The Northeast Iowa Food Bank envisions a community in which hunger is alleviated and all persons have adequate access to nutritious food. We will strive to accomplish our mission so that food security is ultimately achieved for all households.

WE PASSED OUR AUDITS!

Together we are combating rural hunger in northeast Iowa

We set the bar high because your support is worth it

(More on pg. 3)(More on pg. 5)

WINTER 2019

OPENING A NEWFOOD PANTRY

38Years Serving

Northeast Iowa

Barb PratherExecutive Director of the Northeast Iowa Food Bank

From The Director

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As our 37th year comes to an end and we begin year 38, I would like to take a moment to thank you for the support you give the Northeast Iowa Food Bank day in and day out. For over 43,000 food insecure people in northeast Iowa your support means we will continue to have resources to provide them in their time of need. Moving into our 38th year we have a request of you, that will enable us to stretch our resources even more. That request is to be an advocate for us on a state level.

When Iowans think of nonprofit organizations they think that we don’t pay taxes. While the Northeast Iowa Food Bank doesn’t pay property taxes or federal and state income taxes, we do pay sales taxes on tangible personal property. That means if we buy office supplies, computers, printing services or a truck, we pay the state of Iowa sales tax.

The Food Bank estimates that we pay $50,000 annually in sales tax. Think about it this way: we were 500,000 meals away from ‘Closing the Meal Gap’ in northeast Iowa last fiscal year, and not paying sales tax would have given us an additional 200,000 meals, enabling us to ‘Close the Gap’ sooner - because those resources could go into providing more food.

Our ask this year is to get you to help us advocate on a state level so Food Banks can become sales tax exempt. Later in December, and early in January, you will see our push to ask you to talk to your state elected officials to help us receive this exemption. It will only mean that we can get more food to people in need.

The Northeast Iowa Food Bank has over the past 10 years, at different times, received state funding. This funding has always gone to purchase food. We don’t rely on any funding from the state. This exemption will mean we can keep our resources so we can provide more food to the people we serve through our member agencies and programs.

So, please as we begin our 38th year, when we ask-reach out to your elected officials and help us make a difference in the lives of those we serve.

On behalf of those we serve, thank you.”

Our Board

Our Staff

Kirsten Juhl, ChairKen Cutts, Vice ChairCheryl Erb, Secretary

Corey Lorenzen, TreasurerBob Brokaw

Timi Brown-PowersHouston Campbell

Paul GarciaEmily Girsch

Grant GubbrudLeonard Hanson

Mindy HendricksonDr. Todd Holcomb

Phil JonesPaul Jungen IIJustin Kasuske

Barb KramerMike MessererJeanne Miller

Jennifer PetersLouise ScottDaniel WinnTajah Wright

Reggie SchmittChrist Schwartz

Barb Prather, Executive DirectorMike Knipp, Director of Development

Susan Kraus, Director of Network RelationsAlisha Rulapaugh, Director of Community EngagementMichelle Sullivan, Director of Compliance & Operations

Shannon Bass, Network Service CoordinatorDan Bohnker, Group Volunteer Coordinator

Jeff Bowman, WarehouseJoslyn Canfield, Agency Services

Maddie Christensen, Individual Volunteer CoordinatorJeff Eastman, Warehouse

Debra Eckerman, WarehouseSusan Entriken, Grants Coordinator

Jim Flood, Warehouse ForemanBrent Groomes, Warehouse

Tia Gutierrez, Network Services CoordinatorNikki Hahn, Culinary Programs Manager Austin Hamlett, Receiving Coordinator

Bryan Helleso, Marketing ManagerMelissa Hicok, Accounting & HR Manager

Tyler Huckfelt, Volunteer ManagerRhonda McBride, Pantry Services ManagerAndrew Mohr, Network Service Assistant

Tyler Montgomery, Americorps VISTATammy Morrison, Admin Assistant

Caren Rhoads, JanitorTom Roschen, Fleet Coordinator/Driver

Athena Speller, Culinary Programs CoordinatorLisa Spitler, SNAP Outreach Coordinator

Doug Stufflebeam, Warehouse/DriveTom Swalin, Operations Manager

Mara Warnke, Pantry Service AssistantLeo White, Food Room Coordinator

Freddie Williams, Receiving CoordinatorCamil Zonic, Warehouse Custodian

The Student Food Drive Finale

Thanksgiving Distribution

‘Pack The Dome’ MLK Day of Service

11th Annual Empty Bowls

From October 4th to November 8th, eight Cedar Valley high schools competed in the 2019 edition of the

Student Food Drive, and collected 66,172 meals! The top contributing schools were Cedar Falls High School,

Union High School, and Waterloo Christian High School.

For the fourth consecutive year, we have held our annual Thanksgiving Distribution giveaway for

families in the Cedar Valley. This year we were able to help 4,000 families receive a Thanksgiving meal thanks to supporters like you. We could not have

done this without you.

Each January we are honored to take part in the annual Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service. Last

year, we had a record breaking turnout at Maucker Union on UNI’s campus, with nearly 20,000 BackPacks

assembled by over 750 volunteers.

This year we have some BIG news! Thanks to a generous partnership with John Deere, we were able to secure the UNI-Dome as the venue for our 2020 ‘Pack The

Dome’ MLK National Day of Service. Why is this such a big deal you ask? Because in order to pack 40,000 BackPacks (twice as many as 2019’s event) we need

1,200 volunteers to help us make that happen. To sign up or learn more about how to participate, visit:

www.vccv.galaxydigital.com/aem

Mark your calendars for our 11th Annual Empty Bowls, a night of music, endless soup, raffles, and an auction!

November 8th

November 25th-27th

Monday, Jan. 20th, 2020

Friday, March 27th, 2020

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

DID YOU MISS THIS?

Getting Involved | Past & Upcoming Events

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YOUR DONATIONS GO FURTHER HEREINVEST IN OUR MISSION TO IMPACT RURAL AND URBAN COMMUNITIES IN NEED

With Open Hands

Ingredients | Volunteers, Donors, & Advocates

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When a new pantry opens, The Meal Gaps closes.

HONORARIUMS

The North Fayette Ministerial Association, located in West Union, has seen the turmoil that hunger has had in their community for quite some time. This October, they were fortunate enough to find themselves in a position to do something about it. They did so by opening a brand new pantry, a somewhat novel idea that has gained popularity in a few other northeast Iowa communities over the course of the past year. The Open Hands Food Pantry sits inside the walls of the United Methodist Church’s decades old foundation, a fact doubling as a blissful metaphor when one witnesses how an “open hands” approach is the foundation of this community’s way of life. “The thing we wanted to be sure of was that people could get food anytime,” noted Pastor Ginny Olson of the partnering St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in neighboring Eldorado, Iowa. In Fayette county, an estimated 2,340 people are food-insecure, with 750 of those being children. “We’ve long been concerned about food insecurity issues in our area. We have a large number of students receiving free or reduced priced lunches, indicating that they are living at or below the federal poverty level,” Pam Reining, Pastor of Illyria Community Church explained. “We also have many, many seniors on a fixed income.” Currently, the Northeast Iowa Food Bank offers two Mobile Food Pantries once a month in Fayette county. Outside of that, additional food-security resources are few and far between. With a new food pantry to service, everyone here at the Northeast Iowa Food Bank is excited to see the how the Open Hands Food Pantry will impact the lives of children, seniors, and families who now have another community resource at their side should they need it. “The Open Hands Food Pantry is one of three new pantries that we have seen and assisted through the ‘start-up’ phase within the last year alone,” said Susan Kraus, Director of Agency Relations at the Northeast Iowa Food Bank. “After witnessing the success of these rural hunger initiatives, we are confident that their success is proof that focusing on rural hunger in northeast Iowa must continue, and it must become a priority.” The Open Hands Food Pantry will be open from 2pm-6pm every Tuesday, and Saturdays from 10am-2pm, excluding the second Saturday of the month.

Honorariums and Memorials are some of the most special Ingredients we have.Honorariums & Memorials

HONORARIUMS

MEMORIALS

Ingredients | Volunteers, Donors, & AdvocatesIngredients | Honorariums and Memorials

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Hudson United Methodist Church by Edward & Marlys SmithMy Family by Randal & Sherri MurphyDelza J. Van Arsdale Brown by Redonna J. ParkerKaren & Kenny Ney by Lee Allan EberlingArlys & Al Schroeder by Gene & Pat LeonhartSara Gooder by Gary GooderCharles Saint by Kathryn Saint & Christine UhlandGary Uhland by Kathryn Saint & Christine UhlandLee Lindgren by Tony & Carolyn DietzKen Cutts by Louis & Susan FettketherThe Hungry by James & Krisin OstranderJim & Gretchen Kullmer by Richard & Marcia BechtholdJanesville Teachers and Schools by Janesville American Legion Auxiliary #522 Joe Erb by James & Cheryl ErbBarbara Prather by James & Cheryl Erb

David Mason by Pamela KlimaDeborah Ann Willig by Denise WilligDick Addington by Dorothy AddingtonDon Gobeli by Steven PrescottDonna Lynn Newgren by Mark & Laura NewgrenEsther Winning by Sandra DerifieldFred Harris by Suzanne BembridgeGene Condon by Carmen Condon by Walter & Debbie BrotenGeorge Oluf Stokker by Kathleen StokkerGertrude Neas Lembke by Jo Ann FinkenbinderHomer & Naomi Payne by H.D. & L.L. Payne“My Family” by Karon GramJames & Ingeborg Loftus by Kim & Annette ElliottJames Reicks by Shari ReicksJim Sweeney by John & Denise HagerJohn Meyer by Kathryn MeyerJoseph F. Lembke by Jo Ann FinkenbinderJudy Chelle by Jon & Wendy FooteKendall Benzing by Jean BaconLaona Jenson by James & Sharon MeggisonLee & Amy Lindgren by Rachel EvansLee Allan Eberling by Scott EberlingLee Jesse by Richard & Marcia BechtholdLeone M. Klein by Reginald & Suzan SchmittLewis Hanna by Opal HannaLouie Corkery by Wallace SulenticLouis Corkery by Suzanne BembridgeMarcella Bryant by Pam DohrnMarion Whalen by Myrna BernemannMark Brinkman by Robert & Mary Sue ParkhurstMartin Nordman by Connie NordmanMyra Mae Devine by W. Franklin Ross

Nancy Douglas by Ann Sage by Barbara Dowd by Bradford & Rhonda Braley by Cedar Heights Community Presbyterian Church by David & Susan Feltman by E. Elaine Douglas by Jeanette Silver by Gerald Purcell by Gladys Douglas by I.K. & Mary Abu-Shumays by Judith Benson by Karen Mitchell by Kathleen Hahn by Kyle & Wendy Bland-Henderson by Lorraine Baker by Mary Williams by Robert & Margaret Bennett by Rodney & Kimberly LatchNancy Peterson by Deanne TjarksNancy Stanek by David & Susan FeltmanNeia Jackson by Gregory & Anne HoekstraNeia Jackson by Mark & Cynthia FranklinNeil Nordman by Connie NordmanPaul and Ardith Goings by Susan Koppmann Pete Smit by David & Susan FeltmanRandy Reed by Kenny & Robin EtringerRay Iche by Jean NelsonRobert F. Lichty by Mary LichtyRyan Keegan by Richard & Marcia BechtholdSidney Bunger by Yale KramerTed & Lena Becker by John & Carolyn BeckerViola Reimer by June GreenYale Kramer by Brenda Eilers by Carol Walker by Dale & Paula Wilson by Debra & James Knudson by Howard & Phyllis Peterson by James & Barbara Prather by James & Frances Waring by James & Sharon Grams by Jerry & Judy Anders by Kyle & Wendy Bland-Henderson by Larry & Marian Noack by Larry & Vicky Bjortomt by Lee & Barbara Miller by Leonard & Maureen Hanson by Louise Stivers-Scott by Reno & Theresa Rodeghiero by St. Timothy Lutheran Church

Albert & Barbara Parrack Cardamon by Larry & Barbara CardamonAlex Etringer by Kenny & Robin EtringerAndrew Schaefer by David & Teresa Schaefer by Larry & Carol DufelArv Schumann by David & Susan FeltmanBelva Gramlich by Jean BaconBernard & Margaret Schons by John & Carolyn BeckerBernice Huss by Dale & Marty HalupnikBernie Bellcourt by Bert BellcourtBob by Lorenz by Gary GooderC.N. Kampman by Darlene KoobsCarol Hopkins by Helen PurdyCatherine Willwerth by Donna MitchellClaire Nemeth by Susie Nemeth-WildDave Bolte by C.M. Bolte

After a season of audits and inspections, the results are in...The Down Low On High Standards

Operating a Food Bank is a far more complicated task than it sounds. First we have to manage the things any organization has to manage: human resources, financial resources, marketing, and infrastructure to name a few. On top of that, because our primary service is providing food, we have to make sure all areas of the Food Bank are up to food safety and health regulations. And to keep our membership with Feeding America - there are additional guidelines that we need to meet that dictacte whether or not we can responsibly and safely serve our clients through our network of programs and member agencies.

With all of that in mind, we also have to ensure we are following all laws relating to nonprofits, making sure we are being fiscally responsible and using our donor’s money in ethical ways. That’s good news for you, because as a supporter of any non-profit, you deserve to know that there are checks and balances in place that prohibit any means of support that you give, from going to waste. We provide all of this information, in order to be open and transparent. Ask a question-we will provide an answer and share our documentation.

To make sure we are fulfilling our obligations in all those areas, we undergo several audits every year. With that in mind, we’re excited to share that we have successfully completed and passed all of our audits. Most recently, we passed our AIB International Consolidated Standards for Inspection audit, with a resounding, 940/1000. We passed our Feeding America audit and Financial Audit with no findings. These are the highest tests of accountability that a Food Bank can endure! We think of these audits in the same way we think of preparing a recipe. And when cooking a meal, diligently following the recipe will ensure that those enjoying your meal, can do so safely.

With our 38th birthday coming up this December, we think about all the work that has gone into making the Northeast Iowa Food Bank a dependable organization. We share our successes with you because you are our social stakeholders who are investing time, money, and advocacy in our mission. We hope that this Christmas season, as you prepare to give back, you know that your donations go a very long way when they end up in the Northeast Iowa Food Bank’s stocking.

IT’S EASIER THAN EVER TO BECOME A RECURRING DONOR

Utensils | The Tools We Need To Close The Meal Gap

YOUR DONATIONS ALLOW US TO KEEP DOING THE JOBS WE LOVE. CONSIDER BECOMING A RECURRING DONOR!

PAGE | 5

“I want my baby to have a good life.”

NORTHEAST IOWA THANKS YOU!

Serving Size | 46,440 Hungry Northeast Iowans

I am four months pregnant with my first child. I’m so excited. I talk to my stomach and I play music for my baby to hear every day. I want her to be healthy. I’m extra cautious about getting good medical care because I have epilepsy, which people say could affect my child. Fortunately, however, every ultrasound brings good news – even after I’ve had a couple of seizures.

In the five years since I graduated high school, I’ve always had a job. Most recently, I was working in food service. I was saving up to afford a place to live, since I’m currently homeless. But a few weeks ago, I was laid off. I have been sending in applications to as many places as I can, but so far haven’t found a new job.

In the meantime, the food pantry is such a blessing. I am eating for two now, and I can’t tell you what it means to know I will receive a good meal that will fill me up. Not only that, it’s providing the nourishment my baby needs to be born healthy.

I want my baby to have a good life – to be successful and not have to struggle like this. I don’t like asking for help; I’d rather depend on myself. But to give my baby a chance I need to put my pride aside. I’m grateful that there are pantries to turn to, so that even in this difficult time, I can get the nutrition we both need to build a better life.

TIP: EVERY $1 YOU PROVIDE CAN HELP US FEED 4 MEALS TO NORTHEAST IOWANS IN NEED OF FOOD ASSISTANCE

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Feed A Family. Feed A Future.

The Northeast Iowa Food Bank is an equal opportunity provider.

FOR SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITYThank You

Introducing: End of Year Employer MatchingDoes your employer match charitable donations? Find out instantly on our website!

www.NortheastIowaFoodBank.org/

The Accel FoundationAmerican Endowment Foundation for Sommer Brothers Charitable Fund Anthem Blue Cross for Produce & Perishable Cedar Falls Construction Company, Inc. for Pledge year 2 of 3 Checker and The Bluetones for Stone Soul PicnicCommunity Foundation of Northeast Iowa for Shell Rock Mobile Food Pantry for Ross Christensen Family Fund Feeding America’s ‘Fight Hunger. Spark Change.’ for FY20 Red Nose Day Child Hunger for Simek’s One Gives One for Clif Bar & Company FY 19 for Coca Cola FY19 Gold Peak for McCormick & Co Inc FY19 Walmart for Bush Brothers FY19 for Kraft Heinz for Currant Humana Goodwill Industries of Northeast IA Great Western Bank for Cedar Valley Food Pantry for Restricted Kids Café

Guernsey Charitable Foundation for Volunteer capacity for Kids Cafe for Summer Feeding Gundersen Lutheran Administrative Services for Mobile Food Pantries for Produce & Perishable ProductsHyVee Inc for Feed the Need Land O’ Lakes Foundation for Delaware County BP River Valley Cooperative for Delaware County Back Pack Pauline R. Barrett Charitable Foundation for Capital ProjectsPrairie Lakes Church for Osage Mobile Food PantryService Signing, L.C. Target (Corporate) for The BackPack Program The Gallagher Family Foundation Tyson for Board Source Leadership forumWestminster Presbyterian Church William & Charlotte Hinson Charitable Foundation