April 7, 2014 Diana Garbis Executive Director Ron Restrepo President Bonita Moore Vice President Lisa Ancell Secretary Kimberly Denney Treasurer Board Members Steven Applewhite Mary Balagia Eric William Carter Marc Churchman Ryan Clarke Brian Frank Stacie Hawkins Karen Johnson Jim Kelly Richard Kiley Greg Krause Bob Kurtz Gene Kurtz Russell Lewis Sandra E. Martinez Lisa Martinson Judith McFarland Hector McLoughlin Janie Mitcham Jeff Raymer Guray Tulek Les Wilkes Designated Members Vickie Crainer Theresa Graham Velma Williams Gail Witt Rev. Lawrence L. Young Advisory Members Bishop Janice Riggle Huie Rev. Richard Laster Laura Millikan Mattie Ordaz Charlie Rhoads

Dear Neighbor, During the summer months is when children from low-income families lack access to nutritious meals and are most vulnerable to experience hunger. With the Near Northside community comprised mainly of families that fall under the poverty threshold, many families in this area rely on local schools to provide their children with daily meals. Once school is out for the summer, a critical need to access food presents itself. To respond to this need, Wesley Community Center is hosting a community-wide food drive during the month of May. The goal is to collect 10,000 pounds of food to help an additional 250 families during the summer months. Our mission is to minister to the needs of individuals and families by helping people help themselves and each other. Today, we ask that you partner with us in carrying out this important mission by participating in our Stock the Shelves: Summer Food Drive. Here’s how you can help: • Host a food or fund collection on behalf of Wesley Community Center. • Take part in a challenge. Challenge your department, congregation, or small group to raise either 500 pounds or 1,000 pounds of food. • Support Wesley in your giving. • Volunteer your time. We will need your help to sort and stock 10,000 pounds of groceries. Since 1904, Wesley Community Center has met the need of our neighbors within the Near Northside Houston area, a community marked by significant poverty. While our doors are open to all, the vast majority of individuals, children and families that we serve live right here in the neighborhood. Many are disabled, working poor, recently unemployed, and/or elderly. Our Stock the Shelves Summer Food Drive is just one of many services that we provide to address the growing needs of this community. If you are interesting in making a significant impact in the lives of families that lack the resources to combat hunger, please contact Leah Wade, Community Outreach Coordinator, at [email protected] or 713-821-8907 to serve or for additional information. Sincerely,

Special Life Member Mrs. Benja Lee Crutchfield Executive Director Emeritus Ruth G. Palmer

Diana Garbis Executive Director

1410 Lee Street - Houston, TX 77009-8228 - 713.223.8131 (tel) - 713.225.3449 (fax) www.wesleyhousehouston.org - [email protected] United Way of Greater Houston

A National Mission Institution of the United Methodist Church

FAQ About Wesley Community Center and Stock the Shelves What is Wesley Community Center? Wesley Community Center, Inc. of Houston, Texas, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, located in Houston’s Northside Village that addresses the developmental and critical support needs of individuals, children and families along the life continuum while also supplying them with the tools to achieve and maintain self-sufficiency. What is Stock the Shelves? Stock the Shelves Northside is a community-wide summer food drive hosted by Wesley Community Center during the month of May. The goal is to collect 10,000 pounds of food to help serve an additional 250 families through our regular food distribution program. What is the purpose of Stock the Shelves? During the summer months is when children from low-income families are most vulnerable to lack access to nutritious meals and experience the effects of hunger. With the Near Northside community comprised mainly of families that fall under the poverty threshold thus facing food insecurity , many families in this area rely on local schools to provide their children with daily meals. Once school is out for the summer, a critical need to access food presents itself. This collection of food will culminate with a major food distribution on June 21, 2014, in conjunction with our regularly scheduled food fair. What is food insecurity? Food insecurity means that individuals or families are so limited in their resources to buy food that they: • Run out of food • Reduce the quality of their food • Cut out meat • Feed their children unbalanced meals, or • The adults skip meals so that their children can eat Beyond the Stock the Shelves, how does Wesley Community Center combat food insecurity? Our clients range from the elderly, to new immigrants, to the working poor, to professionals who have lost their jobs, and more. We provide food assistance to a growing number of families through emergency food assistance, monthly distributions of fresh fruit and vegetables, and our food cooperative programs for families and seniors that maximizes their food dollars by doubling their cash investment. What food items are needed? • • • • • • • •

Bagged Rice Dried Beans Canned Vegetables Canned Fruit Canned Tuna/ Canned Meats Canned Ravioli Box Cereal (Corn Flakes, Cheerios, etc.) Oatmeal

• Macaroni • Maurachan Soups (Dried Soups) • Spaghetti Noodles • Spaghetti Sauce • Box Mashed Potatoes • Granola Bars • Crackers • Other non-perishable items

FAQ About Wesley Community Center and Stock the Shelves What items are not accepted? • Perishable items (produce, foods requiring refrigeration) • Expired food • Opened items Where is Wesley Community Center located? Wesley Community Center operates from two sites: • Main Building 1410 Lee Street Houston, TX 77009 •

Reba Veal Food Cooperative (All food donations can be delivered at this location) 1235 Lorraine Street Houston, TX 77009

How you can help? • Host a food or fund collection on behalf of Wesley Community Center. •

Take part in a challenge. Challenge your department, congregation or small group to raise either 500 pounds or 1,000 pounds.

•

Bring donations of food to the Reba Veal Henderson Food Cooperative located at 1235 Lorraine Street, Houston, TX 77009, Monday through Friday 9am-5pm. Please call to ensure a staff member is onsite to receive your donations

•

Monetary donations can be mailed to 1410 Lee Street, Houston TX 77009, or made via secure payment online at www.wesleyhousehouston.org. We are also able to assist with employer matching gifts, planned gifts, and gifts of stock.

•

Many volunteer opportunities are available to fit your interest and schedule in support of the food drive. Daytime and evening positions are available five days per week. # of Volunteers Needed

Volunteer Description

Time Frame

May 16th

10

Donation Pick Up, Sorting, and Stocking

11a-1p or 1p-3p

May 20th

10

Donation Pick Up, Sorting, and Stocking

4:00p-7:00p

May 30th

10

Donation Pick Up, Sorting, and Stocking

11a-1p or 1p-3p

June 20th

20

Pre- Distribution Packing

12p-2p or 2p-4p

June 21st

10

Distribution Event

8a-10a or 10a-12p

Date

For more information, contact Leah Wade, Community Outreach Coordinator, at [email protected] or 713-821-8907.

Wesley community center presents…

Stock the shelves Challenge Can your organization collect 500 pounds of food? How about 1,000 pounds?

Stock the shelves 40 pound Challenge Feed family of 4 Units Needed 2

Product Rice (2lb bag)

2 2 3 3 3 2 2 3 2 3

Dried Beans (2lb bag) Boxed Macaroni & Cheese Maurachan Soups (Dried Soup Canned Corn Canned Green Beans Box Cereal (Corn Flakes) Granola Bars Canned Beef Ravioli Boxed Mashed Potatoes Canned Meat (Vienna Sausage)

2

Spaghetti Noodles

2 3 2 2 2

Spaghetti Sauce Canned Fruit Steel-cut Oatmeal Boxed Crackers Canned Meat (SPAM)

Estimated cost of food bag for 1 family = $50.00 Cost per pound of food = $1.25

Stock the shelves 500 pound challenge Feed 12 families of 4 Units Needed 24

Product Rice (2lb bag)

24 24 36 36 36 24 24 24 36 24

Dried Beans (2lb bag) Boxed Macaroni & Cheese Maurachan Soups (Dried Soup Canned Corn Canned Green Beans Box Cereal (Corn Flakes) Granola Bars Canned Beef Ravioli Boxed Mashed Potatoes Canned Meat (Vienna Sausage)

36

Spaghetti Noodles

24 36 24 24 24

Spaghetti Sauce Canned Fruit Steel-cut Oatmeal Boxed Crackers Canned Meat (SPAM)

Estimated cost of 500 pounds of food = $625.00 Cost per pound of food = $1.25

Stock the shelves 1,000 pound challenge Feed 25 families of 4 Units Needed 48

Product Rice (2lb bag)

48 48 72 72 72 48 48 48 72 48

Dried Beans (2lb bag) Boxed Macaroni & Cheese Maurachan Soups (Dried Soup Canned Corn Canned Green Beans Box Cereal (Corn Flakes) Granola Bars Canned Beef Ravioli Boxed Mashed Potatoes Canned Meat (Vienna Sausage)

72

Spaghetti Noodles

48 72 48 48 48

Spaghetti Sauce Canned Fruit Steel-cut Oatmeal Boxed Crackers Canned Meat (SPAM)

Estimated cost of 1,000 pounds of food = $1,250.00 Cost per pound of food = $1.25

Stock the shelves 10,000 pound challenge Feed 250 families of 4 Units Needed 500

Product Rice (2lb bag)

500 500 750 750 750 500 500 500 750 500

Dried Beans (2lb bag) Boxed Macaroni & Cheese Maurachan Soups (Dried Soup Canned Corn Canned Green Beans Box Cereal (Corn Flakes) Granola Bars Canned Beef Ravioli Boxed Mashed Potatoes Canned Meat (Vienna Sausage)

750

Spaghetti Noodles

500 750 500 500 500

Spaghetti Sauce Canned Fruit Steel-cut Oatmeal Boxed Crackers Canned Meat (SPAM)

Estimated cost of 10,000 pounds of food = $12,500.00 Cost per pound of food = $1,250.00