Before Hurricane Laura made landfall in Louisiana, it had already proved to be deadly in Haiti. Laura tore through Haiti on August 23, killing at least 21 people, and knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of people. Many local farmers' crops were destroyed, crippling an already fragile food supply. A Jacmel plantain plantation planning a...
Midwest Food Bank is able to alleviate hunger for those in need due to the generous support received in the form of food donations, volunteer hours and dollar contributions. These are the key inputs to the MFB Business Model. Some of our donors have given non-cash items to MFB. These include cars, stocks, real estate, collectibles, grain...
Every industry has a "language" and food banks are no different. At Midwest Food Bank we use words like "hunger" and "food insecurity" on a regular basis. But, what do those words really mean? Hunger – This is a physical condition that is caused by a lack of food. Food Insecurity – The USDA defines this as the "lack of consistent access to enough f...
A box of cereal and a smile left a lasting impression on a 7-year-old boy in New York. Fast forward to 2020 and that boy is now a man in his early 40s and Jason Serrano can recount that event with clarity. "I know that smile was because she was doing God's work," Jason says about how the woman from a church down the street came to his ho...
Midwest Food Bank will open a new location in the Hershey, Pennsylvania, area, MFB President and CEO David Kieser announced today. Jason and Aleta Serrano of New York are leading a team of organizers to expand MFB's impact. They are currently seeking a facility to lease for the new division. "In Pennsylvania, 1 in 8 households are food insecure, an...
In these troubling times, driven largely by COVID-19, Midwest Food Bank Haiti is humbled by and grateful for our Haitian partners. They deliver MFB's Tender Mercies meals to the vulnerable and malnourished at the margins of Haiti society. Through July of this year our partners have delivered nearly 1.1 million Tender Mercies meals throughout H...
It's that time of year again. Articles with titles like "Top ten gifts for Dad" show up. They appear for a reason. It can be difficult finding a meaningful gift for a parent. Forgive us for adding one more suggestion to the mix. Some truly unique and purposeful time spent with Dad would be a gift to both the giver and recipient. What dad wouldn't a...
Midwest Food Bank Haiti believes partnerships are beneficial to share the Gospel and feed people in Haiti. While feeding people - physically and spiritually is the mission of MFB - many of our partners have other components to their ministry like medical care, education, job training, shelter and basic needs like clothing. By walking alongsid...
The Midwest Food Bank central team welcomes a new bookkeeper to our team: Julie Bakewell. Julie will be assisting on the central and Haiti MFB accounts. She will be working out of the Bloomington-Normal location. Julie comes to Midwest Food Bank with many years of experience in accounting and non-profit work. They include time spent at State Farm a...
Dear Friend of Midwest Food Bank, What an extraordinary time this is! Just one short month ago, we would not have thought all of the changes we've been through were possible. And yet now many of us are sheltering in place, watching unusual events unfold. Much has changed in the 15 years since Midwest Food Bank began providing Disaster Relief after ...
Haiti, long susceptible to the ravages of natural disasters, corrupt governments, and frequent unrest, can now add the COVID-19 pandemic to its list of challenges. With the virus present in Haiti, President Jovenel Moise has closed all airports, seaports, factories, and schools. Given that Haiti only produces 50% of the food needed to feed its...
As Haiti recently rang in the new year, they paused on January 12 to recognize the 10-year anniversary of the devastating 2010 earthquake. The aftermath of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake was horrifying with government estimates of up to 316,000 lives lost and as many as 5 million Haitians displaced from their homes. Initially, the outpouring of solid...
Late in 2019, two business publications have recently had favorable things to say about Midwest Food Bank. Business.org published a list of "The Best Charities for Your Money in Every State." Midwest Food Bank was selected as the best charity for your money in Illinois. Based on transparency and program expense, each of the fifty chariti...
Unrest, violent demonstrations, and road closures continue unabated in Haiti at this writing. This has brought Haiti to the brink of a humanitarian crisis as the flow and availability of food, fuel, medical supplies, and potable water is disrupted. Inflation is skyrocketing further exacerbating access to food and medical necessities, and general ov...
Humility = Success. This is just one of the many pieces of wisdom shared by David Kieser, Midwest Food Bank's President and Founder, during a podcast interview on The Savvy Sauce. Laura Dugger, The Savvy Sauce host, invited David to share some of the "God stories" he has experienced at MFB. During the 84th episode of the weekly podcast, David ...
"Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth." - I John 3:18 One of the two sex trafficking ministries MFB Haiti supports uses this verse as a guide. They are OUR (Operation Underground Railroad) and Rapha House. In concert with local law enforcement, these two ministries identify trafficked children, rescue...
Midwest Food Bank is committed to helping the hungry of this world. However, we're concerned with more than just how much food we can provide. Our mission is to alleviate hunger AND malnutrition. Alongside our dedication to filling empty stomachs, we're focused on the nutritional quality of our products. Think about your own grocery shopping....
Midwest Food Bank welcomes Lisa Martin to our family of employees. As the New Executive Director of the Morton location, Lisa will coordinate operations there. Responsibilities include directing warehouse and volunteer activity, community outreach, and overseeing financial and budgetary operations. Additionally, Lisa will serve ...
MFB Haiti's sponsorship of a child feeding program has begun. Working with Matthew 28 (located in Bohoc, Haiti) a 20th feeding center is now operational. In June, Midwest Food Bank Haiti partnered with Matthew 28 to sponsor a child feeding program near Pignon (story here). It is up and serving now. MFB Haiti provides Tender Mercies meals to th...
By definition, values are important beliefs or ideals one has about what is good or bad, desirable or undesirable. They have a a major influence on one's behavior and attitude and serve as broad guidelines in all situations. In the first half of 2019, the Midwest Food Bank National Board of Directors reviewed and refined the organization's values. ...
