Brought to you by: ~Melody~

Last year students from Phoenix area high schools collected 124,000 pounds of nonperishable food items for the Food Bank during the national Student Food Drive (SFD). 

This year’s SFD promises to be even more successful as the winning school will be awarded the Food Bank’s Van Hengel Cup at a Phoenix RoadRunner’s hockey game and a chance to receive prizes from US Airways when the drive ends in October.  Named in honor of Food Bank founder John van Hengel, the Van Hengel Cup will reside with the winning school until next year’s SFD.

Last night was the kick-off event for the SFD.  Rocky the RoadRunner joined us, along with last year’s winning school, Mountain Ridge High.  Check out the news coverage on 3TV. 

Brought to you by: Cynde C.

On July 13 I spent four hours on a Sunday morning at Gelato Matto, 59th Avenue and the 101, talking about the Food Bank, its need, food drives, and trying the most delicious gelato I have ever had.

Elena Gonnella opened up her lovely gelato shop to Channel 3, sharing with them all of her tasty treats, including Gelato Spaghetti, and invited the Food Bank to join in the fun.  For two weeks, Gelato Matto was holding a food drive to benefit St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance and to encourage participants, she was offering an incentive this Sunday to anyone who donated canned food.  Who can turn down gelato when the temperature is over 100 degrees?

Not only did the TV hit get some attention on Sunday, but I got a call from Elena on the following Tuesday, letting me know that people were bringing donations by the trunk-full or the cart-full (there is a Fry’s nearby) and that her food drive boxes were overflowing.

Thank you, Elena and Gelato Matto, for a wonderful morning.  Your support of the Food Bank is tremendous.