YF&R members pack boxes of food for needy families

Issue Date: December 15, 2004

By Christine Souza
Assistant Editor

California Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers members packing food for needy families at Reno food warehouse.

With temperatures plunging into the mid-teens on a Saturday morning in December, a determined group of 18 young people descended on the Food Bank of Northern Nevada's warehouse in Reno.

The members of California Farm Bureau Federation's Young Farmers and Ranchers teamed up before the CFBF Annual Meeting in Sparks, Nev., to help feed needy families in the nearby Reno area.

By the time the YF&R members finished their fast-paced packing of 400 family-sized boxes of everything from Kellogg's Corn Flakes to Del Monte sweet peas, there was a long row of shrink-wrapped pallets ready for delivery to needy families. The final tally for their morning of hard work was 16,000 pounds packed and ready to go.

"It was a very exciting day. We did the same thing today as farmers do every day and that is to make sure people get fed, only today we did so in a warehouse and not in the fields," said Jaime Johansson, a Butte County farmer and 2004 YF&R chair.

The YF&R members got bundled up and traveled to the warehouse facility, which is part of a food distribution and support system for more than 80 direct-service, non-profit agencies serving the needy, the ill, the elderly and children.

The young farmers needed no direction. They instantly formed an assembly line and packed a variety of mostly California-grown food into boxes to be distributed to families with pre-school-aged children. Besides the cereal and peas, the boxes contained juice, canned vegetables, evaporated milk, pudding, instant potatoes and more.

"These are all of the 'kid boxes' that we need for the month, so we really appreciate the help we are getting from the young Farm Bureau members," said Darrell Holck of the Food Bank of Northern Nevada. "People say that without us they simply wouldn't make it through the winter, so we really do appreciate the help."

Last year, the Food Bank distributed nearly 3 million pounds of food to more than 45,000 people. Nearly two-thirds of the people served by the food bank are either under age 17 or over age 65. The Food Bank's service area incorporates 13 Northern Nevada counties and eight counties along the California Sierra.

Packing boxes for the local food bank for needy families is just one of many ways that the YF&R members help feed underprivileged families.

Last year the young farmers began a volunteer campaign to feed the hungry known as "Harvest for All." The effort is part of America's Second Harvest, the largest domestic hunger-relief organization in the nation.

"What we are accomplishing is really a three-pronged program. First, it provides a tremendous leadership opportunity for our Young Farmers and Ranchers because they are out in the counties making the contacts and putting events together," said Sarah Mora, CFBF YF&R state coordinator. "Second, it is an opportunity for them to gain exposure and to show a different aspect of the farming and ranching community. And third, they felt it is the right thing to do."

YF&R members this year have collected 2.4 million pounds of food, nearly four times the amount brought in last year.

Syngenta, the world's largest agribusiness company, takes part in the program by presenting $5,000 to the YF&R group in the United States that has the most volunteer hours, $5,000 for the group that collects the most pounds of food and $5,000 to the group that raises the most money.

CFBF's YF&R group swept all three categories last year and earned $15,000 for the food bank of its choice for its volunteer efforts.

The money awarded by Syngenta served as a motivator for the group this year to surpass last year's accomplishments, Mora said.

Young Farmers and Ranchers declared June 3 Hunger Awareness Day, and started a drive to raise funds to help feed the needy throughout the state. The "Tip the Scales on Hunger Drive" involves participating restaurants, where diners are encouraged to donate a dollar to help feed the hungry. Money collected by participating restaurants helps support hunger relief agencies in the state that are affiliated with America's Second Harvest.

The CFBF Young Farmers and Ranchers program encourages members 18 to 35 to be active in a variety of agricultural leadership areas. Interested members can contact their county Farm Bureau for details or check the California Farm Bureau's Web site at www.cfbf.com.

(Christine Souza is a reporter for Ag Alert. She may be reached at csouza@cfbf.com.)

Permission for use is granted, however, credit must be made to the California Farm Bureau Federation when reprinting this item. Top