The passion of the Midwest Food Bank employees and volunteers is contagious. Just ask Jan Murphy, a Midwest Food Bank Share Partner (a donor offering a regularly scheduled contribution). She is the former Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost at Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois. In 2018, ISU President, Larry Dietz, encour...
Midwest Food Bank has again received a coveted four-star rating from Charity Navigator, the nation's top charity evaluator. MFB has received this recognition every year since 2011. Only 4% of charities are given a four-star rating for nine consecutive years. The rating is based on MFB's demonstration of robust financial health a...
If you stop by the Midwest Food Bank Morton, you'll notice some changes. Volunteers and staff have been busy with updates to the office areas, community room, and warehouse. As always, MFB volunteers and generous donors made this project possible. The Morton location has experienced growth both in volunteers and staff, so additional offices were ma...
Quick, easy, and nutritious were the thoughts behind Midwest Food Bank developing a single serving, microwaveable version of our Tender Mercies meal. "For kids or people living alone, the family-size bag of Tender Mercies wasn't the right fit," says Gail Thorson, Tender Mercies coordinator for MFB. "Because the product can be made in the microwave ...
Every county in Texas was under a state of emergency following a rare winter storm in mid-February. The heavy snow, ice, and bitterly cold temperatures caused widespread damage as water pipes froze in many locations. Millions were left without power for several days. Midwest Food Bank was ready to respond when partner The Salvation Army reque...
There were many challenges during 2020, and here at Midwest Food Bank Morton, it was no exception. However, as we look back on last year, God kept reminding us that He had it handled. "If I just stayed out of the way and didn't allow myself to get stressed, I could enjoy watching how God is always in control," says Gail Thorson, Tender Mercies...
Thanks to Mary Ann Preston, a warm welcome and friendly smile greets visitors to Midwest Food Bank Morton. Mary Ann volunteers three days each week at the front desk. She not only welcomes guests in person and on the phone, but she also uses her beautiful penmanship to write "thank you" notes to volunteers and donors. "I volunteer because I en...
As the pandemic continues, more people are learning about food insecurity and understanding what existed before COVID-19 and how more families now need assistance. A group of people in Connecticut are not just learning. They are taking action. Their willingness to serve is the reason Midwest Food Bank announced the opening of a...
At Midwest Food Bank, Share Partners make a continual positive impact. They donate a set amount on a regular schedule - weekly, monthly, or quarterly. If you think our Share Partners are all wealthy retirees giving huge amounts, we'd like to introduce you to Allysha. Allysha Nordyke lives in Los Angeles, CA, and works for the government. She i...
While the impact of the Coronavirus Relief bill of March 2020 had far-reaching effects, there is a lesser-known benefit in the bill. It's a benefit that helps charitable givers AND charities $300 Charitable Giving Deduction Taxpayers who don't itemize their deductions (that's most of us) can take advantage of a special $300 tax deduction. In t...
Standing together to meet the needs - that's what the financial support of the Morton Community Foundation means to Midwest Food Bank Morton. This year, MFB has received a total of $13,500 from the Morton Community Foundation. The Foundation can gather the funds and MFB can turn that money into meals for people that were impacted by the pandemic an...
You can have your coffee and drink it, too! Maybe that's cake, but anyway, you don't have to give up your coffee to make a donation to a local organization. Eli's Coffee in Morton has a Donation Creation each month and local organizations receive a portion of the profits. Midwest Food Bank is the November recipient and the Donation Crea...
As we near the end of 2020 it's hard to know what holidays will look like this year. The large family gatherings or church traditions may be different but one thing stays the same - the desire to bring meaning to Christmas by helping those around us. We thought it would be helpful to provide some ideas (links below) on how to give and experience ho...
The term "food desert" is becoming more common but if you don't live in a food desert, it's hard to know what that means. A food desert is a geographical area with little to no access to healthy, affordable, nutritious food. People that live in these areas might have a corner convenience store or gas station that carries milk or limited produ...
Midwest Food Bank, hosted Brandon Lipps and Tim English, of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in late October. Brandon is the Deputy Under Secretary for the USDA Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services, and Tim is the Midwest Regional Administrator. Mr. Lipps reached out and requested a tour of the MFB location in Normal, Illinois after reviewing ...
A simple internet search, a love for fashion, and a desire to help people around the world - that's how Meri Barnes, CEO and founder of California based The Shop Forward, connected with Midwest Food Bank. The apparel company supports a variety of causes including disaster relief. The recent derecho in Iowa and hurricanes in the southeast...
Midwest Food Bank congratulates the World Food Programme for receiving the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize. We are thankful for the efforts of the WFP and fully agree that their impact is worthy of this world-class recognition. WFP is a leading humanitarian organization and addresses hunger and promotes food security worldwide. In 2019, WFP provided assista...
Today, October 16, is World Food Day. It's an internationally recognized day in honor of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 1945. It's celebrated by organizations concerned with food insecurity. World Food Day meshes well with of mission of alleviating hunger. This year's theme, "Grow, Nourish, Sustain. T...
COVID-19 created a disruption in the US food supply chain. Food producers and suppliers were unable to have food processed and transported. The USDA created the Farmers to Families Food Program to support US farmers and distributors and get that food to people that need it. The program has been authorized through the end of 2020. Midwest Food Bank ...
A common desire to serve and a sense of togetherness are a few of the reasons people volunteer at Midwest Food Bank. David Joos agrees. He helps lead other volunteers at the MFB Morton location on "Fun Fridays" – a time designated for volunteers to work on projects. Those projects may be re-packaging cookies or assembling boxes for disaster re...
