Happy National Eating Healthy Day, Cleveland!

The Hunger Network of Greater Cleveland is proud to be participating in yet another healthy eating campaign!  The American Heart Association's National Eating Healthy Day is today - Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014. Today, Americans are encouraged to commit to healthier eating and we are no difference at the HNGC. In fact, the Stay Well Project hosted an event at Faith Baptist Church and Wellness Center this afternoon. We discussed mental wellness, our topic of the month along with our preventative health screenings and medical navigation that we implement at every health event thanks to our amazing community partners. In addition to these activities, we also distributed foods packed with healthy omega-3 fatty acids and lots of recipes that incorporate brain-healthy nutrients. 

In the Stay Well Project, we are bridging the gap between hunger and health.  By emphasizing diet and lifestyle as the primary vehicle for physical, mental and emotional wellness, we are getting people to become and stay well!  We are proud to support national initiatives and events that further promote that goal. 


It’s not to late to participate in today’s healthy eating campaign; for more information on National Eating Healthy Day, please visit Heart.org.

Stay Well Celebrates Food Day!

National Food Day is October 24^th 2014.  This day is designed to “resolve to make changes in our own diets and to take action to solve food-related problems in our communities at the local, state, and national level”. One major focus of this year’s Food Day is on equitable food access, something the Hunger Network of Greater Cleveland advocates for every day right here in Cuyahoga County.

To celebrate this event, the Hunger Network, in partnership with the Healthy Cleveland 2.0 Initiative of Cleveland City Council, will be hosting special food demonstration at our monthly Stay Well Project event. Clients will gather at the Harvard Community Services Center, one of the Hunger Network’s 11 hunger centers selected to participate in Stay Well.  Since October is Cold and Flu month for Stay Well, we will have special flu-friendly food items that are affordable, easy to make, and antioxidant-rich.  Tiffani Gilbert from Cutting Board Academy will be leading these demonstrations. 

The Stay Well Project, in partnership with University Hospitals Department of Family Medicine and supported by the Mt. Sinai Health Care Foundation, always strives to take a diet and lifestyle approach to the prevention/management of disease, so this event is a great fit for us!  This event will also include our traditional health screenings (thanks to Tri-C School of Physician Assistants and Ohio Northern University School of Pharmacy), including blood pressure, blood sugar, body mass index and body fat percentage screenings, and Walgreens will be supplying free flu shots to anyone interested in receiving one. 

The Stay Well Project is free and open to all!  More information can be found here. 

Event Details:

Where: Harvard Community Services Center, 18240 Harvard Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio

When: From 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

Andy's Hunger Action Month Challenge!

Andy the Apple whispered to me (okay, maybe a little louder than a whisper) that September is Hunger Action Month.  What does that mean, I asked?  It means that September is a time to focus attention on the nationwide problem of hunger in our communities – and for the Hunger Network of Greater Cleveland, that means right here in our Cleveland-area communities!

As Andy so aptly says, by working together we can make a difference.  In Cuyahoga County, there are more than 274,000 people who visit local food pantries and hot meal sites a year.  That’s one in six people!  That could well be your neighbor, your friend or a co-worker.  And nearly half of the hungry are children.  It seems like a lot of people in need – and it is!

But, in Andy’s words, giving a little, helps a lot.  For Hunger Action Month, we at the Hunger Network challenge you to make a difference this month.  Take action!  

Andy has conveniently listed some suggestions on our website, but asked me to recap.  There are three main ways in which you can help!  You can donate funds. You can educate your 

co-workers, friends and family. And you can join the Hunger Network at a community event.

Donating funds is easy.  You can make a secure donation online at our website, HungerNetwork.org.  Or you can text FOOD to 80100 to donate $10.  You can also simply mail a check into our office.  Remember, $1.00 buys 4 meals at one of our food pantries or hot meal sites.  Ten dollars pays for forty meals!

Try getting your office involved!  Conduct a “Jeans Day” or “Dress Down Day”, host a bake sale, auction off a reserved parking space or sell Hunger Network apples in your office or company (apples can be printed off our website).  

How many of your co-workers know what the Hunger Network does?  Andy suggests using our website and video as an educational tool.  A Hunger Network employee would also be happy to visit your business or organization to share information about our programs and services.

Andy, along with many of the Hunger Network staff and volunteers, will be out in the community at several upcoming events. We invite you to join us at the Whiskey Island Brew-B-Q, benefiting the Hunger Network, on Saturday, September 20th from 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. at Whiskey Island.  The 8th Annual Rolling on the River is a casino-themed Hunger Network benefit on Friday, September 26th from 7:30 – 11:30 p.m. at Windows on the River in the flats.  And the Michael Sone Recreation Center at 6301 Lorain Avenue will be the site of a Potluck in the Park from 4:30 – 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 27th.  More information on all these events can be found on our website.  

Take Andy’s challenge and take action to help us fight hunger in our community!  Together, we can make a difference!

First Annual Spin for Din was a Spinning Success

The Hunger Network held its first ever “Spin for Din: Help Feed Cleveland’s Hungry Families” in collaboration with Psycle Therapy this past Sunday on August 24, 2014. The event, hosted at Crocker Park in Westlake, was a huge success raising almost $6,000 in support of the Hunger Network’s mission to provide meals to hungry residents of Cuyahoga County. Throughout the course of the very sunny day, over 130 riders received an outdoor cycling class from various instructors from Psycle. The 45-minute workouts were paired to the musical stylings of DJ Smoov of CLE Music Group and were upbeat, intense, and empowering.

As the photographer for the event, I got to witness riders of all ages, shapes, and sizes participate and have a blast at the event. The blazing sun didn't seem to have any effect on the intensity of the instructors nor did it have much of an effect on the riders. In fact, throughout the 85 degree day during the four 45-minute spin sessions, Psycle instructors would dance up and down the rows of stationary bikes spraying the riders with ice cold water.

After the first two sessions, I was so inspired by the amount of fun the riders were having while simultaneously getting in a great workout, that I decided, spur-of-the-moment, to participate in the third session as a rider. I've taken spinning classes before but this one was by far the best and most rewarding.

Besides the outdoor spin classes that had limited spots, Spin for Din also featured lots of giveaways from participating sponsors: Nooma, SkyZone, Zippy Shell [who assisted in the transportation of the stationary bikes from Psycle’s studio to Crocker Park], the popular food truck “Wok ‘n Roll,” as well as a truck selling apparel from Fresh Brewed Tees, who also designed shirts specifically for the event.  These specially-designed Psycle t-shirts were not just awesome swag for riders to purchase, but a fundraising effort, as well. Psycle generously donated $5 back to the HNGC for each shirt sold – and guess what, they SOLD OUT! Don’t worry Cleveland, a new order has already been placed and shelves at Psycle will be stocked soon.

Special thanks to all of those that participated as a rider or as a sponsor, especially everyone at Psycle! The day would not have been the same without the energy and excitement that their staff brought to the event. Even though it was the Hunger Network’s first time putting on Spin for Din this year, it was such a big success that we hope it will continue to be one of our featured events in years to come.

Check out more photos HERE

To make a donation to the Hunger Network, visit us at HungerNetwork.org 

The Gardens that Keep Giving

Featured blog from the desk of Judy Jones, Development Director

Recently, Andy the Apple told me about our Garden of Giving program, and suggested I visit some of the gardens hosted by our Hunger Network sites.  And so I found my way (with the able assistance of a patient colleague) to the Parma Lutheran Church Community Garden.  The church is one of our main food pantry sites and is blessed to have volunteers who toil long hours in the garden so that Hunger Network clients can have better access to fresh produce.

And what I found was amazing! Garden plots that were being harvested only for Hunger Network clients - and also garden plots that were generated by private individuals, but whose generosity extends to donating at least 10% - and usually more – of their product to the hungry.

Parma Lutheran Church established their community garden in 2011, and today boasts 24 leased plots and four dedicated Hunger Center plots.  Last summer, an amazing 1,476 pounds of produce was harvested specifically for use at the Hunger Center, helping to feed the over 14,000 people who came to the Center in need of food.

In addition to tomatoes, the Parma Lutheran community garden also harvests peppers, green beans, lettuce, kale, radishes, eggplant and more – and this year have added potatoes to the mix.  In just three short summers, the garden’s donations top 3,100 pounds- saving the Center thousands of dollars and providing farm fresh nutritious produce to the hungry in the community.

I was awed to see that not only does the Parma Lutheran garden grow their own produce but they also are very eco-conscious, with a dedicated system of collecting water through rain barrels and compost bins to encourage the recycling of healthy plant waste.

The Parma site is just one of at least six community gardens hosted by a Hunger Network partner providing fresh produce to a Hunger Network food site.  Other gardens include Lakewood Community Service, South East Clergy Hunger Center, Redeemer IHC Crisis Center, Bountiful Basement and Garden Valley.  Additionally, Andy the Apple tells me that there are many more area gardens that operate in conjunction with the OSU Extension Center which donate much of their produce to our hunger sites.

Bridging the gap between hunger and health is what the Hunger Network is all about, so with the Gardens of Giving program we can continue to offer fresh produce to the food-insecure people of our community, helping to ensure that not only do they have food to eat, but that they have access to healthy, nutritious food. A big thank you to our Community Garden partners for helping to make this possible!

Spin for Din: Help Feed Cleveland’s Hungry Families

I’m always up for something new, especially healthy activities! Next weekend the Hunger Network invites you to join us for “Spin for Din” presented by Psycle, hosted at Crocker Park...two of our amazing Cleveland neighbors!

Sunday, August 24th marks the first-ever “Spin for Din” – an awesome outdoor cycling experience for traditionally indoor cyclists! The team from Psycle will use their muscles, along with Zippy Shell’s convenient portable storage containers, to relocate all of the indoor cycling bikes to host an all day ride at Paradigm Theater within Crocker Park.

There will be 4 separate rides led by a team of experienced and enthusiastic instructors cycling to popular tunes provided by CLE Music Group’s live DJs. Other event supporters include: Brueggers Bagels, Nooma, Fresh Brewed Tees and more! It is sure to be an afternoon of fun in the sun as Clevelanders gather to raise their heart rates for good health and raise funds for the Hunger Network of Greater Cleveland!

Funds raised at “Spin for Din” will enable the Hunger Network to continue providing food and linkages to vital services for the 60,000 hungry neighbors monthly.  Did you know that 1 out of 5 children go to bed hungry every night?  It is sad, but true, and at times like these when resources are low and funds are being stretched. Fundraising events such as “Spin for Din” are crucial as we strive to continue providing these services within our community. Every $1 raised will provide 4 meals to a hungry neighbor!

Psycle’s motto is “Rock. Ride. Love.” Next week, Psycle will ROCK your world with a one-of-a-kind RIDE in the name of LOVE for our Cleveland community. You won’t want to miss it!

Rock with us, ride with us…sign up today HERE!

Andy Meets the Interns

This summer, the Hunger Network has welcomed 4 new faces to our family! Although temporary, the Network is still so excited and grateful for their hard work and dedication. I had the opportunity to sit down and chat with each one, and I am excited to introduce you to them!

[Above: Hanging out with interns Juliana, Leah and Lauren!]

Leah Backo joins the Development Department! A Bedford resident, Leah is a recent graduate from the University of Michigan where she obtained her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art & Design with a minor in Community Action & Social Change. Upon graduating, she moved back to her hometown in hopes that she could utilize her creative abilities to help those in need.  She taught art workshops in a juvenile facility in Michigan for a semester as well as in Ghana for a summer.  In her role as Summer Development Intern, she will assist the HNGC with the organization’s special events and hopes to pursue a career at a Cleveland nonprofit working on events and marketing one day soon. In the future, Leah plans to obtain a Master’s degree in either Social Work or Nonprofit Management.  

Our newest Stay Well Intern is Lauren Torkar of Chardon, OH. Lauren recently graduated from Kent State University where she studied Public Health Education and Promotion. Lauren has always been driven to help others and has volunteered for many organizations including Women’s Safe, Habitat for Humanity, Chardon Lions Club, The Red Cross and various churches. Lauren chose to pursue an internship with the HNGC to have an opportunity to help people in the community while being a part of a successful and growing organization. When asked what she most looked forward to doing while with us she responded “I believe that people who continuously give back to others are the most lively and thriving in life, so I feel this will be a great learning and growing experience for me.” Upon finishing her internship, Lauren plans to either pursue a career in the field of health education and promotion or continue on to graduate school to earn a Master’s Degree in Public Health.

As the HNGC’s Stay Well Project grows into year #3, so does their team of dedicated interns! Juliana Fishleigh joins the Network as our first-ever Dietetics Intern! She is currently an undergraduate student at Cleveland State University and is majoring in Health Science. Juliana found this opportunity as a “perfect fit” for her, as she hopes to be a full-time nutritionist upon graduation from college this December. In her second month at the Hunger Network, she has found her experience to be exciting and educational already. She receives guidance from resident dietitians and food scientists about what dietary issues relate to our monthly topics and how to best use that information to implement various demonstrations, complete with recipes and cost guides. 

Last, but certainly not least is Sonia Nagpaul! Sonia joins the Network as the Summer Program Intern. She lives in Lyndhurst and is currently a senior at Cleveland State University studying Human Resources and Communications. She chose the Hunger Network to gain some experience in the business side of an organization but she has also enjoyed volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House and Montefiore Nursing Home. Her duties in the Program Department include compiling and inputting data from client surveys and assisting with the scheduling of product delivery.  She hopes to gain a job in Human Resources with a Cleveland-area company upon graduation.

The next few months are sure to be extra exciting with all of our extra helping hands!