Saturday
Join AFAC Volunteers as they pick crops with the Mid-Atlantic Gleaning Network (MAGNET) at Miller Farm in Clinton, Maryland this coming Saturday morning. Miller Farm is a 45 minute drive from Arlington and MAGNET is AFAC’s largest donor of fresh produce. Contact Susan Callegari for details of this trip.

Wednesday Morning Volunteers needed
Join the Wednesday morning distribution team. You’ll help clients check-in and pick out groceries, or help sort through food in the warehouse. Volunteer hours are 9:30am-12:30pm. You will be needed once a week on an ongoing basis. You should be able to stand for 3 hours and lift 20-30 pounds.

We are also looking for someone to pick up bread in North Arlington (off Kirkwood Street) and deliver it to AFAC on Wednesday mornings. We often have 8 heavy bags so you should be able to lift 20 pounds and have room in your vehicle. Please email us at volunteer4afac@afac.com if you’d like to volunteer.

Client Surveys
Our next round of surveys takes place the week of August 30-September 4th. We need Spanish speaking volunteers at AFAC distribution sites to help clients fill out survey forms. Please contact mona.bormet@afac.org if you are available to help on:
Monday, August 30th: 9:30am-12:30pm
Thursday, September 2nd: 9:30am-12:30pm
Saturday, September 4th: 8:30am-11am

From Farm to Table for AFAC Clients
Are you a cook and lover of healthy food? Help bring AFAC’s abundant summer produce to our clients’ tables! AFAC is now holding cooking demonstrations and tastings using summer vegetables twice weekly during morning distribution. Volunteer cooks and Spanish translators are needed to help teach our clients new, simple, delicious and healthy ways to cook summer vegetables. This past week, Chef Bridget made “fresh corn sauted with tomatoes, squash and fried okra.” Spanish translators are also needed to translate recipes. Please contact Amy Garcia (acj4e@yahoo.com) for more information and if you are interested in volunteering.

Tour AFAC during Hunger Action Month: AFAC Info, August 19, 2010

September is Hunger Action Month! Please mark your calendars to join us Thursday, September 2nd, 6:30-8:30pm at Busboys and Poets in Shirlington for our Hunger Action Month Kick-Off. There will be live music, poetry and information on how you can help fight hunger in our community. Admission is a $10 donation to AFAC and a non-perishable food item.

Our website has a list of ways you can help during September. We welcome individuals, couples, families, companies, congregations, and schools — anyone can choose an action item(s) and do something about hunger in Arlington.

By the way, if you haven’t visited our website lately, check it out — it’s new and improved! We hope you like the new design.
This Monday morning, our coolers were filled to the brim with produce. Over the weekend, AFAC volunteers gleaned 3,700 pounds of corn from USDA fields in College Park; others brought back and repackaged over 2,000 pounds of fruit and vegetable donations from the Courthouse and Columbia Pike farmers’ markets. Other volunteers planted 300 feet of cabbage and broccoli seedlings which will be tended and delivered to AFAC by Meg Birney, a college professor who farms as an avocation in Faquier County, Va. Thank you to everyone who participated — your efforts at bringing healthy, fresh produce to our clients are greatly appreciated.
Charlie

Charles Meng
Acting Executive Director
703.845.8486
Charles.Meng@afac.org
http://www.afac.org

AFAC Info, August 12, 2010

Volunteer With Us

Join AFAC as we go glean!
USDA will be opening up 2 acres of corn for AFAC gleaners this Saturday morning, August 14th. If you are interested in carpooling to USDA Beltsville, MD and joining our group, please contact puwen.lee@afac.org as soon as possible.

8 volunteers still needed for the Arlington County Fair.
AFAC needs volunteers to represent us at the AFAC booth. If you are available to help on:
Thursday, August 19th: 6-8pm,
Saturday, August 21st: 10am-Noon, Noon-2pm, 6-8pm or 8-10pm, or on
Sunday, August 22nd: 10am-Noon or 2-4pm, please contact volunteer4afac@afac.org

Client Surveys
Our next round of surveys takes place the week of August 30-September 4th. We need volunteers at AFAC distribution sites to help clients fill out survey forms. Please contact mona.bormet@afac.org if you can help out August 30th-September 4th.

Squash Fritters!
AFAC is now holding cooking demonstrations and tastings twice weekly during weekday morning food distribution. Last Thursday morning, our volunteer cook and translator served delicious squash fritters to our clients, to encourage clients to use the abundant fresh vegetables and fruits and to introduce a different way to use the milk and eggs they receive each week. Volunteer cooks and Spanish translators are needed for the cooking demonstrations to help teach our clients simple, delicious and healthy ways to cook fresh summer vegetables. Spanish translators are also needed to translate recipes. Please contact Amy Garcia (acj4e@yahoo.com) for more information or if you are interested in volunteering.

AFAC Info, August 12, 2010

Upcoming Events

The Lovejoy Group tonight at the Village at Shirlington’s Jazz Series
Come and enjoy the music and wine tastings tonight and next Thursday (August 12th and 19th) from 6:30-8:30pm. Proceeds from the wine sales benefit AFAC. Click here to see the full music schedule. We hope to see you there!

Arlington Central Library Garden
Next Thursday, August 19th at 7pm, Master Gardener Henry Staples will discuss “Container Gardening: Discover how to grow flowers, herbs, and vegetables successfully even in small spaces, such as a balcony, patio or deck.” Produce from the Library’s Community Garden, located near the east doors facing the tennis courts, is being donated to AFAC.

Hunger Action Month: AFAC Info, August 12, 2010

Hello Everyone.

September is Hunger Action Month and an opportunity for all of us to focus on the problem of hunger in our community. Our website has a list of ways you can help during September. We welcome individuals, couples, families, companies, congregations, and schools – anyone can choose an action item(s) and do something about hunger in Arlington.

Please mark your calendars to join us Thursday, September 2nd (time to be announced soon) at Busboys and Poets in Shirlington for our Hunger Action Month Kick-Off. There will be live music, poetry and information on how you can help fight hunger in our community. Admission is a $10 donation to AFAC and a non-perishable item. For more information, please visit Hunger Action Month on AFAC’s new website, http://www.afac.org

Client Numbers

Since the beginning of July, 2010 our client count numbers have shown a steady increase due to two factors. The first is the opening of two new distribution sites at senior living facilities in the County. The distribution at Claridge House has grown from an initial 84 clients to 125 clients within one month while the new Hunter’s Park site started with 35 clients and has grown to 52 clients. The second factor is that the number of clients coming to our main daily distribution at South Nelson St. has shown an increase from 740 clients at the beginning of the month to 902 at the end.

There is some anecdotal information that the numbers increase through the month as individuals use their food stamps and must rely on AFAC as the month winds down. However, the pattern of the numbers in past months do not support that case. One conclusion that can be made is that whatever recovery is being seen in the economy, it is very shallow and has yet to benefit many of our clients. Indeed, comparing the weekly average number of clients served in July 2009, there has been a 6.2% increase from 1112 clients to an average of 1181 in July 2010. Unfortunately, the economy remains the single most important determinative of our numbers.

Thank You

Thank you for all that you do for AFAC.
Charlie

Charles Meng
Acting Executive Director
703.845.8486
Charles.Meng@afac.org
http://www.afac.org

AFAC Info, August 5, 2010

Saturday morning fun for the whole family.
Go gleaning for AFAC. What’s gleaning? Basically, it is helping pick crops at local farms that will be donated to our clients at AFAC. We are looking for gleaners for Saturdays August 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th between 7am and Noon. This is a great activity for groups and families. To sign up, please contact Susan Callegari (masoncal@mac.com), AFAC’s Gleaning Coordinator.

Start your day right!
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Help our clients start out right by holding a cereal drive for AFAC. Food drives have slowed down this summer. Please consider holding a cereal drive for AFAC or purchasing 4 boxes of cereal for 4 other families. The AFAC website has some ideas for how your business, club, neighborhood, or a group of kids can have fun while helping our clients receive nutritious and needed breakfast items.

Crates of Cucumbers?
If you are growing more than you can eat, please donate your surplus harvests to us. Are you a member of a CSA and can’t use all those vegetables? Please bring your produce to AFAC, 2708 S. Nelson Street, M-F, 9am-5pm. We also have two weekend drop-off points. Look for the cooler by the Master Gardeners Help Table at the Courthouse Farmers Market on Saturday mornings. Rock Spring UCC Church, 5010 Little Falls Road, has a cooler by the church office door every Sunday morning, 9am-1pm.

Charlie

Charles Meng
Acting Executive Director
703.845.8486
Charles.Meng@afac.org
http://www.afac.org