Ventura Foods’ Post

Food is a universal need that transcends age, background, address, race, gender, and societal status. We all need to eat. Yet, more than 83,700 people in Wyoming—over 14% of the population—are facing food insecurity. We've had the honor of connecting with neighbors across the state and learning firsthand about the challenges of food insecurity. Learn more in our blog linked below.

Want the world to be a better place? TAKE ACTION!! There are thousands of non-profits that serve every aspect of our society. Find one that resonates with your heart and your passions, and make it a priority to give back some of your time. Imagine if every business in the world made giving back to their LOCAL communities a priority in their business? Hour by hour, day by day, year by year communities around the globe would get a little bit better. And that’s (one way) how Business can be a Force for Good in the world! #businessasaforceforgood #Lippert

We have a story in the latest issue of Neighbourhood Media detailing all the work we do via Addison Road Food Pantry Camperdown, our low-cost grocery store which makes use of rescued, donated and purchased food to support the local community and its needs. The story (link below) shows how we help feed people from Mission Australia's Common Ground housing project and the nearby Johanna O’Dea Court, a multi-storey NSW Family and Community Services apartment block. It also explains how we serve people living on a tight budget in Camperdown and Glebe, as well as people who come to the pantry from right across the City of Sydney LGA. Most of all, the story is a celebration of our monthly Addi Road 'Let's Get Cooking' sessions (AKA "the Cook-Up"), which offers 260 free hot meals for Mission Australia and Joanna O'Dea residents, as well as those shopping at our Addi Road Food Pantry Camperdown. These sessions involve a monthly cooking demo inside the Common Ground building. Food literacy is the ultimate goal behind Addi Road's Let's Get Cooking program. As well as simply providing a free hot meal (and dessert) each month, we look at helping people to shop AND cook with often very limited funds. Each month there are easy recipes on offer (and ready to be tasted) along extra tips for stocking people's kitchen cupboards; a list of essentials to facilitate simple, inexpensive and nutritious recipes that will match whatever Addi Road Food Pantry might have in stock. It's about building an integrated food ecology for people battling. With a few extra special ingredients over a shared meal as the community comes together: camaraderie and connection. + #Addiroad #cityofsydney #foodrelief #foodjustice #housing #inequality #Camperdown #Glebe #MissionAustralia #homeless #battling #costofliving #poverty #resilience #mentalhealth #wellbeing #nutrition #diet #charity #community #freemeals #cookingworkshop #volunteers #caring #education #connection #letsgetcooking #neighbourhoodmedia https://lnkd.in/gs7vVEvM

Food 🥘 Insecurity is a complex issue that goes beyond just hunger, as it encompasses various factors such as affordability, availability, and utilization of food. The face of food insecurity can be seen in different forms: 1. The working poor: Many individuals and families who are employed still struggle to afford enough food. They may have low-paying jobs or face circumstances that make it difficult to cover basic expenses, including food. 2. Children: Food insecurity disproportionately affects children. Lack of proper nutrition can have severe consequences on their physical and cognitive development, leading to long-term health and educational challenges. 3. Seniors: Older adults who are on fixed incomes or have limited access to resources may find it challenging to afford nutritious meals regularly. They may prioritize other expenses, such as healthcare, over food, which can negatively impact their overall well-being. This partnership is an example of our ongoing commitment towards being part of the solution for our communities. #foodinsecurity

Business can be a force for good…

The Idaho Department of Education is seeking sponsors for this year’s Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). The SFSP provides free meals and snacks to children 18 years and younger by operating sites located in low-income areas during the summer months. Learn more and/or sign up to sponsor a site ⬇️ ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dqwaQ6w According to Feeding America’s 2021 Map the Meal Gap, about 8.6 percent of Idaho’s children have experienced food insecurity. During the summer months, the challenge of reaching children and families in need of nutritional support grows. Sponsors are being sought across the state, especially in #rural areas where coverage gaps exist. The department is partnering with the Idaho Hunger Relief Task Force to increase awareness and recruitment. Needs include: 📍 Region 1: There is a lack of adequate coverage in the communities of St. Maries, Boundary County, Kootenai, Kellogg and Wallace. 📍 Region 2: The only SFSP sponsors in Region 2 are in Lewiston, Lapwai, Moscow and Grangeville. 📍 Region 3: Only the Boise and West Ada school districts, as well as the Boys and Girls Club of Ada County currently cover Ada County. 📍 Region 6: SFSP does not have sponsors in Custer and Teton counties and only one in Lemhi County. #Idaho #education #FullBellies #CuriousMinds #FoodInsecurity #HungerRelief #community #SummerFoodServiceProgram

Spread the love this Valentine's Day by advocating for the 1 in 10 New Yorkers experiencing food insecurity. Today, City Harvest is joining advocates in Albany for Anti-Hunger Advocacy Day to urge lawmakers to pass a state budget that invests in programs and policies to support food security—including increasing the SNAP minimum benefit to $100 per month, increasing funding for Nourish New York, and fully funding school meals. Together, we can end hunger. Take action: https://p2a.co/qeSiAXq

The British philosopher John Gray wrote, “We are who we are because of the places in which we grow up, the accents and friends we acquire by chance, the burdens we have not chosen but somehow learn to cope with. Real communities are always local-places in which people have put down roots and are willing to put up with the burdens of living together..." Places, roots, accents, friends, loyalties, caring, burdens & responsibilities. An authentic & organic community is held together by a set of first principles or virtues and values just like a built structure is supported by a firm foundation, by brick and mortar, stone & concrete, by sets of columns & beams etc. In the case of the physical structure, remove the supports and the structure will come tumbling down, collapsing under its own weight into a pile of rubble. The same is true of organic communities which are also like structures, built with effort, care, love and compassion over long spans of time, held in place by the firm supports of human values and the glue of human relationships. Without love, caring and compassion, without commitment, without the willingness to shoulder duties & responsibilities, local communities cannot survive, cannot thrive. Keep up the good work.

Over the holidays, my closest friend called me up at 6:08 AM and asked me for some help with six foster puppies. She had come down with a severe case of food poisoning, could barely move, and definitely could not manage the care, feeding, and cleaning of six 8-week-old puppies. I spent the whole day with these little guys and gals and was happy to help. I mean… 𝗽𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗲𝘀! OR 𝗦𝗶𝘅 𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗲, 𝗰𝘂𝗱𝗱𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗼𝗼𝗽 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘀! Happy to support a dear friend… (Update: She finally feels better and food poisoning is definitely something to be avoided at all costs!). 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁, have you considered how you can best support your team in 2024? 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁’s 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗰 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵'𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 – how to help your team feel more supported – complete with a game plan on how to elicit from your team the support you can provide for them. 𝗨𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺’s 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 – Subscribe to our newsletter for unique teamwork tips and thoughtful insights: https://lnkd.in/e9jJGq76 Check out a sample!: https://lnkd.in/eZZZ3eUh #NonprofitSupport #EffectiveTeams #TeamworkMatters #LeadershipDevelopment

Did you enjoy some wings during last night's game? According to National Chicken Council, in their wing report, Americans consumed 1.45 billion wings while watching the #SuperBowl. To help visualize just how many wings that is, Tom Super, spokesperson for the chicken council said: "1.45 billion wings is enough for every man, woman and child in the United States to eat four wings each. If Kansas City Coach Andy Reid ate 50 wings every day, it would take him 79, 452 years to eat all 1.45 billion. 1.45 billion wings is enough to put 693 wings on every seat in all 30 NFL stadiums." That's a lot of wings! Here's some research that FFAR supports that has an impact on the raising of all those chickens. This research has the potential to improve the welfare and productivity of 225 million hens by 2025. This research could also help reduce the number of animals needed to research nutritional and management aids for improved bone health. Why? Because great wings come from strong, healthy birds. Roslin Institute The University of Edinburgh Open Philanthropy