252nd Week Update - Miles Neighborhood One Can A Week Project

Hi Folks,

Thanks to Sprouts

       This...             Becomes This... 

For Many Needy Folks

This Thanksgiving Holiday

Friday morning Richard Rodriguez, the manager for Sprouts Farmers Market on Speedway called me to say he had 10 large bins full of pumpkins he wanted to donate to the Community Food Bank.

Within a few minutes I had Jacob Coldsmith, the Community Food Bank Director of Logistics on the phone. He took the information and called Richard himself. Later that day when I was at Sprouts measuring a shopping cart for signage, Richard told me he needed Jacob to respond quickly because the fork lift drive’s shift was over in an hour. Jacob did just that and was at the supermarket in 20 minutes with a huge refrigerator truck.

Jacob was doing his own marketing by driving that truck. He wanted Richard to see that he can handle all kinds of perishable stuff. And in a hurry.

He not only picked up the 10 bins of pumpkins at the Speedway supermarket, Jacob also snagged the Broadway supermarket’s extra pumpkins. While he loaded the pumpkins at Speedway, the Sprouts Broadway manager called Richard to find out what he was doing with his extra pumpkins. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect so Jacob got them all.

Working with Jacob is a pleasure because he totally understands that he has to move at the “speed of business” especially when dealing with supermarket chains. Those folks have no time to spare. Food comes in fast and what doesn’t sell has to move out just as fast.

Richard had another option if the Food Bank couldn’t meet his schedule. He was thinking about feeding the pumpkins to the elephants at the zoo. We both love elephants but he and I agreed, kids come first … and Jacob made it happen. 

Each

Community Food Bank Pumpkin

Comes With A User's Manual

When I arrived at the food bank today I called Jacob to find out how many pounds of pumpkin the two Sprouts supermarkets donated on Friday. His answer was staggering. Speedway’s total was 3,402 lbs. while Broadway came in at 2,200 lbs. for a grand total of 5,602 lbs.

That volume of pumpkin can produce 1,867 pies or loaves of bread, based on 3 lbs. of pumpkin generating enough puree for a single pie or loaf.

Jacob went back to his office and returned with another surprise. “We just don’t hand our clients nice looking pumpkins and say good luck,” he said smilingly. “We give them this, too.”

The Volunteer Department at the Community Food Bank created a very slick two sided flyer that included information on how to prepare and cook pumpkins, pumpkin nutritional facts and several tasty recipes.

This is another reason I love the Community Food Bank. They always think of things to help folks. That attention to detail makes me push just a little harder to find more food for them to distribute.

The 14^th Truck Load
It’s a little too soon for the holiday rush, however, calls for pick ups are … well, picking up. This week’s donations amounted to 520 lbs. and included: Mayor Rothschild, 38 lbs.;  SwanRise Productions, 30 lbs.; Pete Swan Productions, 2 lbs.; Miles School, 158 lbs.; Sprouts – Speedway, 132 lbs.; and Miles Neighborhood, 160 lbs.

Lot’s of Trash … Gone
All three roll-off bins were filled to capacity. Alley mattresses, couches by dumpsters and loads of unwanted vegetation left the neighborhood today. This is what Environmental Services hopes for when they provide those free roll-offs.

Look around the neighborhood, it is quite spiffy. In the spring, more free roll-offs will appear so get ready.

We collected a total of 160 lbs. of food. The money we donated amounted to $32.00, a $25.00 check and $7.00 in cash.

See you Sunday,

Peter