Volunteer Bulletin

November 19, 2010

Hello Dear FOOD Share Volunteers,
 

On November 15, 2010 the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service
released its annual study measuring food
security in the United States, Household Food Security in the United States, 2009. 
 
This report is based on data from the December 2009 food security survey which provides the most recent statistics on the food security of U.S. households, how much households spent on food, and the extent to which food insecure households participated in federal and community food assistance programs.

Here are some key highlights I wanted to share with you all:

• In 2009, 50.2 million (16.6%) Americans lived in food insecure households. 
• In 2009, 17.4 million (14.7 %) American households were food insecure.  
• In 2009, 8.4 million (21.3%) households with children were living in food insecure households.   
• In 2009, 17.2 million (23.2%) children were living in food insecure households. 
• In 2009, 2.2 million (7.5%) households with seniors were living in food insecure households.
• In 2009, 884,000 (7.8%) seniors living alone were living in food insecure households.

So what does this sobering picture look like here in Ventura County?

In the last two years FOOD Share went from helping 41,000 to 54,700 to now over 61,000 children, seniors and families with food.  The numbers of those needing our help is still growing and we co not have increased our service by 50% in the last two years without you, our Volunteers.  The over 4,000 hour a month that your provide to FOOD Share has allowed us each day to live our mission and provide food to as many hungry neighbors and friends as we can with the help of over 150 non-profits in every corner of the County.

During this time of Thanksgiving your FS staff, the Board of Directors, any myself want you to know how much we value you and how deeply grateful we are to every one of you.  Thanks to you; our FOOD Share Family of Volunteers.  Together we can eliminate hunger in Ventura County.

Wishing you all good things,

 -Bonnie

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November 5, 2010

Dear Volunteer,

This newsletter is one of our new ways for communicating with you and keeping you 'in the loop'. It is important that each and every one of you know as much as possible about the goings on at FOOD Share... because each and every one of you is important to FOOD Share and the more informed you are, the easier your job will be.

I would like to use this opportunity to reiterate some of the information that many/most (if not all) of you already know, so that we are all on the same page.

First of all, and extremely important, is our Mission Statement with which we all should be familiar:

"FOOD Share is dedicated to feeding, nourishing, and educating the hungry in Ventura County, educating the community on those who are hungry and why, and advocating a reduction into he root causes of hunger."

Some statistics and general information you might want to know:

• Ventura County has a county population of 810,000

• One out of 6 suffer from food insecurity

• One out of 5 of that population are children

• FOOD Share started 33 years ago in a garage to feed those in need

• FOOD Share currently serves approximately 61,000 people every month

• FOOD Share works in partnership with over 150 agencies to serve the hungry in our community

• FOOD Share as a staff of 350 people, of which 325 are volunteers

• Every dollar donated to FOOD Share equals $7.15 of purchasing power

• FOOD Share is a member of the California Association of Food Banks and of Feeding America (a network of 250 member food banks in the United States)

Please know that hunger has no biases; it affects everyone --- children seniors on fixed incomes, working families and our very own neighbors, families and friends.

Thank you,

Meg Horton
Volunteer Coordinator
FOOD Share, Inc.

805-983-7100 ext. 105

For volunteer opportunities click here.

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