"Stuff the Truck" for the Food Bank

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
September is Hunger Action Month twenty twenty four, and it's
a great pleasure to have Stephanie Sullivan in the studio
with us from Food Bank for the Heartland. Stephanie, welcome back. Hi, Thanks,
good morning, and we're gonna Stuff the Truck. That's one
of the many events happening this is tomorrow. Tell us
about that because I know a lot of people will
love to participate. How about their neighbors.

Speaker 2 (00:21):
Yeah, as part of Hunger Action Month, we are hosting
a Stuff the Truck event at the Baker's Pepperwood location.

Speaker 1 (00:27):
Got it one hundred and fifty six.

Speaker 2 (00:28):
You got one hundred and fifty six in Dodge and
that'll be from three to six pm tomorrow. Stuff the
Truck is a really great way for the community to
get involved in the Food Bank. Food Bank's efforts and
really take a stand in the fight against hunger. As
they're doing their shopping, maybe for Husker Game Day, I
don't know, something might be coming up on Saturday that
they need to shop for possible they can. We'll be

(00:51):
at the door and we'll be hitting them little flyers
that have kind of all the much needed items at
the food Bank. So that's things like macaroni and cheese,
serial peanut butter, canned protein, pasta, pasta, sauce, and as
they shop for their items, they can purchase these items
and then they just drop it off as they leave
and we will use that to stuff the truck. That

(01:12):
food will go directly to our ninety three counties that
we serve and really help people who are making unthinkable decisions.

Speaker 1 (01:19):
Right now, you're not going to find the one point
three million meals right during the month of September.

Speaker 2 (01:25):
Absolutely, so one point three million meals is a pretty
big feat, but we think we can accomplish this. We
have seen time and time again how the Heartland community
just rallies around our neighbors. It's that, you know, wonderful
Heartland spirit, and it's why we love Omaha and the

(01:46):
surrounding community so much because we have seen time and
time again that when people our need, Heartland neighbors are
there to help them, and so we can hope we
can do that right.

Speaker 1 (01:55):
We've talked to Brian Barks many times about how often
the way to help is with a monetary donation, but
here's a chance to help with actual food and non
perishables are the best, right, Yes.

Speaker 2 (02:09):
Non perishables are the best. Obviously, they have a longer
shelf life.

Speaker 1 (02:12):
And it's what about left are you guys? What about leftovers?
I got a lot of leftos? Does that frowned?

Speaker 2 (02:19):
No, not at all. We've actually had people who hear
us on the radio that we're having to stuff the
truck event and they clean out their pantry and they
come and drop it off, and we'll take any donation.
You're not going to say no, So whatever you have,
will take it. It can go to great use.

Speaker 1 (02:34):
So Rosie saves on eaton scrambled eggs. So that's what
he meant by that. I meant, I don't think that's uh.

Speaker 2 (02:42):
I mean you can bring that for the crew.

Speaker 1 (02:44):
For the crew. That's we don't want any food to
go to waste. How big is the problem right now?

Speaker 2 (02:51):
We are seeing levels that we have never seen before
in our forty three year history. One in eight individuals
and one in five children right now are facing.

Speaker 1 (03:01):
Hunger twenty percent.

Speaker 2 (03:02):
Wow, And that's a staggering increase from last year. It's
a thirty eight percent increase in individuals and a fifty
six percent increase.

Speaker 1 (03:12):
In children to What do you attribute that.

Speaker 2 (03:15):
Many factors, one being the fact that those pandemic era
programs that were created to help people to afford food
are no longer in place. They're no longer in place
for our neighbors in need, and they're no longer in
place for the food bank, and so it is a
perfect storm. And then you have inflation that nobody expected.
So people are paying much more nowadays for food, for rent,

(03:39):
for medicine, for utilities than they were two three years ago.
So when you put that all together, it's it's really
created this huge gap and we are not meeting the need.
And that's why communities support is critical.

Speaker 1 (03:51):
Right now, Stephanie Solomon with us from a Food Bank
for the Heartland, a salute to those Simons, because Amaha
Steaks is mad right during the Stuff the Truck event.

Speaker 2 (04:02):
Yes, thank you for bringing that up. You know, we
could not do this without our community members and our
corporate partners such as Bakers and Omaha Steaks. So every
pound of food that's donated during our Stuff the Truck event,
Omaha Steaks is matching those donations pounds and so it's
just again great to see these different corporations giving back
to the community and making a difference.

Speaker 1 (04:23):
Wonderful ours again tomorrow, Stephanie.

Speaker 2 (04:26):
Three to six pm at the Baker's Pepperwood location one
hundred and fifty six and Dodge and we can't wait
to see you there.

Speaker 1 (04:32):
Wonderful, great to see you, Stephanie.

Speaker 2 (04:34):
Thanks you, thank you,