August 4, 2012
By Chief (Select) Mass Communication Specialist (SW/AW) Monique K. Hilley
WASHINGTON (NNS) — Navy commands have donated 402,315 pounds as of week eight of the campaign to the 2012 Feds Feed Families drive, topping the Navy’s goal of 396,000 pounds for the entire three month campaign.
Navy personnel have taken an incredible initiative so far with ensuring collection points are well identified and accessible across bases worldwide, collecting those goods, and donating them to charities both locally and around the world.
“The generosity has been overwhelming in regard to the generous spirit of our personnel both here in our regions and installations in the United States, as well as abroad,” said Cmdr. Glenda Jennings Harrison, Supervisory Chaplain for Operations at Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC). “The Sailors are excited about being part of a campaign that builds community and lets the community at large know that they are caring and responsive to the struggles many are facing during these hard economic times.”
Navy Chaplains emphasize that while meeting our goal is wonderful news, it is not the time to slow down donating just because our goal has been met. Boxes will be picked up again throughout all Navy regions and installations on each Friday during the month of August and donated to local food banks. The campaign will end on August 31.
“Sailors at the grassroots level are doing the logistics and organizing this campaign,” said Harrison. “The success of Feds Feed Families so far is a testament to the quality and work ethic of these Sailors. They are doing a great job and it speaks volumes to who they are.”
Navy Region Japan has the highest CNIC contribution total so far, donating 220,500 pounds to food banks both in their region and across the United States, including Oregon Food Bank, Second Harvest Food Banks, Community Food Bank of New Jersey, Feeding South Dakota Food Bank, Food Bank for the Heartland, Food Bank of Alaska and God’s Pantry Food Bank. CNIC’s eleven regions and 70 installations have donated to more than 150 food banks worldwide.
“It has been a worthwhile cause and our folks have really come to the forefront to lead the effort, demonstrating the Navy truly is a Global Force for Good,” said Harrison.
For the past four years, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has held an annual Feds Feed Families campaign to provide nourishment to those in need during the summer months when a void exists due to lower donations than around the holiday months. In 2011, OPM asked the Department of Defense (DOD) to join the effort and they’ve been stepping up to the plate to shatter each goal set over the course of the last two years.
In 2011, OPM set a goal of 2 million pounds and DOD’s goal was 733,800 pounds. Their final donation contributions totaled an astounding 5,793,446 pounds, with DOD having donated 2,004,613 pounds toward that total. That is equivalent to over 64,000 pounds per day. Due to the incredible success of last year’s campaign, OPM has set a goal of 5 million pounds, with DOD committing to donating 1.5 million pounds to help meet that goal. This year’s campaign motto is “Beat Our Best.” With the dedication and hard work being put forth by our service members and federal employees alike, we are on track to do just that.
Food banks across the National Capital Region and around the country are facing severe shortages of non-perishable items as the summer months leave children without school nutrition programs. The fourth annual “Feds Feed Families” (FFF) Food Drive 2012, underway through August, encourages the Federal workforce to continue to support our neighbors, families, and communities across the nation by donating nonperishable food.