Annie’s Homegrown is offering a limited number of small grants to community gardens, school gardens and other educational programs that connect children directly to real food. These funds can be used to buy gardening tools, seeds or other needed supplies. If you would like to apply, please read the complete guidelines and fill out an online application.

The deadline to apply for a grant is Wednesday, February 29th at 11:59 p.m PST.

Check out the application and guidlines: http://www.annies.com/grants_for_gardens

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This group is not, however, without hope. White House Council for Community Solutions has dubbed them “Opportunity Youth” and announced a plan for a 100-day initiative to mobilize communities and invest in disconnected youth. Patty Stonesifer, chair of the Council, said, “From family to government – we all have a role to play to help disconnected youth… the Council and its partners hope to spur thoughtful community discussions and a national dialogue that leads to reconnecting these young people with the supports they need to move forward.”

That support will vary from mentoring and job-shadowing to internships. To help facilitate these partnerships, toolkits containing guides and studies have been created. The Community Collaboratives Toolbox and the Connecting Youth and Business Toolkit were “designed to help organizations of all sizes make a long-term commitment to helping our young adults realize their potential – by providing them with the mentoring, training, or those first jobs that put them on a trajectory for lifelong success,” said Bobbi Silten, senior vice president, global responsibility and president, Gap Foundation at Gap Inc.

During February and March, United Way Worldwide will host about 30 town hall discussions across the country to encourage dialogue about this issue. The Youth Leadership Institute will work with “Youth Ambassadors” to ensure that the people this initiative is working to help are heard. Ultimately, at the end of the allotted time period, a Summit for Youth will be held and the Council will submit a final report to the White House.

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In order to address the problem of hunger, it is important that we first understand it. Feeding America undertook the Map the Meal Gap project to learn more about the face of hunger at the local community level. By understanding the population in need, communities and partners can better identify strategies for reaching the people who most need food assistance.

When seeking to meet the needs of food insecure individuals and families, it is not always easy to identify the need for food within each of our communities. Traditionally, Feeding America has used state and national level USDA food insecurity data to estimate the need (e.g. “50 million Americans are at risk of hunger”), but food banks and other food assistance non-profits are rooted in their local communities and need better information at the ground level in order to be responsive to their unique local conditions.

Map the Meal Gap generates two types of community-level data: County-level food insecurity estimates by income categories; and an estimate of the food budget shortfall that food insecure individuals report they experience.

The goals of the Map the Meal Gap project have been focused on equipping communities with additional analytical tools to help understand the dynamics of food insecurity at the local level and to use this information to better inform discussions about how to respond to the need.

For Campus Kitchens across the country, better community-level data can serve as an important resource for engaging community leaders and partners in the journey from the aspiration of ending hunger to achievement through a quantifiable and data-driven approach.

The Map the Meal Gap analysis provides a way to talk about the food budget shortfall that food insecure individuals report and to show how food costs can vary across communities. The hope is that Campus Kitchens would join with the many food banks, partner agencies, policy makers, business leaders, community activists and concerned citizens to use these tools to fully engage in the fight against hunger.

Check out the Map the Meal Gap Tool and find out more about your own community at www.feedingamerica.org/mapthegap

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While Martin Luther King, Jr Day is often thought of as a day off from work or school, many have taken to donating their extra time to service projects. The MLK Day of Service is a part of President Obama’s call for a national focus on service. United We Serve promotes working to better our communities. It was with this spirit that high school competitors took to the kitchen.

Just a few of the entries

Service doesn’t have to feel like a chore, and Friday’s chili cook-off is a perfect example of making volunteerism fun. Chef Spike Mendelsohn, one of the judges of the cook-off, told the high school students, “It’s something really special that you guys are doing right now. It may seem sometimes that it’s time consuming and it’s very hard, but the time you put in now, you’re only really going to get rewarded as your life goes on”.

The five teams came from as far away as New England. St. Andrew’s Episcopal High School, Gonzaga College High School, and Hospitality High School all represented the DC area, while Atlantic City High School traveled from New Jersey and Archbishop Williams High School flew in from Boston. Each team was required to make both a chili and a dessert. After 2 hours of preparing and cooking, both were presented to a panel of judges, including: Mendelsohn; Marriott, Inc. CEO Arne Sorenson; DC Central Kitchen Founder and President Robert Egger; and DC Central Kitchen CEO Mike Curtin.

The judges discuss the winners

The meals were judged based on presentation, taste, creativity, and skill. The award for best chili was awarded to St. Andrew’s for their chicken ‘Montana Snow Chili,’ while Atlantic City won the best dessert category with their sopapillas with orange caramel and coriander cream. The best overall meal was created by Archbishop Williams High School, whose chuck wagon chili and ‘Grandma’s Cornbread Cake’ paired perfectly together. For pictures of the different dishes, check out our slideshow.

The Campus Kitchens Project works with 31 schools across the country to use resources readily available in their communities, such as kitchen facilities or extra food supplies, to create meals for feed those in need. For more information, please follow the Campus Kitchens Project on Twitter, Facebook, or visit the website.

Preparing dessert

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In fiscal year 2011, about 44.7 million people participated in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), on average, per month (USDA, 2011). Facts like this are great but how can we as Campus Kitchens across the country use this data to better address the needs in our individual communities? Until recently, many tools that measure and analyze food insecurity only gather data on the national and State level, but generally not for individual communities or regions.

However, this past month the USDA Food Nutrition Service (FNS) created a new online tool to help identify and analyze the characteristics of SNAP on a smaller more individualized scale. The SNAP Community Characteristic Tool allows users to search for fact sheets broken down by Congressional District.  The tool looks at demographic data of all households in the district and then does some comparison of those on SNAP versus those who are not. Demographics presented include: age groups, poverty level, race/ethnicity, median income, and work status. Also included is the total amount of SNAP funds, total recipients and SNAP participation rate for each State.

This resource will be useful to the local communities wanting to see data from a smaller geographic area than previously available. These reports tell the story of a community’s food security and can be helpful to Campus Kitchens and other partners in addressing the actual needs of their individual communities.  The information gleaned from this tool can be used in their advocacy work, programming and even grant writing.

Take some time to check out the SNAP Community Characteristic Tool and look through the fact sheet for your Congressional District to gain a better understanding of the needs in your community, as well as how to begin addressing those needs.

http://www.fns.usda.gov/ora/SNAPCharacteristics/default.htm

About SNAP:

SNAP (formerly known as the Food Stamp Program) is a federal nutrition program. The Program’s laws and regulations are based on the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 passed by Congress in 2008. In 1974 Congress required all States to offer food benefits to low-income households. The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) administers the program.

The intent of the Program is to help improve the health and well being of low-income households and individuals by providing them a means to meet their nutritional needs. Contrary to popular belief, SNAP benefits are not meant to meet all of the food needs of a household or an individual, but to supplement their nutritional needs. People do not need to be destitute to qualify for SNAP benefits.

(http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/)

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Kathleen Quinn presents CKNU Coordinator Danny Burke with a $10,000 check on behalf of the Irish Dairy Board

CKNU has received a $10,000 donation from the Irish Dairy Board, located in Evanston.  This amount of money will help CKNU ensure that those most in need continue to receive nourishing meals.  Additionally, the Irish Dairy Board is planning a group service project with CKNU so that they can see firsthand the impact we have on the Evanston Community.

From the entire CKNU family to the Irish Dairy Board, we send an enormous THANK YOU!

The press release for the check presentation is below:

“This holiday season just got a little brighter for the Campus Kitchen at Northwestern University and the community they serve thanks to a gift from the Irish Dairy Board Inc, an Irish farmers co-operative with US operations that oversee the import and distribution of Kerrygold Irish Cheese & Butter.  Today, representatives from the Evanston-based Kerrygold offices presented the Campus Kitchen at Northwestern with a check for $10,000.  This gift will support the operations at the Kitchen, where 33,230 hours of service donated by student volunteers ensure that 725 meals a week are delivered to 15 client agencies in the Evanston community.

“This is a particularly challenging time of year for many families & individuals experiencing financial difficulty” notes Neil Cox, President of IDB Inc, “ and it’s important to us to give back to our local community when possible.  Campus Kitchen at Northwestern is a remarkable operation and one we’re proud to support”.

This student-run volunteer organization utilizes on-campus kitchen space and recovers unused food from campus cafeterias as well as community donations to provide healthy meals to those in need in their local community, while promoting healthy eating, increased child nutrition, decreased food waste and developing the next generation of community leaders.  To date, the Northwestern Kitchen has used 313,500 pounds of recovered food that would have otherwise gone to waste to create and serve 323,500 meals.

About The Irish Dairy Board/Kerrygold USA

The Irish Dairy Board is the marketing and selling cooperative created by Ireland’s small dairy farmer co-ops and co-op creameries to export butter and cheeses all over the world.  “Kerrygold” is the international brand of the Irish Dairy Board.  Kerrygold butter and cheeses are widely sold in the United States in supermarkets and specialty food stores.  For a store finder, visit www.kerrygoldusa.com/where-to-buy/. For more information about Kerrygold butters and cheeses, visit www.kerrygoldusa.com.

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Employer: The Campus Kitchens Project

Location:  Northwestern University- Evanston, IL

Pay Type: $31,000 with benefits

The Campus Kitchens Project (CKP) is a leader in community service and anti-hunger programming in communities around the country. The Campus Kitchens Project headquartered in Washington DC, oversees all Campus Kitchens. CKP has locations at thirty-one campuses, each of which provide thousands of meals to in-need populations while offering supplemental programming to address the root causes of hunger.

What we do is kind of a no-brainer. We know there are people in every community who need nourishing meals. And, we know that every college campus has un-served food in its dining halls and brilliant students in its classrooms. So we put them all together.  We empower thousands of students each year to recycle food from their cafeterias, turn these donations into nourishing meals, and deliver those meals to those who need it most. Each Campus Kitchen develops programming that meets the needs of their community, from garden and farming initiatives to culinary job training programs and nutrition education.

Basic Responsibilities:

Kitchen Operations & Programming :

• Develop student leaders who will run shifts and are engaged in service activities.
• Recruit and train student volunteers on kitchen safety, food resourcing, cooking and delivery shifts.
• Maintain relationships with food resourcing partners to acquire excess food for meal creation.
• Plan weekly menus in compliance with client agency needs and maintain a high level of service.
• Create and maintain additional community partnerships to supplement programming.
• Collaborate with campus staff to facilitate inclusion with other campus programs, such as service learning and community service.
• Facilitate empowerment programming such cooking classes for adults and nutrition events for children.
• Coordinate and implement targeted events such as Turkeypalooza and Feeding Our Future: Chicago.

Project Management:

• Maintain detailed records for safety and sanitation procedures, and effective communication with supervisor.
• Develop and evaluate annually a strategic plan for the development of the Campus Kitchen.
• Research and coordinate fundraising efforts through local foundation grants, events and campaigns.
• Cultivate the Campus Kitchens’ public image through traditional and social media.
• Initiate communication with existing or developing Campus Kitchens to facilitate idea sharing and network growth.
• Participate in national projects, including the CKP Conference, pilot new initiatives for replication in the network, and develop materials and systems to support new programs as needed.

Qualifications:

• A college degree and a background in community service and volunteerism is preferred.
• Ability to work well with diverse types of people; client agencies, faculty and donors.
• Excellent communication, organization, and time management skills.
• Ability to multitask, adjust to changes and be flexible.
• Desire to work in a growing nonprofit organization with a passion to address food insecurity issues.
• A valid driver’s license and access to an insured vehicle for transport of meals and/or volunteers.

How to Apply:

Interested applicants must send a cover letter, résumé, writing sample and references to hr@dccentralkitchen.org no later than 5:00 PM on Friday, January 6, 2012.

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Powerful and unique connections were made as the group chopped onions, peeled turnips and exchanged stories, all while helping in the production of the 5,000 meals that DC Central Kitchen distributes out to the community every day. With the holidays and the year-end quickly approaching, volunteers become an even more vital part of the process to ensure that DCCK can continue to “feed the soul of the city.”

CNCS CEO, Robert Velasco, and Americorp Director, John Gomperts got to sit and dialogue with DCCK’s President Robert Egger, discussing the power and importance of volunteering. The group noted that while many choose to volunteer during the holiday season, volunteering is a year-round effort and can often affect the lives of both those doing the serving, as well as those being served.

It was a great morning for CNCS staff, VISTA members and DCCK staff alike, as they were able to see more clearly their common mission and connect through service!

L to R: John Gomperts, Robert Egger, Robert Velasco, Matt Schnarr, Carolyn Parham.

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Everyone loves turkey during Thanksgiving, right? How about over 10,000 pounds of it? This year, all of the Campus Kitchens stepped up their games and over 800 volunteers put in over 2,000 hours to collect and prepare record amounts of food to provide Thanksgiving meals across the country. From canned food drives, to family-style community meals, each Campus Kitchen found creative and unique ways to keep bellies full in their communities this year.

Due to a huge increase in donations (over 70 whole turkeys!), The Campus Kitchen at the University of Massachusetts Boston was able to provide not only the children they feed on a weekly basis with a Thanksgiving meal, but also each child’s whole family!

The Campus Kitchen at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School ran a hugely successful canned food drive for the Samaritan Ministry Food Pantry, through which they collected over 1500 cans of food and over $5,000 worth of gift cards!

Always catering to the needs and requests of their clients, the Campus Kitchen at Washington University in St. Louis prepared a Mexican food feast for one of their agencies that wanted a little variety this holiday season!

The Campus Kitchen at John Hopkins University created a project this Thanksgiving that focused on more than just food but also incorporated other issues in their community. In addition to providing meals, students held a ‘sleep out’ with the Baltimore community as part of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week to promote awareness and support for those who are less fortunate in the community.

Partnering with Resident Life, the Campus Kitchen at Elon University hosted a Turkeypalooza “Battle of the Areas” competition, crowning a winner based on the percentage of food donated by each area on campus!

As seen through the variety of events and programs each Campus Kitchen participated in, it is easy to see that Turkeypalooza was a great success this year! Students and community members alike had much to be thankful for this holiday season!

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Sounds, kind of serious, doesn’t it? Well – not exactly. Here’s five reasons to get excited for The Campus Kitchens Project conference.

1. The ultimate chili cook-off, sponsored by the Campus Kitchen at Saint Louis University leadership team.

The first 25 attendees to sign up upon their arrival at the conference will be split into five teams for an epic battle of the beans – and a chance to show off their Campus Kitchen culinary prowess.

The cook-off will take place on Saturday evening at the conference to coincide with a service fair, full of opportunities to continue your commitment to service and fair trade goods for sale, among other things. Eat your fill, then go out into the St. Louis night to explore the city.

2. Gary Oppenheimer, founder and executive director of Ampleharvest.org will be present to facilitate case studies and speak on panels. Gary is working to tackle hunger nationally through innovation, just like you.

He was also a CNN hero. See the video below.

3. Jerusha Klemperer, FoodCorps Co-Founder and Communications Director, will sit on a health and nutrition panel: “Finding the balance between good food and enough food.”

Jerusha used to serve as Program Manager and Blog Editor at Slow Food USA, where she contributed articles to the Huffington Post like:

“Top 4 Ways to Create a Sustainable Foodie Kitchen”

4. You get to become part of the conference. Yup, that’s right. We recognize that when it comes to Campus Kitchen operations, you’re the experts. Beginning Saturday morning, we’ll implement the “unconference” part of our conference. Experts will share, you’ll get a case study, and later you’ll present the results to the audience.

5. The truck farm followed you to St. Louis!

Well, not really. We’ll actually be screening the truck farm film with a Q&A by Brian DeSmet, St. Louis Truck Farmer. Check out the amazing fleet of mobile teaching gardens that have dispatched around the country, and learn how to start your own!

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