1

John McCaul

The Certificate in American Business Practice Project

Dr Anthony Stanonis

30/06/2014

A marketing plan for MANNA Food Bank, Asheville,

North Carolina

Abstract

This Study USA business project report is a marketing plan for the North Carolina-

based food bank, MANNA Food Bank. Intended for the Marketing and Communications

Director and Executive Director as well as other current MANNA staff members and

volunteers, it communicates to the reader how the organisation can better market its products

and services towards its various potential target markets for the future.

Having listed the author’s reasons for selecting a marketing food bank based on

MANNA Food Bank, the introduction introduces key terms, such as food insecurity and

hunger, and details how the report will be structured. In the method section, the author

informs the reader how qualitative data was collected and what publications were utilised.

The main body of the report opens with a company overview and includes SWOT and STP

analyses in addition to scrutiny of the non-profit organisation’s financial outlook.

The report concludes by, first, comparing the significance of food insecurity in both

Ireland and the United States and, second, reporting on recommendations that Northern

Ireland food banks, such as Newry Food Bank, must follow in order to replicate MANNA

Food Bank’s marketing model. For example, the former food bank, in addition to establishing

contacts with supermarkets, businesses and prospective donors also must aim at attracting

and engaging a larger volunteer base and creating and developing more initiatives and

programmes in order to raise people’s awareness of hunger and food insecurity in the

locality.

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Introduction

Between October 2013 and May 2014, through the support of both my United States

(U.S.) liberal arts college (Warren Wilson College) and the Bonner Foundation, I undertook

an internship with Mountain Area Nutritional Needs Alliance (MANNA) Food Bank.

MANNA, a member of Feeding America (the U.S.’s largest hunger relief charity), is the

primary food bank in the western North Carolina (WNC) region and serves ‘a network of 211

pantries, meal programs and emergency food suppliers’ (MANNA Food Bank, 2014).

Interning at MANNA gave me an insight into the workings of a local non-profit organization

at both the administrative and grassroots levels as well as the twin issues of food insecurity

and hunger in western North Carolina, the Appalachia region and the United States,

generally. According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA, 2014), food insecurity is

‘a household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate

food', a condition which affected fifty million Americans in 2012 (Feeding America, 2014).

Hunger is ‘the individual level physiological condition that may result from food insecurity’

(USDA, 2014). In addition to taking a marketing class in the spring semester, this experience

encouraged me to create a marketing plan for MANNA Food Bank, something that will be

beneficial for MANNA given that the organisation has never possessed one.

This particular marketing plan will act as a guiding document for MANNA staff,

particularly the Marketing and Communications Director and Executive Director, and lay out

a strategy of how the organisation can better market its products and services towards its

various potential target markets in the upcoming year. In addition to a company overview and

a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis, the plan will also

feature a Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning (STP) analysis as well as financial

projections. The marketing plan will also draw on interviews conducted with current

MANNA staff members and volunteers, official MANNA documents like its 2012 and 2013

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annual reports and literature that deals with food banking, food insecurity and hunger relief

programmes. Finally, the conclusion will seek to briefly compare the significance of food

insecurity in both Ireland and the United States and report on recommendations that Northern

Ireland food banks, such as the Trussell Trust-affiliated Newry Food Bank, must follow in

order to replicate MANNA Food Bank’s marketing model. (Trussell Trust is the largest

hunger relief charity in the United Kingdom.)

Method

In addition to drawing on literature and publications, this report also includes primary

source data. While undertaking research for this project in the United States, I conducted

structured interviews with significant MANNA staff members including Volunteer Manager,

Max Gruber, Executive Director, Cindy Threlkeld and Marketing and Communications

Director, Becky Upham. As shown in the appendix, these structured interviews featured

open-ended and closed-ended questions. I opted to utilise both styles of interviewing as this

enabled questions to be varied and permitted the interviewee to elaborate on particular

answers. Unfortunately, the open-ended question strategy limited the overall reliability of the

primary data as certain interviewees occasionally did not answer questions accurately or

specifically. Moreover, I am confident that the reliability of the data was further limited by

my inability to employ questionnaires as a research method due to time constraints. For me,

short-answer questionnaires would have enabled respondents to disclose information

confidentially and may have allowed for more precise and, perhaps, candid information to be

collected. Given that interviews were located on MANNA Food Bank property, it is possible

that interviewees may have felt uncomfortable in revealing negative comments or opinions

about the organisation.

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I also interviewed Newry Food Bank’s Roberta Holohan (Project Manager) and Gina

McGurgan (Warehouse Manager). This interview with Holohan and McGurgan was vital as it

not only enabled this report to incorporate the perspectives of those who are operating at both

the management and grass roots levels, but also to provide points of comparison and contrast

with the US-based research. Open-ended and closed-ended questions were again utilised at

this interview. It is important to mention that I was unsuccessful in obtaining an interview

with a representative from the Dublin-based food bank, Crosscare. Although this did not

prove to be a major setback, it meant that this report could not be placed within an All-Ireland

context but rather a Northern Ireland one, solely.

MANNA Food Bank Marketing Plan

1. Aim, Mission Statement, Company Overview and Recent Successes

Aim:

This marketing plan will seek to target how MANNA can better target the services

and programs it provides to the citizens of western North Carolina. It aims to build upon

marketing and communications work already undertaken and provide a blue-print for

improving that work for future years.

Mission Statement:

“Involving, educating, and uniting people in the work of ending hunger in Western

North Carolina. Our providers include the food industry, individuals, farmers, and State and

Federal Agencies.” (MANNA Food Bank, 2014)

Company Overview:

MANNA Food Bank is a private, non-profit service organization, based on the

outskirts of Asheville in western North Carolina. It was founded in 1983 with the aim to

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relieve hunger in the 16 counties of WNC. In addition to collecting, warehousing and

distributing food and non-food items to over 200 MANNA-accredited partner agencies in the

16 counties of western North Carolina; MANNA facilitates a ‘Packs for Kids’ Program and

co-ordinates Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) outreach. MANNA is

also a member of Feeding America, an umbrella organization that connects it to other United

States food banks.

In addition to federal and state-level grants, WNC’s primary food bank is funded by

private donors and acquires food through both public and private donations. National

manufacturers, leveraged purchases and state and federal programs also act as other sources

through which MANNA receives food.

Even though MANNA depends on grants and donations, nothing could be achieved

without the graft of its 45 staff members and its ever-growing supply of volunteers. Key

personnel include Cindy Threlkeld (current Chief Executive Officer), Sue Robinson (Chief

Financial Officer), Becky Upham (Director of Communications and Marketing), Stephanie

Wells (Human Resources/Office Manager), Pat Williams (Product Planning and IT

coordinator), Max Gruber (Volunteer Manager) and Bobbie Phillips (Volunteer Center

Coordinator).

MANNA works with six other food banks in North Carolina to eradicate hunger

although it is the only one which serves the 16 counties of western North Carolina directly.

Moreover, although MANNA organises events which are held by similar North Carolinian

Food Banks including Empty Bowls, it has also taken the initiative with regard to other

services including the ‘Packs for Kids Program’ and SNAP outreach.

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Recent Company Successes and Highlights:

MANNA Food Bank is a growing service organisation which is financially sound due

to prudent management, the generosity of donors and state and federal grants and is

continuing to alleviate hunger in WNC despite federal government cuts.

In recent years MANNA has been quite successful in utilizing its resources both

financial and human. For example, in 2012, 6,935 volunteers served 56,754 hours in support

of the MANNA mission- the equivalent of hours served by 27 full-time staff members. In

2013, MANNA not only distributed 12.8m lbs of food and grocery products in 2013 but also

packed and delivered an average of 4,600 MANNA Packs while its Food Nutrition Services

(FNS) Outreach team assisted 1,061 families apply for SNAP. In the last two years MANNA

has also gained a 4-star Charity Navigator rating and a perfect transparency and

accountability score. (MANNA Food Bank, 2014)

Furthermore, relative to fiscal year 2011, the food banks total revenues and support

rose nearly 10% to $16.7m, contributions and grants rose 9%, food donations increased 28%

and at end of the 2012 fiscal year net assets stood at $4.6m. (MANNA Food Bank, 2014)

2. SWOT Analysis

Positive Negative

Internal STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

Premier WNC Food Bank-

Given responsibility to

directly serve WNC's 16

counties by parent

organization, Feeding

America i.e. WNC’s

primary food bank.

Has pressure to serve over

200 MANNA-accredited

partner agencies- arguable

strain on resources. Does not

receive help from another

food bank in the region.

Sound financial structures-

MANNA manages its

financial resources well.

Currently, lacks a marketing

plan or general planning

strategy that would enable

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Relative to fiscal year 2011,

the food banks total

revenues and support rose

nearly 10% to $16.7m,

contributions and grants

rose 9% and at the end of

the 2012 fiscal year net

assets stood at $4.6m.

effective communication of

events e.g. food drives,

fundraisers etc.

Initiatives and Programs-

MANNA has a range of

successful programs

including ‘Packs for kids’,

Ingles Giving Tree, Blue

Jean Ball, Empty Bowls

and Food Nutrition Services

(FNS) Outreach. Some

allow for MANNA to assist

the local community while

others allow MANNA to

receive donations through

mass fundraising.

Lack of volunteer task

variety- MANNA’s

volunteer program at times

lacks a varied amount of

tasks for volunteer workers.

Regular tasks include apple-

bagging, sorting food and

healthcare items into boxes

and preparing MANNA

packs. Criticism that

activities are repetitive.

Sound volunteer base-

MANNA possesses a deep

and loyal volunteer base. In

2012, 6,935 volunteers

served 56,754 hours.

Volunteers attend

orientation and Volgistics

system was implemented in

2011/2012 in order to track

volunteer hours.

Been slow to adapt to new

technologies such as social

media e.g. Facebook,

Twitter. Still depends on old

media outlets for

communication. Aged

volunteer and support base

partially responsible for this.

Strong support base in

local community-

MANNA has been

connected to WNC region

since 1983. Its rise since

then has been partially

attributable to community

support and partnerships

with local grocery stores,

schools, colleges, youth

clubs, sports teams and so

on.

Dependency on grants and

donations from federal

government and private

donors for funding. These

composed over 1/5 of

income in 2011/2012 fiscal

year.

Ageing volunteer base- The

majority of MANNA shifts

occur during day when

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people are working or in

education. Shifts generally

worked by retirees.

External OPPORTUNITIES THREATS

Volunteer mobilization- Drive can be undertaken to

actively identify and attract

a larger core of young

volunteers. Possibilities for

volunteer management team

to compose varied

volunteer task schedule and

engage with volunteers

through questionnaires and

surveys.

Congressional budget cuts-

exacting further pressure on

food banks and food

pantries. Some acting as

‘safety net for safety net’.

Examples of cuts include

November 1st cut to SNAP,

as result of terms in 2009

Recovery Act. Also, in

February 2014, Farm Bill

passed which enacts further

cuts.

Social media- MANNA

presently has presence on

both Facebook and Twitter

but not Tumblr or other

social media sites.

Possibilities exist in future

to expand organization’s

use of this type technology

and connect with younger

generation of volunteers.

For example, accounts

could be set up on

Instagram or an app for

smartphones could be

developed.

Feeding America’s control- restrains MANNA’s

independence to expand

operations and areas it

serves.

Core of young employees

on staff- In general,

MANNA has youthful staff

cohort. Keeps organization

fresh and aware of new

opportunities to expand and

develop further.

Competition from other

food banks and food

pantries for donations- The

smaller food pantries depend

on donations as do other

North Carolinian food

banks.

Recently been allocated

more funding by federal

legislation i.e. 2014 Farm

Bill- Federal donations will

continue into future. U.S.

food banks have been

appropriated $200m by

Sluggish economic growth in

general since Great

Recession. There is a

consistent demand for food

and other items that

MANNA donates.

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2014 Farm Bill. MANNA

will receive a slice due to

membership of Feeding

America.

Possibility to expand on

current amount of

initiatives and programs- Still room to develop new

ideas for food drives,

fundraisers and initiatives.

Future programs could

include food insecurity

education classes, Packs for

Seniors and fundraisers

similar to Empty Bowls.

Opportunity to create and

grow partnerships with

various local stores-

Currently partnerships have

already been created with

Wal-Mart, Ingles, Food

Lion, Target and Sam’s

Club. Potential partners

include Harris Teeter,

Trader Joe’s and Whole

Foods and the local grocery

store, Katuah Market.

3. Market Segmentation, Target Market and Positioning

a) Segmentation Methods

For the purposes of this marketing plan, MANNA Food Bank’s market will be segmented

according to geographic, demographic and benefit segmentation methods.

Geographic:

Given the contrasting populations between different parts of WNC, MANNA can

better focus its volunteer recruitment efforts by dividing its WNC service area into two

regions, Buncombe and Henderson Counties and Greater WNC. Greater WNC would refer to

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the 14 counties that are located in WNC in addition to Buncombe and Henderson. These two

latter counties would be given their own service areas due to their remarkable high

populations.

In comparison to the other 14 counties, which had 2010 populations of 135,066

(Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Jackson, Macon, Swain), 116,954 (Avery, McDowell, Madison,

Mitchell and Yancey) and 112,636 (Haywood, Polk and Transylvania), both Buncombe and

Henderson are highly populated areas with individual respective populations of 238,318 and

106,740 in 2010. (Office of State Management and Budget, 2014)

Strategies utilised to attract volunteers from less-populated areas would emphasise the

significance of MANNA’s work and its desire to have a volunteer family composed from all

its counties, both urban and rural. Conversely, efforts used to entice potential Buncombe and

Henderson volunteers would focus on the severity of food insecurity in these counties and

how constant volunteer involvement is required.

Demographic:

With regard to volunteers based in the volunteer centre, MANNA Food Bank

Volunteer Manager, Max Gruber (Appendix A) states that the main groups of regular

volunteers include persons in the 12-13 and 65-70 age categories i.e. young students and

retirees. In addition to these particular age groups, MANNA generally attracts large groups

which are affiliated with local schools, churches and rotary clubs.

Volunteers, who are based in the distribution centre and perform more skilled work

relating to agency relations and FNS outreach make up less than 5% of MANNA’s volunteer

population and are in neither of the above two categories. The majority of this cohort lies

somewhere in between the others.

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In addition to age, it is arguable that income is a significant demographic in

relation to volunteers as people with higher incomes may find it easier to commit to volunteer

activities than those with smaller incomes. One should be mindful that those with smaller

incomes may be working 1-3 jobs and may have no time to donate their time to MANNA and

may be less loyal regarding volunteer commitments.

Benefit:

It is arguable that the notion of benefit is a pivotal factor in why people decide to

undertake volunteer work. In addition to deriving benefit from being informed of what good

their efforts will achieve, MANNA volunteers also seem to derive value from volunteering in

any manner. Gruber (Appendix A) notes that ‘for most of those who continue to come back,

they enjoy how they are utilised no matter how menial the work.’ It is possible for MANNA

to develop this by rewarding top long-term volunteers with discount prices for its annual

fundraising events and, perhaps, a position on its official staff team. Certainly, it could be

possible for MANNA to add this incentive to the feel-good factor that the majority of

volunteers apparently receive.

b). Select Target Market

Having identified and analysed three potential target markets, this MANNA Food Bank

marketing plan will focus primarily on targeting skilled volunteers in the age groups 18-30

and 50-70 to work with programs especially in the areas of agency relations, SNAP outreach

and program creation.

This target market has been selected for several reasons. Firstly, although it is

not as sizeable as the warehouse volunteer contingent, it is still larger than the amount of

youth volunteers and is more easily identifiable. Secondly, given their present active nature

within MANNA it is clear that they can be reached by marketing efforts and are more

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responsive in comparison to youth volunteers. Thirdly, although the nature of the group is

similar to that of the warehouse volunteers, it is apparent that management personnel have

uncovered a clear need for them. For example, Gruber (Appendix A) has asserted that ‘we

could use additional volunteers in more skilled positions’ although the process in training

them to do more skilled tasks may be difficult, time-consuming and slow.

Furthermore, these age groups have been identified as ones that are attracted to

volunteer more easily than those aged less than 18 or aged between 30 and 50. For example,

it is arguable that individuals in the 18-30 age-bracket are more prepared to maximise

volunteer opportunities in order to fulfil a service program requirement or bolster their

resume, for example, whereas younger individuals may be less aware of volunteer

opportunities and possibly less interested. In addition, in contrast to those aged 30-50 who

may have family and work commitments, it is possible to claim that people within the 50-70

age-bracket are more likely to be retirees and may have more time to donate to volunteer

activities.

Moreover, given that one target market has been selected it would be most effective to

utilise the concentrated targeting strategy and thereby use a small proportion of MANNA’s

financial resources to target highly skilled volunteers. Conversely, if all potential market

segments had been chosen, the differentiated marketing strategy would have been

implemented.

c). Develop Positioning Strategy

Given MANNA Food Bank’s status as a non-profit organization, it does not have to

consider one aspect that its for-profit counterparts do i.e. competition for sales and profits.

Conversely, MANNA still faces competition, both direct and indirect, for volunteers and

donors from other non-profits and volunteer agencies. For example, MANNA is in direct

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competition with Asheville’s Brother Wolf Animal Rescue Centre for donations and grants

and is in indirect competition for volunteers. Indeed, Gruber (Appendix A) simply stated that

‘if they (volunteers) are volunteering for you, they are not volunteering for somebody else’.

Moreover, rather than discouraging potential volunteers from service at Brother Wolf,

MANNA must market itself in such a way that demonstrates positive self-promotion and

communicates a positive message that focuses on why people should volunteer for them.

In marketing skilled volunteer work, MANNA must focus on the benefits this

provides for the volunteer as well as the organization itself and the hungry in its service areas.

Benefits would include the employment skills and qualities that the individual volunteer will

gain in addition to aiding the food bank complete tasks not only in its distribution centre but

also in the local community. Further benefits would include undertaking work such as SNAP

outreach and partner agencies relationship development, which would both directly and

indirectly lead to assisting the food insecure in MANNA’s various service areas.

Furthermore, Gruber (Appendix A) has noted that this would ‘lighten the work load of full-

time MANNA staff members’.

MANNA could also seek to position this volunteer opportunity for those, perhaps,

who are already skilled in this work and have an interest in food security issues as well as

working to eradicate hunger in the region.

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Financials

In this section, MANNA’s future finances will not be forecast but rather comments

will be made on the organisation’s financial outlook using figures from previous years.

Below is a brief review of key financial indicators for 2010-2013.

Within the last four years it is clear that MANNA’s revenues (contributions, grants,

reimbursements and so on) have increased in tandem with rising total functional expenses

such as salaries and related expenses and total food/program costs. Although net assets fell

during financial years 2010 and 2011, they picked up again in both 2012 and 2013 while total

liabilities and net assets climbed to their highest total in 2013. According to MANNA’s 2011

Annual Report, expenses rose due to increased costs regarding overheads, events and food

distribution. The data suggests that this trend continued in the following two years although it

is difficult to identify what caused this as the 2012 and 2013 annual reports does not delve

into the same detail. The table also suggests that MANNA operated at a loss in both 2010 and

2011 but returned to ‘the black’ in 2012 and 2013.

Total 2013 Total 2012 Total 2011 Total 2010

Revenues and

other support

$19,193,582 $16,709,921 $15,234,256 $12,855,089

Net assets at

Beginning of

year

$4,606,551 $4,424,789 $4,482,982 $4,518,005

Net assets at End

of year

$4,863,834 $4,606,551 $4,424,789 $4,482,982

Total Liabilities $221,756 $204,473 $173,158 $225,327

Total Liabilities

and Net assets

$5,085,590 $4,811,024 $4,597,947 $4,708,309

Total Functional

Expenses

$19,025,726 $16,520,673 $15,407,833 $12,961,129

Table A: MANNA Food Bank Annual Report (2011, 2012 and 2013).

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It is arguable that MANNA can remain in a healthy financial condition in the period

2014-2017 but this will depend on a variety of factors. For example, it is vital that revenues

continue to offset the constant rise in expenses and that public and private monetary

donations increase annually. This is a realistic expectation given that MANNA’s 2013

Annual Report notes that the food bank received ‘over $4 million in contributed income’,

which was a $1.8m increase in comparison to 2011 figures. Moreover, MANNA’s financial

health is dependent on the general economic situation in addition to the continued generosity

of donors, federal government grants and federal food assistance programmes such as SNAP.

It is possible to suggest that MANNA’s position has been harmed by 2013 and 2014

reductions to SNAP as Cindy Threlkeld (Appendix B), MANNA Executive Director, states

that these final reductions could have ‘bought 40% of what MANNA distributed in 2013’.

Conversely, Threlkeld is still certain that MANNA’s food distribution ‘will exceed 13 million

pounds’ in 2014.

Conclusions and Recommendations

Before this report reverts to recommendations regarding this MANNA Food Bank

marketing plan let us scrutinise the significance of food insecurity and hunger in both the

island of Ireland and the United States.

Due to recent cuts in federal food assistance programmes, food insecurity and hunger

have become timely issues in the United States. Within the last decade, the number of food

insecure individuals has increased from 33 million to 48.9 million or 1 in 6 U.S. citizens

(Jensen, 2002 and Feeding America, 2014). Moreover, the number of households facing food

insecurity rose from 11 million or 10.5% to 17 million or 14.5% between 2002 and 2014

(Jensen, 2002 and Feeding America, 2014). Although large hunger relief organisations like

Feeding America through food banks, emergency food shelters, food pantries and soup

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kitchens provide assistance, food security specialists such as Helen Jensen (Jensen, 2002) are

convinced that government legislation such as the Personal Responsibility and Work

Opportunity Reconciliation Act (1996) made food assistance programmes ‘major components

of the social safety net for low-income households’. Although these programmes were

temporarily boosted by the Recovery Act (2009), in 2013 and 2014 these programmes, such

as SNAP have been downsized through reductions in payments and cuts enacted as part of

the Farm Bill (2014). In August 2013, the Centre on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP,

2013) noted that ‘these cuts will likely cause hardship for some SNAP participants, who will

include 22 million children in 2014… and 9 million people who are elderly or have a serious

disability.’

In Ireland, one could suggest that food insecurity is still developing as an issue. In

2014, just 12.4% of the Republic of Ireland population or ‘an estimated 600,000 people are

suffering from food poverty’, according to the Irish Examiner (2014) while 11,697 people in

Northern Ireland were provided with three days’ emergency food packages by Trussell Trust

affiliated food banks in the 2013-2014 financial year (Trussell Trust, 2014).

Conversely, although food insecurity may seem to be a more striking problem in the

U.S. given the larger population, it is evident that the Irish and Northern Irish food poverty

situations are worsening due to welfare reform and other economic austerity measures. For

example, in the Republic of Ireland, St Vincent de Paul Society (Irish Examiner, 2014) is

aiming to distribute ‘up to 20,000 tonnes of food annually to needy people’ while, in

Northern Ireland, Advice NI (2014), an independent advice network, claims that ‘the number

of food banks in Northern Ireland had increased rapidly [from 6 to 14] during the last year

and the demand for their assistance has grown.’ These food banks are mostly based in

community centres and church halls and one of them, a Trussell Trust UK franchisee, Newry

Food Bank, was established in response to the city’s food poverty situation. Roberta Holohan

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(Appendix C), the food bank’s project manager states that ‘God has given us a desire to help

the people’ and that they are ‘open’ and ‘excited’ about collaborating with food banks in the

Republic of Ireland and learning from food banks in continental Europe and the United

States.

Overall, while the twin threats of hunger and food insecurity are becoming more

noticeable in Ireland, it is clear that the US situation is more prominent and that, perhaps,

food banks in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland could benefit from the

American experience and the following four recommendations:

Create more initiatives and programmes

Presently, Trussell Trust food banks, including Newry Food Bank, manage a food voucher

scheme. However, opportunities exist for these locations to replicate MANNA’s ‘Packs for

Kids’ Programme and fundraising events like Empty Bowls and the Blue Jean Ball. Similar

events in Newry would certainly raise people’s awareness of hunger and food insecurity in

the locality. Moreover, Newry Food Bank could initiate a programme, which ensures that

clients are receiving the correct amount of welfare payments that they are entitled to. This

would involve a partnership being formed with Newry Jobs and Benefit Office but would

follow MANNA’s Food Nutrition Services (FNS) Outreach model.

Attract and engage larger volunteer base

Newry Food Bank can replicate MANNA Food Bank strategies, which are utilised to attract

and engage volunteers. These include announcements in local publications such as

newspapers and magazine and social media. Individuals, businesses and community

associations, which donate monetary and food aid, should be informed of volunteer

opportunities. Once volunteers are registered they should be engaged through a potential

hunger education programme.

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Establish more contacts with grocery stores and food providers

Due to its membership of the Trussell Trust, Newry Food Bank is partnered only by the

supermarket chain, Tesco. MANNA is supported by several supermarket chains and

grocery stores including Wal-Mart, Ingles and Food Lion. As the former food bank grows

it could also partner with others such as Sainsbury’s in addition to local grocery stores.

This is something that the Trussell Trust should consider as well at the national level.

Build contacts among local businesses and prospective sponsors and donors

In order to raise its profile in the local community as well as grow its volunteer base,

Newry Food Bank needs to strengthen its contacts in the local community. This can be

achieved by reaching out to not just grocery stores but also other churches, sports teams,

schools, businesses and well-established organisations like the local Newry Lions and

Newry Rotary clubs.

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Reference Section

Secondary Data

Grewel, D, and Levy, M, (2012), Marketing, 3rd

Edition, New York, McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

Jensen, H H, (2002), ‘Food Insecurity and the Food Stamp Program’, American Journal of

Agricultural Economics, Vol. 84, No. 5, December, pp 1215-1228.

Lawrence, G, Lyons, K and Wallington, T, eds., (2011), Food Security, Nutrition and

Sustainability, 2nd

Edition, New York, Earthscan.

MANNA Food Bank, 2011 Annual Report, Asheville, Biltmore Press.

2012 Annual Report, Asheville, Biltmore Press.

2013 Annual Report, Asheville, Biltmore Press.

Patel, R, (2008) Stuffed and Starved, 2nd

Edition, London, Portobello Books.

Riches, G, (2002), ‘Food Banks and Food Security: Welfare Reform, Human

Rights and Social Policy. Lessons from Canada?’, Social Policy & Administration, Vol. 36,

No. 6, December, pp 648–663.

Internet Sources

Advice NI, 2013. Turning the Tide: The Growth of Food Banks in Northern Ireland. [online]

Available at: http://www.debtaction-

ni.net/sites/default/files/resources/AdviceNI%20Food%20Banks%20Policy%20paper.pdf

[Accessed 24 June 2014]

Centre on Budget Policy and Priorities, 2013, SNAP benefits will be cut for nearly all

participants in November 2013, [online] Available at:

<http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=3899> [Accessed 22 June 2014]

Feeding America, 2014, Hunger & Poverty Statistics. [online] Available at: < http://feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/hunger-facts/hunger-and-poverty-

statistics.aspx> [Accessed 25 June 2014]

MANNA Food Bank, 2014, About us. [online] Available at:

<http://mannafoodbank.org/about/> [Accessed 21 June 2014]

MANNA Food Bank, 2014, MANNA by the numbers. [online] Available at: < http://mannafoodbank.org/files/manna-by-the-numbers.pdf> [Accessed 21 June 2014]

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O’Riordan, S., 2014. Food banks to tackle poverty crisis. Irish Examiner, [online] 4 April.

Available at < http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/food-banks-to-tackle-poverty-crisis-

264290.html> [Accessed 21 June 2014]

Office of State Budget and Management, 2014, County Estimates. [online] Available at: < http://www.osbm.state.nc.us/ncosbm/facts_and_figures/socioeconomic_data/population_esti

mates/county_estimates.shtm> [Accessed 5 March 2014]

Trussell Trust, 2014, Stats, [online] Available at: < http://www.trusselltrust.org/stats>

[Accessed 26 June 2014]

United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service, 2014, Definitions of

Food Security. [online] Available at: < http://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-

assistance/food-security-in-the-us/definitions-of-food-security.aspx#.U7F-ffldWSo>

[Accessed 20 June 2014]

21

Appendix A

Interview Questions for MANNA Volunteer Manager

I am speaking with Max Gruber, the volunteer manager at MANNA Food Bank. The time is

1.30PM on Wednesday March 12th

2014.

1. What does the role of volunteer manager at MANNA Food Bank entail? What

are your duties and responsibilities?

Support volunteer program as it stands, getting volunteers recruited, orienting

volunteers, getting them placed for correct roles, place and support volunteers-

engaged in volunteer and distribution centers, engage volunteers in all departments,

board members are all volunteers, FNS outreach,

Day-to-day event and annual events

2. How many volunteers do you have on your volunteer team at MANNA? Does the

organization have enough volunteers? What shifts does MANNA have available

for people to volunteer? Are there certain groups of people that volunteer more

than others?

2013- engaged 6,935vols, volunteers might be coming once a week, out of town, large

regular base that come on a schedule- once a week/month

Regulars (come once a week)- several hundred come on a weekly basis, engaging

500-700 volunteers each week in the vol and dist center, FNS outreach volunteers,

agency monitors,

Currently, pretty good- what could be changed is way we engage volunteers, we could

use additional volunteers in more skilled positions (that is difficult- tasks that need to

get done) it takes smaller steps to swell volunteers in skilled arena.

Asheville as retirement destination, majority of regular volunteers are retirees but not

volunteers generally. Retirees are some of most important

Engage school and youth groups and others that volunteer through summer camps and

spring break trips. A huge amount of 700 come from large school groups. Don’t see a

whole lot of 30-55 year olds. They are more restricted in volunteer ability. At moment

satisfying volunteer needs- would they want to volunteer?

22

3. What is the average age of the volunteer base? What is the average amount of

time that a person volunteers at MANNA for?

Average regular volunteer- retiree 65-70 (1 shift per week), then others in groups 12-

13 (2-4 shifts per year) Averaged out this would be a middle-aged volunteer coming

once a month but this is not what Max is seeing in the volunteer centre.

4. Is this volunteer team expanding consistently or have you noticed a decline at

all?

Since August 2013, volunteer team has been consistently expanding, initially

expected downward fluctuation in certain parts of year that have not been

experienced. Max has not seen too much of a decrease of volunteers in any area. In

August, Max would expect to see downward turn in August, also expected in winter

2013/2014 but this did not occur.

5. What kind of work do volunteers undertake for MANNA?

Majority of volunteers do sorting and repackaging of goods. 95% of hours if not more

put in at volunteer centre. Volunteers doing skilled work helps lighten load on full-

time staff members. Board is volunteer-based. Volunteers doing office work, out in

field, agency relations and educating people about food stamps, volunteers helping

with fundraising opportunities. Volunteers are like staff members in certain areas.

Tasks in volunteer centre depend on day and shift and what has been donated. Some

find it to be monotonous. For most of those who continue to come back, they enjoy

how they are utilised no matter how menial. Often, people want to do this. Volunteers

who don’t enjoy, don’t come back.

6. In relation to those who volunteer in the volunteer centre warehouse, are tasks

varied? How do volunteers feel about the tasks they do?

Max: “engage volunteers to fulfil needs of organization and if your needs are singular

and not varied then that’s what needs are” “I don’t think it’s necessary to vary tasks to

appease volunteers. I think volunteers want to be utilised for what org needs. If

diversity is not needed then you would be creating work where not needed. Could

utilize volunteers in more fields, not something I would want volunteers to jump from

task to task. If you work in FNS then best to work only in that field, takes orienting

and training. Consistency as best practice.

7. MANNA utilises the Volgistics software program in order to keep track of the

quantity of people that volunteer. Is it effective in doing this? Is it the most

appropriate method?

Volgistics: given way we engage volunteers and large numbers it is best available, not

perfect. We keep tracks of volunteers so we can report out at end of year and gauge

how many volunteers coming in on weekly basis.

23

Great way to schedule in advance, access to years’ worth of info. People can keep

track of themselves. Implemented in Fall 2012 and before previous system crashed.

No detail for pre-2012 data. Large numbers still have access to.

8. How does MANNA mobilise its cohort of volunteers? What forms of

communication are primarily used? Do you see these forms changing in the

future? (Could more be done to reach current volunteers and potential future

volunteers?)

Mostly mobilise people by email and work of mouth, mobilise people through that

method, through volgistics access to every volunteers email address. Max believes

that both methods are super useful and proven to work well.

If in rural areas and don’t already volunteer, not part of cohort, people not being

targeted. Max finds that recruitment via Facebook or twitter brings back almost no

fruit whereas recruitment by word of month by volunteers who have had good

experience- best method. A happy volunteer will bring back another.

Could be on road doing presentations, not where needs are. Best way is to grow

programme. You can’t have a critical mass suddenly. You have to grow it over time.

Best way is to provide positive experience for those you do recruit to come in. When

people have positive experience they will talk and recruit others. Max: Tech does not

recruit vols. Volunteers recruit volunteers. Max: I know others have different

thoughts. Somebody requesting somebody else to volunteer means more than

receiving a spam email. Someone you trust is someone you will listen to.

Interview terminated at 2.00 PM.

24

Appendix B

Interview Questions for MANNA Food Bank CEO

I am speaking with Cindy Threlkeld, the CEO at MANNA Food Bank. The time is 2.00PM on

Wednesday March 12th

2014.

1. What does the role of CEO at MANNA Food Bank entail? What are your duties

and responsibilities?

Title is Executive Director

Be lead person to manage team and carry out strategic vision of board of directors and

MANNA’s mission, a multi-task role, be link to board (MANNA’s governing body)

and ensure that she understands and respects the strategic vision that they have for

organization

Being transparent about reporting back to board so they understand how MANNA is

actually operationalizing that vision. A fiduciary responsibility is to make sure we are

managing our budget and resources in a way that includes a lot of internal controls.

Being the spokesperson to the community so that it understands how we need it to

engage with us to support us both as volunteers and donors and support people who

MANNA provides services to. Ensure community has understanding and awareness

of issues of hunger in WNC.

Managing the team, specifically the senior management team which is responsible for

specific areas and departments in organization. Provide leadership and a role model,

integrity and enthusiasm and spirit with which we want to carry out our role in

community.

Cindy is responsible for a lot of stakeholders from community to beneficiaries,

partner agencies, our employees and volunteers. Multi-tasking, taking bird’s eye view

and ensure all moving parts are fitting together.

2. MANNA Food Bank is part of Feeding America. How does that relationship

serve MANNA? Are there any drawbacks to the relationship?

Relationship serves MANNA very well because they look at national level on how do

we look towards a hunger-free United States. They bring in a lot of the large

corporate-level donations. They set standards for food banks across the country. There

is some 200 associated Feeding America Food Banks. All need to be operating at

25

specific level of integrity and responsibility. They have compliance role as well. Eg.

Poorly performing Food Bank in Florida.

Standards are reasonable and ones we should be holding ourselves to. Cindy can’t

think off-hand of any major disadvantages. One constraint is that each food bank has

agreed to stay within own service boundaries for both solicitation of both food and

donations. For WNC it is a big constraint because we don’t have large corporate head-

quarters or food manufacturers in our service area.

It (big constraint) is one we voluntarily subject ourselves to as part of that network but

Feeding America does not have control over MANNA. We are an independent 501

C3 NGO or non-profit organization so we control our own destiny. It is only to the

extent that we want to affiliate with that national association that we have constraints.

They can’t require us to do much of anything. They can hold over us the constraint

that we would no longer be eligible to be part of the national network. We have an

independent board of directors and we have to raise all of our own funds. We make

our own strategic decisions.

3. The Food Bank is WNC’s primary food bank and in addition serves over 200

MANNA accredited agencies. How is it coping with this workload? Is there a

strain on resources?

There is definitely a strain on the resources. It is an interesting division of labor and

collaboration of non-profits. We have warehouse, refrigerated trucks, major food

donors. Allows smaller pantries not to have to spend time looking for donations of

food. Doing that on their behalf puts a high level of responsibility on us. Strain on

resources financially and in terms of food we are able to procure.

No need for another food bank in WNC. There would be a duplication of effort. They

would have to have an ED, a financial person, accounting system, warehouse and its

more efficient for MANNA to look at strategically, do we need to begin have

distribution sites and drop off sites in different counties, how do we increase our

infrastructure to reach as many as we can. Another food bank- competing for same

resources and duplicating others. That's why there is six food banks.

4. How is MANNA performing both financially and in terms of its mission i.e.

‘involving, educating, and uniting people in the work of ending hunger in

Western North Carolina’?

Achieved last 2 years- There is a metric called lbs per person in poverty- how can we

ensure an equitable distribution of food and resources that we have based on number

in poverty in those counties. We look at number of people in poverty and total

population. Ensure number of lbs. is commensurate with the number of people in

poverty in areas like Cherokee, Avery and Swain counties. There is still more food

going to areas with higher pop but there is an equivalent percentage of number of

26

people in poverty- program called 'Beyond Buncombe'. Initiated 3 or 4 years ago.

Need to challenge ourselves to ensure we are distributing an equitable amount of

resources.

Done a credible job in increasing distribution of food 2008 (when volunteer centre

established)- 5.7m lb distributed per year in 2013 it was 12.8m lb. We've been

working hard to distribute food. There has been Food Stamp outreach in last 5 years.

Not done as good a job on education piece. Hunger education haven’t done as well as

could in future.

5. MANNA receives donations from both private and public sources. What type

funding does MANNA view as public and private? How significant are these

donations?

Public funding- comes from government sources- receive $500,000 from state of NC.

Cash allows MANNA to purchase food that MANNA feels will supplement food that

gets donated. $500,000 lets us purchase staples that we need to supplement donations.

Money and food through TEFAP, USDA program, due to food stamp outreach

MANNA receives 50% reimbursement for that effort through USDA.

Rest is private- individuals, corporate donations, foundations, churches

6. In your view, how successful is MANNA’s current combination of programs and

initiatives?

MANNA is charitable response to hunger. Ultimate goal is we shouldn’t be here.

Always will be need for SNAP. There shouldn’t be a need for alternative food

distribution. Always will be but it should be filling gaps and not filling a chronic

need. MANNA started as recycling initiative. 40% of food going to waste. 1 in 6 in

need.

MANNA packs are very expensive. Current goal is to reach at least 10% of kids on

free lunch program. Just reaching 10% doing 4,600 packs a week. Requires a lot of

volunteers and dollars- need to purchase that food. MANNA doesn’t have special

program right now.

7. Are you satisfied that people are aware of MANNA’s mission and what it does as

an organization?

People in Buncombe are satisfied. Trucks are like billboards, partner agencies have

stickers, affiliated to MANNA. Don’t want to steal thunder from pantries. MANNA is

part of community just not physical ongoing presence. Not much done with Twitter,

need more people in my age group to help figure out how to do that. Millennials as

tech natives, is second language.

27

Word of mouth is invaluable but how do you get that first person.

Can work against. Time is used well... understand impact of what you are doing. In

past, scheduling got mixed up, bad experience spreads quickly too.

8. Cuts to SNAP were enacted on November 1st 2013 and more have been included

in the 2014 Farm Bill. The Farm Bill also provides $200m in funding for US food

banks. Has MANNA been feeling the effects of these cuts? How? Do you feel that

this new funding will serve to counteract these effects?

Due to reduction 5% cut, lost $10m in WNC annualised. Could have bought 40% of

what MANNA distributed in 2013. Large reduction for MANNA. You cant pick up

40% increase in what was done day before.

Further reductions through Farm Bill only related to states that had a heating

assistance program, Heat Meat. NC doesn’t have that.

$200m will go into TEFAP. Doesn’t offset loss. Will get more commodities but very

modest.

Cindy estimates that amount distributed in 2014 will exceed 13m lbs. Do more of

what we will do. We can’t make diff up given cuts to SNAP. 'It's as if bar is being

raised' it's very frustrating for general public, gets complicated, people's eyes glaze

over'. 'It's a real struggle to help people understand that there is a large need out there'.

9. What opportunities and challenges do you envision dealing with in the next 1-3

years?

Continue to build team here, look at people with leadership potential, keep them

within MANNA. As we grow ensure funding base grows. Look at partner agencies

for future.

Currently faith based food pantries but churches are not that strong anymore.

If church not how can you expect pantries to be strong. What does partner agency

look like in future? Community organisation? Consolidation of church pantries and

rotary clubs?

Civic organizations work together to have fewer but larger partner agencies? Agency

relations- how do we work with partners we currently have? Where is this going?

How do we work with them in future to ensure food is getting out there. Where are we

going as society with inequality of income distribution?

Interview terminated at 2.45PM

28

Appendix C

Interview Questions for Newry Food Bank staff member I am speaking with Roberta Holohan, (Newry Food Bank Project Manager) and Gina

McGurgan (Newry Food Bank Warehouse Manager) volunteer staff members at Newry Food

Bank (Newry Christian Centre). The time is 11.25AM on Friday June 27th

, 2014.

1. Why was Newry Food Bank established? What is the organisation’s story from

its foundation until the present day?

Roberta: Newry Food Bank was really a vision of my husband’s when we had

planted the church over four years ago now. He always had a desire to run a food

bank and he then heard about the Trussell Trust over in England so he decided that the

church would partner with the Trussell Trust because it was a well-known

organisation and run properly. He contacted them and we paid the money to go with

their franchise and that’s how we started. We opened our doors at October time 2013.

We knew that there was food poverty in Newry. We had heard about it on the English

news and on the news in Northern Ireland. Our church reaches out to the community

and we wanted to help people. There’s a lot of depression out there and there’s a lot of

reasons why people are in financial need. God had given us a desire to help the

people. God had told my husband ‘feed my sheep’. This is a little niche we can come

on board with.

2. Newry Food Bank is in partnership with the Trussell Trust.

How is this relationship working presently? Do you feel that this relationship will

endure into the future?

The relationship is working very well. We were the eleventh food bank that opened and the

Trussell Trust NI manager, Suzanne [Downey], works from Newtownards. She rings us every

so often and would send us emails about what is happening in England and Northern Ireland.

She sets up team meetings that we have to attend and involve other people who run food

banks.

We can see what problems these people are having, what works for them and we can bounce

ideas off each other. We have a manual that the Trussell Trust issues us with and it is broken

down into how you do training and what you need to do. The Trussell Trust is brilliant. I

would recommend it for anybody who was setting up a food bank. They are very thorough

and helpful. You can phone Suzanne and she’ll help you out in any way she can.

Gina:

Yes, this relationship will endure. God started with a vision and plan and he doesn’t break a

promise. Where there is a need and demand God will provide. The need will grow according

to demand.

29

3. Has hunger emerged as a new problem in the Newry and Mourne area and in

Northern Ireland? Why?

Gina: Hunger has been hidden. It’s not just the underclass society or the average

person ‘on the dole’ it’s hitting people from all backgrounds. The plug has just been

pulled on them. This is coinciding with the increase in crime and suicide rates.

Government policy is another reason why it has emerged.

Roberta: People’s benefits and wages aren’t increasing, the cost of living has

increased as well and there’s a lot of financial pressure on people. There’s benefit

delays as well. People have no money and a person could have a big phone bill or a

death in the family. There’s a variety of factors at play. A small percentage of people

who come through the door are suicidal but they just have nowhere to turn to or hope

left and it’s very degrading for them to come through the door. They feel demoralised.

Gina: Here we take the stigma of the world away from these people. They don’t have

to experience destitution, despair or hopelessness.

4. In a business sense, what sort of organisation is Newry Food Bank?

Roberta: It’s not really a business. It’s a charity but because we’re under the Trussell

Trust it’s a franchise and run maybe like a business in that sense. It’s a non-profit

because we have to go by the Trussell Trust rules… how we use their forms…how we

do our filing system...how we put stuff on the computer for their dates and weighing-

in and weighing-out. To that end it may be structured like a business but profit

making… no.

5. What type of business model does it follow?

Roberta: The food bank follows the Trussell Trust model. The Trussell Trust does

work very well but we’re always told ‘it’s your food bank’ and ‘you run it how you

see fit’. Different food banks work in different towns. We do all the paper work and

computer work the same but fundraising and times for food lifts are left up to us. We

run it the way we see fit and that it works best for the people of Newry.

6. Are there part-time and full-time staff members at Newry Food Bank?

Roberta: All part-time and full-time staff are volunteers. There are 2-3 full time

volunteers and 5 part-time volunteers and there are people we know we can pull in on

short notice, especially for food lifts. We would try to keep the amount [of volunteers] at

30

a minimum in the distribution centre because then it can just get too busy...overkill...but

on days like food bank lifts we need ‘hands-on’.

7. Does the organisation have enough volunteers?

Gina: We have enough volunteers. We’re at the right target at the minute.

Roberta: I want people when they come to volunteer who will not just be here for a

week or two. As we grow steadily then we can just bring a couple of more people on

instead of just having an influx of people because we are small. We are a young food

bank considering there are others that have been around for years.

Gina: We’ve grown very fast in a short space of time. We’re in high demand and

we’ve reached the highest targets in the shortest space of time. There’s a need.

8. What volunteer shifts are available?

Roberta: The distribution centre is open every Tuesday and Friday 10.30am-

12.30pm and at the moment we have core group of workers who come in for those

days. To be honest, a Tuesday could be very quiet and then a Friday could be manic.

You just never know from one day to the next who’s going to come in through the

door so that’s why I always keep a mainstay of staff Tuesday-Friday and it seems to

be working okay. Until we get out into the community more and get more agencies on

board then more red vouchers will start to come in and then that’s when I might need

more workers to help out in that area. We just take it step by step.

9. What kind of work do volunteers undertake at the food bank?

Gina: Picking up food boxes from agencies, sorting out damaged goods from other

stock in order to minimise waste. Profiling clients when they enter, making them feel

at ease, signposting them to other agencies such as Women’s Aid to ensure that they

are on the right benefits etc. Volunteers drive food boxes to distribution centre from

warehouse and help out on food lift days and bag packs.

Anything up to a month within expiry date we can’t release to public

Roberta: All food boxes have to be weighed and weighed out for a single person and

there are sheets that have to be signed. We have four different sheets. A yellow sheet

for a single person, an orange sheet for a couple or single person with a child, a green

sheet for medium-sized families and a blue sheet for large families. We know singles

take yellow.. we just run and lift that. So if I send volunteers round to warehouse and

say ‘make up 10-20 “singles boxes”’ they know to add the yellow form. It’s all the

same food stuff printed on the form for each sheet. Volunteers check and replenish

shelves, make sure food items are in date, if out of date they are disposed of.

31

10. Why do people volunteer at the food bank?

Gina: There’s a variety of reasons. One could be retirement.. people may want

something to do after they have left the labour force, if people have a crisis going on

in their own lives volunteering could be a good way of lifting them out of their

situation and to meet other people as well.

Roberta: One person came in to get a food parcel, started going to church and are

now volunteering at food bank, they want to give back. People want to fill the gap and

give back by volunteering and donating food. There’s also a variety of age groups

involved as well.

11. Could more be done by the food bank to better reach volunteers and potential

future volunteers?

Gina: That’s what we are working on at the minute.

Roberta: We know how to do that but we don’t want an influx of volunteers. We are

growing the food bank at our rate. Anybody who phones wishing to be a volunteer.. I

take their name and address and I tell them that when there is an opening.. I will

phone them back.

12. How does Newry Food Bank receive food aid and financial aid?

Roberta:

We are partnered by the Trussell Trust and the Trussell Trust is partnered by

Tesco’s. Every food bank that partners with the Trusell Trust gets days to go into

Tesco’s and to do a food lift. We have two national food lift days in the year… next

Thursday, Friday and Saturday and at the end of the year we will have another. You

are also allowed another four days in between that time if you need to lift food. We

give boxes out into the community e.g. Ballybot House and the hospital, poster and

bookmarks with a list of food items so people can collect food in their offices. I know

that has a potential to expand and grow.

Financially, we rely on public donation and that’s one of the issues we have to

look into big time. We need to get businesses on board with us and the community

because we are charity-based and we need financial support. Basically, at the start it

was the church that supplied the money to partner with the Trussell Trust.. we were

just about to do our first food lift.. we just put the bucket out and that raised enough

money to get out bookmarks and then somebody else blessed us with £200 to get the

printing done for our leaflets. It is by faith as well and God just seems to bring people

on board at the right time but we want the community to help us because we’re giving

32

back into the community and we don’t get any grants for the food bank. I think the

only money we got was from Northern Ireland Electricity… they gave us £200.

13. Gina: We’re going to try and get schools on board and ask them to donate certain

food items. There will be a reward for them at the end. It’s a good way of keeping the

stock steady.

14. Roberta: When we do our food lift there is a good variety of food but sometimes you

can find that you are sitting on a mountain of pasta or other items. The main items are

sugar, milk, tinned meat and tinned fish and these are the ones we run low of the

quickest especially when you are making up the large family boxes. You have to put

quite a lot of those items into that and that’s why it just seems to go.

We are trying to get schools on board and make a competition. E.g this school is

going to do sugar and each class has to try and raise a good amount. Last year, for the

harvest, some of the churches donated food instead of fresh fruit and vegetables that

they would usually decorate the church with. We asked them would they come on

board and do a certain percentage of tinned food as well. This makes people aware of

the importance of the harvest. We are brainstorming, bouncing ideas off each other

and working out what works and what doesn’t.

15. What forms of communication are primarily used to attract and retain

volunteers? Do you see these forms evolving in the future?

Roberta: Word of mouth, we also have our Facebook page and leaflets. We put our

leaflets and our telephone number into the four different sized bags that we give out

and we find that a lot of people would phone and ask about volunteering. That is one

way of raising awareness.

Gina: The people of Newry are trying to find peace of mind. They’re searching and

we have found so far that people, who are volunteering, become churchgoers and find

that peace and that church is not the way they thought it was going to be. People are

getting spiritually fed and experiencing the peace of God.

Roberta: They have been given hope.

Gina: I believe that God will want to use people to make breakthroughs via social

media as well.

33

16. How does Newry Food Bank compare with other food banks in the UK and

Republic of Ireland?

Gina: It’s very unique at the minute.

Roberta: To be honest, I don’t know a lot about many other food banks. I have been

to a couple of them and a few team meetings. I was at a food bank in Lisburn

although the man there said that he doesn’t believe that there is a great need for one

there. However, he is starting to see the growth- they have been running longer than

we have.

Gina: In a short space of time we have made things possible through God. The

growth spurt is telling us that there is a greater demand here [in Newry] and growth

will happen.

Roberta: In the rest of the UK food banks have been established well… they are all

over England e.g. in Bradford and Salisbury and run by wee churches as well.. some

aren’t. I think we are doing okay. We’re doing what we can do

17. North/South collaboration?

Roberta: I don’t think there are any food banks in the Republic of Ireland. There was talk

about a church in Monaghan Town opening a food bank but that didn’t happen. The timing

was not right or whatever. We could have helped them out internally by donating food. If we

have a shortage of something we can ring the other food banks and ask if they are

overstocked. I was excited that the Monaghan one may open because we could have helped

them out.

Gina: There is a high deprivation rate in Dundalk and other Southern towns near the border.

18. Open to learning from food banks outside UK and Republic of Ireland?

Roberta: We’re always open.

Gina: I was very drawn to the MANNA Packs because schools know their children and their

home situation well. Putting food parcels into kids’ schoolbags is something that we can look

into at a later date. You know that food is going to target groups like children. There’s scope.

Roberta: We’re open to learn from any ideas and how things work even with the Simon

Community. We’re thinking of having a food night for them and bringing them here [to

Christian Centre].

34

19. What opportunities and challenges do you envision the food bank dealing with in

the next five years?

Gina: We have to pray for more breakthroughs and having people from different

communities and all walks of life amalgamating. Leave everything at the front door

and work for the good of the community. That’s how we can be more productive in

the next five years.

Roberta: The Trussell Trust leads the way and has the format and eventually it all

infiltrates into Northern Ireland. It’s great to have Suzanne on board and we know

we’re not alone. We’re not on our own anyway because we’ll pray into this..

everything we do is about prayer and how we can better help in the community. It is

about feeding the people but for Newry Food Bank it’s also about giving hope. We

have in the past gone above and beyond our means… we have got people fridges or

clothes and we do what we can. We show love and give hope because that’s what

Jesus wants.

Gina: Opportunities have arisen especially round Christmas and Easter because they

are very spiritual times

Roberta: At the end of the day, food is an issue with people but it’s putting a sticky

label over the issue… you need to see the underlying problem and what’s going on

behind that.

Interview terminated at 12.15 PM.