Food First

Phil and Gerry will attempt to solve the riddle, inside of a mystery trapped in an enigma. COVID-19.

COVID-19 has grabbed our independence by the throat and pinned us against the wall and it appears it's not letting go any time soon.

This does not stop the food bankers. They are determined to see this through to the end, whenever that is. They are heroes. They are continuing to put themselves at risk in order to help Michigan's most vulnerable population during this crisis.

In the midst of this carnage - people are stepping up to help. Thank you, Governor Gretchen Whitmer, for valuing the work we do and assigning the Michigan National Guard to our food banks. Thank you Michigan Apples and Michigan Potatoes for your generous contributions to help feed your fellow Michiganders.

Let this episode provide you with hope. We will rise and get through this TOGETHER.

COVID-19 seeks the most vulnerable and uses the healthy to carry out its intention. It is not only revealing our essence and developing our character, but it is also offering us perspective.

Phil and Gerry dive in to the 'waves' of the pandemic. Last week was Wave I - children. This week they focus on Wave 2 - Senior Citizens. A lot of issues surround feeding seniors - typically they go to a congregate site, great for socialization and mobilization. Now, those words are the antithesis of what seniors need right now. Now more than ever - the LESS we do, the MORE we help.

STAY HOME.

STOP panic buying.

Make a GIFT to your local food bank --> https://bit.ly/3aslNJC

'The needs of the many outweighs the needs of the few.' -Spock

We are challenged, confused and confronted by this obscurity and potency. COVID-19 multiplies the shortcomings of our society; it reveals our own character, and worse, it cripples our sense of hope, freedom, and trust.

Due to the pandemic, this episode is brought to you through uncommon circumstances with Phil, Gerry and Mark creating the show virtually sharing the food bank's network response.

The food bankers and their teams have had their boots on the ground since last week and haven't stopped since, let alone slept. They are doubling their capacity and innovating new distribution options to keep their staff and clients safe. People care and we WILL rise together.

So many unknowns coincide with COVID-19, but it has also provided 'teaching moments'. It teaches us of ourselves and to be unselfish; it teaches us to support and appreciate one another. It can propel us to DO better, GET better and BE better - but, the choice is OURS.

Please check in on those you care about - it matters.

Most of the time we need your time, talent, and treasure - but, today we need simply need your treasure. Please consider donating to your local food bank.

The progress will not come by doing what we did yesterday.

Hear from the astounding Dr. Dawn Shoultz Opel. Dr. Opel’s experience, wisdom, and passion for food security will help take us to the next level of effectiveness across the state.

Did you know that food banking has only been going on for about 40 years? 21st century food banking will move from the philanthropic model to a shared partnership of particular kinds of goals and outcomes across sectors. Phil, Gerry, and Dawn discuss the impactful ways we are shaping the mold of food banking.

'You cannot BE the same, THINK the same and ACT the same if you hope to be successful in a world that does not remain the same.' - John Maxwell

Adaptability, not conformity is the key to maintaining a high level of effectiveness, impact and success. The Food Bank Council of Michigan and our network adapted - 20 years ago our network distributed over 70 million lbs. of food across our state, which equates to 60 million meals. Just in this past year, our network distributed 205 million pounds, which equates to 170 million meals --> that's a 193% increase in less than 20 years! We cannot manage our way out of this - we must LEAD our way out.

To make food first - you have to think of the whole system from the beginning to the end. Not much happens around the world if the farmers don't produce food and fiber for their consumers and the farmers have truly 'weathered the storm' over the past year.

Hear from our returning guest, Ernie Birchmeier, Livestock and Dairy Specialist at Michigan Farm Bureau. Ernie, Phil, and Gerry discuss the strong agriculture community, the impact of trade mitigation, trade agreements and more.

As always, FOOD FIRST! And - please thank a farmer!

'The best social program is a job.' - Ronald Reagan

Times have changed, however, Mr. Reagan. The best social program is now a job that actually pays a living wage.

Phil and Gerry delve into the current U.S. Department of Agriculture policy concerning food insecurity in America, the threshold of poverty, and the most up-to-date Self-Sufficiency Standard (SSS). The SSS determines the budget needed for 719 family styles in each county in Michigan to be independent and is incredibly powerful.

https://www.fbcmich.org/selfsufficiencystandard

'If there is one person in this country that is hunger, that is one too many.' - Ronald Reagan

Cutting food waste is a delicious way of saving money, helping create food security and protect the planet. Waste not, want not.

A favorite of many, Sheril Kirshenbaum is featured on this week’s show. Sheril is the ED of Science Debate as well as the host of 'Serving up Science' on PBSDS. Sheril has a refreshing approach to science and reality with a thought-provoking view on food waste and climate change.

If we could just waste less of the food we produce - it would take us a long way to making things better.

Did you know --> 1/3 of everything that's produced for human consumption around the world gets WASTED! If food waste were its our own country - it would rank #3 in greenhouse gas emissions. Food waste takes up over 1/4 (28%) of our agricultural land and costs the U.S. over $218 billion. Imagine what we could do with that $?!

In 2020, we produce enough food to feed everyone, but it doesn't reach everyone due to distributional shortcomings as well as economic and social inequality.

Buy what you need and eat what you buy. SIMPLE.

Many are called, few are chosen.

Peter Vogel, CEO of the South Michigan Food Bank was chosen for this work. Peter is investing his one handful of life by helping others, standing in the gap for those who need it, changing people and places, making things better, fixing broken organizations and making a HUGE difference!

Phil, Gerry and Peter discuss Peter's niche of taking non-profit organizations that are struggling, but have a lot of potential and figure out how to build them up and so much more. His gifts are truly endless.

What happens to healthy things? They grow!

'Agriculture is the most healthful, most useful and most noble employment of man.' -George Washington

Listen in to hear the update on the detrimental role that the weather played in the fields this spring and fall from Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development - MDARD Director Gary McDowell. Director McDowell, Phil, and Gerry discuss the extreme hardships that Michigan's farmers went through and quite honestly, most are still going through.

MDARD and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are working to prepare for yet another wet year while putting commodity groups in place to be prepared as possible.

Although Michigan's growing season is short, we remain the second most agriculturally diverse state with the agriculture sector contributing $1.5 billion into the state’s economy.

The Food Bank Council of Michigan and its 7 member food banks distributed 205 million pounds of food across Michigan in 2019, with 80 million pounds being produced. Having a plethora of produce enables the clients to have a choice - a choice provides dignity and helps reduce waste.

*If you haven't already, thank a farmer*

This episode features Lou Glazer, President of Michigan Future Inc.., an Ann Arbor-based Think Tank. Lou defines reality about a self-sufficient wage in his most recent op-ed in Crain's Detroit Business - https://bit.ly/37sKLaA.

Today, there are more Michigan households that are unable to pay for basic necessities than there were in 2010 when MI was just starting to recover from the recession. WHY? Because wages and benefits are rising slower than the cost of necessities (food, housing, childcare, and transportation).

The Food Bank Council of Michigan published the Self-Sufficiency Standard to establish how much is enough for who and where in Michigan. The Self-Sufficiency Standard for Michigan (https://www.fbcmich.org/selfsufficiencystandard) is far more accurate than the outdated federal poverty measure used to determine eligibility for work supports.

The right way to think about the economy is if the people can pay their bills and raise a family, not by the stock market. When there are HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS of CHILDREN in our state that are HUNGRY, the economy is NOT good enough!