Non-Profit Hero of the Week: Least Of These

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SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — In 2019, over 1 million pounds of food came through the Least Of These food pantry and into the hands of Christian County residents.

During the COVID-19 pandemic this year, that number has only increased.

Least Of These is the only full-service food pantry serving Christian County—one of the fastest growing counties in Missouri—and the cities of Nixa and Ozark, serving over 850 families a month in a normal year.

But due to the impacts of COVID-19, this year has seen an increase of 32% in families requesting assistance. That increased need has increased the pantry’s food distribution by 116% over last year.

The staff at Least Of These, which is now working with far less help than at the beginning of the pandemic due to many National Guard volunteers being recalled, has continued to meet demands for hundreds of people who often must choose between paying for food or paying for rent and utilities. And that’s why they’re this week’s Non-Profit Heroes award winner, presented by American National Insurance.

You can view all of our Non-Profit Heroes at springfieldcardinals.com/heroes.

“Least Of These continues to serve the most vulnerable in our community amid the COVID-19 pandemic,” Least Of These Executive Director Kristy Carter said. “The way our clients receive food is different right now, but the amount of food and the support each family feels when dealing with us has not changed. It is our commitment to continue to serve families in need in Christian County.’

“We have created and are following an emergency response plan to help those who are faced with food insecurity. As these times are scary and unknown, we will continue to provide food and hopefully remove that fear and anxiety.”

But as the fall and winter months approach, Least Of These continues to need the help of an ever-caring Southwest Missouri community to ensure that its families receive the resources they need.

“The past couple of weeks have demonstrated that it will be difficult to raise the necessary funding to continue to provide food for families faced with food insecurity in Christian County,” Carter said. “In one day alone this week, we served 266 Christian County families and we expect those numbers to continue to increase significantly as we rapidly approach the holidays.”

Least Of These began in 1998 as a community outreach project of a Nixa-based church. Over the past two decades they have grown from providing food assistance to seven families to over 10,000.

How can you get involved?

Volunteers are such a big part of what make all of our Non-Profit Heroes, presented by American National Insurance, so great. Least Of These relies on generous food and monetary donations from the community to provide assistance to struggling families. And they also rely on volunteers.

To get involved with Least Of These, visit leastofthesefoodpantry.org.

For more on what Least of These is doing for Christian County on a daily basis, follow them on Facebook at facebook.com/leastofthese.

Least Of These, Inc. is the only full-service food pantry serving Christian County. We feed around 900 families a…

Posted by Least of These, Inc. on Friday, September 18, 2020

Chihuahuas help local food bank achieve its mission 

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El Pasoans Fighting Hunger among CommUNITY grant recipients

The El Paso Chihuahuas have partnered with El Pasoans Fighting Hunger for as long as the team has been an existence, establishing ties with the nearby food bank during the team’s inaugural season of 2014. From hosting staff volunteer events to conducting food drives at the ballpark, the Chihuahuas have seen EPFH’s important work in the community up close.

Given that longstanding relationship, the Chihuahuas’ front office didn’t have to look far when deciding which organization to nominate for one of Minor League Baseball’s CommUNITY grants.

“We are proud to see our friends at EPFH benefit from the generosity of MILB Charities,” said Brad Taylor, the Chihuahuas’ senior vice president and general manager. “Their work in El Paso and the surrounding areas is never ending and this will surely help their mission.”

That mission, according to EPFH, is to “combat the hunger crisis in our region by strategically procuring and distributing nutritious food through community partners,” crucial work with a need that has grown significantly since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The El Paso community has been impacted so severely by the pandemic that EPFH has already surpassed its 2019 food distribution numbers. Last year the food bank distributed more than 32.5 million pounds of food in the Borderland area; this year through May, EPFH has already distributed more than 50 million pounds, with 15 million pounds distributed in May alone.

What does all that mean for the children, single-parent households, veterans, senior citizens and working class families the organization serves? Simply stated, quite a lot.

EPFH has been providing food to 8,000 families daily via their drive thru program since the beginning of the pandemic — numbers are on par with what food banks in much larger markets like Detroit and Chicago but with a fraction the staff. A member of Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger relief network, the organization also recently launched a home delivery service for families impacted by COVID-19 as well as seniors and persons with disabilities.

Of course, getting that much food into the community requires a lot of volunteers, and EPFH does its best to keep everyone safe in the age of social distancing. The $500 grant on behalf of MiLB Charities will help toward the purchase of food boxes, of course, but also personal protective equipment for volunteers to give them peace of mind to continue their efforts.

“We are thankful for this generous gift, which will provide 3,500 meals to El Pasoans who are struggling with food insecurity,” said EPFH chief executive officer Susan Goodell, who added that the total will actually be 7,000 meals when you add a matching gift from the El Paso Chihuahuas Foundation. “These food boxes will not only provide individuals and families with the nourishment needed to sustain themselves, but will allow households to redistribute their expenditures as necessary – on housing, utilities, medical care or education needs. As a result, parents of food insecure households will begin to create a path for financial and longer-term sustainability.”

In addition to El Pasoans Fighting Hunger, the other winning organizations of a CommUNITY grant were Dreams Go On (Altoona Curve), the Young Black Leadership Alliance (Charlotte Knights), Charleston Hope (Charleston RiverDogs) and the Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama (Birmingham Barons).

“A program like this one shows that even without games, Minor League Baseball can deeply enhance and improve their communities,” said Taylor.

“Week of Giving” Presented by Truist

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2020 Week of Giving

 

The Charlotte Knights are pleased to announce that the team’s “Knights Care 4 CLT” initiative, which was launched back on April 15, has raised over $125,000 and the team will now disperse the funds to those affected by COVID-19. With help from a $75,000 donation from naming rights partner, Truist, and additional contributions from Charlotte Knights Charities, sponsors and fans, the team will donate those funds to healthcare workers, seven local-area charities, and Knights’ employees (part-time, game-day, and full-time) who are in need.

“As this pandemic continues to affect so many in our community, we are very pleased to begin dispersing these much-needed funds to those who need some help,” stated Dan Rajkowski, Charlotte Knights Chief Operating Officer. “We are so thankful to Truist, as well as our generous partners and fans who helped us raise these funds for those in need. Baseball has a way of bringing communities together and we hope that we are able to help those in the community who have been affected by this difficult time in our nation’s history.”

In addition to the funds dispersed to Knights’ displaced employees due to COVID-19 from the cancellation of the 2020 season, the team is also contributing $15,000 from the “Knights Care 4 CLT” fund to Atrium Health, one of the team’s founding partners.

Rajkowski added, “In the face of this pandemic, our healthcare workers rose to the challenge and continued to care for our community in this time of need. As a part of our Knights Care 4 CLT campaign, we are very pleased to donate a portion of the funds to the Atrium Health Essential Needs Fund, addressing PPE and supply shortages.”

“It’s generous support from community partners like the Charlotte Knights that continues to enhance Atrium Health’s efforts to fulfill its mission of providing the best care to all during the current pandemic,” said Armando Chardiet, President of Atrium Health Foundation. “The Charlotte Knights organization has been a close friend of the Foundation since 2002, and we are extremely grateful for their recent $15,000 contribution to the Atrium Health Essential Needs Fund.”

As part of this initiative, the Knights have selected seven local Charlotte area nonprofits who were in need of some extra funding during these unprecedented times. Organizations receiving the allocated funds — a total of $40,000 — include Bright Blessings, Care Ring, Classroom Central, Promising Pages, Roof Above, Second Harvest Food Bank and A Child’s Place | Thompson Child & Family Focus. As part of the financial donations to these organizations, members of the team’s front office staff will also volunteer their time from August 3-10 during the club’s annual “Week of Giving” presented by Truist. The Knights’ front office staff committed to a goal of 500 community service hours through non-profits, blood drive contributions, and an educational outreach program as part of the Knights Care 4 CLT campaign. To date, the Knights have given 550+ hours back to the community through various in-person and virtual volunteer opportunities.

“Knights Care 4 CLT” Raised Over $125,000 

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(UPTOWN CHARLOTTE, NC) — The Charlotte Knights are pleased to announce that the team’s “Knights Care 4 CLT” initiative, which was launched back on April 15, has raised over $125,000 and the team will now disperse the funds to those affected by COVID-19. With help from a $75,000 donation from naming rights partner, Truist, and additional contributions from Charlotte Knights Charities, sponsors and fans, the team will donate those funds to healthcare workers, seven local-area charities, and Knights’ employees (part-time, game-day, and full-time) who are in need.

“As this pandemic continues to affect so many in our community, we are very pleased to begin dispersing these much-needed funds to those who need some help,” stated Dan Rajkowski, Charlotte Knights Chief Operating Officer. “We are so thankful to Truist, as well as our generous partners and fans who helped us raise these funds for those in need. Baseball has a way of bringing communities together and we hope that we are able to help those in the community who have been affected by this difficult time in our nation’s history.”

In addition to the funds dispersed to Knights’ displaced employees due to COVID-19 from the cancellation of the 2020 season, the team is also contributing $15,000 from the “Knights Care 4 CLT” fund to Atrium Health, one of the team’s founding partners.

Rajkowski added, “In the face of this pandemic, our healthcare workers rose to the challenge and continued to care for our community in this time of need. As a part of our Knights Care 4 CLT campaign, we are very pleased to donate a portion of the funds to the Atrium Health Essential Needs Fund, addressing PPE and supply shortages.”

“It’s generous support from community partners like the Charlotte Knights that continues to enhance Atrium Health’s efforts to fulfill its mission of providing the best care to all during the current pandemic,” said Armando Chardiet, President of Atrium Health Foundation. “The Charlotte Knights organization has been a close friend of the Foundation since 2002, and we are extremely grateful for their recent $15,000 contribution to the Atrium Health Essential Needs Fund.”

As part of this initiative, the Knights have selected seven local Charlotte area nonprofits who were in need of some extra funding during these unprecedented times. Organizations receiving the allocated funds — a total of $40,000 — include Bright Blessings, Care Ring, Classroom Central, Promising Pages, Roof Above, Second Harvest Food Bank and A Child’s Place | Thompson Child & Family Focus. As part of the financial donations to these organizations, members of the team’s front office staff will also volunteer their time from August 3-10 during the club’s annual “Week of Giving” presented by Truist. The Knights’ front office staff committed to a goal of 500 community service hours through non-profits, blood drive contributions, and an educational outreach program as part of the Knights Care 4 CLT campaign. To date, the Knights have given 550+ hours back to the community through various in-person and virtual volunteer opportunities..

For more information, or how fans, partners, and other interested parties can continue to help those in need, please visit the link here —> KNIGHTS CARE 4 CLT

Greenville Top Fundraiser in MiLB’s CommUNITY First Campaign

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GREENVILLE, S.C. — The Greenville Drive, along with long-time corporate partners Trehel Corporation, Duke Energy, and Spinx, recently participated in Minor League Baseball’s CommUNITY First campaign during the month of May, helping raise critical funds and resources for those most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of this effort, the Drive along with its partners aimed to maximize community impact and dollars raised; ultimately raising over $7,200 – the highest amount raised of all Minor League Baseball teams in the country!

“We’ve always worked tirelessly in both good and challenging times to position the Drive as the ‘Front Porch Of The Community’ so it’s a great privilege for us to take part in Minor League Baseball’s CommUNITY First Campaign and give back to those who need it most,” said Craig Brown, President and Owner of the Greenville Drive. “To raise the most funds across all of Minor League Baseball, and to do so with the great help of our long-time friends and partners at Trehel, Spinx, and Duke Energy, is humbling and speaks to the generosity and collaborative spirit of our partners and the Upstate community. COVID-19 has impacted nearly every aspect of daily life and we’re grateful for the help of our partners and the opportunity to use our platform to help those impacted the most.”

These critical funds will be distributed locally to Harvest Hope Food Bank and throughout the Upstate to help those most in need. In addition, as part of this effort, the Drive has also committed to donating 750 tickets to an Opening Week game during the 2021 season to be utilized by local heroes and frontline workers battling COVID-19. In total, because of the great work done by the Drive and its partners, as well as all Minor League Baseball teams across the country, over 550,000 meals will be donated to families through Feeding America’s nationwide network, and over 5,500 MiLB tickets will be provided to heroes and frontline workers across the nation.

“The Greenville Drive are a shining example of a team bringing together its local community and corporate partners to help individuals most impacted by COVID-19,” said Courtney Nehls, Director of Community Engagement of Minor League Baseball. “We are grateful to the Drive for putting forth such an extraordinary effort throughout the entire MiLB CommUNITY First initiative, and in turn, donating the most funds and tickets to the national campaign.”

For more information and details on the success and impact of the CommUNITY First Program, please visit GreenvilleDrive.com/commUNITYFirst.

Fans, Quakes raise $1,600 for MiLB Community First Campaign

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The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, their fans and Minor League Baseball have all teamed up to make a donation to our local Feeding America food bank, as part of the MiLB CommUNITY First Campaign.

A total of $1,660 will be donated to Feeding America Riverside | San Bernardino, which is part of a bigger donation of over $50,000, raised by 100 minor league teams throughout the country as part of this MiLB program. In addition, the Quakes will provide 166 tickets to future Quakes games to frontline workers.

The MiLB CommUNITY First Campaign combined to donate more than 548,000 meals across 32 states. Your Quakes, thanks to the best fans in the California League, were one of the top-five teams to contribute.

“The Quakes pride themselves on being part of this community,” said Vice President – General Manager Grant Riddle. “Our fans came to bat with us and helped raise this money for families that need it during this incredibly difficult time. We’re proud to help do our part and look forward to celebrating frontline workers who do so much for this community when it’s safe to return to LoanMart Field and enjoy baseball!”

“Feeding America Riverside | San Bernardino is grateful for the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes efforts to step up and take action during this unprecedented time,” said Philanthropy Director Carolyn Solar. “This tremendous $1,600 gift will help provide up to 12,800 meals to vulnerable families and children in the Inland Empire this summer. Thank you, Rancho Cucamonga Quakes for supporting your local food bank!”

On behalf of MiLB HQ and MiLB Charities, the Quakes would like to thank the fans and local organizations for your support of this national campaign and your continued charitable work that you do for our community. The success of this campaign once again reinforces the commitment and positive impact that the Quakes and all of minor league baseball has in our communities.

Spokane Indians and Second Harvest Work Together to Help Feed Community Members

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SPOKANE, Wash. – The Spokane Indians are pleased to announce they have made a donation to Second Harvest that will provide free food for 17,000 meals to people in need in the community. Since March, Second Harvest has distributed, on average, 924,000 pounds of free food per week to help people facing hunger in 26 counties in Eastern Washington and North Idaho. That’s 55% more than before the COVID-19 crisis.

“Our food bank network is on the front lines of an extraordinary battle against hunger as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. We’re grateful for the Spokane Indians and the generous people in our community who supported their efforts to help fill nutritional gaps for our neighbors in need,” said Jason Clark, president and CEO of Second Harvest. “This donation will do more than get food to where it’s needed most. It also will bring hope to local people who are facing so many uncertainties right now.”

Specifically, the Indians raised funds to support Second Harvest’s new Wolff Family Child Hunger Solution Center with a Spring Jersey Auction and two Ballpark Dinner To-Go meals at Avista Stadium. For every meal purchased, the Spokane Indians made a monetary donation to Second Harvest. While placing orders for the family meals online, fans also have the opportunity to make additional donations to Second Harvest.

“Simply put, Indians fans have responded once again” said Otto Klein, Senior Vice President of the Indians. “The generosity of the community is alive and well and we’re proud to do everything we can during this difficult time.”

Both organizations will continue to work together this summer as the Indians plan more Ballpark Dinner To-Go events. June 17th from 4:00 – 6:00PM marks the next family dinner available for curbside pickup at Avista Stadium. Each meal feeds a family of four and includes eight chicken strips, four Indians dogs, over one pound of fries, family size popcorn, four ice cream sandwiches, and a package of Sour Patch Kids for $40 plus tax. For more information or to order a Ballpark Dinner To-Go CLICK HERE.

$2,790 Raised For Second Harvest Food Bank Through CommUNITY First Initiative

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FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Fayetteville Woodpeckers are pleased to announce the results of their month-long participation in the MiLB CommUNITY First campaign. The national initiative, developed by Minor League Baseball in conjunction with Feeding America, encouraged participating teams and their fans to raise funds for local food banks and to honor individuals risking their lives on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

With a grand total of $2,790 raised, the Woodpeckers placed first in fundraising in the Carolina League and second nationally out of more than 100 participating teams throughout Minor League Baseball. Fans donated $1,145 from April 28th through May 31st. The Fayetteville Woodpeckers Fund, the team’s official charity, matched the total amount raised. As one of the top five teams in fundraising through this initiative, MiLB Charities added an additional $500 donation.

The proceeds from this fundraiser will benefit the Woodpeckers’ local food bank, Second Harvest Food Bank of Southeast North Carolina, located in Fayetteville. In southeast North Carolina, 1 in 6 people face hunger; 1 in 4 of these are children. Second Harvest Food Bank is the leading hunger relief oganization in the southeastern region of the Tar Heel state; serving Bladen, Cumberland, Duplin, Harnett, Hoke, Robeson, and Sampson counties.

CommUNITY First not only addressed food insecurity, the initiative also aimed to honor those on the front lines fighting COVID-19. For every $10 raised, the Woodpeckers pledged to donate one ticket to a future home game this season or in 2021 to a local hero of the pandemic. The Woodpeckers will work with local partners to distribute 279 tickets to front-line workers in our community.
Minor League Baseball’s CommUNITY First campaign collectively raised $54,070 for Feeding America food banks around the country. As a result, participating teams will donate over 5,400 tickets to heroes fighting COVID-19.

 

Dunedin Blue Jays Raise Over $1,800 for Dunedin Cares Inc.

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DUNEDIN, FL – The Dunedin Blue Jays Band Together Against Hunger campaign concluded on May 31st benefiting Dunedin Cares Inc. The campaign was a massive success raising $1,865 for Dunedin Cares Inc. over the entire month of May with all donations received going directly to the food pantry. The Dunedin Blue Jays will in turn be donating over 180 tickets to a future Dunedin Blue Jays game for essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Dunedin community.

Coordinator of Community Relations, Matt Woak commented on the success of the campaign stating, “The Dunedin Blue Jays organization appreciates the outpouring of support from our fan base in helping the local Dunedin community. We are certain these donations raised will give a much-needed boost to Dunedin Cares Inc. during these difficult times of the pandemic. Our organization also looks forward to hosting essential workers at a future Dunedin Blue Jays game to thank them for their dedication to our community in this time of need.”

Dunedin Cares Inc. President, Joe Mackin echoed these sentiments saying, “Dunedin Cares Food Pantry is grateful for the partnership with our hometown baseball team, the Dunedin Blue Jays. The Jays chose us to as the local non-profit to benefit from the community donations and in turn, the Blue Jays are donating over 180 baseball tickets to those workers in the front lines of helping and serving others. This togetherness is all about neighbors helping neighbors.”

ABOUT DUNEDIN BLUE JAYS

The Dunedin Blue Jays have been the Class A-Advanced Minor League affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays since 1987. Dunedin, Florida is also the home of Toronto Blue Jays Spring Training. The Dunedin Blue Jays are committed to enriching the lives of those in our local community by giving back to organizations. Through various community initiatives, we are striving to enrich the lives of our neighbors and those in need through the power of Dunedin Blue Jays baseball by promotion of education, health, and baseball within our local communities.

ABOUT DUNEDIN CARES INC.

Our goal is to ensure that our neighbors in Dunedin & surrounding communities have a caring and respectful environment to shop our pantry shelves and provide food for their families. We believe in Neighbors Helping Neighbors. Dunedin Cares, Inc. Food Pantry opened our doors on November 12, 2015. Statistics indicated that even in our delightful city of Dunedin, Florida, there were pockets of people who are “food insecure”, where children go to bed hungry and elderly choose to purchase their medication over food.

Help our MiLB CommUNITY

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The Eugene Emeralds are proud to be a part of the MiLB CommUNITY First Initiative for the month of May. This national initiative was developed in conjunction with Feeding America, to raise funds for local food banks and to honor individuals risking their lives on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Emeralds fans are encouraged to visit the CommUNITY First website through May 31st to help MiLB, and the participating teams, raise money for local food banks. Once on the site, fans can choose their donation amount and the Emeralds as the recipient of their donation to direct funds to the Oregon Food Bank and FOOD for Lane County. By selected the Emeralds for the donation, you will ensure that the money will go to support local food banks. If a team is not selected, funds will go to the Feeding America COVID-19 Response Fund which is providing food assistance and supplies to communities most affected by the pandemic.

Ten dollars provides access to 30 meals to families and individuals in need. With school closures and rising unemployment since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, FOOD for Lane County has seen a noticeable increase in the number of people seeking help with food for the first time. With the suspension of food rescue and food drives, the food supply for FOOD for Lane County has been drastically disrupted. The donations will go towards purchasing local food so they can offer a variety of food choices to the community.

Since April, the Emeralds front office has been volunteering with FOOD for Lane County once a week, stocking and creating produce bags for one of the four emergency mobile pantries the nonprofit has set up. By supporting the CommUNITY First Initiative, the Emeralds hope to help families and individuals across the country most impacted by the pandemic by making sure they are fed and cared for during these uncertain times.

In addition, for every $10 donation, the Emeralds will donate one ticket to a home game for either the 2020 or 2021 season to a local hero of the pandemic. Fans are invited to join the national campaign by donating and selecting the Eugene Emeralds at MiLB.com/CommUNITYFirst and use #MiLBCommUNITYFirst on social media to show your support.

The Idaho Falls Chukars have donated 1,100 pounds of food and nearly $2,000 to the Community Food Basket.

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IDAHO FALLS — The future of Chukars baseball is still up in the air, but one thing is certain — giving back to the community is one of their top priorities.

The Idaho Falls Chukars have donated 1,100 pounds of food and nearly $2,000 to the Community Food Basket over the past few weeks through a raffle and food drive.

“We have put a lot of effort into supporting the community that chooses to support us every summer,” Kevin Greene, team president and general manager, said in a news release. “We will continue to find ways to support those around us during these difficult and unprecedented times.”

On Tuesday, Elmore Sports Group, owners of the Chukars, donated $3,297 to benefit local communities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including almost $500 to the Community Food Basket in Idaho Falls.

The seven minor league baseball teams within the Elmore Sports Group, the Chukars, Amarillo Sod Poodles, San Antonio Missions, Rocky Mountain Vibes, Inland Empire 66ers, Eugene Emeralds and Lynchburg Hillcats, each donated a bobblehead, team cap and a player-signed item, which were raffled to fans across the country. Fans purchased raffle tickets for $2 and the money was split between each city’s local food bank.

Other donations were brought in during the Chukars food drive they held three weeks ago in their parking lot at Melaleuca Field. During the food drive — where safety precautions were taken — they held their own raffle and gave away a Chukars jersey.

Chukars spokesman Chris Hall said The United Steelworkers played a huge role in the food drive by donating $1,000.

United Steelworkers presenting a check to the Community Food Basket. | Courtesy Idaho Falls Chukars

“We realized that everything we do here requires the community to support us, and it seemed selfish to not, in turn, do something for the community when people are going through hard times,” Hall told EastIdahoNews.com.

If organizations from around the community want to approach the Chukars with ideas of how they can continue to use their platform to help the community, call Hall at (208) 522-8363.

RailRiders hosting Family to Family emergency food drive-thru May 27

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MOOSIC, PA (May 21, 2020) – The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders will serve as the hosts for the Family to Family Emergency Drive-Thru Food Giveaway on May 27. The event is run by the Friends of the Poor in response to the global health pandemic and will take place in the parking lot at PNC Field from 2:30 to 5:30 PM Wednesday.

The Family to Family Food Basket Program and the Friends of the Poor have partnered with the Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank for COVID-19 emergency food drive-thrus since late March. These drive-thrus have taken place each Wednesday in different locations around the Scranton area. The emergency drive-thru on May 27 at PNC Field, however, will be the first one located between Scranton and Wilkes-Barre and expectations are for over 1,000 vehicles to attend.

All attendees must remain in their vehicles for the safety and well-being of all guests and volunteers. Food bags will be placed directly into each vehicle.

This event is open to the public. Attendees will be asked what their zip code is as well as how many adults, children and elderly live in each household.

For more information, find the Friends of the Poor on Facebook.

Buffalo Bisons Charitable Foundation donates $20,000 to City of Buffalo’s COVID-19 initiatives

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Donation provides meals to City’s Public Works employees, supports Evergreen Food Pantry and sponsors reading program.

Mayor Byron W. Brown today thanked the City of Buffalo’s hometown baseball team, the Buffalo Bisons, for donating $20,000 to assist the community during the COVID-19 emergency.

The donation will provide funding to Evergreen Health for its food pantry and support a new COVID-19 testing site in one of the most impacted areas of Erie County, 14215. Part of the funding will also support Mayor Brown’s 19th annual innovative childhood literacy initiative, Reading Rules! Summer Reading Challenge, which incentivizes children to continue to read during the summer months to keep them engaged in learning. The funding will also provide lunch to more than 700 essential Department of Public Works employees this week and next as a token of appreciation for their constant efforts to maintain the safe delivery of quality services to City residents and businesses during the pandemic.

Mayor Brown stated, “This is the most generous donation the City has received during the COVID-19 outbreak. I thank the Buffalo Bisons Charitable Foundation for investing in the health of their fans and community, for supporting the children who come to cheer them on, and for its demonstration of gratitude to the City workers on the frontlines who continue to put the needs of Buffalo residents and businesses before their own. We have been rooting for the Buffalo Bisons for years and I am so proud that they are also cheering for our success as we rise together again as one City.”

“The Bisons organization has always enjoyed a tremendous private-public partnership with the City of Buffalo and we are thrilled to be able to assist Mayor Brown with these important and rewarding initiatives. By assisting our neighbors who have kept the City going during this unprecedented times, who need essential food the most, and who will one day be our future leaders, we hope this donation allows us to give back to the City and the community that we love so much,” said Mike Buczkowski, President of Rich Baseball Operations.

The hot, prepackaged meals were prepared by Kevin’s Catering, and safely distributed to 210 Streets and Sanitation employees during a pickup event today at MLK, Jr. Park. The remainder of the meals will be distributed throughout the week to other employees of Streets and Sanitation, Parks, Engineering Departments; as well as employees of Buffalo Sewer, Buffalo Water and Mayor Brown’s Impact Team.

The Buffalo Bisons’ donation will help support Evergreen Health’s food pantry efforts while connecting residents of the 14215 zip code to COVID-19 testing at Evergreen’s 3297 Bailey Avenue location, a testing site which is scheduled to open on May 20th. While this is primarily a drive-thru testing site, Evergreen Health will accept some walk-ups. Testing is open to anyone age 16 and older, and while prescriptions are not required residents must provide proof of health insurance to schedule an appointment. To schedule testing call 716-847-2441 option 7.

“Evergreen Health’s purpose is to foster healthy communities by providing medical, behavioral and supportive services to the individuals and families who need them the most, many of which are underserved by the healthcare system. One of these services is the Evergreen food pantry, which has been absolutely critical throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, since the challenges of food and finances are both top of mind for our patients and our neighbors right now,” said Raymond Ganoe, President and CEO of Evergreen Health. “We thank the Buffalo Bisons and the City of Buffalo for standing behind us and helping us provide necessary resources and COVID-19 testing in the Buffalo community.”

Generals and RIFA Pack Meals For Jackson Community

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The Jackson Generals spent the week teaming up with the Regional Inter-Faith Association, helping pack snack backpacks and provide meals to the Jackson community. RIFA is a local faith-based organization that has been helping curb hunger throughout the city since its founding in 1976.

Volunteer Coordinator Dan Ward says that RIFA’s combined ministries were able to provide 518,000 meals to those in need in 2019. The organization hopes to reach equal numbers this year, but like many, is also feeling the strain of the coronavirus pandemic.

“All of our ministries are dependent upon volunteers,” explained Ward. “Last year there were 25,216 volunteer hours. Since Covid-19, I have been limited to eight or ten in a group. So with more demand than ever for our services and with fewer volunteer hands to do it, our staff is very overworked.”

According to the RIFA official website, one out of every five people living in Jackson are unsure where their next meal will come from, and 18.9% of people in Madison County live below the poverty line. Those are pre-pandemic numbers, and as Ward references, meal demand continues to grow.

“The Generals staff have made it a top priority to repurpose our time by getting out into the Jackson community and surrounding cities as much as possible,” said Generals Entertainment Director Vincent Zielen. “We want to help wherever and however we can for the fans who have supported the Generals throughout the years.

“Groups such as [the Generals] are the lifeblood of RIFA,” Ward said.

The Generals front office will continue to band with RIFA during the summer months and encourages other local charities to request the team’s help whenever needed. If you need an extra set of hands, please reach out to Vincent Zielen by email at [email protected] or call the Generals office at (731) 988-5299.

Outside organizations also looking to join RIFA’s cause are encouraged to contact Ward at [email protected] or by phone at (731) 427-7963.

OKC Dodgers Baseball Foundation Participating in MiLB CommUNITY First Campaign

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma City Dodgers Baseball Foundation, in conjunction with Minor League Baseball and Feeding America, is participating in the new CommUNITY First campaign, aimed at helping fight hunger while also recognizing frontline workers battling against the COVID-19 pandemic.

From now through May 31, fans can visit milb.com/CommUNITYFirst to donate and select the community they want to support. All proceeds pledged to Oklahoma City will be given to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma.

For every $10 donated, the Oklahoma City Dodgers and OKC Dodgers Baseball Foundation will provide one ticket to a local first responder and/or frontline worker during the 2020 or 2021 baseball season through the team’s Community Night Out program. Between 2018-19, approximately $60,000 was raised through Community Night Out to provide 6,000 tickets to families and individuals in need.

Fans are encouraged to donate on Giving Tuesday, May 5, and use #MILBCommUNITYFirst and tag the OKC Dodgers Baseball Foundation (@OKCDBFoundation) on social media to show support.

“At this time it’s especially important to recognize community victories, and we see this as a true win-win situation,” said OKC Dodgers Baseball Foundation Executive Director Carol Herrick. “Not only does this program allow us to provide for those in need, but we can also say ‘thank you’ to those who are doing their best to fight this pandemic.”

Per Feeding America, an estimated additional 17.1 million people will experience food insecurity within the next six months. As a result, Feeding America is projecting a $1.4 billion shortfall during that time.

“In times of uncertainty, coming together to help others is crucial to the health, well-being and stability of our local communities,” said Minor League Baseball President & CEO Pat O’Conner. “With the support of our fans and through the Feeding America network of food banks, we want to do our part to continue to fight hunger across America during this pandemic. When it is possible to hold games once again, our teams will provide local heroes across the country with unforgettable experiences in our ballparks.”

For more information about the CommUNITY First campaign or the Oklahoma City Dodgers Baseball Foundation, visit okcdodgers.com or call (405) 218-2104.