By Michelle Berg, on November 30th, 2012
 This report is brought to you by Holiday Food & Fund Drive co-chairs Jed York, CEO of the San Francisco 49ers, BJ Jenkins, CEO of Barracuda Networks and Dan Campbell, COO of Backup and Recovery Systems Division of EMC Corporation.
In the first quarter, Second Harvest got the game started with a new Food & Fund Drive online registration system and dedicated drive coordinators throughout the community started planning their holiday efforts. The 49ers brought energy to the game through three stadium drives that collected more than $10,000 from fans. The real excitement came in the second quarter.
 In Delphi Academy's 16th annual drive, the 3rd graders outweighed themselves with food! Fans, co-chairs, and the media gathered on November 1st for the annual kick-off event at Second Harvest Food Bank’s new stadium, Cypress Center in San Jose. 2012 goals were announced: $12.4 million, 2 million pounds of food and 12,000 turkeys. Messages from co-chairs and special guests (Guy McIntyre, 49ers alumnus and Scott McGrew, NBC Bay Area) inspired the community to take action against hunger! Hundreds of schools, community groups and companies signed-up for drives, barrels were filled, and donations started to increase. Holiday Food & Fund Drive sponsors competed in the Virtual Race to End Hunger and in just 48 hours, raised $431,360.30! Cisco crossed the finish line first by raising a record amount and Cypress Semiconductor took home the per capita trophy.
 Perky the Turkey got off the sidelines to encourage donations of Thanksgiving meals and you responded! Thousands of turkeys were dropped off at the Food Bank to make Thanksgiving special for local families. While Boy Scouts collected donations from their neighborhoods through “Scouting for Food,” hundreds of volunteers also collected food at Safeway stores across the Bay Area on NBC Food Drive Day, November 17. Then, before sunrise on Thanksgiving, more than 2,000 volunteers arrived at the Applied Materials Silicon Valley Turkey Trot to support runners who gave time, funds and sweat to support Second Harvest, The Housing Trust and Children’s Health Initiative. LiveOps rounded out November with the “Cyber Monday Giving Tuesday” Challenge. Your likes, tweets, comments and photos raised another $5,000!
Halftime Score Report:
- 1,613 Food & Fund Drives registered (81% of 2,000 drive goal)
- $2.5 million raised (20% of $12.4 million goal)
- 182,000 pounds collected (9% of 2 million pound goal)
- 11,443 birds donated (95% 12,000 turkey goal)
The 2012 Holiday Food & Fund Drive is making great progress, but in order for Second Harvest to feed nearly 250,000 people every month this holiday season and in the coming year, we need you to join the team! You can help by hosting a drive where you live, work or play. Just by signing up you can generate meals for our neighbors in need. Here’s how:
EMC Corporation, Holiday Food & Fund Drive Co-chair, will donate up to 80,000 meals if we hit these goals:
- If 2,000 organizations register for a Food and Fund Drive, EMC will donate up to 10,000 meals. With this year’s new 3-step online registration form, you can set up an Online Food Drive or order food collection barrels in just a few clicks!
- For everyone who joins our new Food & Fund Drive Online Community, hosted by Mightybell, EMC will donate 100 meals. That means just a minute of your time will be matched with a $50 donation from EMC!
- Once your Food & Fund Drive is in full swing, EMC will donate 1,000 meals to Second Harvest if your organization (other than companies with 250+ employees) earns 1,250 points ($1 = 2.5 points and 1lb. = 1 point), up to 60,000 meals!
Need help? Email drives@shfb.org or call the Donor Hotline at 1-866-234-3663
You can also help by making a gift online (every $1 = 2 meals!) or donating non-perishable food in our barrels throughout the community:
- Second Harvest has 3 locations with extended holiday hours
- Safeway stores have barrels and $10 pre-packed food bags for easy giving
- Whole Foods Markets have barrels and $5 or $10 Grab & Give meals to purchase
- San Mateo County libraries clear fines when you donate food
Finally, you can inspire others to give by sharing about your efforts on our social media pages (Facebook, Twitter and Google+)! We would love to see photos of your barrels, special events and other creative efforts. You can also e-mail photos and stories to drives@shfb.org.
Thank you for being a friend of the Food Bank and making the holidays (and every day) hunger-free for local families in need.
By Doanan Phan, on November 29th, 2012
 This December our foods of the month are canned fruits and vegetables. These staples can be consumed year-round and remain a constant on our most-needed, non-perishable foods list. Since they do not require refrigeration and can pack additional nutrition to a home-cooked meal, they are both healthy and convenient.
Our Community Nutritionist Janet Hung shares, “Canned fruits and vegetables can be added to fresh produce or protein sources for a quick, healthy meal. They provide a great way to get vitamins and minerals from produce that isn’t in season, so please consider donating these items. For a healthier option, aim for canned foods that are low in sodium or sugar.”
Did you know that Second Harvest is still collecting turkeys for the holiday season? We are less than 1,000 away from our 2012 goal of 12,000 turkeys! Please see last month’s turkey blog post for more information.
How Can You Help
Our goal is to collect 2 million pounds of food this holiday season along with our turkey drive. We happily accept food donations at all three of our locations. Please note that frozen turkeys must be received frozen and not thawed. We have special extended holiday hours at Curtner Center, Bing Center and Cypress Center posted on our website. Non-perishable food donations can also be left in our barrels at your local Safeway or Whole Foods grocery store. You can also help us feed more families this holiday season by making an online donation today. Every $1 provides 2 nutritious meals!
If you have already donated food or funds, help us inspire others to give. Spread the word and tag yourself in Perky the Turkey’s picture on our Facebook page or +1 his picture on our Google+ page.
We appreciate all your help in fighting hunger this holiday season! Your generous support ensures that everyone who needs a meal can get one.
By Michelle Berg, on November 26th, 2012
 This Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday you can generate meals for our neighbors in need by clicking, sharing and tweeting! LiveOps, the global leader in cloud contact center and customer service solutions, wants to help spread the word about ending local hunger and will donate up to $5,000 for your clicks. You and other members of the online community can earn $5 (10 meals) for Second Harvest by doing any or all of the following:
Click on Cyber Monday:
- Like Second Harvest on Facebook or follow us on Twitter
- Share the challenge photo on Facebook
- Tweet or retweet: Feed hungry families on #CyberMonday, #LiveOps donates $5 for each RT or new follower of @2ndharvest bit.ly/LiveOpsChallenge
Get Creative on Giving Tuesday:
- Watch this video on YouTube, you’ll meet one of the local families your efforts support
- Share a picture of yourself (or pets/kids) holding a sign that says “I’m fighting local hunger with Second Harvest Food Bank! #GivingTuesday” and mention @2ndharvest and @LiveOps on Twitter or post it on the Food Bank’s Facebook page.
Please share with your friends and family to help us reach the 10,000 meal goal and stay tuned to Facebook and Twitter for progress reports.
Thank you for supporting the Food Bank’s mission to provide food for people in need in our community this holiday season and around the year!
By Doanan Phan, on November 6th, 2012
With the holiday season upon us, we have chosen turkeys as our November food of the month. Did you know Second Harvest Food Bank holds a drive every year to collect turkeys for local families, children, seniors and individuals? Our 2012 goal is to collect 12,000 turkeys in two months.
A turkey not only completes the holiday spread but also provides plenty of nutritious value. Our Community Nutritionist Janet Hung explains, “A fresh or frozen turkey would be a wonderful addition to a holiday meal. When donating a frozen turkey, please make sure it is frozen as hard as a bowling ball when you drop it off. Since one turkey can feed a lot of people, clients will be able to share a nice dinner with friends and family. They can freeze the leftovers and get plenty of protein in their diet!”
How Can You Help
 Find Perky the Turkey on our Facebook or Google+ page! Turkey donations to any of our three locations will help us make the year-end holidays more memorable for the local families we serve. Second Harvest Food Bank accepts donations of fresh or frozen turkeys at all three of our locations. Please note that frozen turkeys must be received frozen and not thawed. We have posted our special extended holiday hours at Curtner Center, Bing Center and Cypress Center on our website. You can also help by making an online donation today. We can turn a $1 donation into 2 nutritious meals!
If you have already donated food or funds, help us inspire others to give. Spread the word and tag yourself in Perky the Turkey’s picture on our Facebook page or +1 his picture on our Google+ page.
Thank you for your generous support to help feed families in need during this holiday season. We appreciate all that you do!
By Michelle Berg, on October 17th, 2012
This is a guest blog post by Randy Pond, Cisco EVP, Operations, Processes and Systems. For decades, Cisco has played a leadership role in ending hunger locally and around the world. Content re-posted with permission from Cisco.
At the recent grand opening of a new San Jose facility for Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties – amid speeches from corporate executives; philanthropists, and San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed, someone else stole the show.
That was eight-year old Angela, who used to come home from school to an empty refrigerator. Amazingly, she lives in Silicon Valley, one of the most prosperous communities in the world. Angela, whose family now obtains food from Second Harvest, has started her own kind of food pantry, sharing her lunch with hungry classmates.
If Angela can help hungry people, we all can. That’s why Cypress Semiconductor donated the 75,000 square foot building, and Cisco contributed $2 million for renovations. Through the new facility and streamlined processes, Second Harvest can increase distribution by more than 50 percent. Who benefits? The nearly 250,000 local people who rely on the organization for food each month.
Cisco also invested $200,000 in Second Harvest’s innovative food stamp outreach program to help eligible families like Angela’s participate. Last year, our funding helped over 2,200 households access food stamps – that’s worth more than $11 million. On November 1, Cisco will kick off its annual employee fundraiser to address global hunger. Second Harvest is the flagship local organization among 150 food agencies that Cisco supports worldwide via the campaign, through which we aim to raise over $4 million including matching gifts.
Our community efforts, however, go beyond the checkbook. We look to harness the network to help multiply the impact of agencies like the food bank. For instance, Cisco recently donated unified communications and networking infrastructure products to Second Harvest. Its warehouse workers now run radio frequency scanners more consistently, and employees have increased productivity through accessing network services from anywhere in the facility. Improved call routing has helped people rapidly access services.
Perhaps Cisco’s most important community investment is our employees. Last year, they volunteered more than 1,800 hours to Second Harvest, and their cash donations along with matching gifts totaled over $1.5 million for the organization. I’m sure they’ll step up this year, as well.
I look forward to the vital work that Second Harvest will continue to do to ensure that low-income families obtain the nutritious meals they need to lead healthy lives – and that kids like Angela never face an empty refrigerator.
 Randy Pond congratulates Kathy Jackson, chief executive officer, Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties, on the opening of its new San Jose facility.  Randy Pond cuts the ribbon at the new Second Harvest facility along with Cisco’s Van Dang, vice president, legal, and Ricardo Benavidez, senior manager, community relations.  Angela helps herself to a cookie at the new Second Harvest facility.
By Michelle Berg, on October 1st, 2012
My name is Love. My wonderful children are Chris and Bella. I was an Executive Assistant for 12 years but developed carpal tunnel and couldn’t work full-time anymore. My husband Eddie had been selling insurance for 6 years but there just wasn’t enough business to keep him going.
We soon didn’t have enough money to afford a place of our own. What we have a tent so we thought it would be easiest on the kids to turn our situation into sort of a summer camping “adventure.” We couldn’t count on having consistent showers, keeping our food from going bad, dealing with mice running around the tent, and not having lights at night. Eventually our car became our home. We didn’t have a choice. It broke my heart to hear my son ask “you’re not working and Daddy’s not – are we are homeless?” The first night in our car, it hit me. “I’m living in a car with my children.” It was surreal. We’ve never been in a situation like this before. No matter how challenging things became, I realized that our home is wherever we are.
We get food stamps (CalFresh), but we can only keep a little food at a time. We can’t store the food for long because we just have a cooler. We find ourselves running out of food halfway through the month. Now we get food through Second Harvest and it’s such a blessing! It is truly the key to our survival. My daughter loves the plums the most! There’s a feeling of relief to know that when we wake up we have food to give the kids. We are so grateful to the Food Bank and everyone who makes our meals happen!
We just got a safe and open room to stay in through a supportive connection in the faith community. We now have more compassion for the homeless as a result of this experience. Once our situation improves, we want to give back in whatever way possible, helping others facing hard times.
By Michelle Berg, on September 17th, 2012
 San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed joined Second Harvest CEO Kathy Jackson to unveil the new building On September 5, we revealed the newly renovated Cypress Center at 4001 North First Street in San Jose. More than 200 guests including San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed and Cypress Semiconductor CEO T.J. Rodgers gathered to celebrate the Food Bank’s newest addition. This building, coupled with a retooled produce distribution model and streamlined operations, will enable Second Harvest to distribute significantly more, and fresher, food to the community.
“The generous ‘over-and-above’ gifts we received from longtime Food Bank supporters, including the building and funds to renovate it, are helping Second Harvest to significantly improve our efficiency,” said Kathy Jackson, CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank. “As one of the few food banks in the country that does not charge for the food we provide, we have to work smarter to address the still-growing need, while offsetting challenges like rising food prices. Our new dedicated distribution model is reducing the number of food ‘touches’, increasing inventory turns, and getting food out into the community faster.”
Cypress Semiconductor donated the 75,000-square-foot building and surrounding five acres, with an estimated value of $9 million, to Second Harvest in April 2011. After a major renovation of what was once a research and development facility for Cypress, the Food Bank opened its doors at Cypress Center in April of this year. Second Harvest continues to operate out of our two other facilities – on Curtner Avenue in San Jose and Bing Street in San Carlos.
 Cypress CEO T.J. Rodgers cuts the ribbon to the renovated facility. Rodgers is joined by San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed, Second Harvest Board President Norm Taffe, and members of the Cypress Executive Team.
“With its central location on North First, the new facility will also allow us to broaden our connection with the community by actively engaging volunteers from our many corporate neighbors, as well as developing volunteer opportunities for families with children,” Jackson said. All Santa Clara County volunteer food sorting activities now take place at Cypress Center.
The new facility and operational changes are expected to increase Second Harvest’s capacity by more than 50 percent over the next four years, from 46 million pounds of food to more than 69 million pounds of food distributed annually. Much of this growth will be attributed to fruits and vegetables, which can be kept fresh in Cypress Center’s 8,000-square-foot cooler.
 Pat Ybarra, Second Harvest Director of Operations and Logistics, shows guests around the 8,000-square-foot produce-packed refrigerator “The increase in the amount of fresh produce Second Harvest distributes is consistent with our focus on nutrition,” Jackson said. “We have evolved far beyond providing just the rice, beans, and other shelf-stable commodities that previously filled our warehouse shelves. The Food Bank is determined to scale our operations, improve the nutritional content, and drive down the cost per pound of food we distribute, increasing our overall impact in the community.”
If you would like to see Cypress Center for yourself, please sign up for a tour or register to volunteer. You will also find photos from the event on our Flickr page.
Thank you for growing with us!
By Michelle Berg, on September 17th, 2012
Second Harvest Food Bank is pleased to present:
The 7 Biggest Mistakes Trustees Often Make
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
5:30-8:30 pm
Reception Generously Sponsored By:
Restaurant 3000 Managed by So Delicious
3000 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park
This complimentary educational seminar is entertaining and informative. Guest speaker, noted wealth strategist Sandeep Varma, will explore real case examples to determine where the clients, trustees and successor trustees went wrong and demonstrate the difference that proper planning can make.
Who Should Attend?
Persons who have created trusts or are named as trustees of a trust.
What Will You Learn?
- Avoid Common Trustee Mistakes
- Federal Regulations for Trustees
- Trustee Planning Techniques
- Why Living Trusts May Fail
- 2012 Tax Changes
- IRA Double Taxation
- New “Portability” Tax Break for Living Trusts
Seating for this workshop is limited. Kindly reply by October 16th to Lily Wong at (408) 266-8866 ext. 259 or lwong@shfb.org.
By Michelle Berg, on September 13th, 2012
Too many local seniors who survived the Great Depression aren’t getting enough to eat in the wake of the Great Recession. Nearly half of seniors living in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties are in financial distress and at risk for hunger, according to the Elder Index issued by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.
“Older adults have been hurt by the economy, and in many cases, so have the people they rely on for help,” said Kathy Jackson, CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. “These seniors are living on a fixed income in an area where the cost of living is extremely high. Many in their generation are simply too proud to ask for help and don’t want to burden their children or others in their support network who may also be struggling due to the recent recession. We want to make sure local seniors get the nutritious food they need to stay healthy.”
Second Harvest Food Bank serves more than 20,000 seniors in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties each month through its Brown Bag program and other food-assistance programs. Brown Bag provides weekly nutritious groceries to adults over age 60 and those over age 55 with a disability. It is one of the Food Bank’s oldest programs, started in 1975.
Through the Brown Bag program, Second Harvest provides weekly bags of groceries to seniors at 75 sites throughout Santa Clara and San Mateo counties, including community centers, churches, senior centers, and nonprofit organizations. In addition, groceries are delivered to nearly 700 homebound seniors each week. Last fiscal year, Second Harvest’s Brown Bag program provided the equivalent of more than 6.2 million meals.
“If it weren’t for Second Harvest, we wouldn’t have food on the table. We’re so grateful to have something to eat every day,” said Olegaria Maldonado, who has been a Brown Bag participant in San Jose for more than five years. “The rice, eggs, milk, bread, and fresh fruits and vegetables have really made a difference. We actually share food with our neighbors, too, since they’re in the same rough spot we’re in. We do what we can; that’s how we were raised.”
“We really owe it to our seniors to make sure they get enough to eat,” Jackson said. “Without Second Harvest’s Brown Bag program, many of these seniors would be at increased risk for malnutrition.”
Older adults who are struggling to put food on the table should call Second Harvest Food Bank’s Food Connection hotline at 800-984-3663 to learn about Brown Bag and other food-assistance programs, including CalFresh (food stamps). You can join Second Harvest’s effort to help those who may be too proud to ask, by donating at www.shfb.org/seniorhunger.
By Michelle Berg, on August 14th, 2012
Not every volunteer at Second Harvest Food Bank can claim that they met their future wife while helping to feed the hungry. In 1988, I was introduced to Second Harvest through my employer Cypress Semiconductor, who I am still proudly with today. I volunteered because I wanted to give back to the community the best way I knew how in a hands-on way. After my first sort with the Food Bank, I quickly realized how rewarding it was and wanted to do more. I started coming on a regular basis and ended up being one of the first sort leaders in a matter of months.
 A few years ago, I was serving as food sort leader when a woman came to volunteer who would change my life forever. We enjoyed each other’s company during that Saturday sort and discovered several mutual interests beyond volunteering. We soon realized that we had many shared values. After dating for a year, I found the courage to propose to her at dinner on the same day she completed the Boston marathon. But our story doesn’t end there. A few months ago, we welcomed our twins into the world, one boy and one girl. Their arrival has changed my world completely for the better.
I am so grateful to the Food Bank for giving me the opportunity to help others in need, and for providing a meaningful setting to meet wonderful people, like my wife. I’m proud that Cypress has taken a stand to end local hunger by donating the new warehouse space on North First Street in San Jose. Second Harvest Food Bank is a highly respected, top-notch charity. When I walk in the door, I’m greeted warmly and feel that it’s an honor to volunteer there.
Since my first volunteer experience at the Food Bank, I’ve changed in so many ways: personal satisfaction, a wife and partner and now a family. Get out there and try it yourself. You never know what will happen!
– Jack
|
|
Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties is the trusted leader dedicated to ending local hunger.
Since its inception in 1974, Second Harvest has become one of the largest food banks in the nation, providing food to an average of nearly one quarter of a million people each month. The Food Bank mobilizes individuals, companies, and community partners to connect people to the nutritious food they need. Nearly half of the food distributed is fresh produce. Second Harvest also plays a leading role in promoting federal nutrition programs and educating families on how to make healthier food choices.
Stay tuned here for the latest news — efforts to end local hunger, stories from the front lines, advocacy alerts, and promotions benefiting the Food Bank.
We have distribution warehouses in San Jose and San Carlos, CA. Get Directions
Visit our main website at:
www.SHFB.org
 
|
Perky the Turkey got off the sidelines to encourage donations of Thanksgiving meals and you responded! Thousands of turkeys were dropped off at the Food Bank to make Thanksgiving special for local families. While Boy Scouts collected donations from their neighborhoods through “Scouting for Food,” hundreds of volunteers also collected food at Safeway stores across the Bay Area on NBC Food Drive Day, November 17. Then, before sunrise on Thanksgiving, more than 2,000 volunteers arrived at the Applied Materials Silicon Valley Turkey Trot to support runners who gave time, funds and sweat to support Second Harvest, The Housing Trust and Children’s Health Initiative. LiveOps rounded out November with the “Cyber Monday Giving Tuesday” Challenge. Your likes, tweets, comments and photos raised another $5,000!
