Featuring top restaurateur panel, food samplings and reveal of the region’s MVPs from the past 30 years.

Happening Wednesday, June 20, 2012
5 pm-8 pm

Location
Marketplace Design Center
2400 Market Street.

*$5 of every ticket benefits Philabundance. First 150 registered guests receive a VIP gift bag!

Schedule
5 pm-6 pm – Registration, top restaurateur panel discussion and awards program
6 pm – 8 pm – Food tasting of the region’s finest restaurants.

Register Here

When 88-year-old Miriam Boss fell face-first in her home late last year, she was rushed, frightened and alone, to the Aria Health hospital in Torresdale, near her condo.

She told the doctors tending to her bruised forehead she had been feeling faint lately, and had fallen several times before, though the reason was a mystery to her.

Not to the doctors. Like a growing number of senior citizens in America, Boss wasn’t getting the proper amount of food, and weakness from hunger was causing the falls.

“I hadn’t realized that I wasn’t eating enough,” said Boss, a divorced former owner of a children’s clothing store in North Philadelphia. “When the cupboard’s bare, there’s not much to do.”

Boss is emblematic of a harsh and troubling trend: There was a nearly 80 percent increase in the number of seniors experiencing hunger in America between 2001 and 2010, according to new report compiled for the Meals on Wheels Research Foundation in Alexandria, Va. The foundation is part of the Meals on Wheels Association of America, the oldest and largest national organization devoted to senior nutrition.

According to the report, around 8.3 million seniors — Americans 60 and older — “face the threat of hunger.” That’s a specific term used by researchers meaning seniors who were polled as part of the Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey expressed anxiety about not having enough food, or on occasion didn’t have enough food, or sometimes skipped meals because of lack of money.

Overall, the research shows, nearly 15 percent of seniors nationwide, or more than one in seven, experienced hunger in 2010. In contrast, one in nine experienced hunger in 2005, according to economist James Ziliak, coauthor of the Meals on Wheels report and director of the Center for Poverty Research at the University of Kentucky. Craig Gundersen, an economist from the University of Illinois, was the other author.

In Pennsylvania, just under 15 percent of seniors — the national average — experienced hunger in 2010. In New Jersey, it was around 12 percent.

“The surprise was that things got worse for seniors,” Ziliak said. “One in seven is an astounding figure.” For African Americans, a large percentage of whom live in poverty, the chances that a senior experienced hunger was 132 percent higher than for a white senior, the report showed.

And the report teased out another startling fact: Seniors living with grandchildren were at least 50 percent more likely to experience hunger than those who didn’t. Ziliak believes seniors tend to sacrifice their own food so their grandchildren can eat.

In Philadelphia, about 22,000 seniors, or 8 percent of the senior population, reported cutting out meals due to lack of money, according to Allen Glicksman, director of research for the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging. Meanwhile, research from the Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger shows that 48,000 seniors received food from Philadelphia food pantries in fiscal year 2011.

The reasons seniors are hungry are myriad and complex.

In a hard-time economy, people on fixed incomes have extreme difficulty paying for ever more costly food, especially when they must lay out precious dollars for medication and other vital expenses, said Sandy Fryer, director of a Meals on Wheels program in Conshohocken.

That’s the problem for Georginna Bailey, 61, of Williamstown, Gloucester County, who has grown accustomed to eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for dinner. “If I have to eat bread and sugar water to survive, I will,” said Bailey, a disabled former bus driver. “I shop the dollar store, or I do without.”For some low-income seniors, their difficulties are compounded by not being able to get to a store to buy food, said Lori Shmukler, president of Homeline Inc., which manages a Meals on Wheels program in Mount Airy. “We see people who can’t drive, can’t carry groceries, and can’t put food away once it’s in the house because they have arthritis,” Shmukler said.

Seniors also forget to eat, or are disabled, Ziliak said.

Pat Smith, 84, of Doylestown, said her $744 monthly Social Security check runs out several days before the month does. “So I just eat cereal for dinner on those nights,” said Smith, who is divorced and lives alone.

Food stamps would help seniors tremendously, but people born in 1952 and before simply have a hard time accepting that kind of help, noted Ginger Zielinskie, executive director of Benefits Data Trust, a Center City nonprofit that helps low-income people access benefits.

“First and foremost, low-income seniors don’t know they’re eligible,” Zielinskie said. “And there’s a stigma among seniors regarding food stamps.”

Is there ever, Smith said. “You read so much about people living off the government and not being independent,” she said. “And I don’t like it. It pushes you back into the shell a little more.”

Smith finally accepted a social worker’s pleadings to get help, and now she receives $145 a month in food stamps, called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. But she’s reticent about it. “I haven’t even told two of my three children I’m on food stamps,” she added.

Boss, too, had a hard time accepting her $140 monthly SNAP benefits, which she reluctantly applied for after her hospital stay. “Suddenly, I’m begging?” Boss said. “It’s still charity and it still hurts.”

Only 30 percent of eligible seniors access SNAP nationwide, Ziliak said.

Making things still harder for seniors is that SNAP can be difficult to apply for, noted Enid Borden, president of Meals on Wheels. “I proposed to the government to simplify this onerous system,” Borden said.

Ultimately, being old and hungry is a hard way to live, Boss will tell you. “I never thought anything like this would happen to me,” she said. “I have a daughter and grandchildren and great-grandchildren in Connecticut. They call me and try to make me happy, but they don’t know I’m hungry. It’s nothing I’m bragging about. But if I can help even one senior lady get food stamps and find peace in her life, it would make me happy.”

Contact staff writer Alfred Lubrano at 215-854-4969 or alubrano@phillynews.com.

Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/health/20120514_Hunger_among_senior_citizens_continues_to_rise.html#ixzz1ur4Ah4jI
Watch sports videos you won’t find anywhere else

Most of the estimated 1.5 million people graduating from a four-year college this spring will soon be looking for a job.

If the experiences of other recent college grads are any guide, many will be disappointed.

A new Rutgers University survey of those who graduated from college between 2006 and 2011 finds that just half of those grads are working full time.

Settling For Part Time

“I thought I wasn’t going to get a job,” says Caitlin LaCour, who entered Columbia College Chicago the year the most recent recession began. By the time she graduated in 2011, she says, “I was happy to have one part-time job.”

LaCour also felt lucky that the job, doing promotions for a Chicago radio station, related to her major in radio production. But she earns just $10 an hour. By the time she had to start making payments on her $100,000 student loan debt, LaCour realized her paycheck would not be nearly enough.

She took on a second part-time job at a shoe store, and then a third, also at the radio station.

“I got addicted to working,” LaCour says. “I just burned myself out, because I didn’t want to have to worry about not being able to pay my loans.”

LaCour must pay more than $700 each month in student loans, and the only way she can make the payments is by living rent-free with her parents.

It’s a situation that’s come to symbolize graduating post-recession.

More Have Debt Than Have Jobs

“More come out with debt than come out with jobs,” says Cliff Zukin, a senior research fellow with the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University.

The center’s new study finds that 6 in 10 students take on debt — more than $20,000 on average — even as a lack of jobs leaves them less able to pay it back.

“In the data,” Zukin says, “there’s certainly a suggestion that the American dream has stopped at these guys’ doorstep.”

Zukin says nearly half of college graduates with full-time work are in jobs that don’t require a college degree. And very few respondents say their first job will lead to a career. In fact, one-third of recent college grads say they no longer believe education combined with hard work will necessarily lead to success.

“They don’t even see in the foreseeable future a secure job, a comfortable income, starting a family,” he says. “And even more — 45 percent — do not see owning a home at any point in the near future.”

Moreover, Zukin notes, this survey depicts the “cream of the crop” — the minority of young Americans who go to college. Unemployment is far higher among those who don’t.

Long-Term Impact

The Rutgers study finds that one-fifth of recent college grads have gone back to school — where many are now accumulating more debt.

Meanwhile, those respondents who got jobs since the recession began are making less than their peers who graduated in 2006 and 2007.

The difference amounts to “about 10 percent lower earnings,” says Columbia University economist Till von Wachter. His research indicates that the depressed earnings can last a decade or more, although that effect can vary.

An engineering grad from a top school, for example, can job-hop and get back to a higher earning level in three or four years, von Wachter says. But “students who come from smaller, less-well-known schools and have majors such as humanities or arts — they tend to have depressed career paths lasting for a very long time.”

Indeed, given the current job market, many respondents to the Rutgers survey now say they wish they had majored in something else.

Researcher Cliff Zukin wonders if it’s the end of the happy, self-confident “millennial generation.”

But while the Rutgers study may be sobering, many recent grads still retain a sense of optimism.

“I love the people I work with. I love my customers. I’m a people person,” says Tiffany Conner, who graduated in 2009 and is now working, by choice, in two part-time retail jobs.

After college, Conner landed a full-time job in her field of marketing. But the work didn’t make her happy, so she quit and moved back in with her parents in Wisconsin to figure out something else.

Conner’s focus now is paying down her student loan and credit card debt.

“Debt is just one of those pieces of life, and being miserable about it isn’t good either,” Conner laughs. “So, keep my head up high, I guess. Keep plugging away, and I have nothing to be ashamed of.”

After all, she knows she has plenty of company.

June 9, 2012

A craft beer and food festival that pairs food from restaurants of Manayunk with over 60 craft beers from around the world.

Proceeds Benefit Philabundance & P.A.W.S.

LOCATION
The event will take place on levering street and in parking lot “C” (main & levering streets)

TIME
Afternoon Session: 2:00PM – 5:00PM
Evening Session: 6:00PM – 9:00PM

COST
General Admission Ticket $50
Includes: 3 hours unlimited access to over 60 craft beers and food from Manayunk restaurants.

VIP Admission ticket $75
Includes: 3 hours unlimited access to over 60 craft beers and food from Manayunk restaurants, along with a VIP Gift Bag with souvenir t-shirt, coupons from participating restaurants, and access to the VIP Area with exclusive craft beer and food pairings.

Designated Drivers $30

Get Your Tickets Online or at Participating Restaurants Listed Here

This year, Eric Rothschild’s 2nd annual basketball-a-thon, Basketball for the Planet, will be benefiting Philabundance.

Last year ‘Basketball for the Planet’ raised $2500. This year’s goal is $5,000.

COST
Fee to participate: $10
Paid on the day of the event

*Extra donations are appreciated
Please also bring canned goods for Philabundance

LOCATION
South Ardmore Park
Ardmore, PA

SCHEDULE
10 A.M. The Biggest Knockout Game EVER.
11 A.M. Elementary school age 3 on 3 tournament and free throw shooting competition.
12 P.M. All comers 1 on 1 to 1 Tournament.
1  P.M. 3 on 3 Tournament  7th-9th grade.  Teams will be randomly selected.
2 P.M. 3 point shooting contest.

For information or donations, email Eric Rothschild

In this article the myth-or-monster of the “food desert” is debunked by new studies claiming no causal relationship between food access and health – that is, the length one travels to a grocery store has no bearing on one’s ability (or lack thereof) to eat the food that store offers. The shocking realization that people living within half a mile of a Pathmark still suffer from obesity has turned this build-it-and-they-will-come movement on its head. While Michelle makes a valid point that neighborhoods lacking food outlets that don’t have a drive-thru need more whole food options, these new studies also speak the truth that proximity does not always equal access.

The old adage, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink” rings true, especially when the horse in question has been taught that water isn’t for him – it’s for richer, more affluent horses that live in nicer stables. The big problem with these studies, whether they support or disprove that a lack of access equals a lack of adequate nutrition, is that they are attempting to give one convenient answer to a very complicated, uncomfortable question. You can find causality in anything – ten minutes surfing the internet will uncover the horrifying yet factually sound exclamation that sitting down, for ANY period of time, will kill you. While it may be true that those who die prematurely also sat down at some point in their lives, it does not isolate that sitting equals death.

Those involved in the conversation about the health of Americans in “food deserts” or elsewhere should know that while proximity to a farmer’s market is a factor, so is class division. So is a lack of education, in everything from nutrition to sexual health. So are innate personality traits like pride and stubbornness – the two things stopping the big talkers in this argument from admitting to the fact that while blaming this endemic on outside forces is convenient, our health is our problem, which means a lack thereof is also our fault.

Related Article: Food Desert Debate Heats Up With Mari Gallagher’s Response to the New York Time’s Article via the Chicago Tribune

Hunger lives in unexpected places.

In fact, there isn’t a county in America that’s free of it, according to Elaine Waxman, vice president of Feeding America, a national umbrella organization for more than 200 regional food banks.

That can make it tough for advocates who want to help people low on food, even in “nice” places such as Montgomery County, Waxman said Thursday at the “Beyond Hunger” conference in Center City.

“It’s a difficult conversation to have with people who don’t want to see hunger where they live,” she added.

Waxman and others gathered as part of the first national antihunger conference held in Philadelphia. It’s being run by the Center for Hunger-Free Communities at Drexel University’s School of Public Health.

More than 325 people are attending the conference, which mixes academics, antipoverty advocates, philanthropists, and people from low-income communities across the country. It runs until Friday at the Doubletree Hilton Hotel on South Broad Street.

Joining Waxman in a session titled “There Is No Hunger Here” was Patrick Druhan, director of food resources and nutrition at the Montgomery County Community Action Development Commission.

“In a county like Montgomery, there should be no hunger, and yet we have it,” Druhan said.

Nearly 11 percent of the county is “food insecure,” which describes people who don’t always have enough food during the year to live active, healthy lives. That translates into 83,000 people.

In comparison, 22 percent of Philadelphia is food-insecure, which represents 331,000 people.

Hunger is also part of Chester County, listed as the 24th wealthiest county in America, according to Phoebe Kitson-Davis, program manager of the Chester County Food Bank.

“You would think we shouldn’t have to worry about food insecurity,” she said, adding that 9 percent of Chester County children under 18 live in poverty.

In recent years, the number of people accessing county food cupboards has increased as much as 60 percent, Kitson-Davis said.

When a child in a suburban school is lethargic, frequently ill, or having academic trouble, most people don’t think to ask, “Are you hungry?” she said. “But many of the families we’re working with are hungry and nutritionally deficient.”

Kitson-Davis said she and other advocates were trying to get farmers in the county to grow more food for the poor.

In communities considered well-off, being hungry can be humiliating.

Betty Burton, who runs Serving Hands, a food-distribution agency in Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts, knows firsthand how hard it is for a person in a community of rich neighbors who needs help feeding his or her family.

“People who work in the food pantry may have gone to school with people coming in for food,” Burton said. She’s seen people leave empty-handed in such circumstances. “They’d rather go home hungry than deal with people knowing they’re having trouble,” Burton said.

PHILADELPHIA, May 7, 2012 -Sunoco, Inc. (NYSE: SUN) is holding a major food drive for Philabundance and the Food Bank of Delaware at the Dover International Speedway from June 1 to June 3 during the upcoming NASCAR race weekend.  Sunoco’s food drive comes during a time when hunger relief organizations are seeing a record number of people coming to them for food.

Throughout the weekend, NASCAR fans are encouraged to donate food and monetary donations to volunteers located at various locations on Speedway grounds. Each day of the race weekend, Sunoco is raffling off a $100 gas gift card for those who donate. Donations will be equally split between Philabundance and the Food Bank of Delaware. Here are some of the most needed items that can also be found at the Giant Food Store in RV Lot 10 off of Leipsic Road.

• Canned/ Shelf-stable tuna
• Macaroni and Cheese
• Canned Pasta
• Canned Beef Stew
• Canned Chili
• Soup
• Canned Beans
• Long Grain Rice
• Creamy Peanut Butter
• Jelly
• Canned Green Beans
• Canned Corn
• Canned Fruit
• Breakfast Cereal and Hot Cereal
• Juice Boxes

Feeding America, the national network of more than 200 food banks, released the 2010 Map the Meal Gap study showing that more than 153 million meals were missed by people in the Delaware Valley and in the state of Delaware in 2010 due to food insecurity. In the Delaware Valley, more than 133 million meals were missed. In Delaware, close to 20 million meals were missed.

Attendees can help drive out hunger by dropping off donations and pick up more information and giveaways at the following locations:
Drop off locations-

Friday:

• 10 am- 5 pm- FanZone
• 9 am-5 pm- RV Lot 10

Saturday:

• 9 am- 2 pm- FanZone
• 9 am-5 pm- RV Lot 10

Sunday:

• 7 am- 1pm- Lot 1
• 7 am- 1pm- FanZone
• 7 am-1 pm- RV Lot 10

Monday:

• 7 am-12 pm- RV Lot 10

NASCAR returns to the Monster Mile for the June 1-3, 2012 race weekend, featuring the June 3 “FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks” NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, the June 2 “5-hour ENERGY 200″ NASCAR Nationwide Series race and the June 1 “Lucas Oil 200″ NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race. For tickets or more information, call 800-441-RACE or visit DoverSpeedway.com.

“We are excited to partner with Philabundance and the Food Bank of Delaware in this major effort to collect food and raise awareness for hunger relief in the Delaware valley,” said Ruth Clauser, president of the Sunoco Foundation. “With tens of thousands of fans expected to visit Dover International Speedway for three separate race days June 1 through June 3, we hope to raise a significant amount of food supplies.”

“For families in need, summer months are not carefree because of the higher grocery bills that result when kids no longer get school breakfast and lunches available during the school year. Summer months can create a dilemma for thousands of families trying to put three meals on the table every day,” said Bill Clark, president and executive director of Philabundance. “We are happy to partner with the Food Bank of Delaware, Sunoco and Dover International Speedway to help stock the shelves with food to meet the growing need at this critical time.”

“We’re proud to be partnering with Sunoco, Philabundance and Dover International Speedway on this critical food drive,” said Food Bank of Delaware president and CEO Patricia Beebe. “With one in six Americans depending on emergency food assistance, and more than 25 percent of Delawareans, resources are needed now more than ever. Heightened awareness of the issues of hunger will allow us help address the needs facing so many in our communities.”

Sunoco has partnered with Philabundance since 1993. Sunoco has contributed more than $750,000 in fuel to Philabundance since 2005. The fuel is used to fill Philabundance’s fleet of trucks which travel about 16,000 miles a month, 192,000 miles a year. Safe and vital communities are the key to thriving neighborhoods and a healthy business environment. To help ensure our communities remain strong, Sunoco partners with local organizations to provide assistance to those most in need. Sunoco has given over one million dollars’ worth of fuel through in-kind and cash donations to local agencies such as Philabundance and the American Red Cross.

The Food Bank of Delaware distributes between seven and 10 million pounds of food and grocery products each year its network of 475 hunger-relief program partners throughout the state and also provides thousands of meals a month for children through the After-School Feeding Program, the Summer Food Service Program and the Backpack Program. The Food Bank’s hunger-relief programs directly provide for 241,600 Delawareans at risk of going without meals each year. For more information about the Food Bank of Delaware, visit www.fbd.org or call (302) 292-1305.

Philabundance reduces hunger and food insecurity in the Delaware Valley by providing food access to people in need in partnership with organizations and individuals. Philabundance provides a full plate of services through direct service programs and a network of close to 500 member agencies in 9 counties. Philabundance serves approximately 65,000 people per week at a cost of 50 cents per meal. There are more than 900,000 people in the Delaware Valley who are at risk for chronic hunger and malnutrition. In 2011, Philabundance distributed 21 million pounds of food. For more information about Philabundance, visit www.philabundance.org or call 215-339-0900. Visit us on Facebook, Facebook.com/Philabundance and follow us on Twitter, Twitter.com/Philabundance. If you or someone you know is in need of food assistance, please call Philabundance’s Food Help Line, 800-319-Food (3663).

NASCAR returns to the Monster Mile for the June 1-3, 2012 race weekend, featuring the June 3 “FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks” NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, the June 2 “5-hour ENERGY 200″ NASCAR Nationwide Series race and the June 1 “Lucas Oil 200″ NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race. For tickets or more information, call 800-441-RACE or visit DoverSpeedway.com.

In addition to Sunoco’s direct corporate giving, The Sunoco Foundation disburses separate charitable dollars within our communities where Sunoco has a presence. Through targeted grants, we partner with a diverse group of nonprofit organizations that share our vision to leverage our investments with a core focus in the areas of education, civic and economic empowerment, arts and culture, and health and human services.

Who doesn’t love cupcakes? This year’s Cupcake Smash at the Piazza at Schmidts, hosted by Philabundance, brought out tons of local foodies, sponsors, and brilliant bakers with one goal in mind – feeding the hungry while getting their sweet tooth on!

100% of the proceeds went directly to Philabundance, Delaware Valley’s largest relief organization with a mission to fight hunger. With joint efforts and enthusiasm from sponsors including PYT, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Barefoot, St. Germain, and Radio 104.5, over 12,000 meals were raised for hungry families.

Now, onto the crazy cupcakes! The competition this year was fierce, with both professional and amateur bakers being judged by a panel of serious cupcake enthusiasts: Tommy Up, Wendy Rollins, Leah Kauffman, Tony Luke Jr., and Drew Lazor. Over 27 talented bakers went head to head by creating cupcake concoctions inspired by PYT’s fun and funky menu.  With unique ingredients like fried pickles, tater tots, bacon, caramelized onions, jalapeño peppers, and fruit loops, cupcake cravers were left satisfied with tingling taste buds.

And the winners are:

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD
That’s Forking Good – “Fruit Loopy Cupcake”
inspired by PYT’s “Adult Cereal”

JUDGE’S CHOICE – AMATEUR
Batter Up Baker – “Chocolate Covered Pretzel”
inspired by PYT’s “John Toffey Crunch Adult Shake”

JUDGE’S CHOICE – PROFESSIONAL
AMR Catering – “Pretzel.Toffee.Crunch.Buzz.”
inspired by PYT’s “John Toffey Crunch Adult Shake”

The “Pretzel.Toffee.Crunch.Buzz” cupcake will be featured on the PYT menu throughout the month of May, so make sure you hit up Northern Liberties and indulge in a delicious, prize-winning dessert! Philabundance is hoping to bring together the foodie community with more great events like this one to provide much needed hunger relief.

Click Here to Download Our Family Volunteer Night Flier

Join us for another round of Family Volunteer Night. It’s not always easy to pencil in family time between after-school activities, appointments and the million other things going on in life. Make an exception and plan some family bonding time while fighting hunger!

When
Tuesday, May 8th
6pm to 8:00pm
If you arrive @ 5:30pm, we’ll have pizza and games!

Location
Our Hunger Relief Center
3616 South Galloway Street
Philadelphia, PA

Important Details
Children younger than 8 will be doing a craft project while all other children can help with a food packing project.

To reserve your spot, contact Jan at jbarnett@philabundance.org. Please indicate number of volunteers and ages of any children attending.