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SEPTEMBER 15TH & 16TH marks the Grind Out Hunger Annual Holiday Food Drive Kick-Off!

Grind Out Hunger is kicking off our annual food drive at the Santa Cruz County Fair during Education Days on the 15^th and 16th.  We will be teaming up with Elementary schools all across Santa Cruz County to fill a customized, Plexiglas half-pipe FULL of non-perishable food items in an effort to get food into the homes of families all across Santa Cruz County.

Since 2004 Grind Out Hunger has partnered up with Elementary, Middle, and High schools all over Santa Cruz County to get the student body involved with their schools Holiday Food Drive.  Last year Grind Out Hunger infiltrated 30 Santa Cruz county schools to raise over 130,000 pounds of food, and for 2010 we are aiming high and looking to double those numbers at 250,000 pound goal.

On the 15^th and 16^th we will be keeping track of every pound of food donated by participating schools.  Those numbers will be consolidated into each schools overall Holiday Food Drive donations, as well as Grind Out Hunger’s overall numbers for 2010.  Participating in the Grind Out Hunger Kick-Off is an easy way to get started early on boosting your school’s annual Holiday Food Drive numbers!

Last year Gateway Elementary School raised 6,403 pounds of food for the Santa Cruz community.   Along with the honor and recognition that came along with being the elementary school that raised the most pounds of food per student in Santa Cruz county, Gateway Elementary also won a Grind Out Hunger gift package.  The 2010 Grind Out Hunger winner will receive gift certificates to Santa Cruz Skate and Surf Shop and SkateWorks Skate Shop, a Jimbo Phillips customized Grind Out Hunger Skate Deck Trophy and countywide recognition at Second Harvest Food Banks annual awards dinner.

Come out and kick off your school’s annual Holiday Food Drive with us at Santa Cruz County Fair!  We’re looking forward to working with you!

Sincerely,

Danny Keith

Grind Out Hunger Founder

For more information and details around the Grind Out Hunger food drive go to www.grindouthunger.org or contact:

Bly Morales

Community Food Drives & Development Manager

831-772-7110 X226 or 831-566-2805

Sam Neider

School Food Drives & Events Associate

831-359-5579

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Santa Cruz Skate and Surf Shop put Grind Out Hunger on the map in 2003 by recognizing the need to inspire children in the schools that year the total raise was 8000 pounds. Fast Forward to 2009 and the youth of Santa Cruz County pulled in 130,000 pounds bringing the 7 year total to around 500,000 pounds overall.

SkateWorks Skate Shop, born and bred skateboarding in Santa Cruz County for over 22 years, will bring a steady constituency of hard core skateboarders to help drive the message of feeding children. Jason Strubing managing partner states “turn those canned lima beans in the back of the pantry into a new skateboard? Sounds like a win-win. I wish that option was available when I was in school…” he goes on to say “seriously, how can we be letting kids go hungry in Santa Cruz County?”.   SkateWorks Skate Shop is a new partner for 2010.

KDON 102.5 has been a community leader for quite some time when asked about the reason to support Grind Out Hunger, Sam Diggedy of KDON 102.5’s The Morning Madhouse quips “Anything that gets kids helping kids, KDON wants to be a part of, especially when it has to do with skateboarding and feeding children.” KDON 102.5 has been a part of Grind Out Hunger since 2008.

Jimbo Phillips has been a skateboard artist since the day he was born.  Jimbo bought in early for Grind Out Hunger, “I feel blessed to be doing what I do and this is a way for me to give back to the community and feed kids through my art” creating the FoodBank skater, he has lent his creative hand to a worthy cause, Jimbo explains “Seeing the effect and response to the skateboard art I created, the graphic provided the breath of life needed for Grind Out Hunger to succeed”. Jimbo Phillips Graphix has been a partner since 2006.

Local Rotarians encompass the mission statement “The mission of Rotary is to provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through its fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.” And they have not missed a beat by stepping in and networking the 7 area Rotary Interact clubs in the high schools to get involved. Through this pilot ambassadorship Grind Out Hunger truly has the legs it needs to be successful now more than ever.

Grind Out Hunger was created through the vision of skateboarders helping kids overcome hunger. Santa Cruz Skate and Surf  Shop founded Grind Out Hunger with the one goal of inspiring kids to help kids; Danny Keith mentions “by going directly to the schools and talking with the kids, it has a huge impact.” Grind Out Hunger is an educational piece challenging local elementary, middle and high schools to raise food and money for hungry children in the community. The school that raises the most pounds per student is awarded gift certificates to Santa Cruz Skate and Surf Shop and SkateWorks Skate Shop total valued at $1800. Keith continues “The collaboration between students and Grind Out Hunger has been very successful raising over 500,000 pounds together”. This year UCSC and Cabrillo colleges will enter the fray to compete as well.

Grind Out Hunger 2010 goal is 250,000 pounds to almost double last year’s raise of 130,000 pounds. The window this year starts September 15^th with the Santa Cruz County Fair education days and completes itself December 20th.

The 2010 Grind Out Hunger skateboard deck is hand drawn by Jimbo Phillips and will be sold for $100 with all proceeds benefitting Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County and awarded to the winning schools as annual trophy.

Please contact Bly Morales or Samantha Neider at Second Harvest Food Bank to get involved.

Websites to visit

http://www.thefoodbank.org

http://www.grindouthunger.org

http://www.santacruzbuilt.com

http://www.skateworks.com

http://www.kdon.com

http://www.jimbosgraphix.com

http://www.skateboards.com

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I always enjoy going out to the schools and talking to kids. This is the second year we Grind Out Hunger has engaged Gateway School for the Second Harvest/Grind Out Hunger campaign it was a great place to start. Ok, so can I brag a little about Gateway…2007-2008 the school only raised 797 pounds…in 2008-2009 they hit Emerald Status and brought in a whopping 2763 pounds an increase of 246%!!! I issued the challenge for 2009-2010, the kids were on it and ready to go big again this year. Thanks to Lisa and Bly from Second Harvest Food Bank for being so on it and kicking off the year with a bang. If you want Grind Out Hunger to come to your school please contact Bly Morales bly@thefoodbank.org to get donation barrels, schedule a speaking engagement or request a DVD about the program. Lets all help each other and Grind Out Hunger.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:                                Lisa Allyn, Development Director

Telephone Number: w: 831-722-7110 ext 217

Email Address: lisa@thefoodbank.org

Web site addresses: www.thefoodbank.org and www.grindouthunger.org

Word Count: 358 

Grind Out Hunger Campaign Begins

Local Schools Target Goal of 100,000 Pounds of Food

Santa Cruz—News of the economic crisis can be dispiriting. The Food Research and Action Center recently reported that 18.5% of California’s children live in poverty. We know that 1 in 4 kids in Santa Cruz County have experienced hunger in the last year. In spite of this, our community has a great opportunity to fight these grim statistics. Local schools, Santa Cruz Skate Shop and Second Harvest Food Bank are collaborating to combat childhood hunger this year with the Grind Out Hunger campaign.

Over the past four years, kids of all ages have contributed over 220,000 pounds of food for their peers in need as part of Grind Out Hunger. This year, Santa Cruz Skate Shop owner Danny Keith is challenging schools to bring in at least 100,000 pounds. He will travel all over the county in the coming weeks to talk about how local kids can help each other to get the nourishment they need to grow and learn. He will also be talking about prizes.

“We’ll be awarding the schools who give the most food with gift certificates to Santa Cruz Skate Shop. Last year we gave away $1,200 in merchandise of the winners’ choices, and we’ll do the same again this year,” said Danny Keith.

“We’re very excited to be working with Danny again this year,” said Second Harvest Development Director Lisa Allyn. “It’s so wonderful for students to be able to help their peers in such a direct way while working towards a goal.” Allyn added that the food drive will last from October 5-November 20. Students can fill barrels at their schools with non-perishable items such as cereal, canned items, and dry goods. They may also donate cash. “We can make cash donations go pretty far, so each $1 that a school donates will be equivalent to 3 pounds of food,” said Allyn.

To learn more about the Grind Out Hunger food drive, contact Bly Morales at (831) 722-7110 x 226 or bly@thefoodbank.org or go to www.grindouthunger.org. You can view a video about Grind Out Hunger at www.thefoodbank.org.

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How to Run a Food Drive:

Step1: Select Food Drive Dates
First, you should decide on dates for your food drive. For our Holiday drive we sponsor the dates of  September 15th to December 20th.  You can run the Grind Out Hunger for the whole period or just a few weeks. It is up to your school’s administration.

Step 2: Set a Goal
Each $1 counts as 3 pounds of food. A great tip for a successful food drive is setting a goal. Start off with 5 pounds per student 800 students x 5 pounds = 4000 pounds.

Step 3: How Many Barrels?
Determine how many barrels to order (one barrel holds an average of 125 pounds of food).

Step 4: Schedule Delivery and Pickup
Once you have planned your drive, you should contact Second Harvest to arrange for delivery of barrels, donation envelopes, bags and other supplies you may need to conduct your drive.

Step 5: Fill Out Participation Form/Contact Second Harvest
Download and complete our Participation Form 2011 (65)  and read the 2011 School Welcome Letter (64) . Email the completed form to shawn@thefoodbank.org OR bly@thefoodbank.org

Step 6: Get Creative!
Compete against classrooms, add competition to your homecoming, challenge your teachers, plan an event, collect food or cash from your neighbors and friends.

Contact Bly Morales at (831) 722-7110 ext. 226 Shawn Hatjes or Danny Keith with questions.

Grind Out Hunger Forms:
Participation Form 2011 (65)
2011 School Welcome Letter (64)

Winners are determined by the amount of pounds raised per student in each school. Winners for each category get gift certificates to SkateWorks Skate Shop and Santa Cruz Skate and Surf Shop Elementary and Middle Schools get $450 each and High Schools receive $900.

Lets help Grind Out Hunger!!!