Stories HopeSpring 2012

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• Food & Fund with mac & cheese• Welcome to Second Harvest Heartland West• 2012 Hunger Heroes• 2011 Donor highlightsIn

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Doing more with your contributions

every year!

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Each spring, we release our annual financials and recap all of our accomplishments from the year prior. And each time we compile the information into our spring edition of Stories of Hope and our annual report, I’m humbled by the magnitude of what we’re able to accomplish together.

As a food bank, we’re proud of our efficiency, and the more than 95% of every donation we’re able to apply directly to our programs. But as a hunger relief organization, we’re perhaps even more astounded by the number of you—our contributors of time,

energy and dollars – who continue to step up to the plate in huge ways to fight for our neighbors in need. You’re helping us find new and innovative ways to unlock our community’s abundance, such as sourcing local food from farmers and growers right here in the heartland.

As you’ll read later in this newsletter, we’re distributing double the amount food we were just four years ago. We would not be able to source this food without your support, and we wouldn’t be able to distribute it without the nearly 12,000

individual volunteers who gave their time to help sort, pack and label it for delivery into the community.

No matter what type of contribution you make to Second Harvest Heartland, please know how very much we appreciate your support. You play a crucial role in our mission to end hunger through community partnerships, and we thank you.

-Rob Zeaske

The need Is GrowInG But you can help our hungry seniors.

Spring 2012 32 Spring 2012

have fun wITh your food A Food & Fund drive that was anything but cheesyTo the kids at Pope John Paul II Catholic School in Minneapolis, the only thing better than eating macaroni & cheese is helping others have the opportunity to eat macaroni & cheese. And thanks to their efforts, more than 900 boxes of every kid’s favorite meal will be distributed throughout our service area.

As part of Catholic Schools Week 2012, the K-8 school held a Food & Fund Drive benefiting Second Harvest Heartland. Only this Food & Fund Drive had a creamy twist: Children were assigned to collect only boxes of macaroni & cheese. And to really drive participation, prizes were awarded to not only the homeroom that collected the most boxes, but the homeroom that was able to build the largest freestanding tower out of their collection.

The idea to collect macaroni & cheese was a stroke of cheesy genius. The 145 children at the school jumped at the chance to share a favorite food with their hungry neighbors. “We wanted an item that was affordable for all families, durable and could easily be stacked,” said teacher and Leadership Committee Advisor Jessi Weakley. “Finally, we wanted to choose an item that kids would enjoy eating themselves. We thought macaroni & cheese would be

perfect because the boxes can be stacked and if the stack was to fall over, the food would not get damaged. Individual boxes are not expensive and families could easily purchase however many they could afford.”

The entire school embraced the competition. With the help of the 8th Grade Leadership Committee, who played a large part in organizing and promoting the drive, the school’s six homerooms tracked the daily progress of the others, and the excitement led to an ever-changing leader board. In a surprise twist, the Kindergarten room took an early lead, causing the older kids to enhance their efforts, enlisting eager families, bringing bulk packs of macaroni & cheese to school, even requesting donations from local grocery stores. And when a classroom fell behind the others, it wasn’t uncommon to see a teacher or staff member slip a student a few boxes.

In the end, the 906 boxes of macaroni & cheese collected by the students made for some rather impressive architecture, but it was the lessons learned by everyone involved that were the most impressive part of this Food & Fund Drive.

“As the students worked together as a class to build their towers, they saw the importance of working together to

accomplish a goal,” Jessi said. “And after all of the teachers moved the boxes into the gym and [everyone could see] all of the mac & cheese together, students and staff were amazed at the number. The students felt a great sense of pride when they found out we were donating over 900 boxes to the food bank.”

Bremer Bank farmers Market eventSaturday, June 2 • 7am – noon Lowertown Saint Paul Farmers Market

Bremer Bank will be at the farmers market collecting donations for Second Harvest Heartland. From 9-11am, KS95 will be onsite with prizes.

Ice Cream social hosted by advisornet financialJune 26 • 12 - 3pm • Peavey Plaza

Enjoy free ice cream and entertainment courtesy of our friends at AdvisorNet. All donations benefit Second Harvest Heartland.

Visit 2harvest.org/events for more details.

fellowship of the freshJuly 8 – September 30 • Minneapolis Farmers Market

Join us as we partner with the Minneapolis Farmers Market and Mosaic to collect over 200,000 pounds of fresh, local produce for our hungry neighbors. You can help by buying an extra bag of produce at the market or by volunteering.

Visit 2harvest.org/volunteer for more information.

food ManiaJuly 16 – 27

A lively competition between law and accounting firms, food companies, and credit unions.

To find out more, visit 2harvest.org/foodmania.

second harvest heartland Pack-a-ThonSaturday, September 15 • 9am to 9pm Second Harvest Heartland West

Roll up your sleeves and fight hunger with friends, family and co-workers at the first-ever Second Harvest Heartland Pack-A-Thon. Teams will volunteer in two hour shifts, compete for fun prizes, and enjoy the Pack-A-Thon party!

Visit 2harvest.org/volunteer for more information.

The Mission Beyond the Mission

a message from our executive director

you can help.

Together we are transforming hunger relief. Mark your calendar with these events. Go to 2harvest.org/events for more details.

The Mission Beyond the Mission

a message from our Ceo

Looking Back while Moving forward

Prizes were awarded to the tallest tower built from mac & cheese boxes.

1140 Gervais Ave St. Paul, MN 55109

Help us feed SeNIORS in your neighborhood.

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Food shelf visits by seniors are up more than 50% since 2008.

With your help, Second Harvest Heartland can continue to gather and deliver more food to agency partners serving seniors, such as East Side Neighborhood Services’ Senior Food Shelf. The food shelf is client-choice, where people choose their own foods. The staff helps clients select a balanced mix of foods, and even offers recipes to make sure that people will enjoy the meals they make.

A key element of the food shelf’s success is that it’s designed specifically to meet the needs of seniors, and staffed by people who understand what they’re going through.

As Associate Director Susan McCauley puts it, “We make the experience one that is dignified and respectful, and doesn’t stigmatize them.”

Support Second Harvest Heartland and help provide for more seniors in need by making a gift today at 2harvest.org/seniormeals.

inside the numBers: our 2011 annuaL rePorT

As a supporter of Second Harvest Heartland, you already know we’re committed to transforming hunger relief so that, together, we can sustainably feed our hungry neighbors.

But they keyword is “together”—our community partners, including you, are a crucial part of the work we do. There’s no question that without your contributions, we simply would not have the ability to feed our hungry neighbors to the extent that we do today—and that we need to do tomorrow. We hope you’ll make use of some of the exciting new features of our new space, and get even more involved in the fight against hunger here in the heartland.

This is an exciting time for Second Harvest Heartland and our partners. While our new building is exciting in and of itself, the most important feature is the capacity for growth—growth in demand for food, growth in introduction of new food sources, and growth with the opportunities we know will arise in the coming years. Second Harvest Heartland West will have a tremendous impact on our collective ability to transform hunger relief in our communities, and we hope that you’ll share in this exciting time with us.

Log on to 2harvest.org/volunteer to register to volunteer, or email us at info@2harvest.org to get more information about reserving a room for your next meeting or celebration.

In case you missed it, this March marked the opening of our new west-side facility, Second Harvest Heartland West. Located at 6325 Sandburg Road in Golden Valley, our new building replaced our old service center in northeast Minneapolis and now houses all the functions and activities that took place there. But not just that—Second Harvest Heartland West is nearly 50% larger than our old space, and can host more than four times as many volunteers in a single day—up to 400 people!

• Second Harvest Heartland West is open for business •

Thanks to the new Second Harvest Heartland facility in Golden Valley, volunteering is more convenient than ever for people in the west metro. With your help, our new warehouse will be filled with the nutritional foods that our hungry neighbors so desperately need.

The facility is specially designed to accommodate large groups of volunteers.

features of second harvest heartland west

• Capacity for volunteer groups of 100+

• Volunteer opportunities for families and youth, ages 8 and up

• Community Room and Celebration Room: conference and

celebration space for large meetings and small gatherings

Spring 2012 54 Spring 2012

The next pages feature a sneak peek at the Second Harvest Heartland Annual Report, a look inside what you helped us accomplish in 2011.

On the following pages, you’ll find facts and figures about our improving efficiency, the growing number of volunteers who get involved, and the stat that matters most: the number of meals you’ve helped us provide to our hungry neighbors.

You’ll also find the stories of some of the individual and corporate donors who truly went above and beyond in 2011. Without contributions like theirs, we could never do what we do. We can’t thank them enough for their efforts.

We’re proud to present our 2012 Hunger Heroes. The Hunger Hero awards were created to honor and recognize organizational partners who helped make a compassionate and transformational impact on those who are hungry in the heartland. Each of the six winners have played critical roles in our mission to end hunger through community partnerships.

The need in our community is growing, but we’re growing, too. And we have the data to prove it. Thanks for reading.

To read the entire 2011 Second Harvest Heartland Annual Report, visit 2harvest.org/financials.

2011: inside the numBers

YOur 2012 hunGer herOes

dOnOr hiGhLiGhts

prOudLY presents

Spring 2012 7

The Mosaic Company has made a significant impact on the lives of our

hungry neighbors through various generous financial contributions. In 2011,

Mosaic was the lead supporter of our Fellowship of the Fresh initiative at the Minneapolis Farmers Market as well as

the second annual matching sponsor for GiveMN.org’s Give to the Max Day.

The Schwan Food Company is known for providing good food with a

community focus, and now that focus centers on local families in need.

Food is the core of our business, and generous donors like Schwan who

contribute healthy, nutritious food are crucial to our work.

With more than 5 million pounds of fresh food donated to our Food Rescue program, Target continued a strong tradition of fighting hunger. Target is dedicated to hunger relief on a local and national level, piloting the Meals for Minds initiative and encouraging employees to volunteer in the fight against hunger.

General Mills has a long-standing commitment to hunger relief at both a corporate and an employee level. The manufacturer of many beloved brands encourages personal philanthropy among employees, and about 82 percent of domestic General Mills employees volunteer, accounting for 851 hours contributed to Second Harvest Heartland in 2011.

The National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 9, Minneapolis and Branch 28, St. Paul has been a strong force in raising awareness of hunger relief in our community. As part of Stamp Out Hunger 2011, 2,000 letter carriers collected nearly 1 million pounds of donated food in a single day.

The Minneapolis Farmers Market has partnered with Second Harvest

to increase the amount of fresh food available to food shelves, securing more

than 275,000 pounds of fresh-picked fruits and vegetables that otherwise would have

gone to waste. The partnership has set a strong example of out-of-the-box thinking for food shelves looking to start their own

market collections.

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awarenesspartner generating outstanding visibility

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Greenretail partner with outstanding

contribution to the “rescue” of food (produce, dairy, meat and bakery).

2012 hunGer heroessecond harvest heartland proudly presents

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2010 94%

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6 7

2 Ways To Donate. Donate $1 at checkout or donate

food at the designated bins.

SNAPPLE and MADE FROM THE BEST STUFF ON EARTH are registered trademarks of Snapple Beverage Corp © 2011 Snapple Beverage Corp

September is Hunger Action Month.

proudly supports

Corporate • residential mortgage groupSince 2007, Residential Mortgage Group has offered a special incentive to its customers: For each referral-based loan that they close, RMG donates $100 to the referred client’s choice of school, police station or fire department. The “Refer a Friend. Build Your Community.” program has resulted in $1 million donated to these great causes. But in 2010, RMG realized that the cause of hunger was going overlooked in our community, so they added Second Harvest Heartland as a choice for donation. RMG has contributed more than $86,000 to the fight against hunger in just over a year.

RMG President Steve Sherwood puts the effort into perspective. “We’ve been blessed, and we’re able to. Why not give back?”

RMG and their clients have helped provide more than 420,500 meals to the hungry children, seniors and families in our community. We sincerely thank them for their efforts.

food • kowalski’sThe Second Harvest Heartland Food Rescue Program is an

innovative solution for grocery retailers seeking to eliminate waste and also give something back to the community. Fresh food through

this program accounted for nearly 20% of our distribution in 2011, thanks in large part to donations from nine Kowalski’s Markets.

“With so many people who could use this food, it’s a shame when it goes to waste,” said Kowalski’s Executive Assistant Deb Kowalski. “The reward is in knowing that it’s

going to people in our community who need it. It could be anyone who needs help, so it’s important to do anything we can – as a community – to help those who need help.”

Kowalski’s is a pioneer in food recovery that has partnered with Second Harvest Heartland for more than two decades. As the need for fresh, nutritious food grows, Kowalski’s contributions are an invaluable resource.

In addition to our Hunger Heroes, Second Harvest Heartland is pleased to recognize the following corporate and individual donors who have made a great impact on our hungry friends and neighbors.

C O r p O r A t e

event • taste of the vikingsFor more than 20 years, the Taste of the NFL organization has been working to kick hunger. Spearheaded and founded by local restaurateur and Second Harvest Heartland supporter Wayne Kostroski, the party with a purpose has been making a huge impact on hunger relief both locally and nationwide.

“We’re proud to be able to make a difference in the hunger relief community through Taste of the NFL events like Taste of the Vikings,” Wayne told us. “These events could not exist without tremendous support from teams like the Vikings, dedicated chefs and players, countless volunteers and food banks like Second Harvest Heartland doing important work in our communities.”

Special thanks to Wayne and the rest of the Taste of the NFL organization for the ongoing support of our work.

Cause marketing • give a little, feed a lotThe inaugural Give a Little, Feed a Lot campaign launched in 2011 and was a great success, raising nearly $150,000 and nearly 750,000 pounds of food for Second Harvest Heartland, Minnesota Feeding America food banks and local food shelves and pantries. The campaign’s success is thanks to unique contributions from Cub Foods, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, KSTP and MOM Brands, who partnered to drive donations as well as awareness.

“Hunger relief is a critical social responsibility issue for Cub Foods,” said Cub Food President Brian Audette. “Along with our partners at Snapple, MOM Brands, and KSTP, we were able to join forces to raise much needed food, cash, and awareness during September’s Hunger Action Month. Give a Little, Feed a Lot drive is one of many programs Cub supports to address food insecurity.”

The campaign was a true partnership, bringing together many great organizations in creative ways.

volunteer • BarB millerFor the past five years, Barb Miller has dedicated countless hours of time to make our annual gala, Dish: Cuisine for Change a tremendous success. Barb has assisted with event preparation and setup as well as participating in the event as an attendee and generous contributor. She’s also a part of the auction committee, helping secure items for the event’s live and silent auction.

“Barb is such an important part of the Dish team, but is also a great friend to Second Harvest Heartland and to me,” said Heidi Yankovec, Events Manager for Second Harvest Heartland. “She always has such a positive attitude—everyone just loves working with her.”

On behalf of all of us at Second Harvest Heartland, thank you, Barb for your generous gifts of all kinds, and for your positive spirit!

donor hIGhLIGhTs i n d i V i d u A L&

individual • ann pedrettiSecond Harvest Heartland has experienced tremendous success for GiveMN.org’s Give to the Max Day event the past couple of years. In 2011, a special group of donors stepped up to generate an additional pool of matching funds—and Ann Pedretti of Pedretti Consulting, Inc. was one of those donors.

As an independent contractor and owner of a consulting business, Ann understands how important it is to run on a budget. “I am very careful about the charities I choose to support,” she told us, “and Second Harvest Heartland’s expense ratio and efficiencies are impressive.”

“My business is a community partner and we like to support Second Harvest Heartland as one of the most efficient providers in helping people in need,” Ann said. She also challenges other businesses to support local organizations in the same way. “It’s a win-win.”

Special thanks to Ann and Pedretti Consulting, Inc. for the generous commitment.

8 9

JANE SHADE: Volunteer Coordinator

More than 12,000 volunteers graciously donated their time to Second Harvest Heartland in 2011. Their contributions totaled more than 61,000 hours and equaled the output of 25 full-time employees. Needless to say, volunteers are a huge part of why we’re able to do what we do, and it’s vital that we make the most of our volunteers’ contributions while offering an experience that will leave them wanting to come back.

That’s where Jane Shade comes in. As a Second Harvest Heartland Volunteer Coordinator, Jane makes sure that every volunteer’s experience is as fulfilling as it is productive, whether it’s packing boxes in our warehouse, helping out at a special event or working on a skill-based project. She works diligently to not only fill the hundreds of volunteer opportunities, but to make sure they’re filled with those who are passionate about the position.

“I work closely with both new and regular volunteers, trying to match each volunteer’s interests, passions and skills to a project,” Jane says. “We try to make sure that everyone, from skill-based individuals to large groups, feels that they accomplished what they set out to do when they volunteered with us.”

Second Harvest Heartland is always evolving to meet the growing need in our community, and that means more and different volunteer opportunities to fill every day. It’s a task that keeps Jane constantly on her toes, but one that allows her to regularly interact with new volunteers, a part of the job she relishes.

“My favorite part of the job is having the initial conversation with an interested individual about volunteering,” she says. “I enjoy learning about their passions, skills, background, where

they are at in life and what they hope to get out of volunteering. Then I get to share Second Harvest Heartland’s work and mission. It’s exciting to mutually decide on a volunteer role they can connect with and find meaningful.”

With our new facility open in Golden Valley, the opportunities for volunteers new and old are practically endless, making Jane’s job that much more exciting. In addition to simply being more convenient to volunteers in the west metro, the new facility was designed with volunteers in mind, offering the space and amenities to accommodate larger groups than ever before. “Accommodating larger groups means that we can sort and pack more food, which means we can distribute more food to our hungry neighbors in need,” Jane says. “And that’s the ultimate goal.”

Whether she’s guiding the energy, enthusiasm and new ideas of a first-time volunteer or the experience leadership and consistency of lifelong regulars, Jane truly enjoys her work. “I feel very grateful and humbled that I get to work alongside very compassionate and generous volunteers every day.”

To volunteer at Second Harvest Heartland, visit 2harvest.org/volunteer.

Voices of HungerThe fronT LInes of hunGer reLIef

Second Harvest Heartland recently received two very generous legacy gifts. The gifts were quite unexpected, but it was the story they revealed about the connection of two lifelong donors that was the true surprise.

The late Vera Likins and Alice Hummer left us their bequest gifts in the same manner in which they had made their lifetime giving: quietly and without fanfare. The

gifts Vera and Alice left will help make transformational changes in the lives of many for countless years to come, a fact that indeed deserves fanfare.

The two selfless women passed away three years apart and besides sharing a generous spirit, they appeared to share no connection—until Alice’s obituary revealed a detail that deserves to be shared. They were sisters. We asked Alice’s daughter to share the story of two sisters who would affect so many lives.

Alice and Vera grew up in southern Minnesota during the depression. A modest family income from their father’s carpentry business taught them to live frugally and appreciate the ability to provide for the necessities in life. It was these early lessons that shaped the sisters’ philanthropic interests later in life.

A move to the Twin Cities brought new educational and employment opportunities. Vera, a University of Minnesota graduate, worked in civil service for the state of Minnesota, and was recognized for her effort and commitment with an appointment to the post of Commissioner of Public Welfare by Governor Wendell Anderson. Alice held various community positions, including a time as a Chicago area Red

Cross official. She retired from the State of Minnesota Board of Pharmacy and is remembered by family and friends for her deep devotion to her family and generous love for all.

Although five years apart in age, the sisters were extremely close—a bond they both treasured. They shared not only a love for travel but also a strong desire to help others and give back to their communities. They privately discussed the organizations each felt important to support, with their focus on human services and higher education. Second Harvest Heartland was high on their list because of our ability to fulfill a basic need—providing food for hungry children, families and seniors. The sisters realized and appreciated the efficiencies of our organization and our ability to utilize every dollar of their gift to its greatest potential. Values carried with them from their childhood.

As wonderful as it would have been to meet and thank Alice and Vera in person, we are grateful to have made their connection, and we’re proud to include the sisters in a special place among the Second Harvest Heartland family.

Ab

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An Unexpected Legacy of Giving

“I feel very grateful and humbled that I get

to work alongside very compassionate and

generous volunteers every day.”

-Jane shade

A sincere thanks to the individuals, sponsoring companies, restaurants,

auction donors and volunteers who made dish: Cuisine for Change

a tremendous success. this year’s event raised more than $500,000

and attracted nearly 1,000 attendees. With the funds raised at dish,

we’ll continue to collect and distribute even more food through

harvest to home this year. thank you!

10 Spring 2012

CUIS INE FOR CHANGE

Taking Action Against Hunger1140 Gervais AvenueSt. Paul, MN 55109

Place stamphere

At Bremer Bank, our vision is to build healthy communities through partnerships. Join Bremer Bank and local Feeding America food banks in the fight to end hunger.

Donations can be made at your local Bremer Bank or online at Bremer.com.

Donations will be accepted through June 30, 2012.

Address:

City: State: Zip:

County:

Phone: ( )

E-mail: In Memoriam/Honor of:

Send Notice to: (name)

(address)

When babies or young kids go without food, they are likely to suffer from deficiencies that hinder their learning and growth.

1 in 5 children in America lives at risk of hunger.

Take action today to end hunger by making a donation.Bremer Bank will match it dollar-for-dollar, up to $50,000.

Visit Bremer.com for more information.

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Bremer Bank takes action against hunger againFor the seventh consecutive year, Bremer Bank is Taking Action to End Hunger during the month of June by raising funds for Second Harvest Heartland and other Feeding America food banks in their territory. Again this year, Bremer will match

every donation dollar-for-dollar, up to $50,000!

During the month of June, donations will be accepted online at Bremer.com or at any Bremer Bank location. Make a gift in June to double your dollar!

Spring 2012 11

presented by

A gift from your estate is an easy but powerful way to make a lasting difference in the lives of so many in our community. To plan your legacy gift to Second Harvest Heartland or for more information, contact Jill Leonard at 651-209-7943 or email at jleonard@2harvest.org. You can also visit our website at 2harvest.org/plannedgifts.

More food to more people, every year.Thanks to your generous contributions of food, funds and time, Second Harvest Heartland has nearly doubled the amount of food we were able to distribute just five years ago. In 2011, we provided more than 54.6 million meals to our hungry friends and neighbors. Thanks for all you do, and we look forward to providing food for even more of our neighbors in 2012.

Pounds of Food (millions)

Nonprofit Organization

US Postage Paid Second Harvest

Heartland

Cause and effectsYou supported the cause. Here is the change you’ve effected.

1140 GerVAis AVe., st. pAuL, mn 55109-2020

second harvest heartlandPhone: 651.484.5117 Toll Free: 888.339.3663 Fax: 651.484.1064

2harvest.org

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