Fighting Hunger, Feeding Hope TogetherFall 2017

Valley Students Are So Grateful

for You!

education they can. Having access to fresh produce and nutritious food will help them be alert and ready to learn.

I want to thank you for helping these families get through another summer with access to healthy meals and I encourage you to help us keep our children strong for the new school year!

Gratefully,

Michelle Zamora Board President.

The temperatures have dropped a little, those yellow buses are starting to take over the morning commute and children are getting ready for another fun year of learning, school sports and clubs!

But for many families in the Valley, getting ready for school can put a big strain on their budget. With school uniforms and supplies, some families must decide between nutritious meals or preparing their child (or children) for school.

I am Michelle Lea Zamora and after serving on the Board, I have recently been elected Board President of the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley. While my position is new, I am no stranger to the needs of our community. The families we work with deserve the best opportunity to have their children get the best

OFFICERSPresidentMichelle Zamora, Inter National Bank

Vice PresidentAndrea Rodriguez, DoubleTree Suites

SecretaryJaime Tijerina, Attorney at Law

TreasurerYolanda Gonzalez, Wells Fargo Bank

Interim CEO & COODeAnne Economedes, Food Bank of the

Rio Grande Valley

MEMBERSLina Cantu Cruz, Sharyland ISD Cynthia Esquivel, EdinburgNorma Guevara, La Mansion BallroomJerry Jackson, Jackson Business

ConsultantJeana R. Long, Dykema Cox SmithAbel Orendain, Orendain Dominguez,

Attorneys at LawCristobal Perez, USDA Farm Service

Agency

ADVISORY BOARDRobert Levrier, AIM Media

But there have been times when feeding her kids has been difficult due to the family’s financial circumstances. To help supplement her family’s income, Bernada has applied for and received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Women, Infants and Children (WIC) benefits. For

Bernada has two great passions in her life: Her children and cooking. She has two school-aged children — Oziel and Felix, Jr. — as well as a 3-year-old nephew, Roel, who also lives with her. It brings her such joy to share her culinary talents with the kids, preparing their favorite dishes each evening after school.

Michelle Lea ZamoraBoard President

the most part, these programs are all she’s needed to make her income stretch.

One month, though, Bernada found that despite the help her family was receiving, she couldn’t fill her table with enough nutritious food. While the older kids could count on free meals at school, she still needed groceries to feed everyone in the evening and on weekends. Staring

at her near-empty refrigerator, Bernada decided to act.

By visiting the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley’s Client Choice Pantry, Bernada was able to take home enough

food to feed her family. It was nice to have the chance to select items that she knew the kids would eat — just like she would at a grocery store.

This school year, Bernada knows exactly where to go if she needs help putting food on the table. She’ll never forget how your generosity felt when she walked out of the pantry with enough food to feed her family.

“Thank you for helping us,” she said. “We are in need and are grateful for the food.”

Volunteer of the Quarter: Baptist Health System

Bernada with Javier at our Client Choice Pantry

Your Gifts Helped Bernada Feed Her Kids!

“We are in need and are grateful for the food”

This past summer marked the second year in a row that Valley Baptist Health System participated in the annual Cereal Drive, conducted by Tenet, Valley Baptist Health System’s

parent company. This volunteer experience was part of a national effort by Valley Baptist to fight local hunger.

According to Crystal Tait, a representative from Valley Baptist, departments from Harlingen and Brownsville worked with local schools and other partners to collect over 3,000 pounds of cereal and over $6,000 in monetary donations. They particularly encouraged the donation of healthy cereals that might normally be too expensive for families in need to buy on their own.

Because she was part of the team coordinating the volunteers for the Cereal Drive, Crystal already knew how much the donated food would help the community. But what she didn’t expect was the outpouring of support from several lower-income schools. She said that some of the schools with the largest need gave the most in donations. Thinking about this brought tears to her eyes.

“The kids know what it’s like to do without and don’t want to see their fellow classmates and neighbors have those same feelings,” she explained.

Reflecting on her company’s most recent Cereal Drive experience, Crystal encouraged other businesses and local organizations to get involved. She believes that giving back should be a central part of every company culture.

“We have to be a blessing to families in need,” she said. “All you need is a little motivation and time. What you do for the community makes a huge impact on those less fortunate .”

Ms. Zamora has been in banking for over 15 years and is currently First Vice President at Inter National Bank as a Commercial Lender. Ms. Zamora’s other civic involvement includes: United Way of South Texas board member, Mission Chamber of Commerce board member, Mission CISD District Educational Improvement Committee member, Business Development Fund of South Texas trustee and the Risk Management Association — RGV board member.

At the start of this school year, Francis Aguirre — a school counselor at Jose de Escandon Elementary —has a lot on her mind. Near the top of her list are the names and faces of the many children who are at risk of going hungry when they return home from school each day.

It’s a problem that Francis has seen frequently. While at school, kids hungrily eat every crumb of food off their trays at breakfast and lunch, sometimes asking for seconds. That’s because many aren’t getting enough — if anything — to eat in the evenings and on weekends when school meals are unavailable.

When she first learned the students she served at Escandon could benefit from Operation Kid Pack, Francis was thrilled. The program, which is made possible through your generosity to the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley, connects boys and girls with bags of food each Friday, ensuring they come to school Monday morning fully nourished.

As an educator, Francis knows that what you’re doing is having a real

P.O. Box 6251McAllen, TX 78502www.foodbankrgv.com956-682-8101

impact on kids’ academic performance. It’s well-documented that students who have regular access to meals are more likely to have better grades and fewer behavioral problems.

As she’s helped administer the program, Francis has observed that the kids particularly enjoy the healthier items in their bags. He said that many children are just happy to have anything at all to fill their stomachs when they go home for the weekend.

“I’m getting something to eat while mom is working,” Francis recalled one child saying.

On behalf of the many children and parents who benefit from your generosity through the Operation Kid Pack program, Francis expressed her sincere gratitude.

“You are making a huge impact by providing nutritious food,” she said.

Connect with us online

Like “Food Bank RGV” or follow us @foodbankrgv

Facebook “f ” Logo RGB / .eps Facebook “f ” Logo RGB / .eps

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

These flourless chocolate zucchini muffins are gluten-free, grain-free, oil-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free and nut-free, but 100% delicious.

Ingredients:1/2 cup (128g) sunflower butter 1 ripe medium-sized banana (100g or 1/2

cup mashed)1 large egg1/4 cup (80g) honey (local)1/4 cup (20g) unsweetened cocoa powder2 Tbsp (14g) ground flaxseed1 tsp vanilla extract1/2 tsp baking soda1 cup (100g) zucchini, shredded and

squeezed of excess liquid1/4 cup (60g) chocolate chips, plus more for

sprinkling on top

Directions:Preheat oven to 375°F and prepare a muffin pan by spraying 9 cavities with cooking spray. Set aside. Add all ingredients except for zucchini and chocolate chips to a blender and blend on high until batter is smooth and creamy. Stir in shredded zucchini and chocolate chips by hand. Pour batter into prepared muffin pan, filling each cavity until it is about ¾ full. Sprinkle with additional chocolate chips, if desired. Bake for 20 minutes, until the tops of your muffins are set and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow muffins to cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing. Store in an air-tight container for up to a week.

Angel with his Operation Kid Pack.

Area Students Have Nutritious Food Thanks to You!

September is Hunger Action Month Visit us on social media all month for exciting

events and ways you can help take ACTION!

Empty Bowls | September 19, 2017 Boggus Ford Events Center | 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Tickets on Sale at www.foodbankrgv.com

Save the Date!