The Big Dunk

DISCLAIMER: Please bear with me as I find my voice in the world of blogging and slither out of my lawyer and government manager skins. Using the technical advocate voice just isn’t as effective in reaching people’s hearts as it was testifying at the legislature, or appearing on a panel talking about utility regulation.



My new life at the Foodbank led me to the dunk tank on Saturday, taking the splash a couple dozen times at the Barre Town School for Family Fun Day. People keep commenting on what a “good sport” I am, but who could complain about having some wonderful kids dunk me in a heated tank for a good cause? The school principal followed me, and they gave him a squirt gun for protection. I guess I didn’t know enough to be scared.



I am so impressed by the work of the Barre Town students who organized Family Fun Day. I will be speaking with them tonight, and I can’t wait to thank them. They are an incredible example of what can happen when a group of thoughtful, concerned, hardworking people put their minds and hearts to something. I look forward to seeing where their paths take them in the future—our community is lucky to have such a special group of kids!



I followed the dunk tank up with an unveiling of the sign at the Foodbank’s Kingsbury Farm. It looks like we might have to evict a few groundhogs, but I think that spreading awareness of hunger, and its solutions, in Vermont and growing fresh, nutritious food will make all the effort worthwhile. Maybe we can sponsor a contest for the best impersonation of Bill Murray in “Caddyshack,” although I’m not sure our groundhogs are quite so clever.

Growing, Graduating and Planning for the Future

I just had the opportunity to appear on the WCAX morning news to talk about their “Grow an Extra Row” initiative (a partnership between the Agency of Agriculture, City Market, and High Mowing Organic Seeds), which encourages local gardeners to grow an extra row of produce and donate it to their local food pantry. It is a great way to get involved by doing something you love. You can get in contact with your nearest food pantry by going to the Vermont Foodbank website at www.vtfoodbank.org and clicking on “find a food shelf.” Fresh produce from your garden is a nutritious and great-tasting addition to your local pantry’s shelves, and it is a wonderful way to get involved. You can learn more abou this initiative at http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=10278787

This being graduation season, it is also great timing for the first graduation of the Community Kitchen program at the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf. The program is a partnership between the food shelf, the Vermont Foodbank, and the state of Vermont that provided 14 weeks of culinary training to seven women who were unemployed or underemployed. Two are moving directly to full-time jobs and five will be taking advanced culinary training at the New England Culinary Institute. Congratulation to the graduates! The next class is starting soon, and the Vermont Foodbank hopes to expand the program to other locations as we can.

I am also participating in a statewide conference today on the “Future of Vermont” sponsored by the Vermont Center for Rural Development. Participants from across the state will be discussing what priorities and policies make sense for Vermont in the next generation. I will be in a small group discussing an economic development plan. As our COO, Ed Fox, once told me, “The most important thing we can do for hungry Vermonters is make sure good jobs are available throughout the state so that everyone can put food on their tables, a roof over their heads and heat in their homes.” Let’s hope we make some progress! To read the full “Future of Vermont” report visit www.futureofvermont.org

The First Bite

Thirty days ago I began a new life as the Vermont Foodbank’s CEO. I walked into a high-functioning organization with a talented and motivated staff that is driven to achieve our mission - gathering and sharing quality food and nurturing partnerships that will end hunger - but always questioning and seeking to push boundaries. As I “blog for food” from time-to-time here I’ll be sharing my perspective on hunger, foodbanking, public policy and leadership. I hope you find it thought provoking.

Communities around the world are working on new ways to end hunger. At the Vermont Foodbank’s Hunger Conference last week our lunch speaker was Robert Egger of the D.C. Central Kitchen (www.dccentralkitchen.org), an innovator in culinary training programs for people in need. It is a model that has been widely emulated, including by the Vermont Foodbank/Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf partnership Community Kitchen in Burlington. Robert spoke about looking past the way we do things now (including the model he helped develop) and envisioning a paradigm that combines the millions of hands, feet, and minds of our retiring baby boomers, combined with the strength and energy of the millions of young people now in high school and college who grew up with public service as a scheduled part of their lives.

The current business model for the food banking industry is to collect food that would otherwise be wasted and distribute it to people who are hungry and don’t have the means or ability to get food on their own. Over the years, as manufacturers, distributors and retails donate their “waste” they are also waking up to the fact that this “waste” is affecting their bottom lines. The result is a decrease in the amount of waste, and a decrease in donated food. Foodbanks now need to buy more food to meet the increasing need, and therefore need to raise more money to buy food.

This is not a sustainable trend.

So how do we harness the minds and bodies of the millions out there to meet our mission while responding to change in the fundamentals of our business? The Vermont Foodbank is ramping up our gleaning program, called “Salvation Farms” and has bought the Kingsbury Farm where we will begin growing food for Foodbank distribution one season from now. Volunteers glean and process produce for Salvation Farms, and will have a big role in the operation of the Kingsbury Farm. These are two ideas—new ways, at least to food banking, of sourcing food—both just getting started.

I am interested in learning your thoughts.