MAZON uses FBB support to bring food security to marginalized communities

MAZON, our second-quarter 2012 Challenge the Gap beneficiary, gave us this report about how they are using the funds contributed by members of Foundation Beyond Belief. Members donated $6,445 to MAZON last quarter.

Thank you very much for choosing MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger as one of your recipient charities. Your generous gift of $6,445 makes a difference in the lives of those who struggle to put food on the table every day.

Not only did you determine a need to address hunger through our organization's work, but you also gave generously and thoughtfully to our mission. MAZON is committed to ending hunger in America and Israel. We believe that hunger cannot be solved by charity alone, but takes the united effort of charity, government, and the collective will of the people. 

Together we believe we can change how it is into how it should be. 

In 2012-2013, MAZON will maintain its commitment to expanding access to nutritious food within the anti-hunger network. In addition, we are focused on addressing unique hunger issues affecting marginalized communities such as returning veterans, seniors, and others, as well as building capacity among anti-hunger groups in rural and remote communities.

• Help Our Heroes: Removing Barriers for Hungry Military Families: MAZON is deeply concerned about the growing number of food-insecure veterans and active-duty military personnel. As our servicemen and -women begin returning in greater numbers, many of them find themselves struggling to put food on the table for themselves and their families—some because they have completed their military service and now cannot find employment, and others who remain on active duty but find that their pay as enlisted personnel won’t cover their living expenses in the United States. MAZON is committed to launching a new program to address this growing problem. Find out more information here: http://mazon.org/about/help-our-heros/
  
  
• Healthy Options, Healthy Meals (HOHM): MAZON is currently leading this innovative program to assist food banks in developing nutrition guidelines that will govern their food sourcing, collection, and distribution policies. MAZON is providing customized, individual support to 12 food banks across the country. Half of these food banks are also receiving technical assistance and funding from MAZON to put in place a nutrition ranking system with specific metrics that will allow them to evaluate the nutritional content of all food. This ranking and metric system will help the food banks determine the effectiveness of their new nutritional policies and make adjustments to ensure that more nutritious food is readily available to those who are hungry in their communities. MAZON intends to expand this program to additional food banks and food pantries to further impact the access to nutritious food among those struggling with hunger. Find out more here: http://mazon.org/about/hohm/
  
  
• Setting the Table: Fighting Hunger in Rural and Remote Communities: MAZON recently launched a national initiative to assist community-based organizations in rural and remote regions increase access to healthy and nutritious food. Through Setting the Table, MAZON will help rural hunger organizations develop and sustain high-impact programs, build strategies for resiliency and effectiveness, and flourish in their efforts to create hunger-free communities. 
  
  
• Partnership Grantmaking: MAZON makes annual partnership grants to organizations such as food banks, food pantries, home-delivered meal programs, and advocacy groups. These partnership grants allow anti-hunger organizations to work at the local, state, and national level to expand participation in federal food assistance programs and champion responsible government policies to prevent widespread hunger in the future. See our list of current grantee partners here: http://mazon.org/2012/06/12/mazon-finalizes-list-of-2012-partnership-grant-recipients/
  
  
• Synagogue Organizing: Addressing Grassroots Hunger Issues: Through MAZON’s strong partnership with synagogues, we have launched a local organizing program that engages Jewish leaders in their own community to address hunger issues. Currently we have programs in Minnesota, Texas, and Georgia. Additional programs are planned for Washington DC, Florida, Colorado, and New York. In Minnesota, local leaders are addressing a horrific situation where children on subsidized school lunch are refused food when they are unable to pay the 40 cents due. In Texas, in conjunction with the JCRC we are expanding access to school lunch during the summer months. In Georgia, our leadership is still identifying the issue most relevant to the local community. MAZON believes strongly in the power of the Jewish community to change how it is into how it should be. 

Your exceptional partnership has brought us one step closer to ending hunger in America and Israel. We cannot thank you enough for choosing MAZON and supporting us with your tremendous generosity.

Best wishes, 
Abby J. Leibman, President & CEO
MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger