Blog

Written by Lindsey Ricker, Member Relations Assistant Manager Each year Feeding America, a network comprised of 200 food banks across the country, hosts several conferences focusing on different aspects of our industry. Food bankers gather to discuss best practices and strategies that will help us further our collective mission to end hunger. Last month, thanks to the generosity of American Airlines, I was fortunate enough to fly to Chicago and attend Feeding America’s three-day Agency Capacity, Program, and Nutrition conference. I heard from awe-inspiring keynote speakers, attended a variety of breakout sessions and was able to network with my peers who are ...

“[Voting] is your responsibility. If you want a free country, you got to speak up. If you don’t speak up, how do the representatives and senators know what to do? It’s not just a responsibility, it’s a privilege. We have a lot of say and we don’t use it” –Margaret, Philabundance Fresh For All Client Tuesday, September 27, is National Voter Registration Day—are you registered to vote? In light of the upcoming presidential election, we have partnered with POWER and The League of Women Voters to ensure our clients and Fare & Square customers are registered to vote. Only 54% of voters with ...

Growing up in Philadelphia, Annette remembers her parents always welcoming friends and family to share a meal in their home if they ever wanted or needed it. Her father, a construction worker and a man of very few words, would say, “you eat what we eat,” which meant they were welcome to whatever was in their cupboard. Annette says she was raised to always do what is right; and for her, volunteering to end hunger in the Delaware Valley is not only right, but also necessary. “Even though you don’t always see it, the people who volunteers help really are right here,” ...

Standing in a hallway stacked with 28-ounce cans of yams and crushed tomatoes at Philabundance Community Kitchen (PCK), State Representative Donna Bullock, D-Phila., whose district is home to PCK, shared that at one point she was on the other side of a soup kitchen. PCK promotes the self-sufficiency of low-income adults through culinary arts while also supplying critically needed meals to agencies and area emergency kitchens, like the ones Rep. Bullock attended as a child. She recalls shuffling across town with her mother and grandmother to get food from soup kitchens and food pantries; in an effort to provide for the ...

KidsBites LunchBox Intern Kayla Schieber shares her experience supporting our communities this summer: On one of my first days a client said, “Bless you for being here” to me, which was something I never heard at any of my previous jobs. That was just the first of many examples of how I learned the impact Philabundance has in the community! My name is Kayla and this summer I interned with Philabundance to help run the KidsBites LunchBox program, an initiative to help fill the Delaware Valley’s crucial summer meal gap by offering free and nutritious lunches to kids under 18-years-old, from May ...

When Philabundance Community Kitchen (PCK) Chef Hugo teaches students to make this simple recipe, he always reminds them that cutting a pineapple starts with the core. "Make sure to cut the core out of the pineapple," says Chef. "If not, it can be tough and stringy." Keeping in mind this pro-tip, try our sweet recipe out and share your pictures with us! Ingredients (Serves 9) 1 sliced or diced pineapple 1/4 cup butter or margarine 2/3 cup packed brown sugar 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup granulated sugar 1/3 cup shortening or butter 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt, none if using salted butter 3/4 cup milk 1 ...

September is Hunger Action Month – a time when we raise awareness about the prevalence of hunger in our area. Here, one in four people face hunger, while nationally the number is one in seven. We encourage you to take action by giving time, money or food — or spread the word that hunger is a dire issue and urge others to join in helping to solve it. As kids begin a new school year, free and reduced-price meals are once again available in the cafeteria. However, having enough to eat on evenings, weekends and holidays remains a struggle for many ...

This fall, Yesica, 9, will be entering fifth grade.* She and her two siblings just can’t wait to meet their new teachers and see their friends again after the long summer break. Yesica is especially excited about school this year, as she recently decided she wants to be a therapist when she grows up, and knows that doing well in school is the first step in meeting her dream. But she won’t succeed in her classes without regular access to healthy food. Fortunately, Yesica can depend on breakfast and lunch each weekday through the free meal program at school. But during evenings ...

This fall, Nadia is beginning fourth grade at Lowell Elementary. She’s giddy with excitement about the new school year. In order to succeed in the classroom, Nadia needs regular access to healthy food — including plenty of fruits and vegetables — to help her focus. But sometimes, she and her siblings are at risk of missing meals, as their grandparents are raising them on a very tight budget. Nadia’s grandmother, Antonette, says stretching her husband’s paycheck from his maintenance job to include rent, utilities and enough healthy food for her grandchildren can be a challenge. Antonette can often only afford cheaper, less-nutritious ...

Each time you give to Philabundance, you’re doing so much more than providing food — you’re giving hope to children and families in the Delaware Valley. Al’s story is just one example of how your generosity affects the lives of those struggling to put food on the table this fall. Al and Victoria are caring parents to four school-aged children — their youngest, Taylor, 11, just started sixth grade.* Al is constantly concerned about his kids’ performance in the classroom. He knows they need healthy food to be able to focus on their studies, but lately, it’s been difficult to afford ...