In response to this need, Four Seasons Produce, one of the largest independent produce wholesalers in the country, teamed up with Feeding America and the Capital Area Food Bank. In order to take action this summer, the Four Seasons family of companies pledged to support the communities which they service in the Mid Atlantic Region. From June 26^th through July 4^th, Four Seasons Produce donated $0.10 from every case of produce sold and delivered to local food banks through Feeding America. In addition to donating a portion of sales, Four Seasons Produce also encouraged suppliers and partners to make a difference as well.

This week-long drive inspired 13 customers, suppliers and partners to contribute. Collectively, they raised over $33,000! The donations will be split among four local food banks- Philabundance, Central PA Food Bank, Greater Berks Food Bank and Capital Area Food Bank, all members of the Feeding America network.

We are so thankful for this important and encouraging donation. A huge thank you to the following groups that came together to make such an incredible donation: Four Seasons Produce, Graul’s Market, Karns Foods, Cornucopia Natural Foods, RMG, Fresh Express, Earthbound Farms/Advantage Sales & Mktg, Dole Fresh Cut Vegetables, Mother Earth, McKonly & Asbury, Lift Inc., First National Bank, AFS and Office Service Company.

This fundraiser is a great example of what can be achieved when we work together. We look forward to next year’s drive!

The children have benefitted recently from different types of lettuce, cucumbers, zucchini, squash, and herbs. We are excited to provide more locally grown produce to the children as the growing season continues! This produce reaches over 600 children throughout Arlington and Fairfax Counties and the City of Alexandria over the summer months.

The CAFB purchases some shares at reduced cost and receives additional shares through generous donations from other CSA members and Waterpenny Farm. We are grateful for this support in continuing our goal of sending more fresh produce to children and teens.

How can you help? Please pass on this important information!

To find free meals, visit the following websites or call the numbers listed below:

Washington, D.C.
www.dcsummerfun.dc.gov
311 or 202-737-4404

Maryland
www.mdsummermeals.org
1-877-731-9300

Virginia
1-800-448-USDA (1-800-448-8732)

To find out more about SFSP, visit the USDA’s website.

Please use this flyer to pass along the message. Help children in our community have a fun, hunger-free summer vacation.

My Pyramid Salsa is a basic mixture 2, 24 ounce jars of salsa, 1 can of corn (drained and rinsed), 1 can of diced peaches (drained and rinsed), 1 can of black beans (drained and rinsed), and 1 ½ cups of cheese. Eaten with whole grain crackers, the recipe covers FOUR food groups from My Pyramid including grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy, and beans.

This “recipe” is really not set in stone, rather, it is a Cooking By Looking recipe, which means, add what you like, and if it looks right to you, then it will taste good. We also encourage adding fresh seasonal ingredients such as cilantro, corn, or fruit when available.

My Pyramid Salsa has been offered in a variety of settings to many different audiences: board members, Brown Bag site leaders, Kids Cafe site leaders, ServSafe participants, and kids in our Kids Cook classes, to name a few. Across the board, the response to My Pyramid Salsa has been quite consistent: initial apprehension at first (the peaches are the source of apprehension), followed by two enthusiastic thumbs up after the tasting!

So how did the recipe go over at Whole Foods 5% Day? First, we had to replace the canned peaches with crushed pineapple, an ingredient readily available at Whole Foods stores. Nutrition Ed’s cooking demo volunteer helped assemble samples and the vote was unanimous: shoppers who sampled the recipe LOVED it!

Nutrition Education was thrilled to serve My Pyramid Salsa at Whole Foods 5% Day. This recipe represents nutrition education at CAFB: using basic ingredients in healthy and economical ways, adding fresh flare when and if you can, and eating a variety of foods from the Food Pyramid.

Cucumber Salad with Fresh Grated Coconut
Tamales World Tour Show; c. 1997, M.S. Milliken & S. Feniger

Serves 6

Kaila was our resident cucumber expert last year!

4 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced
3 tomatoes, cored, seeded and diced
2 carrots, peeled and grated
1 serrano chile, finely chopped
2/3 c. fresh grated coconut
1/2 c. finely chopped, lightly toasted peanuts
1/2 – 1 teaspoon sugar
1 – 2  tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Cilantro leaves for garnish

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Spoon onto individual plates.  Garnish with cilantro and serve.  This also tastes good with a dollop of strained yogurt.

 For the second year in a row Nationals team player Will Nieves graced the food bank and brought along two of his teammates, Willie Harris and Alberto Gonzalez. The teammates assisted in packing 1,000 bags for our Weekend Bag program. The Weekend Bag program provides nutritious kid friendly meals to over 1,000 youth throughout the DC metro area. Determined to pack all the bags, the Nats players brought their skills and diligence off the field with them to the food bank. Although they joked and teased one another about who could pack their bags the quickest, these VIP volunteers were committed to their job and didn’t stop until it was complete. Just like on the baseball field, teamwork makes the dream work!

 Until, next year, the Food Bank waits eagerly for the Nationals exciting return.

This past Friday morning nine grant recipient organizations came to Clagett Farm for their introduction to the Fresh Produce Grant program. We could not have asked for a more beautiful day! Staff learned the specifics of the program including, how to weigh produce at the wash station and new vegetable varieties. They also tasted recipes that highlighted “spicy mix” a zesty mixture of garden greens that are unfamiliar to many people.   Jodi Balis, the Director of Nutrition Education made a delicious spicy mix soup, and my favorite—turkey meatballs with spicy mix and quinoa. So tasty!

Once the specifics of the program were out of the way, the group headed outside to tour the farm with Michael Heller, the Director of Clagett Farm. This gave participants a broader view of the importance of local sustainable agriculture.  Michael explained some of the sustainable growing practices used at Clagett Farm and how this type of agriculture effects the soil and water quality of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.    Check out the video below to see what Michael says about soil:

The Fresh Produce Grant program is a partnership between the Capital Area Food Bank and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation owns the farm, and runs various programs—including a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), tree nursery, and educational programs about the Chesapeake Bay and sustainable practices to protect it.

This was just one of the questions that caused me and the other participants at the annual Metropolitan Area Hunger Conference to examine how the people we serve operate.  The event was hosted by the Capital Area Food Bank on April 30 at Allen Chapel AME Church in DC.

The conference featured guest speaker Gary Eagleton from Aha! Process, Inc. presenting the Bridges Out of Poverty program.  Mr. Eagleton focused on how individuals are influenced by their socioeconomic class, the hidden rules that we all follow, and how to interact with the people in the lowest class to better serve their needs and empower them to break out of the cycle of poverty.

A participant begins an exercise in understanding the hidden rules of class.

While I am not a fan of labeling/stereotyping people or putting them into a rigid box, I learned at the conference that there are characteristics of people living in each socioeconomic class.  By understanding these characteristics, I’m better able to appreciate the outlooks of people in poverty, which helps me to address their needs in a more sensitive, compassionate way.

The Metropolitan Area Hunger Conference is one of two day-long training sessions the Agency Relations Department hosts each year.  Next up is the Northern Virginia Hunger Summit scheduled for Friday, September 24, 2010.  At this event, Bridges Out of Poverty will be back with the second day of training.  That program will outline strategies for serving people in poverty, giving agencies, volunteers and food bank staff like me concrete steps to be better service providers and more enlightened community members.

Participants listen to Gary Eagleton present part one of "Bridges Out of Poverty."

What’s the Issue?

• 43% of students enrolled in city public schools are overweight or obese — one of the highest rates in the nation
• The District Government spends more than $400 million annually to treat obesity
• Childhood obesity causes diabetes, hypertension, liver disease, sleep apnea, heart disease and is linked with higher rates of cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer, and can lead to an early death
• For children, each extra can or glass of sugar-sweetened beverage consumed per day increases their chance of becoming obese by 60 percent

What’s a Solution?
On May 4, 2010 the DC City Council unanimously passed a groundbreaking piece of legislation called the ‘DC Healthy Schools Act’  to do more to ensure the health and wellness of District school children. This legislation:

• Increases access to healthier food in schools – the act raises nutritional standards for school meals to include more whole grains, a wider variety of fruits and vegetables including those that are locally grown. It eliminates the reduced-price co-payment for lunch, and provides free breakfast in all schools with breakfast served in the classroom in schools with high poverty rates;
•  Raises the bar for physical, health, and nutrition education – sets a goal of 60 minutes of physical activity for students each day and triples the amount of physical and health education; 
• Establishes school-based environmental and gardening programs – recycling, energy-reduction, lead water and paint testing, and other environmental programs.

Given the current budgetary constraints, Councilmember Mary Cheh has proposed funding the Healthy Schools Act with a penny-per-ounce soda tax. Revenue from this tax would raise enough money to fund the Healthy Schools Act and will support:

• Food access initiatives,
• Community and faith-based anti-obesity programs, and
• Nutritional programs for seniors

Tax Myths
This tax is nothing new.  Currently, 33 states, including Maryland and Virginia, tax sugar-sweetened beverages. Recent polls have demonstrated that over 70 percent of the city’s population supports implementing the soda tax.  Beverages that would not be taxed include:

• Diet drinks and other non-caloric beverages would not be taxed
• Beverages containing milk, milk alternatives, and greater than 70 percent fruit or vegetable juice would not be taxed

How You Can Make A Difference

We need your help to convince DC’s Council to fund the Healthy Schools Act and other community initiatives.  

Stand for healthy children and healthy communities by contacting your Councilmember and signing our petition at www.supporthealthyschools.org.  Support healthy kids now!