March 2001 - CVC Members Pledge to Collect Food and Funds During March for Minnesota FoodShare

By Anne Mazurowski (3M)

Hunger problems. At the February 27 CVC Best Practice Series at Dain Rauscher, 45 CVC members learned how hunger affects Minnesotans. Then CVC pledged to fight.

All CVC members are invited to join the challenge. In 2000, CVC member companies donated over 476,000 in dollars and pounds. The challenge is on to increase that amount by 10% during March.

"Foodshelves can do miracles with cash donations. $1 has been known to stretch far enough to purchase 7 to 25 pounds of meat," commented Honorary Chair, Reverend Dick Goebel, executive director of America"s Second Harvest Food Bank in St. Paul. Don Shelby, WCCO TV anchor, helped kick-off the challenge. Other speakers were from Community Emergency Services and Minnesota FoodShare. They told stories of children, parents, retirees, the working poor, urban people, suburban people, rural people - people who never thought they would need to use food shelves. Some are now volunteers and donate to the shelves.

A Dain Rauscher employee shared her moving story of a time when she relied on food shelves, lived in her car, and sought out places with microwaves to heat her food.

Many FoodShare best practices were offered. Barb Alfrey, Pillsbury, suggested an idea that Jeanne Erickson, Cenex Harvest States, also finds successful. Employees receive Minnesota FoodShare grocery bags with instructional fliers. The bags, which have the FoodShare logo and handles, serve as useful reminders.

top