Starving college student. We've probably all used that phrase. It conjures up stereotypical images of a young man or woman making ramen noodles over a hotplate. The thought makes us smile. For some, the phrase is not a stereotype. Nor is it something to smile about. Based on school and location, food insecurity rates on college and university ...
At a Collingsworth Family concert, Jim and Ardell Swezey heard about Midwest Food Bank for the first time. After a 2-hour volunteer session repackaging bulk food at MFB Peoria, Jim and Ardell knew they found their place to serve. They began volunteering on Wednesdays until they were both retired. Now they are at MFB most aftern...
Reflecting on the first half of 2021, Midwest Food Bank is thankful for the Lord's blessings as we continue to grow and serve from our 12 locations across the US, Kenya, and Haiti. Our generous donors and dedicated volunteer family encourage and support us in the fight against food insecurity. Some of the progress made this year includes the follow...
As a faith-based organization, it is the mission of Midwest Food Bank to share the love of Christ by alleviating hunger and malnutrition locally and throughout the world and providing disaster relief; all without discrimination. -Mission statement of Midwest Food Bank Our mission of sharing the love of Christ is accomplished primarily th...
Bradley Schwab is a 6th grader at Sterling Middle School. He was born with dwarfism, a unique medical condition that results in short stature. Despite his size, Bradley is a towering presence in the hearts of many people. He is the life of his classroom and a joy to his teachers. Like many other students at Sterling Middle Schoo...
Once a year, the WIlder-Waite Grade School 5th graders make a trek to Midwest Food Bank Peoria. Once here, the students learn about food insecurity and the mission of MFB. This year, rain was not enough to deter them from their 2.5-mile hike. Mrs. Michelle Arnott and Mr. Jeremy Conlee shepherded 40 students to MFB Peoria on...
Sharing the love of Christ by alleviating hunger is core to the mission of Midwest Food Bank. "Serving Those in Need" is the first of our values. Care for our food recipients is at the core of everything we do. This same loving care extends to our volunteers, our nonprofit partners, and our staff. Providing a safe environment is one of the ways Mid...
Young and old, child and adult, we all love celebrating a birthday! At Midwest Food Bank, we enjoy celebrating with you. Here are 5 ways we equip you to celebrate your own birthday or someone else's: 1. Tribute Gift: When you donate online, you can make your gift a tribute to celebrate a birthday. Midwest Food Bank will send a card to the person yo...
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...
MFB Peoria is excited to have a new Agency Coordinator, Michelle Hatfield. Michelle began here on March 8, 2021. Previously, she worked in retail management and church administration. Out of the blue, a friend told Michelle about the opening at MFB. It was right before a planned week of prayer and fasting. Michelle's husband, Dan, thought it ...
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...
We love it when people have fun while raising funds! The Peoria Frisbee Club hosted a disc golf event that raised $8,200 for Midwest Food Bank, Peoria. The temperatures were cold but warm hearts prevailed at the Peoria Ice Bowl on Jan. 2 at Bradley Park. A little snow and a high temperature of 32 degrees didn't stop participants from...
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...
Mid-March 2020 at the very beginning of the Pandemic, Bill Wuthrich heard through Pete Brown, a volunteer driver at Midwest Food Bank Peoria, of the great need for warehouse people. Two of the three main people were out of the picture due to heart surgery and Covid 19 quarantine. Bill started volunteering forty hours a week. A month later, Sandy Je...
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...
A Peoria, Illinois church launched a series of forums this fall that encourages their congregation to pause and understand the needs around them and how they can take action to honor God. Richwoods Christian Church started its Community Impact Series by learning about food insecurity, food deserts, WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) program, meals ...
