Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Food Recalls

Good Shepherd Food Bank has received notice of two recalls on food you may have received through donations.

Walnut & Trail Mix Product -- expanded recall by Aurora Products

Deer Brand Raisin Golden distributed through Maine retail outlets

Please check your inventory for these products!

Thank you!

Monday, March 30, 2015

Informational Calls for the Capacity Building Grant

The Agency Services Staff at Good Shepherd Food Bank is offering 3 call-in opportunities to talk about the Capacity Building Grant.

We don’t have an agenda other than the questions you have about the Application, the Agency Self-Assessment, and the reporting component of the grant process.

The calls are also a great opportunity to hear what other agencies have for ideas!  There’s no limit to how many calls you can participate in – you may call in to one, two, or all three – and no limit to how many people from your program can sit in on the call!

Agency Services staff will be available on the following dates and times:

Wednesday, April 1, from 2-3pm
Monday, April 6, from 3-4pm
Monday, April 13, from 12:30-1:30pm

The phone number to call is 1-712-432-3022.  Once you dial this number, you will be prompted to put in a 6-digit conference code. That code is 630638.

You will need a touch-tone phone.  Depending on your long-distance plan, you may be charged for this call.  We suggest using a cell phone or a line which doesn't have long-distance charges attached to it.

We're looking forward to talking to you!

Friday, March 20, 2015

Capacity Building Grant Application Process Opens!

Good Shepherd Food Bank is excited to offer our Capacity Building Grant program to our Tier 2 partners (food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, and youth programs).  These funds are made available through the generosity of donors that want to empower our agencies to move more nutritious food to more people in need in their communities.

The complete details of the program are in the four documents below. Print as many copies as you need for draft purposes. If you cannot print attachments from your email account, you can follow the links below to find printable  documents.  (You must have Adobe Reader, which is available as a free download HERE.)

The Program Overview, Guidelines, and Application document is available in two forms:  a PDF for printing and filling out by hand or by typewriter and a Word document with fields that can be filled in on a computer.



The Capacity Building Grant is a competitive grant.  Not all agencies will receive awards, and agencies may not receive the requested amount in full. 

The Agency Services team will be hosting 3 conference calls in early April for you to ask questions, go over any part of the application for more information, and/or to hear ideas other agencies have for their programs.  We will email the dates and times of those conference calls to all eligible partners  by Friday, March 27th (as well as post the dates and times here on the Agency Network Blog).


Monday, March 9, 2015

Time is Running Out for FREE Food Safety Training!

All Tier 2 partner agencies are required to update their food safety training by May 1st 2015.


*Please note the online ServSafe Food Handler course does not fulfill this requirement.

Options for food pantry partners:
-        Option 1: Complete a ServSafe Food Handler Guide for Food Banking training through Good Shepherd Food Bank. The certificate is valid for 2 years and the training is FREE!
-        Option 2: Complete a ServSafe Manager’s Training – this is an all-day training with a national exam. The certificate is valid for 5 years. 
               
Options for meal site, youth program and shelter partners:
-        Option 1: Two volunteers need to complete a Cooking for Crowds training through the UMaine Cooperative Extension. GSFB is hosting multiple sessions – contact your local Agency Services Field Representative for more information. Registration is required. Certificate is valid for 2 years.
-        Option 2: Complete a ServSafe Manager’s Training – this is an all-day training with a national exam. The certificate is valid for 5 years.

Contact your Agency Services Field Rep for a list of FREE food pantry trainings.  (Many have occurred already; you may have to travel.)

Any Tier 2 agency without up-to-date food safety training by May 1st will be suspended from partnership, and you will need to seek your own training and show proof of completion to be reinstated. Please contact your local Agency Services Field Representative if you have any questions. Thank you! 

Friday, March 6, 2015

Eggs and More Eggs!

Good Shepherd Food Bank is expecting our first shipment of eggs for agency requests to arrive on March 12th!

Eggs will be available by online request only.
These medium, brown eggs are made available from Moark, an egg producer in Turner, to our Tier 2 partners for $.99/dozen, and to our Tier 1 partners for $1.07/dozen.  Each case holds 30 dozen cartons; eggs must be purchased by the case.

Later this month, Moark will be making their annual donation of eggs to Good Shepherd Food Bank.  We do not know now what the amount of the donation will be.  Those eggs will be available to Tier 2 partners only for a Shared Maintenance Fee of $.16/pound.  Because of the limited quantity and the low price, the Food Bank will be allocating those eggs to the entire network of Tier 2 partners. We'll have more news on this egg distribution later in March!

Thursday, March 5, 2015

We are Excited to Offer Black Beans!

Did you know?

Black beans are a protein-rich super food!  They have 15 grams of protein in a single serving of ½ cup, the protein equivalent of 2 eggs. One serving of black beans also provides nearly 15 grams of fiber, over half the daily recommendation.

Black beans provide special support for digestive health and can lower your risk of colon cancer. The dietary guidelines for Americans establishes 3 cups of cooked legumes per week as the minimum desired amount. We are working hard at Good Shepherd Food Bank to provide more of the foods we need to stay healthy!

Recent research links bean and legume intake to lower risk of type 2 diabetes, many types of cardiovascular disease, and several types of cancer. They are high in Folate, Fiber, Copper, Manganese, and Vitamin B1.

These inexpensive little beauties are a terrific way to stretch a meal.

Canned beans are ready to go! Already pre-cooked, simply drain and rinse before using. Black beans are a great addition to tomato-based soups or even just your regular can of Campbell’s to provide a more filling lunch. One great trick to bulk up and stretch a jar of your favorite salsa is to add black beans. Stir black beans into your plain brown rice, add some chili powder and cumin for a great side dish.  They’re a terrific partner to your morning eggs! With a little imagination black beans can sneak into most meals we make to add that extra boost of protein and fiber! 



One of our favorite Cooking Matters© recipes using black beans is:

Black Bean Vegetable Soup (serves 8)

 Ingredients
·        4 cloves garlic
·        1 medium onion
·        2 medium carrots
·        2 medium celery stalks
·        1 medium apple
·        2 (15-oz) cans black beans, no salt added
·        1 (14 ½-oz) can crushed tomatoes, no salt added
·        1 Tablespoon canola oil
·        2 Tablespoons chili powder
·        4 teaspoons ground cumin
·        4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
·        1 (8 ¾-oz) can whole kernel corn or 1 cup thawed frozen corn
·        1 teaspoon salt
·        ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
·        1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
Instructions
1. Peel and mince garlic. Peel and chop onion.
2. Rinse carrots, celery, and apple. Peel and chop carrots. Chop celery and apple.
3. If using, rinse and mince cilantro.
4. Using a colander, rinse and drain black beans. In a medium bowl, add half the black beans, reserving the rest for later. Add tomatoes to the bowl. Mash together with a fork.
5.  In a large pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add garlic, onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
6. Add chili powder and cumin. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
7. Add chopped apple, mashed bean and tomato mixture, remaining beans, broth, and corn.
8. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, 10-15 minutes more.
9. Stir in salt and pepper. If using, stir in cilantro now.


GSFB Network is a blog for partner agencies of Good Shepherd Food Bank focused on feeding Maine's hungry.