The Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana (NWLA) is accepting bids to provide At Risk Supper Meals for children through the Child and Adult Care Food Program.  The Food Bank of NWLA serves approximately 400 children Monday-Friday at various after school programs in Shreveport, Bossier City and surrounding areas.

Interested vendors may obtain a copy of the Invitation to Bid and Specifications by clicking here or by contacting Marleah Walker at 318.675.2400 ext. 108.  Sealed bids must be submitted by 10:00 a.m. on October 3, 2018, to the Food Bank of NWLA, 2307 Texas Avenue, Shreveport, LA  71103. Bids will be accepted via mail or hand delivered. A public bid opening will be held at 10:00 a.m. on October 3 at the same location.  Contractors submitting bids must meet approval by the State of Louisiana, Department of Education to participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). 
 In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.  Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits.  Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.  Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.  To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint filing cust.html, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1)mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.  This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

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Join the Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana and Sportspectrum for the 31st Turkey Trot 5K run and Fun Run on Thanksgiving Morning, November 22, 2018. Come out and start your Thanksgiving morning with friends and family. Read below for more information on the event.  For sponsorship, please contact Meg Coleman at 318-675-2400 x 111 or email development@foodbanknla.org
Run proceeds provides food to the Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana.

Entry  Information
Turkey Trot 5K
Entry Fee: Pre-registration is $15 by Oct. 1st  
$20.00 Oct. 2nd—Nov. 1st  
$25 Nov. 2-Nov. 16  
$30 Nov. 17-Nov. 21
$35 Race Morning
 Half mile children's Fun Run
Entry Fee for Kids 1/2 mile fun run $15.00 includes Long Sleeve Race Shirt (ages 10-under)
 Location:
Stoner Boat Launch at Clyde Fant Parkway and Stoner Avenue in Shreveport
Awards: 
All pre-registered participants will receive an official 2018 Turkey Trot long-sleeve t-shirt.  First place overall male and female will receive a Clark’s Tailgate Catering Cajun Smoked Turkey.  No trophies will be awarded.
Post Party: 
Stick around for fun, music, and refreshments after the race.  Party supplies will be provided by our sponsors Clark’s Tailgate Catering—Jambalaya, Great Raft Brewing, Coca Cola, Ozarka Water. 

For race information go to:
https://runsignup.com/Race/LA/Shreveport/SportspectrumTurkeyTrot

I work part-time serving lunch at my children's school.  Things have been tight for my family for a long time, but we especially felt the pinch when I left my job to stay home and take care of Katie, 10, Patrick, 8 and Sarah, 18 months. My husband, John, had good work building fences, but it wasn't enough; we had no extra money and even received a foreclosure notice on our house. So once we started receiving groceries at a pantry each month.  We sighed a huge breath of relief.

And now that it’s summer, with a nearby Food Bank sponsored free summer breakfast and lunch program, we're getting by even without the daily free lunch we count on during the school year. It relieves a ton of stress. And when I'm stress-free, my kids are too. Someday, I hope they'll all go to college like I never had the opportunity to do. Nothing, really, would make me happier than giving my kids a better life.

About the Food Bank’s  Summer Feeding Program:
For many kids, summertime means two things: fun and friends. For others, it means the only meals they can depend on ―school breakfast and school lunch―are no longer available. Families are faced with stretching already tight food budgets to feed hungry appetites through the summer. On average, families spend an additional $300 or more on food during the summer. Working parents who know their children are safe, supervised and fed during the school year must make other arrangements for their kids in the summer.
 
The Summer Feeding program is targeted to children in areas that are at risk for hunger over the summer months. We partner with non-profit organizations that conduct summer programs for low-income children to become a Summer Feeding site.  All Summer Feeding sites are FREE to children under 18 years old.  In summer of 2017, the Food Bank provided 39,742 breakfast and lunches meals to children in Northwest Louisiana. 

​To read the rest of our summer 2018 newsletter, click here. 

Our programs help the children in Northwest Louisiana that are food insecure.  To help with child hunger during the summer, the Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana is partnering with the Shreve Memorial Libraries to provide free healthy lunches to children as part of the Food Bank’s Summer Food Service Program.  The Summer Food Service Program— provides meals to children during the summer months, when they are at higher risk of hunger.

Lunch will be available for children under the age of 18 at the following Shreve Memorial Library Branches:

• Atkins Branch, 3704 Greenwood Road, Shreveport
• Broadmoor Branch, 1212 Captain Shreve Drive, Shreveport
• Cedar Grove/Line Avenue Branch, 8303 Line Avenue, Shreveport
• David Raines Branch, 2855 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, Shreveport
• Gilliam Branch, 12797 Main Street, Gilliam
• Hollywood/Union Avenue Branch, 2105 Hollywood Avenue, Shreveport
• Hosston Branch, 15478 US Hwy 71, Hosston
• Main Branch, 424 Texas Street, Shreveport
• Means Branch, 7016 E. Magnolia Lane, Ida
• Mooringsport Branch, 603 Latimer Street, Mooringsport
• North Caddo Branch, 615 North Pine Street, Vivian
• North Shreveport Branch, 4844 North Market Street, Shreveport
• Oil City Branch, 102 Allen Street, Oil City
• Rodessa Branch, 10093 Main Street, Rodessa

• Wallette Branch, 363 Hearne Avenue, Shreveport

 
The Summer Food Service Program will coincide with Shreve Memorial Library’s “Libraries Rock!” Summer Reading Program.   Meals will be provided free of charge for children under age 18 by the Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana Monday through Friday through July 27, 2018.  

Thank you for participating in Give for Good on Tuesday, May 1st! The Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana received $25,695.99 in one day of on-line giving.  We are grateful for our generous community. 

To read the rest of our summer 2018 newsletter, click here. 

The Food Bank’s largest fundraiser of the year, Empty Bowls, was held Thursday, June 7 at the ELDORADO Resort Casino Shreveport.  This event could not take place without the generous support of our sponsors.  The event raised enough funds to provide 354,000 meals for our community.
 
2018 Sponsors
Gold:                                                           
Healthy Blue
ELDORADO Resort Casino Shreveport
Enterprise Car Rental
Linda Snyder
Manpower
Willis-Knighton Health System
 
Bronze Sponsor:                                 
Capital One
Grainger
 
Painted Bowl Sponsor: 
HUB International
AEP SWEPCO
Bank of Montgomery
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana
Brookshire's
International Paper
Lenders Option
Regions

Soup Spoon Sponsors:​
Air Force Sergeants Association
Bancorp South
Barksdale Federal Credit Union   
CenterPoint Energy
MidSouth Bank
Moreman and Moore
Vickie and Paul Young
Patron  Sponsors:
The Beason Family
Home Federal Bank
 
In Kind Sponsors:                               
Ace Digital
Advance Awards and Gifts
Karen LaBeau
Magnolia Mae
Plum Nelly Flower Farm
 
Outstanding Agency:                       
Looking To Jesus Food Pantry - Oil City, Louisiana

Want to read the rest of our summer 2018 newsletter? Click here!

Dear Food Bank Friends,
 
Words can’t even begin to express my gratitude to you for the caring and support you have provided to our less fortunate neighbors. What you do is truly a blessing for the individuals and families we serve.
 
More and more people are turning to our doors for help. The children, veterans, seniors and others living on fixed incomes are struggling to keep up with the rising costs of everyday basic needs. And as the price of milk, bread, rice, cereals, pasta, eggs, meat, poultry and almost all other food items continue to rapidly increase, these people are finding themselves without money and without food at the end of the month—and some don’t even make it that far. It’s difficult to fathom what it must be like for even something as basic as food to be an unaffordable luxury. But that’s simply the case for so many within our community.
 
The Food Bank’s work to provide food for those in need has always been important; but now, and in the upcoming year, it will be more important than ever as we see an increased need for our services due increases in food and gas prices that challenge everyone. At the Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana we are continually looking for ways to do more with less.
 
It is our faith and hope that everyone will join us in meeting this challenge. Thank you for our continued support.
 
With gratitude,

Martha Marak
Executive Director

To read the rest of our summer 2018 newsletter, click here. 

​Host a food drive without leaving your home or office!

Our online virtual food drive lets you “shop” for nutritious food to donate to the Food Bank of Northwest without leaving the comfort of your home. And the best part? Your dollar goes further than a visit to the grocery store. For every $1 donated, we can provide $10 worth of food to the local community. Starting a virtual food drive is easy and fun. You can host one as an individual or company, or you can even spur some friendly competition by setting up teams to compete for the most meals raised. Easily invite friends, family and coworkers to join. Personalize your page with a company or organization logo. A goal thermometer even tracks your progress! Once your drive is set up, your participants will be able to browse our aisles, add items to a “shopping cart,” and “check out” by making your gift.

Bring your community together to make a difference in the lives of people in need.  For more information please contact Meg Coleman at development@foodbanknla.org or 318.675.2400 ext. 111.

To read the rest of our summer 2018 newsletter, click here.