Bagging bulk produce, benefits of straight trucks, stewardship, meet Dillon

July 2016 Mobile Pantry Newsletter A Message from Our Manager Summer is here, and with the sunshine and hot weather, we are also looking forward to providing fresh, local produce from Michigan farms on our mobiles. Over the next few months your will see a serious increase in fresh and local produce on all our Mobile Pantries. This is a good time to remind our mobile pantry volunteers and agencies to have bags available at your site for repacking purposes. We often are unable to get bagged product for our mobile program and in an attempt to keep quality up and price down, we must purchase our produce in bulk. If you have clean bags to repack at your site, clients are able to take more produce and get the most benefit of fresh product that is available to them. Because more bagging means more time, it is also helpful to have a few extra volunteers in the summer months to assist with the added work of bagging product. I am looking forward to a great season of fresh product on our Mobile Pantries this year! - Ryan Van Maldegen, Programs Manager Tips and Tricks: Benefits of a Straight Truck Mobile In recent months you may have seen several different types of trucks at your Mobile Pantry distributions. More and more of our deliveries are made using straight trucks with lift gates instead of beverage trucks with roll-up sides that you may have used in the past. One reason for the change is that straight trucks are refrigerated. Throughout the year, and especially in the summer months, this ensures the food can be held at a safer and more consistent temperature. Another is safety. Straight trucks can eliminate a saftey hazard for our volunteers because staff and volunteers do not need to climb up into the truck to get the product out. The need for product handling is reduced as well because the driver can use a pallet jack to do the heavy lifting. Please feel free to reply to this email with any questions or concerns. Our Values: Stewardship and Accountability What It Is: "We will be good stewards of all our resources and be accountable for the use of these resources to fight hunger." What It Means: Donor support, both financial and in the form of food, is critical to the success and continuation of our Mobile Pantry program. We always want to use these resources in the best way possible. In Practice: Your organization can exhibit this value simply by running the best distribution possible. Follow the rules that are outlined in our Mobile Pantry Policies and Procedures and ask questions for clarification whenever necessary. Always do your best to create a positive atmosphere and friendly environment for those who are attending your distribution. By doing this, you ensure that you're being a good steward of the food provided.    Get To Know Us: Staff Member Profile Dillon Fitz: Assistant Mobile Pantry Coordinator Q: What brought you to Feeding America West Michigan?  A: I was already a volunteer and I really liked the cause and thought I would be a good fit in the position. Q: What is the most rewarding part of your job? A: I think the best part is knowing that you are helping people who are in need and giving people food who are hungry. It's rewarding providing them access to resources that they need. Q: What is your favorite hobby outside of work? A: My favorite hobby outside work is being an uncle to my two nephews.  Q: What is your favorite sport and sports team? A: My favorite sport is, hands down, football. My favorite professional teams are all Michigan teams, and for college it's the University of Michigan Wolverines. Go Blue! Q: What is a place you would like to visit that you have never been? A: I would really like to go to Ireland and Ibiza someday. Shay Krick, School Pantry Assistant 616.432.6966 // shayk@FeedWM.org

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