Hello Partners!
Welcome to your monthly source of information from The Idaho Foodbank.
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The Idaho Foodbank Updates
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North Central Idaho Branch Manager
The Idaho Foodbank (IFB) is pleased to introduce Ken Jensen, our new North Central Idaho Branch Manager in Lewiston! He was most recently the Inventory Control Coordinator at The Idaho Foodbank’s headquarters in Meridian. Ken has an extensive history in food banking that started in 1995 at The Foodbank.
Ken is a graduate of Coeur d’Alene High School, Boise State University, and retired as a sergeant in the United States Air Force. Ken has worked for The Idaho Foodbank in a variety of roles, including time as the Director of Operations, Children’s Nutrition Coordinator, and Inventory Control Coordinator. Mike Wigen is still with The Idaho Foodbank in Lewiston, working as the Operations Support Supervisor.
Outside of his time working, Ken and his wife spend time with their Newfoundland and Labrador dogs. He is excited about exploring the new fishing opportunities in North Central Idaho! You can learn more about Ken here.
We are excited to have someone with Ken’s experience as the Branch Manager in Lewiston!
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Reminder: Warehouse Closure
Please note that all of The Idaho Foodbank’s warehouses will be closed for Inventory on Thursday, October 26th and Friday, October 27th, 2023. If you need help rescheduling your pick-up or delivery, please contact your IFB representative or email partnerships@idahofoodbank.org.
Please keep in mind that closures may shorten your ordering window. If you have questions about when to place your order, don’t hesitate to reach out for clarification!
Reminder: Power of Purchase Program (POPP) Items Available on Shopping List
The Power of Purchase Program is a collaborative purchasing opportunity for IFB’s partners. The Idaho Foodbank purchases items at a quantity discount. We then make these items available to participating partners at significant cost savings compared to retail. Items purchased through this program and the funds that we receive are put back into the program and are invested into buying more food for the POPP program and its participants. These items are available on the shopping list and can be identified by the “*Fees Apply*” under the description column or by the "Unit Price" column. Any item that has a unit price listed is a POPP item.
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Cornerstone Assembly of God church in Weiser, under Pastor Mark Burgess, took over running the Washington County Mobile Food Pantry in November 2017.
They changed the operation to a "Drive-through" process, checking in households as they waited in the comfort of their vehicles for the truck to arrive, get unloaded and prepare for distribution. Churches, businesses, community groups, court mandated volunteers, and individuals are some of the sources of volunteers for the distribution. The city of Weiser also allows them to temporarily close the street for 2-3 hours during the food distribution.
They facilitated two large mobile food distributions during the pandemic and since that time the mobile food distribution has been serving about 880 individuals each month.
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Free at-home COVID tests
Free, at-home COVID-19 tests are available to order again. Every household can place an order to receive four COVID tests in the mail. You can place your order here.
If you already have a COVID test at home, check to see if they are expired. The FDA has extended the expiration dates of some tests, you can check that here.
Cooking Recipe
Please enjoy these recipe cards made by our Nutrition Education Specialist, Matea. You can find some of the items on our shopping list. It could help your neighbors figure out what they can make with some of the items that might receive from you.
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New Program for Summer 2024
The Idaho Foodbank and our Board of Directors recently sent a letter to the Idaho Governor, Department of Health & Welfare, and Superintendent of Public Instruction advocating for Idaho to implement a new program that will be available in summer 2024. Similar to the temporary Pandemic EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) programs, this new, permanent Summer EBT Program will provide money to families with eligible children to be used for the purchase of food in the summer. This program will make a positive difference in the lives of Idaho children and in this letter we asked that Idaho takes the necessary steps to implement it. You can view the letter here.
We will keep you updated on the status of this new program option for Idaho.
Your Health Idaho
Open enrollment for health insurance began on October 15th and runs through December 15th! If you or your neighbors are in search of coverage for the upcoming year and don’t know where to get started, visit yourhealthidaho.org. Your Health Idaho is the state’s health insurance marketplace and is the only place to get tax credits for coverage. Free help is also available if you need assistance deciding which plan is right for you.
There are health insurance resources available to partners, for free, via the partner shopping list. This includes flyers for Your Health Idaho and brochures for the Senior Health Insurance Benefits Advisors for people on Medicare. Look for these boxes when making your next food order under the label “Quarterly Resource Box”!
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Using MyPlate in SNAP-Ed
Dates: Tuesday, October 24, 2023
Time: 11:00 pm- 12:00 pm MT
The Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) Nutrition Education and Innovation Division will provide an overview of MyPlate tools, resources, and the MyPlate National Strategic Partnership Program.
You can find more information here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8884555763841921365
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Your Idaho Foodbank Representative
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- Partners in Clearwater, Idaho, Latah, Lewis & Nez Perce Counties
- Partners in Bannock, Bear Lake, Bingham, Bonneville, Butte, Caribou, Clark, Custer, Franklin, Fremont, Jefferson, Lemhi, Madison, Oneida, Power, & Teton Counties
- Partners in Adams, Canyon, Gem, Owyhee, Payette & Washington Counties
- Partners in Ada, Boise, Elmore, & Valley Counties
- Partners in Blaine, Camas, Cassia, Elmore, Gooding, Jerome, Lincoln, Minidoka & Twin Falls Counties
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Future Partner Newsletters
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If you want to see something or be featured in our Partner Newsletter, please let us know by sending us an email to partnerships@idahofoodbank.org.
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