34th DOLLY SANCHEZ MEMORIAL EASTER EGGS HUNTS SET FOR APRIL 3 AT PEORIA SPORTS COMPLEX

It’s sooooo cute. It’s hilarious. And it’s all for a great cause – filling the shelves at St. Mary,s Food Bank. The 34th Annual Dolly Sanchez Memorial Easter Egg Hunts will take place Saturday, April 3 from 8 a.m. to noon at the Peoria Sports Complex (16101 N. 83rd Avenue). Parking and admission are free with a non-perishable food donation to St. Mary’s Westside Facility.

Join the Easter Bunny as he hosts egg hunts for 1-year-olds (8:20 a.m.); 2-year-olds (8:45 a.m.); 3-year-olds (9:10 a.m.); 4-year-olds (9:30 a.m.) 5-year-olds (9:50 a.m.); 6-year-olds (10:10 a.m.); 7- and 8-year-olds (10:25 a.m.) and 9- and 10-year-olds (10:40 a.m.). Also enjoy puppet shows, carnival games, craft creation, inflatables and other entertainment. For more information, visit www.peoriaaz.gov/specialevents.

ANOTHER EGG-STRODINARY DONATION FROM HICKMAN’S FAMILY FARMS

St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance would like to thank the Hickman Family and all their employees – including those five million hard-w0rking chickens – for donating more than 300,00 eggs to Arizona food banks this month, including Tuesday’s delivery of more than 160,000 eggs to St. Mary’s main warehouse.

Channel 3 and Channel 15 were on hand as the eggs were loaded off the truck. St. Mary’s President and CEO Terry Shannon accepted the delivery from Gertie and Sharman Hickman on behalf of the Food Bank’s 500-plus partner agencies that will enjoy fresh eggs just in time for Easter! Check out the local news tonight for a closer look.

Hickman’s will continue their generous giving to the Food Bank next week, offering a free dozen eggs to everyone who brings a five-can donation to either Over Easy Restaurant in Arcadia or North Scottsdale from March 29-31.
And that donation will also earn each person a free ham, egg, toast, juice and coffee breakfast from one of the Valley more delicious morning spots. Feed your face and feed the hungry? That’s a great way to start the day!

ONE EGG-CITING MEAL, ONE FABULOUS DEAL! DONATE TO ST. MARY’S FOOD BANK ALLIANCE AND GET A FREE BREAKFAST FROM “OVER EASY”

Bring a Bag of 5 Non-Perishable Food Items To Over Easy from March 29-31;
And Enjoy a Free Ham-and-Egg Breakfast at Arcadia or Scottsdale Location

Over Easy restaurants and Hickman’s Family Farms are teaming to help fill the shelves at St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance just in time for Easter with a great deal for anyone interested in a delicious, free breakfast.

The idea is simple: Help feed the hungry of Arizona and Over Easy will feed you in return.

Bring a bag of non-perishable food items (five item minimum) to either Over Easy location (4031 N. 40th Street in Phoenix or 9375 East Bell Road at the Altell Ice Den in Scottsdale) from March 29-31 and receive a free breakfast consisting of two eggs, ham, toast, juice and coffee from one of the Valley’s favorite breakfast spots. There is no limit per table: Four bags of food will earn four free breakfasts.

As an added bonus, Hickman’s Family Farms will provide anyone making a donation to St. Mary’s with a coupon for a free dozen eggs. It is the continuation of a month of tremendous support by Hickman’s, which will donate 300,000 eggs to Arizona food banks around the state over the next few weeks – just in time for Easter. Hickman’s will make similar donations in four other Western states.

“Hickman’s Family Farms continues to be a wonderful supporter of not only St. Mary’s Food Bank but food banks throughout Arizona and other states,” St. Mary’s President and CEO Terry Shannon said. “We are also very grateful to Over Easy for their partnership this spring and encourage everyone to take advantage of this great opportunity to enjoy their great food.”

For more information and locations for the restaurants, log on to www.eatatovereasy.com or call the in Arcadia (480) 468-3447 or North Scottsdale (480) 270-3447.

HICKMAN’S SERVES UP EGG DONATION TO FOOD BANKS IN FOUR WESTERN STATES; ST. MARY’S FOOD BANK ALLIANCE RECEIVES HUGE SHIPMENT ON MARCH 23 and 24

Leading up to the Easter holiday, food banks across the state as well as in Hawaii, Nevada and Colorado will be receiving approximately 700,000 eggs from Hickman’s Family Farms – Arizona’s only commercial egg producer. The donation is a long-time Hickman’s family tradition before Easter and has been part of United Egg Producers contribution to Feeding America’s national campaign for the past three years.

St. Mary’s Food Bank will receive 11 pallets of delicious Hickman’s eggs at the main warehouse (2831 N. 31st Avenue) on Tuesday, March 23 at 9 a.m. Another four pallets of eggs will be delivered to St. Mary’s Flagstaff facility on March 24 at 11 a.m. The eggs will be enthusiastically received by the 500 agency partners served by St. Mary’s at over 700 locations statewide.

“We have decades of making egg deliveries to food banks at Easter time, but the official standardized program with United Egg Producers began three years ago,” said Clint Hickman, vice president of sales and marketing for Hickman’s. “Our average donation at Easter is around 700,000 eggs — and year round to different organizations combined is approximately one million eggs.”

The donation will provide food-insecure people with much needed high-quality protein, which helps kids and adults build muscle strength, helps older adults prevent muscle loss, and may also promote weight management.

CONGRESSMAN HARRY MITCHELL DONATES PORTION OF RAISE TO ST. MARY’S

St. Mary’s would like to thank U.S. Congressman and friend of the Food Bank Alliance Harry Mitchell. Once again, he is donating a portion of his automatic pay raise to help feed the hungry of Arizona.

Mitchell believes the members of Congress should not accept a raise in pay when so many in their states are hurting. And while a bill he has sponsored to stop the pay raises hasn’t received the necessary votes, he will again donate the $8,800 he would have received in raises among 17 non-profit groups in the Valley.

In addition to St. Mary’s, organizations like the Arthritis Foundation; Sojourner Center; East Valley Crisis Center and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale will also benefit from the donation.

In past months, Mitchell has toured the Food Bank, packed Emergency Food Boxes and even held a food drive in his administrative offices. We appreciate Mitchell’s donation and his attempts to raise awareness among his constituents.

Phoenix Symphony Food Drive

Proudly serving the citizens of metropolitan Phoenix and Arizona since 1947, the Phoenix Symphony endures as a cultural treasure in its 63rd year. And the state’s only full-time professional orchestra will again conduct a food drive to benefit another Arizona institution – St. Mary’s Food Bank – during its March 26-28 performances of “Star Wars Mania” at Symphony Hall.

Prior to each performance, St. Mary’s volunteers will be stationed outside the Hall to accept food and cash donations. St. Mary’s distributes enough food to provide 300,000 meals to 13 of Arizona’s 15 counties, and the need is greater than it has ever been with housing foreclosures and unemployment so prevalent in the state.

So before enjoying conductor Robert Moody and the Symphony’s tribute to the magnificent scores of John Williams, help St. Mary’s Food Bank continue its mission of feeding the hungry each day. Each dollar donated to the food bank can provide several meals to the one in 12 seniors and one in five children in Arizona who struggle with hunger issues.

“We are very pleased and appreciative of this opportunity to partner with the wonderful Phoenix Symphony and thank them for its continued support,” said St. Mary’s Food Bank President and CEO Terry Shannon. “There is no way the Food Bank would be able to accomplish its mission without such committed partners and the continuing generosity of the people of Arizona.”

ARIZONA COIN LAUNDRY ASSOCIATION HOSTS FOOD DRIVE FOR ST. MARY’S FOOD BANK

Members of the Arizona Coin Laundry Association have joined forces with St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance to help the fight hunger in the state by hosting a two-month food drive at six locations around the Valley.

From March 1 through April 30, St. Mary’s donation boxes will be stationed at each location for those wishing to simply donate food. In addition, any customers who donate three canned food items will receive credit for one free wash during predetermined weekly time periods at each location. Attendants on duty will oversee the machines used for the promotion and set up their operation.

The free wash offer is limited to one wash, per customer, per week. It’s a great way to save on your laundry bill and help St. Mary’s Food Bank fill the nearly 400,000 Emergency Food Boxes it distributes in 13 of Arizona’s 15 counties annually.
For more information and a list of locations, please check out www.arizonacla.org.