We were pleasantly happy to see that Angel Food Ministries was listed by Dr. Phil in his article on surviving a harsh economy.
The piece contains some good advice, yet still, it has other advice that you ought to discuss with your own financial experts; be it your father, son, daughter, mother, friend or relative whom you know has some experience in the field. However, Dr. Phil does give Angel Food Ministries a huge nod as a way to save money on food. For that reason alone, we suggest you take a look at the article.
I’ll just give you the highlights here, than you can read the rest on his site. (Here)
How to Find Money Hidden in Every Home
Money guru Mary Hunt is the author of Debt Proof Living: The Complete Guide to Living Financially Free. She offers tips for saving more and spending less:
… Food:
1. Use coupons
Go to www.couponmom.com and
www.thegrocerygame.com.
E-mail directly for coupons: Many companies will send cents-off coupons directly to you by simply e-mailing them from their Web sites and requesting information on how to obtain coupons.
2. Buy only what’s seasonal and on sale
3. Check the unit price
4. Stock up when you canCheapest food: Walmart Supercenter was the cheapest because they honor competitor’s coupons.
5. Fifty percent off food: Check the Internet to see if you have an Angel Food Ministry near you. They provide groceries at a 50 percent discount to those in need of grocery relief and financial support:
www.angelfoodministries.org.
From the Show
* Dr. Phil’s Recession Survival Squad
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Feeding my Family with Angel Food Ministries
We discovered Angel Food Ministries earlier this year when we were really struggling financially. We were working on a Family Budget and new that in order to make it we would have to figure out how to cut back on our grocery bill. We are a family of 5 with 3 teenagers who eat us out of house and home. So after talking to Consumer Counseling Credits Services we learned about an amazing network where you can feed a family of 4 for only $30 a week. This sounded amazing to us. By using Angel Food We have been able to cut down our grocery bill by $200 a month. We are actually thinking about buying a freezer so we can buy more since there is no limit. We figure the freezer will end up paying for itself within 2 months.
At first I was skeptical about Angel Food. I thought it was charity. I promise you it is not! Angel Food Ministries is a non denomiational organization that helps families like you save money on food. It has been a God Send to our family including my Mother who eats for only $30 a month. With Angel Food $30 will feed a senior for an entire month. Everyone qualifies. If you eat, you qualify.
The Angel Food Menu is abundant and the food is delicious and fresh.
At first I was skeptical about Angel Food. I thought it was charity. I promise you it is not! Angel Food Ministries is a non denomiational organization that helps families like you save money on food. It has been a God Send to our family including my Mother who eats for only $30 a month. With Angel Food $30 will feed a senior for an entire month. Everyone qualifies. If you eat, you qualify.
The Angel Food Menu is abundant and the food is delicious and fresh.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Angel Food Ministries Review
The Challenge: Does Angel Food Ministries really save money? If so, how much? And more importantly, is the food any good?
Methods: Angel Food Ministries is a not-for-profit organization that buys food directly from suppliers at substantial volume discounts. As a result, they are able to provide consumers with approximately $65 worth of food for just $30. They have locations in 45 states. Angel Food Ministries does NOT sell out of date or inferior products. This is quality, nutritious food – just like you’d get at the grocery store.
About the Food: Each month's menu is different. They offer fresh, frozen and packaged food. Because they make a variety of nutritionally-balanced food available at a significant discount on a regular basis, budget-conscious consumers can put food on the table and use the savings to get ahead financially. There are neither purchasing limits for Angel Food, nor any applications to fill out, nor any other qualifications to purchase through them. You can order online, or in person at the pickup location near you. They also accept food stamps.
Study Design: Our family of 8 usually spends about $1000 per month on groceries. So I ordered 8 Signature Boxes of Angel Food containing food similar to the one on the left.
Because one Signature box is enough to assist in feeding a family of four for a week, I figured our mega-sized family would need 8 boxes to provide a month’s worth of food. I ordered online and used coupon code “ZOOMFEEDBACK” to save an extra 10% off. (This reduced the price by an extra $24!) So our total cost for a month of Angel Food was just $216 (+ $2 online ordering fee) = $218.
To provide an incentive for our kids to comply, we told them they could use any money we saved to plan a family vacation of their choice. With the understanding that any takeout or restaurant meals would also be deducted from the food budget (which they renamed “vacation money.”) Incidentally, the Angel Food Budget test had an amazing effect on the reducing the overall “whine factor” for fast-food and takeout. Only once, throughout the entire month, did any of our six children ask for takeout. (Typically at least one of them will ask every day!) In this case, he was quickly reminded by his siblings that it would “waste” vacation money. Then they followed up with words I never thought I’d hear them say “Anyway, there’s food at the house!”
Results: The food was very good. The kids liked it and so did my husband and I. We tabulated the costs at the end of the month and we had spent $580 total on food instead of the usual $1000. Angel Food had saved us $420 in just one month! And we still had plenty of food left over. (Our kids are little and still have small appetites; in retrospect, we probably could have gotten by with just 6 Signature Boxes.) Anyhow, it turned out that we only needed to grocery shop to replenish milk, butter, lunchbox staples, fresh fruits and vegetables. For the first time in years I was able to use the express checkout lane! To make sure I saved as much as I could I also used free printable grocery coupons on each trip to the grocery store. But I suspect we would’ve saved even more if we had ordered the “Just for Me After School Boxes” and the “After School Fruit and Vegetable Boxes” to pack the kids lunches.
Doing the math, using the After School Boxes for the children’s lunches would’ve cost just 67¢ per lunch! (We’re definitely ordering those this month – despite the fact that school is out for summer, they’ll still need to eat!) Our kids liked the food from the Signature Box (and the savings) so much that they actually asked if we would order again so they could save for a longer, better vacation!
How can Angel Food Ministries afford to do this?
There are two major components that explain how they are able to provide restaurant quality food at such a low price. (Keep in mind, this is NOT Scratched or Dented, NO out-dated food, NO donated food, this is quality, fresh food like you’d get at the grocery store.)
Because Angel Food Ministries is so large, they are able to purchase from manufacturers in bulk, this reduces costs. Then by utilizing local churches or non-profit organizations and their dedicated volunteers to distribute the food, they avoid many of the expenses that grocery stores or discount warehouses incur. (No mortgage, no payroll, no utilities, etc.) This fact alone significantly reduces overhead expenses in getting the food to consumers. Angel Food Ministries cuts out several “middlemen” and buys from manufacturers in bulk so they can pass along substantial savings to consumers.
Conclusion: Angel Food Ministries is a great option to reduce the cost of providing food for your family. If you are struggling financially, or just want to start saving money wherever you can, we found it to be an easy, affordable option to reduce the amount we spend on groceries every month.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Juda Engelmayer Working for Angels
Our old friend Juda Engelmayer has been known on the Lower East Side as a PR person and, on occasion, a political advisor. But a few years ago his life changed. One of his clients recommended him, yarmulke, NY accent and all, to become a spokesman for Angel Food, a Christian ministry that functions as a large food cooperative operating in 44 states and more than 6000 communities. He spoke to us over the phone from Monroe, Georgia, near Atlanta.
Juda Engelmayer: Angel Food was started in 1994, in the little mill town of Monroe, GA, by pastors Joe and Linda Wingo. It’s a proud, blue collar, southern town, where the mills were closing down, people were losing their jobs, and Pastor Joe saw that people were scurrying around for food, neglecting their families, their faith, and their community. Their priority was, let me put food in my belly to sustain me, so I can find a job.
At first he thought that giving away free food would help. He went around collecting coupons and buying dented cans and leftovers, and he tried to give food away locally, in Monroe. Nobody would take it. Then he came up with a beautiful insight: there are two types of pride in the world, good pride and bad pride. The good pride is, you’re in trouble, so you wake up early in the morning, you take a shower and get going. The bad pride is, you need help and someone is extending a hand, but you don’t want to take it, because you’re too proud.
So Pastor Joe decided to add a small fee on the food, just to cover his costs. In the first month, he had 34 families come to him for food. He went to every church in the community and said, bring me more people who need food, I’ll feed them, and for every person you bring me, I’ll give you a dollar. Angel Food was built on that. We’ve sold more than 22 million boxes of food, and given away more than 30 million dollars in charity throughout the country over the past 16 years.
And it’s no longer dented cans, it’s first-rate, supermarket quality products that you get from national vendors, like ConAgra, General Mills, Kraft, Betty Crocker, Perdue, Tyson.
We get good prices paying the vendors up front, so we get the most bare bone rates they can give. Most supermarkets operate on 30- to 90-day pay cycles. You bring them the food today, you send an invoice, and in one to three months you’ll get paid. With us, they bring us the food, they get paid. We buy close to 14 million dollars worth of food every month, and we pay our vendors pretty much up front.
When I started working for Angel Food, New York had about 18 host sites, local churches or not-for-profits that run our food cooperatives on their premises. Now, between New York and New Jersey, we’re up to 62 host sites. I’ve been trying to add synagogues to the list, but it’s been tough to get a synagogue to affiliate with a Christian ministry. I’m working on a fully kosher menu right now, actually...
Most of the food is produce and proteins – meat items, and I believe we can pull off a kosher meat menu. Before I get a synagogue to join, I’ll probably get a Jewish community center to work with us. The angle I’m thinking of is that we are like the kolel store, except you don’t have to drive out to Brooklyn.
Food is very political nowadays. How do you manage the organic versus major corporate?
In the last six months we’ve been buying produce more locally. We used to have everything shipped to our warehouse in Georgia or Texas, and then ship it out across the country. Now our produce is being packed in three different locations around the country, more locally. So people can take pride that they are helping the growers in their own region, and we leave a smaller carbon print.
We’re not looking to compete with Whole Foods, we can’t. We’re getting good stuff, but it’s not going to be necessarily organic. Unless, of course, the manufacturer has an overrun of a certain product and we can negotiate for a good price on it.
You know you’re starting to sound like a capitalist.
Working for a food ministry has taught me that there’s a great need out there, that can be served not necessarily through people getting it for free, but through people doing it themselves with a little help. I sound like a capitalist because you still have to work in the real world and negotiate with vendors, who may or may not share your vision or your goals or your mission. You still need to get the food from them.
Has it changed you spiritually as well?
It’s been a unique experience for me. I’m the only Jewish person working in a Christian ministry. Traveling around the country as I’ve been doing, I’m seeing the impact it’s had on local communities. People are coming together for a common cause, volunteers helping out at their local churches and community groups, packing the boxes for people,
putting them together, taking them to their cars.
I saw a woman walk over to my boss, she hugs him, breaks down and cries, I don’t have any money, she says, and I’ve been looking for ways to help people out. Now I come down all the time, I help people with their groceries, I see them smile, I’m giving something back. And I like to believe God appreciates the work I’m doing.
It’s the same for me, Engelmayer says. It’s the most rewarding job I’ve ever had. I get to do everything I love doing, for a cause I truly believe in. I was in Bakersfield, California, last year, it was our biggest distribution in the country, 2800 units out of one church. They have this giant parking lot in front of this non-denominational Church, and there were folks of all walks of life, every race, every denomination, even some Jews. They had a gospel band, a tent to shelter seniors from the sun, some people were preaching, one guy was putting on a show, they had a high school football team with shopping carts running the groceries for people waiting on line. It was a carnival.
As an observant Jew, do you run into sharp corners?
He laughs. I’m treated better here than when I worked for Jews... They actually enjoy my presence; I engage in dialogue with my boss and his wife, who are both pastors, all the time, but they made the point that they’re not trying to save my soul, they would never want to make me feel uncomfortable. My boss’s wife and I have had a few conversations over the differences between our faiths, but we keep it very respectful.
They have kosher food brought in from Atlanta for me. They’re so nervous they’ll get it wrong, they overdo it. I thank them for the meat, but I tell them you don’t have to get me lettuce that was checked, just get me a head of lettuce, I’ll check it myself. And when we eat together, they like to take turns saying a prayer before the meal, and when it’s my turn, they love hearing me say the blessings in Hebrew…
Yori Yanover
Juda Engelmayer: Angel Food was started in 1994, in the little mill town of Monroe, GA, by pastors Joe and Linda Wingo. It’s a proud, blue collar, southern town, where the mills were closing down, people were losing their jobs, and Pastor Joe saw that people were scurrying around for food, neglecting their families, their faith, and their community. Their priority was, let me put food in my belly to sustain me, so I can find a job.
At first he thought that giving away free food would help. He went around collecting coupons and buying dented cans and leftovers, and he tried to give food away locally, in Monroe. Nobody would take it. Then he came up with a beautiful insight: there are two types of pride in the world, good pride and bad pride. The good pride is, you’re in trouble, so you wake up early in the morning, you take a shower and get going. The bad pride is, you need help and someone is extending a hand, but you don’t want to take it, because you’re too proud.
So Pastor Joe decided to add a small fee on the food, just to cover his costs. In the first month, he had 34 families come to him for food. He went to every church in the community and said, bring me more people who need food, I’ll feed them, and for every person you bring me, I’ll give you a dollar. Angel Food was built on that. We’ve sold more than 22 million boxes of food, and given away more than 30 million dollars in charity throughout the country over the past 16 years.
And it’s no longer dented cans, it’s first-rate, supermarket quality products that you get from national vendors, like ConAgra, General Mills, Kraft, Betty Crocker, Perdue, Tyson.
We get good prices paying the vendors up front, so we get the most bare bone rates they can give. Most supermarkets operate on 30- to 90-day pay cycles. You bring them the food today, you send an invoice, and in one to three months you’ll get paid. With us, they bring us the food, they get paid. We buy close to 14 million dollars worth of food every month, and we pay our vendors pretty much up front.
When I started working for Angel Food, New York had about 18 host sites, local churches or not-for-profits that run our food cooperatives on their premises. Now, between New York and New Jersey, we’re up to 62 host sites. I’ve been trying to add synagogues to the list, but it’s been tough to get a synagogue to affiliate with a Christian ministry. I’m working on a fully kosher menu right now, actually...
Most of the food is produce and proteins – meat items, and I believe we can pull off a kosher meat menu. Before I get a synagogue to join, I’ll probably get a Jewish community center to work with us. The angle I’m thinking of is that we are like the kolel store, except you don’t have to drive out to Brooklyn.
Food is very political nowadays. How do you manage the organic versus major corporate?
In the last six months we’ve been buying produce more locally. We used to have everything shipped to our warehouse in Georgia or Texas, and then ship it out across the country. Now our produce is being packed in three different locations around the country, more locally. So people can take pride that they are helping the growers in their own region, and we leave a smaller carbon print.
We’re not looking to compete with Whole Foods, we can’t. We’re getting good stuff, but it’s not going to be necessarily organic. Unless, of course, the manufacturer has an overrun of a certain product and we can negotiate for a good price on it.
You know you’re starting to sound like a capitalist.
Working for a food ministry has taught me that there’s a great need out there, that can be served not necessarily through people getting it for free, but through people doing it themselves with a little help. I sound like a capitalist because you still have to work in the real world and negotiate with vendors, who may or may not share your vision or your goals or your mission. You still need to get the food from them.
Has it changed you spiritually as well?
It’s been a unique experience for me. I’m the only Jewish person working in a Christian ministry. Traveling around the country as I’ve been doing, I’m seeing the impact it’s had on local communities. People are coming together for a common cause, volunteers helping out at their local churches and community groups, packing the boxes for people,
putting them together, taking them to their cars.
I saw a woman walk over to my boss, she hugs him, breaks down and cries, I don’t have any money, she says, and I’ve been looking for ways to help people out. Now I come down all the time, I help people with their groceries, I see them smile, I’m giving something back. And I like to believe God appreciates the work I’m doing.
It’s the same for me, Engelmayer says. It’s the most rewarding job I’ve ever had. I get to do everything I love doing, for a cause I truly believe in. I was in Bakersfield, California, last year, it was our biggest distribution in the country, 2800 units out of one church. They have this giant parking lot in front of this non-denominational Church, and there were folks of all walks of life, every race, every denomination, even some Jews. They had a gospel band, a tent to shelter seniors from the sun, some people were preaching, one guy was putting on a show, they had a high school football team with shopping carts running the groceries for people waiting on line. It was a carnival.
As an observant Jew, do you run into sharp corners?
He laughs. I’m treated better here than when I worked for Jews... They actually enjoy my presence; I engage in dialogue with my boss and his wife, who are both pastors, all the time, but they made the point that they’re not trying to save my soul, they would never want to make me feel uncomfortable. My boss’s wife and I have had a few conversations over the differences between our faiths, but we keep it very respectful.
They have kosher food brought in from Atlanta for me. They’re so nervous they’ll get it wrong, they overdo it. I thank them for the meat, but I tell them you don’t have to get me lettuce that was checked, just get me a head of lettuce, I’ll check it myself. And when we eat together, they like to take turns saying a prayer before the meal, and when it’s my turn, they love hearing me say the blessings in Hebrew…
Yori Yanover
Angel Food Sends Relief to Gulf Region
WDSU Channel 6
Charity Brings Food To Out-Of-Work Fishermen
Group Helps Workers Affected By Gulf Oil Spill
POSTED: 4:38 pm CDT June 8, 2010
UPDATED: 5:55 pm CDT June 8, 2010
ST. BERNARD PARISH, La. — Dozens of volunteers hit the streets in St. Bernard Parish on Tuesday to help needy
fishermen and their families.
The volunteers came because they felt compelled to help. A trailer of food was donated by Angel Food Ministries, and the workers came from Texas. Pastors said the economy and the oil spill are hitting local families hard, and the help is welcome.
“One tragedy after another,” said Mike Engolia, who came seeking help. “You can’t let it get you down. I’m not giving up; I’m a strong
man.”
The line of cars stretched for miles down the road. Among the crowd were many shrimpers, including Lonnie Knight.(More)
ABC News 26
Free Food for Families in St. Bernard Parish
Written by WGNO ABC26 News | Tuesday, 08 June 2010 12:30
Relief for families affected by the oil spill. 36,000 pounds of food was handed out in St. Bernard Parish Tuesday afternoon. ABC26
News Reporter Vanessa Bolano was there.
The House of Refuge Church in St. Bernard Parish turned into a drive-by grocery store. Pastor Jim Jeffries says, “We invited the parish. Whoever needs some food, been out of work, to just come, and so they’re coming.”
For as far as the eye can see, cars lined up along Highway 46. They’re waiting for bags food donated by Angel Food Ministries. Down here, if you don’t need help, you know someone who does. (More)
WWLTV – Eyewitness News
St. Bernard food giveaway draws long line
by Bill Capo / Eyewitness News
wwltv.com
Posted on June 8, 2010 at 2:44 PM
In Yscloskey, at the peak of the fishing season, the boats are lined up at the docks, some loaded with oil boom instead of fishing gear.
Just up the highway, cars were lined up at the House of Refuge Church, to receive donations of food, a sign of the growing financial struggle for fishing industry families.
“We need the food,” said Sue Dalon of Violet, who said her family’s income has dwindled since the spill. “It’s dropped off just about all of it, just about everything. It’s horrible.”
Volunteers sweating in the blazing sun unloaded a trailer filled with 38,000 pounds of food donated by Angel Food Ministries. (Read
More)
→ Leave a CommentCategories: Angel Food Ministries · Charity · Disaster Relief · Flood · Food Insecurity
Tagged: Angel Food Ministries, Charity, BP Oil, St. Bernard Parish, joe win
Angel Food Ministries’ Offers Relief to Fisherman in Louisiana
June 7, 2010 · 1 Comment
St. Bernard, Louisiana (June 7, 2010) – Angel Food Ministries (www.angelfoodministries.com), an organization dedicated to providing affordable, high-quality food to those in need, is helping Louisiana fisherman and their families affected by the oil spill.
The Gulf region is seeing one of the biggest environmental disasters ever, with the BP oil leak pouring millions of gallons into the waters, polluting the nearby land, destroying the wildlife, and harming the fishing and seafood industries.
Angel Food Ministries is donating a filled tractor trailer of food to local fishermen left unable to work due to the oil spill. Many are jobless; others may be very soon, leaving them and their families without food. On top of a bad economy, the oil spill has adding fuel to the financial fire. AFM will be joining efforts with its partner, Celebration Church, in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, to distribute the food with hope of helping make a difference.
“The St Bernard’s Pastors coalition is networking together to distribute the food that Angel Food Ministries is generously providing. We recognize the needs of the families here and we are working together to help them in any way possible,” said Pastor Craig Ratliff of Celebration Church.
“The full impact of this oil problem is hard to determine yet, but we do know that people are going without right now. That we can help right away and Angel Food Ministries will always help where we are able,” Pastor Joe Wingo, Angel Food CEO, said.
WHAT: Food will be distributed in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana for hungry fisherman
WHERE: House of Refuge Church, 1561 Hwy 46, St. Bernard, LA
WHEN: June 8th, 2010 at 12:00pm.
If you would like to help or find out more information please contact Pastor Craig Ratliff at 504.248.0688 or Katrina Weber at 678.979.9513.
Anyone who wishes to make use of Angel Food’s services can call 1-888-819-3745 or visit www.angelfoodministries.com to find the nearest host site.
About Angel Food Ministries
Angel Food Ministries (www.angelfoodministries.com) is a non-profit, non-denominational organization dedicated to providing financial support in the form of food relief to communities throughout the United States. Established in 1994 to provide relief for struggling families in the Monroe, GA area, Angel Food Ministries today serves hundreds of thousands of families across 45 states, recently welcoming Oregon to the roster where Angel Food’s benefits can be realized. Since inception, Angel Food Ministries has fed more than 22 million Americans. In 2008, AFM provided $120 million in direct food assistance to American families.
Contact: Katrina Weber
news@angelfoodministries.com
Charity Brings Food To Out-Of-Work Fishermen
Group Helps Workers Affected By Gulf Oil Spill
POSTED: 4:38 pm CDT June 8, 2010
UPDATED: 5:55 pm CDT June 8, 2010
ST. BERNARD PARISH, La. — Dozens of volunteers hit the streets in St. Bernard Parish on Tuesday to help needy
fishermen and their families.
The volunteers came because they felt compelled to help. A trailer of food was donated by Angel Food Ministries, and the workers came from Texas. Pastors said the economy and the oil spill are hitting local families hard, and the help is welcome.
“One tragedy after another,” said Mike Engolia, who came seeking help. “You can’t let it get you down. I’m not giving up; I’m a strong
man.”
The line of cars stretched for miles down the road. Among the crowd were many shrimpers, including Lonnie Knight.(More)
ABC News 26
Free Food for Families in St. Bernard Parish
Written by WGNO ABC26 News | Tuesday, 08 June 2010 12:30
Relief for families affected by the oil spill. 36,000 pounds of food was handed out in St. Bernard Parish Tuesday afternoon. ABC26
News Reporter Vanessa Bolano was there.
The House of Refuge Church in St. Bernard Parish turned into a drive-by grocery store. Pastor Jim Jeffries says, “We invited the parish. Whoever needs some food, been out of work, to just come, and so they’re coming.”
For as far as the eye can see, cars lined up along Highway 46. They’re waiting for bags food donated by Angel Food Ministries. Down here, if you don’t need help, you know someone who does. (More)
WWLTV – Eyewitness News
St. Bernard food giveaway draws long line
by Bill Capo / Eyewitness News
wwltv.com
Posted on June 8, 2010 at 2:44 PM
In Yscloskey, at the peak of the fishing season, the boats are lined up at the docks, some loaded with oil boom instead of fishing gear.
Just up the highway, cars were lined up at the House of Refuge Church, to receive donations of food, a sign of the growing financial struggle for fishing industry families.
“We need the food,” said Sue Dalon of Violet, who said her family’s income has dwindled since the spill. “It’s dropped off just about all of it, just about everything. It’s horrible.”
Volunteers sweating in the blazing sun unloaded a trailer filled with 38,000 pounds of food donated by Angel Food Ministries. (Read
More)
→ Leave a CommentCategories: Angel Food Ministries · Charity · Disaster Relief · Flood · Food Insecurity
Tagged: Angel Food Ministries, Charity, BP Oil, St. Bernard Parish, joe win
Angel Food Ministries’ Offers Relief to Fisherman in Louisiana
June 7, 2010 · 1 Comment
St. Bernard, Louisiana (June 7, 2010) – Angel Food Ministries (www.angelfoodministries.com), an organization dedicated to providing affordable, high-quality food to those in need, is helping Louisiana fisherman and their families affected by the oil spill.
The Gulf region is seeing one of the biggest environmental disasters ever, with the BP oil leak pouring millions of gallons into the waters, polluting the nearby land, destroying the wildlife, and harming the fishing and seafood industries.
Angel Food Ministries is donating a filled tractor trailer of food to local fishermen left unable to work due to the oil spill. Many are jobless; others may be very soon, leaving them and their families without food. On top of a bad economy, the oil spill has adding fuel to the financial fire. AFM will be joining efforts with its partner, Celebration Church, in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, to distribute the food with hope of helping make a difference.
“The St Bernard’s Pastors coalition is networking together to distribute the food that Angel Food Ministries is generously providing. We recognize the needs of the families here and we are working together to help them in any way possible,” said Pastor Craig Ratliff of Celebration Church.
“The full impact of this oil problem is hard to determine yet, but we do know that people are going without right now. That we can help right away and Angel Food Ministries will always help where we are able,” Pastor Joe Wingo, Angel Food CEO, said.
WHAT: Food will be distributed in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana for hungry fisherman
WHERE: House of Refuge Church, 1561 Hwy 46, St. Bernard, LA
WHEN: June 8th, 2010 at 12:00pm.
If you would like to help or find out more information please contact Pastor Craig Ratliff at 504.248.0688 or Katrina Weber at 678.979.9513.
Anyone who wishes to make use of Angel Food’s services can call 1-888-819-3745 or visit www.angelfoodministries.com to find the nearest host site.
About Angel Food Ministries
Angel Food Ministries (www.angelfoodministries.com) is a non-profit, non-denominational organization dedicated to providing financial support in the form of food relief to communities throughout the United States. Established in 1994 to provide relief for struggling families in the Monroe, GA area, Angel Food Ministries today serves hundreds of thousands of families across 45 states, recently welcoming Oregon to the roster where Angel Food’s benefits can be realized. Since inception, Angel Food Ministries has fed more than 22 million Americans. In 2008, AFM provided $120 million in direct food assistance to American families.
Contact: Katrina Weber
news@angelfoodministries.com
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Food ministry expands to after-school packs
BY COURTENAY EDELHART, Californian staff writer
cedelhart@bakersfield.com | Tuesday, May 18 2010 05:25 PM
Angel Food Ministries, a nonprofit agency that provides deeply discounted groceries to families with tight budgets, has added a new service in response to one side effect of the economic downturn -- lunch and snacks for children home alone.
"Due to the economy, some parents are not going to be able to put their kids in summer day camps as they may have done in the past when school was out," said Marisa Banks, administrator of the food program at Compassion Christian Center, one of about a dozen Bakersfield area Angel Food Ministries host sites.
"Very few people can afford not to work these days, so a lot of children are going to be home alone while their parents are working," Banks said.
California, like most states, does not specify the precise age at which it is acceptable to leave a child home unsupervised, but authorities may intervene at any time if a child is believed to be in danger.
Headquartered in Monroe, Ga., Angel Food Ministries gets bulk rate discounts from food suppliers, enabling it to sell groceries to the public at roughly half the normal retail price. There are no income limits to participate in the program, which is administered by nearly 6,000 churches, nonprofits and other organizations in 44 states.
Needy families order groceries in advance off a menu that changes every month, and pick the box up from the nearest host site once a month.
Most consumers order the Signature Box, which includes enough food to feed a family of four for a week and costs $30.
But there are niche boxes, too, such as 10 fully cooked meals for $28, or all seafood for $35, or food free of nuts, gluten and other common allergens for $23.
Two months ago, Angel Food introduced two new boxes.
The Just 4 Me After School Box for $24 features corndogs, chicken tenders and other child-friendly foods that either are ready to eat or can be prepared in a microwave as opposed to an oven or stove.
The $16 Just 4 Me Fruit and Veggie Box is just what it sounds like, fruits and vegetables or processed foods made from them, such as applesauce, juice and sweet potato chips.
"People kept asking for this," said Angel Food spokesman Juda Engelmayer. "We're constantly soliciting feedback from our customers, and this one came up in record numbers.
"It just kind of shows where the economy is. The reality is, child care is expensive so a lot of kids are unsupervised after school. Families need something to tide them over until the parents can get home from work."
cedelhart@bakersfield.com | Tuesday, May 18 2010 05:25 PM
Angel Food Ministries, a nonprofit agency that provides deeply discounted groceries to families with tight budgets, has added a new service in response to one side effect of the economic downturn -- lunch and snacks for children home alone.
"Due to the economy, some parents are not going to be able to put their kids in summer day camps as they may have done in the past when school was out," said Marisa Banks, administrator of the food program at Compassion Christian Center, one of about a dozen Bakersfield area Angel Food Ministries host sites.
"Very few people can afford not to work these days, so a lot of children are going to be home alone while their parents are working," Banks said.
California, like most states, does not specify the precise age at which it is acceptable to leave a child home unsupervised, but authorities may intervene at any time if a child is believed to be in danger.
Headquartered in Monroe, Ga., Angel Food Ministries gets bulk rate discounts from food suppliers, enabling it to sell groceries to the public at roughly half the normal retail price. There are no income limits to participate in the program, which is administered by nearly 6,000 churches, nonprofits and other organizations in 44 states.
Needy families order groceries in advance off a menu that changes every month, and pick the box up from the nearest host site once a month.
Most consumers order the Signature Box, which includes enough food to feed a family of four for a week and costs $30.
But there are niche boxes, too, such as 10 fully cooked meals for $28, or all seafood for $35, or food free of nuts, gluten and other common allergens for $23.
Two months ago, Angel Food introduced two new boxes.
The Just 4 Me After School Box for $24 features corndogs, chicken tenders and other child-friendly foods that either are ready to eat or can be prepared in a microwave as opposed to an oven or stove.
The $16 Just 4 Me Fruit and Veggie Box is just what it sounds like, fruits and vegetables or processed foods made from them, such as applesauce, juice and sweet potato chips.
"People kept asking for this," said Angel Food spokesman Juda Engelmayer. "We're constantly soliciting feedback from our customers, and this one came up in record numbers.
"It just kind of shows where the economy is. The reality is, child care is expensive so a lot of kids are unsupervised after school. Families need something to tide them over until the parents can get home from work."
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Voices from Our Volunteers
We here at Angel Food Ministries wanted to share the experiences of our volunteers. Without these dedicated individuals, AFM would not be able to provide the nation’s families with affordable, high quality food.
Recently, AFM received an email from Pastor Mark Cowart from Church for All Nations in Colorado Springs, CO. He could only sing praises for the determined Host Site Director and volunteer team as they faced wintery challenges during their local distribution in March. In appreciation Pastor Joe wanted to share their triumphant story.
This is the letter Angel Food Ministries received from Pastor Daniel Spangler from Church of All Nations Southwest Campus.
“Winds this morning were between 45 and 50 plus mph, making the snow feel like tiny needles. With these conditions, the Angel Food volunteers knew this would be a challenging distribution, but attacked and unloaded the truck as fast as any other month. We actually had the truck driver back his truck up to provide us and the other host sites some wind protection. This helped while we loaded the perspective churches with their boxes. We gave half the outside team a break so they could warm up inside for 15 minutes. Then they would then switch off and another team would go warm up. Even with the treacherous conditions no one wanted to leave, talk about camaraderie (for food, WOW). After serving all the host sites, we loaded our foyer with the food for our distribution (thank goodness no more wind).
I thought that today would be the distribution that people would stay home considering the high winds and snow, but they all proved me wrong, every box was handed out. Some of them sat in the foyer thawing out, while we served them and then walked them back to their car. The volunteers were incredible Pastor, you should have seen them.
One of the AFM volunteers, Paul even came out and threw down some ice-melt on the sidewalks so people wouldn’t slide. No injuries, thank you God!
Our outreach team was also at Southwest today. We coordinated with Fort Carson to have families come to and pick up a box of food. The team did an amazing job. A total of 54 boxes were distributed to our Military families.
A special thank you goes to all the volunteers. We could not have accomplished distribution today without God’s help and our volunteers.”
Angel Food Ministries appreciates the hard work and dedication of its volunteers. It is an honor to be a teaching tool for the future generations on the value of community, family and the desire to be helping hand in society.
-Courtney Armistead
Recently, AFM received an email from Pastor Mark Cowart from Church for All Nations in Colorado Springs, CO. He could only sing praises for the determined Host Site Director and volunteer team as they faced wintery challenges during their local distribution in March. In appreciation Pastor Joe wanted to share their triumphant story.
This is the letter Angel Food Ministries received from Pastor Daniel Spangler from Church of All Nations Southwest Campus.
“Winds this morning were between 45 and 50 plus mph, making the snow feel like tiny needles. With these conditions, the Angel Food volunteers knew this would be a challenging distribution, but attacked and unloaded the truck as fast as any other month. We actually had the truck driver back his truck up to provide us and the other host sites some wind protection. This helped while we loaded the perspective churches with their boxes. We gave half the outside team a break so they could warm up inside for 15 minutes. Then they would then switch off and another team would go warm up. Even with the treacherous conditions no one wanted to leave, talk about camaraderie (for food, WOW). After serving all the host sites, we loaded our foyer with the food for our distribution (thank goodness no more wind).
I thought that today would be the distribution that people would stay home considering the high winds and snow, but they all proved me wrong, every box was handed out. Some of them sat in the foyer thawing out, while we served them and then walked them back to their car. The volunteers were incredible Pastor, you should have seen them.
One of the AFM volunteers, Paul even came out and threw down some ice-melt on the sidewalks so people wouldn’t slide. No injuries, thank you God!
Our outreach team was also at Southwest today. We coordinated with Fort Carson to have families come to and pick up a box of food. The team did an amazing job. A total of 54 boxes were distributed to our Military families.
A special thank you goes to all the volunteers. We could not have accomplished distribution today without God’s help and our volunteers.”
Angel Food Ministries appreciates the hard work and dedication of its volunteers. It is an honor to be a teaching tool for the future generations on the value of community, family and the desire to be helping hand in society.
-Courtney Armistead
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