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Annual Special Events
The Food Bank of Lincoln holds a number of annual events to help
raise food, money and awareness in our mission to serve hungry people
in southeast Nebraska. Some of these events are listed
below. Many special events present opportunities for you to
volunteer or participate. Contact us if you'd like to help.
“Kids CAN Help” Food Drive: March
3 - 14, 2008
The “Kids CAN Help” Drive started in 1991 at the Food Bank. This drive
involves the Lincoln Public Schools, many of Lincoln’s private schools,
and several schools in our neighboring communities. Since its inception,
the drive has raised over 100 tons of food for the Food Bank of Lincoln.
The 2007 drive raised over 48,000 pounds of food as 36 schools
participated.
Rocky Manginelli Swap Meet: Sunday, March
09, 2008
The Eastern Nebraska/Western Iowa Car Council has sponsored this event
for the Food Bank of Lincoln since 1992. Vendors set up areas inside of
State Fair Park. The public can come in and purchase or swap car parts
and accessories. Admission is a non-perishable food item and/or a free
will cash donation.
Check Out Hunger November 1
thru December 31, 2008
Check Out Hunger began in 1993, and is sponsored by the Lincoln Journal
Star and KOLN/KGIN Television. This program operates in April, May and
June, and features coupon pads at the checkout stands in over 30 area
grocery stores. These pads contain coupons in $1, $5, and $10 denominations. Shoppers tear off a coupon and hand it to the cashier.
The cashier then swipes the coupon that has a barcode, and adds the
corresponding amount to the shoppers’ grocery bill. The Food Bank
accumulates an account in each partnering store, and then purchases our
most needed items at that store. It is a win-win-win promotion. The
shopper can easily and painlessly make a donation to help feed hungry
neighbors, the stores make sales, and the Food Bank is able to gather
its most needed items for distribution to its agencies. Check Out Hunger
raises around $27,000 worth of food each winter for the Food Bank.
Postal Drive: May 10, 2008
The Postal Drive is sponsored by the United States Postal Service, The
National Association of Letter Carriers, the Rural Carrier Association,
United Way and the AFL-CIO. This drive traditionally takes place on the
Saturday before Mother’s Day. Letter Carriers pick up thousands of
pounds of food on their postal routes, and take the food back to their
postal stations. Food Bank staff and volunteers gather all the food and
get it back to the warehouse. In 2007 the Postal Drive raised over 81,000 pounds of food.
Empty Bowls Luncheon: May
27, 2008
Our Empty Bowls Luncheon is the Food Bank’s annual signature event.
Embassy Suites hosts this luncheon, that is made possible by the
generosity of Kathleen Grossman, of Down Under Pottery. We invite a
dozen of Lincoln’s finest restaurants to provide soup, breads, and
desserts. Everyone who attends receives a hand-crafted bowl of their
choice. Tickets for the Empty Bowls Luncheon are $25 and are available
at the Food Bank, or from Food Bank Board members or you can purchase
tickets on the website. The Luncheon is
designed to raise funds for the Food Bank, and to call attention to
National Hunger Awareness Day.
The Campaign Against Hunger: July 14 - 25,
2008
The Campaign Against Hunger is the Food Bank’s largest Food Drive. Since
its humble first year in 1986 when we raised 9,187 pounds, the Campaign
Against Hunger has raised 1,845,719 pounds of food, and $410,289. In
2006 this drive involved 111 corporations, 21 law firms, 42 medical
offices, and the City of Lincoln, Lancaster County, and the State of
Nebraska. Our drive last summer was the largest in the history of the
Food Bank as our community raised 100 tons of food, and over $40,000.
Dine Out to Help Out: August
13, 2008.
Dine Out to Help Out takes place on the second Wednesday of every
August. This effort was originated by KFOR Radio in 1989, and is
sponsored by the Lincoln Journal Star, KFOR, KFRX, ESPN 1480, and
95Rock. We have over 100 restaurants in Lincoln and surrounding
communities that donated 10% of the days receipts to the Food Bank of
Lincoln. Over the years, Dine Out to Help Out has raised over a quarter
of a million dollars to support the Food Bank’s annual budget.
Holiday Food Drive: November 17 - December 23, 2007
The Holiday Food Drive runs from Thanksgiving until Christmas. On
Monday, November 20th, our sponsor, the Lincoln Journal Star will
deliver along with the paper, 65,000 bags with the slogan: “Think of
this bag as an empty cupboard. Help us fill it.” Friends of the Food Bank
will fill those bags at their favorite grocery store and will drop them
off in Food Bank barrels at over 30 stores in Lincoln and surrounding
communities. The 2007 Holiday Food Drive was sponsored by Cook's Ham
Inc.,
Meadow Gold, West Gate Bank, and the Lincoln Journal Star. Since the
drive began, the Holiday Food Drive has brought in over 1.8 million
pounds of food.
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