Some nonprofits fail because they are unable to effectively communicate the results of their work. After graduating from college, I took a job as a social worker connecting low-income families to community resources like food pantries and temporary housing. Building close relationships with clients was time consuming, but I found it to be the most critical element to my success. Unfortunately, it is not easy to quantify the value of relationship building and shortly after I began my work, the program lost funding.

In the failure of the program, I saw opportunity. I went to graduate school and learned how nonprofits can clearly capture and communicate the vital impact they are making in the community on a daily basis.

This personal investment in impact measurement led me to the Capital Area Food Bank: a nonprofit explicitly dedicated to measuring its community impact. The CAFB works hard to capture data that conveys its accomplishments. On average, the food bank distributes 33 million pounds of food to over 700 community partners each year. This translates into meals for 480,000 community members in need each year.

The CAFB also tracks how its work impacts the well-being of each person struggling with hunger by measuring buy-in and support for healthy food, the strength of community networks, and the operating capacity of partner organizations.

Through impact measurement we will come to know as much about ourselves as we know about the communities we serve. This investment will open minds to new possibilities and doors to opportunity.

The post Investing in Impact appeared first on Capital Area Food Bank.

“I have learned that there are a lot of hungry people in our community and the economy is playing a big role. There are also a lot of giving and caring people that are willing to help,” Michael explained while unloading his truck one recent afternoon.

Every morning, Michael loads his truck to begin another day that is different from the last. Like all CAFB drivers, Michael’s job ranges greatly, meaning that he never follows the same route two days in a row. His responsibilities include, but are not limited to, delivering food donations to our partner agencies, providing support during food bank events, picking up food donations and distributing fresh produce at Mobile Food Pantries.

It is hard to believe that Michael’s favorite part of the job is not maneuvering his pallet jack or driving his 26-foot truck around the beltway, but instead, “I get to help make sure people that are in need get the food they need. I see people that are working and ask for food. One of the challenges we face as an organization is making sure that there is enough food for those that are hungry.”

When Michael is not in his truck or working hard in the CAFB distribution center, he can be found in his kitchen. His favorite food may be pasta, but he sure makes a mean chicken curry. If you are up early enough, you may catch Michael arriving to work with a cooler filled with delicious leftovers from the night before, always willing to share.

Michael Joseph is quite literally providing help where the rubber meets the road.

The post Feeling of Satisfaction is Michael’s Driving Force appeared first on Capital Area Food Bank.

Stepping into the Capital Area Food Bank is very similar to the chaotic yet joyous hustle and bustle that goes on in the malls, on the streets and in the super markets during this time of year. Hunger Lifeline phone is constantly ringing. We’re running around our office and warehouse, with so much cheer as we do our best to grant our clients with some of the things on their holiday wish lists. We realize that we may not be able to give Ms. Robinson that vacation she’s been wanting, but we can ensure that she will be able to have a full meal on Christmas day. Ms. Clayton may not be able to undue the fire that she and her children had to endure, but she has confidence knowing that she can call the Hunger lifeline and get help finding a warm meal to feel her babies’ bellies. And although, we may not be able to take Ms. Clark off of furlough from her job, she knows that she can count on us to help her fill her fridge so that when her children go there, they don’t find it empty.

Giving the gift of food to those families is the best feeling throughout the food bank. Every time we are successful in finding our clients a place that they can obtain food, it’s like Christmas morning. Every time we make a mobile pantry delivery, it’s Hanukah. Every time we get a grant that allows us to continue to uplift our community, we experience the holidays. So as long as our community needs us, we will be here to share the gift of food, because our community is a gift to us.

The post Giving the Gift of Food for the Holidays appeared first on Capital Area Food Bank.

Here at the Capital Area Food Bank, we are blessed with being the link between those who help, and those in need.

We also depend on the energy and expertise of our coordinators, who get food from our warehouse, into the kitchens of the seniors who need it most. Meet Barbara Minor, a community coordinator who has been working with the Brown Bag Program for more than seven years, and knows just how much low-income seniors appreciate the help they get.

This year, the Capital Area Food Bank has expanded its Thanksgiving program, known as Bringing in the Birds with Bucks, to include more seniors. Given that many seniors help support family members, we want to have enough food for their families as well.

We are asking for your generous contributions to help us reach our goal of providing a Thanksgiving meal to our wonderful senior citizens.

The post Brown Bag Stories: Coordinator Barbara Minor appeared first on Capital Area Food Bank.

This is the second year in a row that the First Family has volunteered its time and helped us feed our neighbors in need. We are truly grateful to the President and Mrs. Obama, Sasha and Malia and to the family and friends for making this a remarkable Thanksgiving by shining a light on the issue of hunger.

Today’s participants included:

• Summer Ridge Community Center
• Children of Mine, Inc., Washington, DC
• Jubilee at Southern Ridge
• SEED, Inc., Riverdale, MD
• Gospel Rescue Mission, Washington, DC
• Avondale/Manor Apartments, Hyattsville, MD
• Allen Chapel AME Church, Washington, DC
• Faith Tabernacle of Prayer, Washington, DC
• Shabach Emergency Resource & Empowerment Center, Landover, MD
• DC Office of Aging, Washington, DC

We are in the midst of a hunger crisis right here in the shadow of the nation’s capital and throughout the United States. More than 680,000 residents are struggling to get life’s most basic need – food. We recently had to move into a new, larger facility to meet the increased demand.

So when we sit down this Thanksgiving to a bounty of food, let us not forget the thousands among us who are struggling to get enough food to eat, not just at Thanksgiving, but throughout the year. A special thank you again to the President and the First Family for helping us in our mission to serve others ’til no one is hungry.

The post President and First Family Make Surprise Visit appeared first on Capital Area Food Bank.

Here at the Capital Area Food Bank, we are blessed with being the link between those who help, and those in need.

This year, the Capital Area Food Bank has expanded its Thanksgiving program, known as Bringing in the Birds with Bucks, to include more seniors. Given that many seniors help support family members, we want to have enough food for their families as well.

We are asking for your generous contributions to help us reach our goal of providing a Thanksgiving meal to our wonderful senior citizens.

The post Brown Bag Stories: Mary Weatherby appeared first on Capital Area Food Bank.

Seniors thankful for the groceries the food bank gives them are kind enough to share that food with friends and loved ones.

“I have my sons over when my food arrives! I’m thankful, and I share,” says Ramona Service, 75, who has been receiving groceries through the Brown Bag program for four years.

“It’s a lifesaver — it’s wonderful to have,” she says of the program which provides fresh produce, canned goods and dry food that will help her fill her pantry despite her low income.

Every year, most of the seniors in the program are also eligible for the generous Thanksgiving dinner which is delivered to their homes. The special delivery arrives well before Thanksgiving, with all the fixings for a delicious meal which DC-area recipients prepare for a special dinner at home.

“I share my Thanksgiving dinner with two seniors who live across the hall from me – they are 104 and 105 years old,” says Arabella Bussey, 57. She says she likes to be able to spend Thanksgiving with her neighbors, seeing as her children don’t live near her.

The special holiday meal package includes a turkey breast, potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing, gravy, a canned vegetable and some fruit for dessert.

“I’m looking forward to this year’s delivery,” Ms. Bussey says. “It provides the nutrition we need.”

This year, the Capital Area Food Bank has expanded its Thanksgiving program, known as Bringing in the Birds with Bucks, to include more seniors. Given that many seniors help support family members, we want to have enough food for their families as well.

We are asking for your generous contributions to help us reach our goal of providing a Thanksgiving meal to our wonderful senior citizens.

The post Sharing a Bountiful Table appeared first on Capital Area Food Bank.

Introducing the Grow A Pantry (GAP) Program

The goal of GAP is to establish new pantries in the most underserved areas in DC and Maryland by providing funding, transportation and training that will help equip new sites with tools to effectively serve clients in need.

Sounds exciting right? Keep reading…

The vision is simple. We want to encourage organizations to open their doors and be a space where hungry souls can go to secure food for themselves and their families. Although the task seems daunting for small organizations which may not have knowledge about food pantry operations, we will give every organization all the necessary tools to be a successful pantry.

Our goal is plain: establish at least 50 pantries in DC and Maryland within a year and help existing partners looking to expand their capacity.

Future Generations

According to the Census Bureau’s 2010 study, there are over 680,000 individuals struggling with hunger in the Washington metro area. Friends, this should not be the case. Through the GAP program, the food bank is taking a stand against hunger for the future of our neighborhoods and community. We want you to join us in our efforts!

Want to learn more? Join us on November 16 for an interest meeting to be held at the Capital Area Food Bank (4900 Puerto Rico Ave, NE, Washington, DC 20017). Please be sure to RSVP by clicking on one of the two time slots below. See you there!

Morning: 10 AM – 11:30 AM
Afternoon:2 PM – 3:30 PM

The post A Seed is Sown for Grow A Pantry appeared first on Capital Area Food Bank.

The number of food insecure individuals that the Capital Area Food Bank has identified in the Washington metro area is over 680,000. At this time, we are reaching just over two-thirds of these people.

These people are all around us. They are our neighbors, our friends and the strangers we pass in the street. They are people who are struggling with the all-too-common reality of not having enough money to buy adequate, nutritious food for their families after paying other necessary bills. We are even finding out that people who have supported the food bank in the past through donating, or volunteering now find themselves visiting our partner agencies for food assistance.

In a period of our nation’s history when so many families are finding it difficult to put food on their tables, we are baffled that funding for programs such as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) is at risk of being cut by up to $16 billion. The food bank has experienced a 25 percent increase in demand for emergency food assistance since 2006.

In one of the most affluent urban centers of one of the richest countries in the world, there is still an overwhelming number of people who are faced every day with the difficult choices between buying food and allocating limited funds towards other expenses, such as paying for utilities, paying a mortgage, or covering family healthcare expenses.

The facts and figures are startling, but there is hope. The food bank’s new Bedford Falls Foundation Distribution Center will help close the gap that exists currently in our service area, allowing us to feed a greater number of those 680,000 members of our community, over time.

Hunger — it’s closer than you think. Help us in our mission as we work tirelessly ’til no one is hungry. Donate. Volunteer. Make a difference.

The post Neighbors in Need Reach 680,000 appeared first on Capital Area Food Bank.

Reminiscing on past meals had given them the giggles. I asked the students what their favorite after-school meal was and they decidedly chose salad, but listed many other dishes, including beef stew, fruit cups and macaroni and cheese. As raised hands sprung up requesting seconds of both salad and fruit cups, it was pretty clear that the children were thoroughly enjoying their meals.

As a part of the national Lights on Afterschool commemoration, Vansville Community Center in Beltsville, MD invited some of its partners, including Maryland Out of School Time, Share Our Strength and Maryland Hunger Solutions to highlight their after-school programs.

The Vansville Community Center is one of 14 new recreation centers offering after-school meals in Maryland under the sponsorship of the Capital Area Food Bank.

In addition to a healthy supper and snack, Vansville Community Center also offers homework help, tutoring, gardening and various exercise activities. The after-school program is crucial in closing the dinnertime gap and offering engaging activities for children. The Vansville staff is excited about the work they are doing. They know how important their jobs are in providing necessary services to Maryland children.

“There’s been great progress in Maryland in getting more organizations to participate in the Afterschool Meal Program, and the state can build on this success by continuing to spread the news about this remarkable program,” says Cathy Demeroto, Director of Maryland Hunger Solutions.

The Afterschool Alliance’s “Maryland After 3PM” survey estimates that an additional 37 percent (296,374) of Maryland children not in after-school programs would likely participate if affordable and conveniently located programs were offered.

Lights on Vansville offered an opportunity not only to see a great after-school program in action, but also brought up the need for continued work and expansion of after-school programming for Maryland children.

Vansville Community Center is doing amazing work for local children and will surely serve as a guide for other community centers, schools and youth programs that want to incorporate after-school meals into their current programming.

The post Shining the Light on After-school Nutrition Programs appeared first on Capital Area Food Bank.