Basic Organization Information
Food Gatherers
- Also Known As:
-
Food Gatherers
- Physical Address:
-
Ann Arbor , MI
48113
- EIN:
-
38-2853858
- Web URL:
-
www.foodgatherers.org
- Blog URL:
-
www.foodgatherers.or...
- NTEE Category:
-
K Agriculture, Food, Nutrition
-
K30 Food Service, Free Food Distribution Programs
-
K Agriculture, Food, Nutrition
-
K31 Food Banks, Food Pantries
- Year Founded:
-
1988
- Ruling Year:
-
1989
- How This Organization Is Funded:
-
General Donations - $1,745,589
-
Coordinated Funding - City, County, United Way, AAACF - $340,000
-
Special Events - $318,922
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Mission Statement
Food Gatherer's mission is to alleviate hunger and eliminate its causes in the Washtenaw County community by: reducing food waste through the rescue and distribution of perishable and non-perishable food, coordinating with other hunger relief providers, educating the public about hunger and developing new food resources. Food Gatherers also offers job training in the food service industry to young people at risk of homelessness.
Expert Assessment
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Impact Summary from the Nonprofit
<p>Strengthened by strategic alliances and resources, Food Gatherers provides leadership to: 1) optimize our community's distribution of surplus food to those in need and 2) forge/support efforts which create healthy food resources and/or address the root causes of hunger.</p>
<p>Goals: </p>
<p>1. Advance food security by procuring more nutritious food via increasing the number of food donors and enhancing food conversion and production.</p>
<p>2. Increase services to seniors and children at risk of hunger.</p>
<p>3. Provide a Job Training Program at the Community Kitchen to at-risk young adults in the food service industry. </p>
<p>4. Ensure that Food Gatherers' resources go to those most in need; ensure adequate service coverage across Washtenaw County.</p>
<p>5. Enhance organizational sustainability by securing additional financial resources, strengthening Board leadership and encouraging staff development.<br />
</p>
Leadership
Ms. Eileen Spring
Term:
Since
Jan
1994
Profile:
Eileen Spring has served as the Executive Director of Food Gatherers since 1994. She has a Bachelor's degree from Hofstra University in New York and Master's degree in American Culture from University of Michigan and has more than 21 years experience in the non-profit sector. Under her leadership, Ms. Spring has witnessed Food Gatherers' growth from a very small supplemental provider of services to the primary provider of hunger relief in Washtenaw County, as well as a significant force in the non-profit community.
Leadership Statement:
<p >In 2010, Food Gatherers and Feeding America,
the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization, released <em>Hunger in America 2010</em>. This
groundbreaking report confirmed what our partner agencies could already see –
many people who never needed food assistance in the past were seeking help from
emergency food pantries for the very first time. More than 43,900 people --
including more than 14,000 children and 6,500 seniors—receive emergency food
each year through Food Gatherers’ network of emergency food pantries and meal
sites. These findings represent a 138% increase in the need for assistance
since 2006.</p><div> </div><div>We are so
grateful for the outpouring of community support in response to this tremendous
need. When our community needed you most, you rose to the challenge by donating
food, funds and your volunteer efforts. Thank you. This report highlights just
a bit of all the good will and good food generated by gatherers like you.</div><p >
<br />
2010 also marked a shift in Food Gatherers' thinking about food and our impact
on the people we serve. Our research in creating the Food Security Plan,
developed by Food Gatherers with the support of the United Way of Washtenaw
County, The Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation and the James A. & Faith Knight
Foundation indicated that only 13% of people accessing pantries eat the daily recommended
amount of fruits and vegetables. We also learned that nearly half of the
households accessing donated food were using SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program, better known as food stamp) benefits.</p>
<p >We are committed to developing creative and effective strategies to increase the quality
and quantity of nutritious food. We accomplish this through sustainable local growing initiatives,
developing our partner's capacity to distribute more fresh food and help eligible
individuals access SNAP benefits. <br />
<br />
We believe that an investment in ensuring access to nutritious, high quality
foods is an investment in health for individuals and the community. As a symbol
of this commitment, just take a look at our logo. The carrot is nutritious, long lasting, versatile, yet
practical and has deep roots in the soil which is exactly the type of organization
Food Gatherers strives to be.<br /></p><div> </div><div>Thanks for gathering with us,</div>
<p >
</p>
<p >Eileen Spring<br />President/CEO<br />eileen@foodgatherers.org</p>
Highest Paid Employees & Their Compensation
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Report Added To Cart
Program:
Community Kitchen Job Training Program
- Budget:
-
$80,937
- Category:
-
Education
- Population Served:
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Youth/Adolescents only (14 - 19 years)
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Young Adults (20-25 years) -- currently not in use
Program Description:
<p>Food Gatherers' Community Kitchen Job Training Program is part of our
organization's overall effort to not merely alleviate hunger but to <em>end</em>
hunger. Students are at-risk youth (ages 17-21) who receive six weeks (120
hours) of instruction in the culinary arts, food safety (ServSafe certification) and community service.
They obtain marketable skills and at the same time they are feeding our
neighbors in need. By targeting young at-risk adults who are often recipients
of food assistance, we hope to help them secure gainful employment in the food
industry. </p>
<p><strong></strong><strong><strong><br />
</strong></strong><strong></strong></p>
Program Long-Term Success:
<strong><strong></strong></strong>Currently,
89% of our graduates are either employed or enrolled in school. Food Gatherers
also offered 13 paid, six-eight week internships to graduates of this program.
Program Short-Term Success:
<strong><strong>In August 2010, 19 students graduated from this program bringing the total number of graduates to 88. </strong></strong>
Program Success Monitored by:
Food Gatherers verified data by enrollment records, self-reporting, employer interviews and ServSafe verification.
Program Success Examples:
Program:
Community Kitchen
- Budget:
-
$362,226
- Category:
-
Food, Agriculture & Nutrition
- Population Served:
-
Adults
-
Youth/Adolescents only (14 - 19 years)
Program Description:
Food
Gatherers' Community Kitchen provides direct service in the form of free,
daily meals to those in need in our community. With the support of more than
1,500 volunteers, three meals a day are prepared and served Monday through
Friday and two meals on Saturday and Sunday. On any given day, breakfast
is served to an average of 50 individuals; lunch to 100; and dinner to 100 to
150 individuals. Guests receive hot, wholesome meals in one central location.
The kitchen is also the home of the Chain of Plenty/YMCA Program. During
the school year, the Chain of Plenty involves youth with special needs from the
Ann Arbor Public Schools in the preparation of lunches served in the Community
Kitchen. In the summer months, Food Gatherers hosts the Community Kitchen Job
Training Program (CKJT) for young adults at risk of homelessness.
Program Long-Term Success:
The United States Department of Agriculture estimates that as much as half of all the food produced in the U.S. is wasted. This amounts to as much as 192 billion pounds of food each year. By recovering a fraction of this food, food rescue programs like Food Gatherers are helping to feed millions of people. Since Food Gatherers inception in 1988, our community has rescued and distributed more than 36 million pounds of food which would otherwise have been discarded. One of Food Gatherers' strategic initiatives is to increase our distribution of locally grown fruits and vegetables by partnering with local growers.<br />
<br />
One of Food Gatherers’ primary activities is to continually bring the issue of local hunger to the forefront of the community. We invite people to make a difference through volunteering, financial contributions and advocacy. With a minimum of public funding, Food Gatherers engages local, statewide and national food businesses in the fight against hunger--accessing in-kind food donations valued at $6,200,000 annually (based on Feeding America's FY 2007-08 value of food at $1.69 per pound) and delivering it to a network of non-profit human service providers. Volunteers perform approximately 70% of the work done at Food Gatherers. From business groups to church groups to individuals of all ages, Food Gatherers engages the time and talent of more than 4,500 volunteers throughout the year.
Program Short-Term Success:
In FY 2009-10 and FY 2010-11, the Community Kitchen will serve a free meal to 80,000 individuals annually (Annual count is duplicated because guests may return every meal).
Program Success Monitored by:
Food Gatherers reports on food rescued and redistributed to those in need and meals served through the Community Kitchen.
Program Success Examples:
Evidence of Impact
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Areas for Improvement
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