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Release No. 0001.09

Contact: Office of Communications (202)720-4623

Printable version

Schafer Honors Creative, Caring Neighbors Helping the Hungry

WASHINGTON, Jan 8, 2009 – Honoring creative and caring efforts to help the hungry in communities around the country, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer has congratulated volunteers in the Fight Hunger Initiative whose involvement has also shown how rewarding and practical it is to help their neighbors. Schafer launched the initiative patterned from efforts that raised 80,000 pounds of food bank donations in his home state of North Dakota by volunteers to "fill the dome" of a local sports arena.

"The biggest barrier keeping Americans from helping their neighbor in need isn't a lack of desire, but a lack of knowing just how to help. Our Fight Hunger Initiative encourages specific ways to match the great need for support with really great people who want to help," said Schafer. "Noble efforts by these community groups are an inspiration to all of us to lend a helping hand of kindness to a neighbor."

Schafer initiated the Fight Hunger Initiative with a USDA.gov website of specific examples and resources of how to organize a food drive, provide help to the elderly, sponsor feeding programs and find a local volunteer opportunity. Schafer said he hopes the next Agriculture Secretary will adopt the initiative at www.usda.gov/secretary  with its toolkit of resources.

In letters of recognition, Schafer specifically highlighted contributions by community volunteers in Montana and New York, and 4-H Clubs in Maine and Kentucky:

  • Farm-To-Table in Glendive, Montana, a project of Community Giving Assistance Towards Employment, for a community garden and cooperative to help farmers and ranchers market their food products.
  • Venison Donation Coalition, Inc. in Bath, New York, for coordinating a statewide donation by hunters of venison processed and distributed in one pound packages for local food banks and their partner organizations.
  • Coastal Clovers 4-H Club in York, Maine, for planting a large community garden to donate more than 2,000 pounds of fresh produce to local food banks and food pantries.
  • Kentucky 4-H Youth Development Program in Lexington, Kentucky, for their State Fair canned food drive to collect more than 280 canned food items and over 1,000 4-H food and horticulture products donated to a local harvest organization.

 


Last modified: 01/09/2009