Woolworths Group’s Post

Food pantries and prepared meals are just two important ways The Salvation Army is helping your community. If you find yourself in need of a healthy meal or help with groceries, contact your local Salvation Army to find out all the ways they can help. #TheSalvationArmy #NationalSalvationArmyWeek

Not sure if this is a good place to survey #EmergencyManagers, but anyone want to share your going rate for Shelf Stable Meals. #IAEM International Association of Emergency Managers We are comparing the use of Shelf Stable Meals (Meals Ready to Eat) to actual hot meal production costs by nonprofit entities. I am interested in the cost comparison especially as it relates to local emergency managers finding local partners to help in meal production, aka houses of worship, community centers and CBOs. Would prefer this NOT to be a Vendor based survey, but if you want to share your GSA Shelf Stable Meal price, have at it. Clearly we have learned that MREs (pictured below) cost way more and may impact our national security readiness so I won't go there...

https://lnkd.in/g3JCi59i When innovation meets opportunity, incredible things happen. Recent statistics reveal that 26% of active-duty military members and their families are facing food insecurity. Yes, a staggering 26%. This compelling data prompts us to ask, "how is this possible," and more importantly, "what are we going to do about it?" From this challenge emerges an opportunity. For the past 15 months, our Soulcial Kitchen and Food is Love team have collaborated with the Southwestern Illinois Leadership Council to launch the Currency of Caring program. This initiative offers Airman and their families in need access to FREE, high-quality restaurant meals from various local partners. The process is simple yet effective: First Sergeants distribute free tokens to individuals in need, which can be redeemed at partner restaurants for hot meals. Each meal served is reimbursed at $8, creating a beneficial cycle for all involved. Since its inception, over 1,700 free meals have been provided to Airmen and their families at Scott AFB, fostering dignity through choice and community support. As we expand to Barksdale AFB, LA this October, we aim to extend this impactful program to more installations. Through innovation and collaboration, we are working to ensure our servicemembers and their families have the support they need to thrive and continue their vital work. #MilitarySupport #CommunityEngagement #FoodInsecurityAwareness #FoodisLove #CurrencyofCaring

According to a RAND report, approximately 26% of U.S.-based service members and 23% of those stationed overseas experience food insecurity. The newly opened Neighborhood Pantry at Camp Foster, Okinawa, and the expanded Iwakuni Food Pantry at MCAS Iwakuni are helping to alleviate this issue. The pantries provide essential assistance to military families, particularly those in lower ranks. SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) is often utilized by enlisted members to ensure their families have enough to eat. These pantries offer a lifeline by providing access to nutritious food and meal ideas. The positive impact of these initiatives is evident, with monthly visitor numbers reaching 77 at Camp Foster and around 100 at MCAS Iwakuni. Generous donations of over 12,000 pounds of food have been received in less than six months, with over 10,000 pounds distributed. These pantries not only support service members but also contribute to the local community. Additionally, they collaborate with the thrift shop to deliver food to smaller bases in northern Okinawa. #FoodInsecurity #MilitaryCommunity #SupportOurTroops #MarineCorps #Japan #FoodPantries #ServiceMembers #CommunitySupport

Heartfelt: Worth of your day. Everyone must try this! Consider packing a few extra food packets (5-20) from home or any hotel during breakfast or dinner time. Start finding hunger people on road side's. You will find 100s of people: Few hungry mentally retired people, Few homeless people, Few hungry travelers, Few in the huts, Few children's.. Expect nothing in return, not even gratitude. Witness their smiles, and you'll find the true worth of your day. #fooddistribution #foodpackets #ngo

Help support retired working dogs - save this date 10/4/2024 As you may know, upon my retirement I have championed Project K-9 Hero #PK9H - https://projectk9hero.org/, a non-profit whose purpose is to ensure the best quality of life for our nation’s retired Police K-9s and Military Working Dogs by providing assistance with medical costs, prescription food, rehabilitation, rehoming, and end-of-duty services. The US military classes their working dogs like any other “equipment”, to be disposed of after their useful life. Although retired working dogs can now be adopted at their end of service, their medical expense are no longer covered in retirement; and are typically much more expensive than a normal family pet (given their job while in service). These expenses are beyond retired handlers’ families’ financial capabilities. In comes #PK9H to fund these heroes’ medical expenses, food, and appropriate military end of life service. Medical expenses for retired Police working dogs too are often left to the adopted handlers’ families. Worse, injuries or illness requiring emergency veterinary care are often a deciding factor in smaller police departments deciding to euthanize these working dogs. Again, in steps #PK9H to cover these costs. Whether you are a golfer, and can participate in this fund-raising golf tournament, a golfer who cannot make it to Newport NH 10/4/2024, or you are a working dog lover – you can help. Sponsor yourself, sponsor someone else, select from other sponsorships available to offset the cost of the tournament allowing proceeds to go directly to #PK9H – to the retired working dogs. With almost three hundred retired K-9 Heroes in #PK9H's program, the time has come to build a Rehabilitation & Rehoming Facility to care for more working dogs in need. This facility will save more lives by supporting and furthering the mission, allowing #PK9H staff to provide an enriching, safe, and healthy environment for retired Heroes in need of an immediate home. Learn about this facility here: https://lnkd.in/eT78_A4M. The inaugural fund-raising golf tournament will be held Friday October 4th, 2024, at the Newport Golf Club (Newport NH). It will feed the creation of the Rehabilitation & Rehoming Facility. Please save this date, and keep an eye out for more tournament information soon. I would love your support. And, NH in October is beautiful – play golf and enjoy some personal time in our great state.

Today, one in six military and veteran families experience food insecurity or hunger, even higher than the rising national average (12%). And frequent and sometimes sudden permanent change of station (PCS) moves cause even more strain and financial stress on families. That's why we're launching a new partnership with the Military Family Advisory Network (MFAN), a national nonprofit dedicated to supporting military and veteran families, to provide free groceries and delivery to military families following relocation to a new base. Through the partnership, Instacart and MFAN will provide military families with $100 in monthly Instacart Health Fresh Funds stipends for three months upon relocation to Fort Cavazos in central Texas – a state with among the highest incidence of military family food insecurity (26.1%), according to MFAN’s research. Everyone deserves access to fresh food, and Instacart couldn't be more proud to support military families as they settle into a new home 🥕🛒 https://lnkd.in/gPMVcq6z

United Soldiers and Sailors of America- USASOA FOOD FOR TROOPS Initiative. This year alone, USASOA has collected and distributed over $33.000.00 worth of food to military families on local military bases and to military families living in off-base housing.Through the generosity of grateful Americans who donate funds and our monthly food collection drives at local places of worship, schools, organizations and with our friends at Giant Food Stores, that the Food For Troops program effectively combats food insecurity within our military ranks. Our military families also serve our nation.Remember, our military families serve not only in uniform but also at the table of sacrifice. They defend our nation, yet hunger knows no rank. In their eyes, resilience meets vulnerability, and in their stories, courage intertwines with need. United Soldiers and Sailors of America (USASOA): In the quiet corridors of sacrifice, where duty meets hunger, USASOA stands as a fortress of hope, a beacon of compassion, a lifeline for those who serve. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a warrior who knows the cost of valor—her legs, once lost in battle, now bear the weight of advocacy. She speaks truth to incredulity, revealing a stark reality: military families on SNAP benefits. The paradox gnaws at our collective conscience: How can those who defend our nation struggle to put food on their tables? Food insecurity, an insidious foe, has entrenched itself in the lives of our military families. It is not a recent arrival; it has lingered for years, casting shadows across mess halls and barracks. When the military cannot provide on-base housing, service members and their families turn to the basic housing allowance (BAH)—a stipend to secure off-base or privatized military housing. Yet, here lies the inconsistency: qualifications for federal food assistance programs. The very programs designed to alleviate hunger can inadvertently exclude those who receive BAH funds. Families, bound by service, find themselves at the crossroads of need. And so, they turn to food pantries and food banks—silent sentinels of sustenance. “USASOA, your mission transcends bureaucracy. You are not just an organization; you are a helping partner. In the tapestry of service, you weave threads of compassion, resilience, and unwavering commitment. Your hands extend beyond borders, reaching into the hearts of those who wear the uniform. As the sun rises over military bases and distant deployments, know that your work echoes through mess halls, across tarmacs, and into the homes of heroes. You are the bridge between duty and dignity, between sacrifice and sustenance. Your legacy is etched in meals shared, in hope rekindled, in the quiet gratitude of those who find solace in a warm meal. USASOA, may your pantry shelves remain stocked with compassion, your doors open wide to those who hunger. For in your service, you honor the very essence of duty: to care for those who have pledged their lives for our nation.”

First responders and veterans dedicate their lives to protecting and serving others, yet many face an unexpected struggle: food insecurity. These everyday heroes, who rush into danger to keep us safe, often find it difficult to secure basic necessities for themselves and their families. For many first responders and veterans, financial hardships, health issues, and a lack of support networks contribute to food insecurity. Low pay, service-related injuries, and mental health conditions can make it challenging to maintain a stable food supply, creating stress and uncertainty in their lives. Second Responder Inc steps in to offer hope and support. Part of our mission is to combat food insecurity among first responders and veterans through resources, community, and advocacy. We focus on: Awareness: Raising recognition of the issue. Direct Assistance: Providing food through drives and partnerships. Community Building: Fostering a supportive network. Join us in making a difference: Donate: Your contributions help provide essential resources. Volunteer: Participate in food drives and events. Spread the Word: Share our mission to raise awareness. At Second Responder Inc., we believe no hero should face hunger. Visit http://besecond.org to learn more and get involved. Together, we can support those who have given so much for us. #SupportOurHeroes #FoodInsecurity #SecondResponderInc #Veterans #FirstResponders

🌟 Call to Action for My Michigan Network! 🌟 Do you have connections with hotels, banquet halls, restaurants, or other food service establishments in Oakland, Wayne, or Macomb Counties? If so, I need your help! At Metro Food Rescue, we are on a mission to feed those who are food insecure, and we need partners who can contribute to this cause. Here's how you can help: 𝟏. 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐔𝐬: Reach out to us with your surplus food. You can leave a comment here or send me a message. 𝟐. 𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐈𝐭 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡: Simply refrigerate the items overnight. 𝟑. 𝐖𝗲 𝗛𝐚𝗻𝐝𝗹𝐞 𝐭𝗵𝐞 𝐑𝗲𝐬𝘁: We'll pick them up the next day and deliver them to those in need. All you have to do is make the connection, and we will handle all of the logistics from there. Consider this scenario: A party is planned for 300 guests, but only 250 show up. What happens to the extra food? Too often, it ends up in landfills. With 40 million people struggling with hunger in the United States, it's unacceptable that 40% of food is thrown away. Let's change that together. By partnering with us, you can help reduce food waste and support families in need. Thank you in advance for your support! 🙏