Blaine County Hunger Coalition Inc

THE HUNGER COALITION BUILDS A HEALTHY COMMUNITY THROUGH ACCESS TO GOOD FOOD AND ADDRESSES THE ROOT CAUSES OF FOOD INSECURITY IN COLLABORATION WITH KEY PARTNERS.

THE FOLLOWING REPRESENTS A REPORTING OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS ACHIEVED FROM JULY 1, 2020 TO JUNE, 30 2021. THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC BROUGHT WITH IT UNPRECEDENTED NEED IN BLAINE COUNTY. THE TREND CONTINUED IN THIS FISCAL YEAR WITH TWO AND A HALF TO THREE TIMES THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE SEEKING FOOD ASSISTANCE AS BEFORE THE PANDEMIC. NEARLY 6,000 PEOPLE WERE SERVED THROUGH OUR VARIOUS PROGRAMS IN THAT TIMEFRAME. DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD, THE HUNGER COALITION COMPLETED THE RENOVATION OF BLOOM COMMUNITY FOOD CENTER (BCFC), OPENING TO THE PUBLIC IN APRIL 2021. A WELCOME ADDITION TO OUR COMMUNITY, BCFC IS HOME TO A COMMUNITY KITCHEN AND CAFE, HEATED GREENHOUSES, NEXT GEN FOOD PANTRY, EDIBLE GARDENS, AND A CHILDREN'S ROOM. 1. GROWING FOOD SECURITY VOLUNTEER FOR VEGGIES (V4V): PARTICIPANTS TRADE HOURS OF LABOR ON BLOOM COMMUNITY FARM AND IN THE HOPE GARDEN FOR SHARES OF FRESH PRODUCE. WE WERE ABLE TO REVIVE THIS PROGRAM AFTER A HIATUS DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. 80 UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS PARTICIPATED, CONTRIBUTING 480 HOURS. OF THOSE PEOPLE, HALF PARTICIPATED ONCE OR TWICE, AND HALF PARTICIPATED ANYWHERE FROM 3 TO 14 TIMES EACH. WE ARE THRILLED TO SEE THE INCREASED OWNERSHIP AND ENGAGEMENT FROM THESE 40 COMMITTED COMMUNITY MEMBERS. BLOOM YOUTH PROJECT (BYP): FOOD INSECURE TEENS HIRED AS INTERNS MANAGE FOOD PRODUCTION AT BLOOM COMMUNITY FARM, WORK IN OUR NEW GREENHOUSES AT BCFC, AND PROVIDE FOOD TO LOW INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGH OUR DISCOUNTED MOBILE MARKETS. 7 INTERNS BEGAN WORKING WITH US IN OCTOBER 2021, AFTER THE BYP PROGRAM WAS PUT ON HIATUS DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD, BYP INTERNS ENGAGED WITH 15+ DIFFERENT COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND 5 STAFF MEMBERS THROUGH A SERIES OF LIFE SKILLS WORKSHOPS WITH THE INTENT OF MOVING THE INTERNS INTO A LEADERSHIP TRACK FOR THE NEXT YEAR. BLOOM TRUCK: BLOOM TRUCK IS A MOBILE LUNCH AND LIBRARY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY LIBRARY THAT PROVIDES FREE FOOD, FUN, AND READING FOR CHILDREN IN ISOLATED POCKETS OF BLAINE COUNTY. WE SERVED OVER 5,500 HEALTHY LUNCHES TO 256 CHILDREN FROM CAREY TO KETCHUM. WE ALSO COLLABORATED WITH 17 GROUPS WHO PROVIDED FREE ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES TO THE KIDS. THE PANDEMIC BROUGHT CHALLENGES TO THIS PROGRAM AS WE JUGGLED SAFETY CONCERNS WITH A DECLINE IN PARTICIPATION FROM SOME FAMILIES WHO WERE AFRAID OF EXPOSURE TO COVID. WE STARTED THE PROGRAM EARLY TO OFFSET THE LOSS OF SCHOOL LUNCHES WHEN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT MOVED TO ONLINE SCHOOLING. WE ALSO ADDED ADDITIONAL SITES TO EXPAND PROGRAM COVERAGE. FOOD PRODUCTION: OUR HARVEST ENDS UP ON THE PLATES OF OUR FOOD INSECURE NEIGHBORS THROUGH THE PROGRAMS DESCRIBED ABOVE OR IN OUR FOOD PANTRY AND CHILDREN'S FOOD PROGRAMS. OVER 8,475 POUNDS OF PRODUCE WERE GROWN IN OUR FARM, GARDEN AND AT OUR NEW GREENHOUSES DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD. WE WERE ABLE TO ENGAGE MORE VOLUNTEERS THIS YEAR WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING MEASURES IN PLACE, BUT PROGRAMMING CONTINUED TO BE LIMITED DUE TO THE PANDEMIC.

2. CHILDREN'S FOOD PROGRAMS SNACK PACK PROGRAM: OUR BACKPACK PROGRAM, WHICH WE CALL SNACK PACKS, EFFECTIVELY PROVIDES ESSENTIAL NUTRITION OVER THE WEEKENDS AND AFTER SCHOOL FOR SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN. WE PROVIDED OVER 4,000 SNACK PACKS DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR TO KEEP KIDS FED AND READY TO LEARN. DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, SCHOOL CLOSURES AND DISTANCE LEARNING, THIS PROGRAM SAW A DECREASE IN DISTRIBUTION NUMBERS. SUMMER FOOD PROGRAM (SFP): THE SFP PROVIDES FOOD, FUN, AND READING FOR LOCAL FAMILIES WHO CAN'T AFFORD TO SEND THEIR KIDS TO SUMMER CAMP. WE HAD OUR BUSIEST SEASON DURING THIS REPORTING PERIOD. WITH 7 DIFFERENT MOBILE LOCATIONS OVER A 10-WEEK PERIOD, THE SFP PROVIDED NEARLY 5,500 LUNCHES TO 389 CHILDREN AND 62 ADULTS. 22 PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS DEDICATED 200 HOURS OF VOLUNTEER TIME TO PROVIDE FREE ACTIVITIES TO THE FAMILIES PARTICIPATING IN THE SFP. DAILY BITES: THROUGH DAILY BITES, WE PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITIOUS FOOD PANTRIES IN SCHOOLS, AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS, AND SUMMER CAMPS. DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD, WE PROVIDED SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION TO 1,700 CHILDREN TO KEEP THEM FED, ACTIVE AND ENGAGED. INFANT FORMULA INITIATIVE: PROVIDING ESSENTIAL NUTRITION FOR BABIES DURING THE FIRST YEAR OF THEIR LIFE IS KEY TO THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF CHILDHOOD. THROUGH THE GENEROSITY OF OUR COMMUNITY, WE WERE ABLE TO ENSURE 100% OF THE MOTHERS WHO REACHED OUT TO US HAD ACCESS TO THE NUTRITION THEIR BABIES NEED.

3. HEALTHY FOOD PANTRY OUR HEALTHY FOOD PANTRY CONSISTS OF A COMPREHENSIVE FOOD RECOVERY, WAREHOUSING, DISTRIBUTION AND SUPPORT SYSTEM TO EFFICIENTLY PROVIDE ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS, SUPPLEMENTARY FOODS AND CARE FOR FAMILIES IN CRISIS. THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC BROUGHT MONTHS OF SHUTDOWN AND STAY AT HOME ORDERS LEADING TO HISTORIC NUMBERS OF FAMILIES TO OUR DOORS. THE HUNGER COALITION SERVED AN ALL-TIME RECORD NUMBER OF PEOPLE AT THE FOOD PANTRY THROUGH THE REPORTING PERIOD. WE PROVIDED OVER 15,000 GROCERY CARTS TO 1,258 DESERVING FAMILIES DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD, A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE OVER THE PREVIOUS PERIOD. THANKS TO OUR FOOD RECOVERY EFFORTS AND THE FARMERS TO FAMILIES PROGRAM THROUGH THE USDA, NEARLY 160,000 POUNDS OF FOOD WERE DONATED TO OUR FOOD PANTRY. ALTOGETHER, WE DISTRIBUTED OVER 630,000 POUNDS OF FRESH AND NON- PERISHABLE FOODS THROUGH THE FOOD PANTRY IN THE REPORTING PERIOD. THE PANDEMIC FORCED US TO CHANGE OUR ENTIRE DISTRIBUTION PROCESS AND ENDED OUR WAREHOUSE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM. THE FAMILIES WHO CAME TO US CONTINUED TO RECEIVE THE VITAL NUTRITION THEY NEEDED THANKS TO THE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION OF OUR CORE STAFF AND A CREW OF CONTRACT WORKERS THAT WERE BROUGHT IN TO HANDLE THE RECORD VOLUME OF FAMILIES IN NEED.

WITH BLOOM COMMUNITY FOOD CENTER, WE'VE BUILT A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO BE, NOT SOMEWHERE PEOPLE FEEL THEY HAVE TO BE. IT'S A MOVE FROM CHARITY TO SOLIDARITY. IT'S A MOVEMENT LED BY THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST AFFECTED BY HUNGER AND THUS, THE PEOPLE WHO INTIMATELY UNDERSTAND ITS CHALLENGES. IT'S AN APPROACH THAT USES GOOD, FARM-FRESH FOOD TO BUILD HEALTH, SOCIAL CONNECTION TO BUILD STRENGTH, AND ACTIVISM TO REBUILD THE SYSTEM THAT CONTINUES TO CAUSE HUNGER TO BEGIN WITH. IT'S AT ONCE FRESH AND NEW WHILE ROOTED IN COMMUNAL TRADITIONS OF THE PAST. WE HOPE THAT THE GRASSROOTS POWER TRUE TO BLOOM COMMUNITY FOOD CENTER SHINES THROUGHOUT BLAINE COUNTY THIS YEAR. IF WE CONTINUE TO HARNESS OUR STRENGTHS AND TAKE CARE OF ONE ANOTHER, WE KNOW RADICAL CHANGE IS POSSIBLE.