Newsletters:
Summer 2002 Newsletter
Letter from Vic Basile,
Executive Director
Greetings to all of our clients, friends,
volunteers and supporters!
I am very proud and excited about how much
this little organization has accomplished
over the past several months and I am eager
to tell you about it. As many of you know,
Moveable Feast has been in existence for
more than 13 years. Through the hard and
dedicated work of literally thousands of
people over those years, not a single client
has missed a meal. Proud as we are of that
remarkable achievement, much remains to be
done.
Sadly, the rate of new infection in the
Baltimore region continues to grow at an
alarming speed so we must all redouble our
efforts to reach everyone who needs our
service. But beyond delivering nutritious
meals to the region’s HIV infected
population, Moveable Feast provides other
important services, such as transporting
clients to medical appointments. We also
have a registered dietician on the staff to
provide individualized nutritional
counseling to clients, and we operate the
People on the Move program which employs
HIV+ people as shuttle drivers.
Our newest program, funded in large part
by the Abell Foundation and Phillip Morris,
will train clients, whose health now allows
them to re-enter the workforce, for jobs in
the food service industry. You can read more
about this exciting new program elsewhere in
this newsletter.
To launch and keep all of these programs
running requires money – a lot of money.
Some of the money comes from the Federal
Government and the State of Maryland; and
some comes through the generous support of
area foundations. However, much of it must
be raised from individuals who care deeply
about these issues and the work that we do.
They will show their support by attending
our annual FALL GALA on November 10. Or they
will take part in the most ambitious and
exciting event so far, our first annual RIDE
FOR THE FEAST, a 150-mile bike ride that we
hope will raise $250,000 for the services we
provide. Through corporate underwriting, we
are aiming to make every dollar raised by
riders go directly to our services. This is
a grand undertaking for Moveable Feast, but
one that I am sure our capable and
professional volunteers and staff can do
perfectly. And it will be the first such
ride to come to Maryland.
Still others participate in DINING OUT
FOR LIFE, a restaurant event that this past
spring provided Moveable Feast more than
$86,000, nearly twice as much as the year
before.
Even with all of these events, Moveable
Feast can boast that our administrative and
fundraising costs were under 15%, far below
the industry standard. It is a rule-of-thumb
that a nonprofit should have administrative
costs of between 20% and 25%. It’s a rarity
in the nonprofit sector when an organization
will brag about how LOW its numbers are!
$86K
Amount raised on Dining Out For Life 2002,
nearly twice as much as in 2001.
15%
Operating and fundraising expenses for
Moveable Feast, well below the 20-25%
average.
$250K
Amount Moveable Feast plans to raise from
the 2003 Ride for the Feast.
As proud as we are of our great service
and efficient use of resources, none of it
would be possible if it were not for the
dedicated and passionate efforts of our
volunteers, who make the heart of this
organization beat. They keep us true to our
mission and help us shape our vision. They,
and especially our clients, give our mission
a human face. They remind us of how terribly
important food and nutrition are in the
battle against HIV/AIDS. I speak for myself
and for the entire staff at Moveable Feast
when I say how inspiring it is to work
alongside so many dedicated volunteers and
to serve so many wonderful clients. They are
constant reminders of our purpose. To them,
I extend my deepest thanks.
But that doesn’t leave the rest of you
out. You too can join us and discover the
passion that so many have found at Moveable
Feast, so please consider getting involved.
We need your time, your experience and your
dollars so that we can continue the battle
against HIV and AIDS.
An old saying states that in adversity a
man is saved by hope. The entire staff and I
are grateful to work with an organization
that can create hope and promise in the
lives of so many.
Thank you all so much for the support
that you have given, and may we continue to
win the battle against HIV/AIDS.
Vic Basile
Executive Director/advocate
The Many Heroes of Moveable Feast
Like so many other community
organizations, Moveable Feast would not be
able to function without the dedicated and
selfless support of volunteers. In 2001,
Moveable Feast saw 2,163 volunteers rack up
an extraordinary 10,687 service hours.
Estimating that it would cost $8 an hour to
have that same amount of work done by
employees, Moveable Feast volunteers last
year contributed a combined total of $89,936
worth of work to the organization.
One volunteer, Ruth Sutor, has been with
Moveable Feast for three years, and has
spent more than 240 hours working in the
kitchen. Her dedicated efforts make her one
of our true heroes.
Ruth, now 75 years old, makes the weekly
trek to Moveable Feast from her home in
Reisterstown - almost 70 miles roundtrip.
She enjoys spending time with her
grandchildren, whom she cares for in the
afternoon, and she enjoys antiquing, always
eager to add a new hat pin to her large
collection.
Moveable Feast volunteer Ruth Sutor
Thank
YOU!
Moveable Feast would like to extend our
fondest appreciation to those who dedicated
their time, money, or services to making
this year’s DINING OUT FOR LIFE fundraiser
such a resounding success...
Through the
efforts of countless patrons, our dedicated
volunteers, and 126 community-minded
restaurants who participated, we doubled our
success over last year, raising over
$86,000!
Asked what she loved about Moveable
Feast, Ruth said “I love that I can come
here and help people who need my help.And I
love the strong community atmosphere that
exists, from the employees and staff all the
way to the volunteers in the kitchen and the
clients who receive the meals.”
Ruth saw an advertisement for Moveable
Feast three years ago when she was looking
to contribute her time to an organization.
Moveable Feast struck her as a worthy cause,
and she has been here ever since.
Asked about Ruth’s contributions,
Volunteer Manager Tom Patrick said, “Ruth
exemplifies the volunteer spirit of Moveable
Feast, and we are so grateful for her
efforts and for the efforts of all our
volunteers. Ruth truly is a Hero to Moveable
Feast.”
Ruth has been retired for several years
from her career as an accounting/payroll
clerk, and she says she will keep
volunteering at Moveable Feast until they
tell her to stop coming. According to Tom
Patrick, Ruth will be waiting for a long
time until that happens!
Moveable Feast is always in need of
volunteers like Ruth who can contribute any
amount of their time to meeting the
nutritional needs of Maryland’s HIV/AIDS
population. Groups and organizations are
also encouraged to volunteer.
If you are interested, please contact Tom
Patrick at 410/327-3420, extension 31, or
email him at
TPatrick@mfeast.org.
Food Safety at the Summer Picnic
By Susan Kopins, RD LD
Moveable Feast Nutritionist
Now that summer is upon us, and the
picnic season is here, it is very important
to watch the foods offered at such events.
With the blistering temperatures and high
humidity, keeping foods in a safe
temperature zone is a real challenge.
What is the temperature danger zone?
This is a zone between 40°F - 140°F in which
disease-causing bacteria can grow. It is
critical to keep foods out of that zone
whenever possible. It may sound impossible,
especially in this hot summer weather but
with proper planning, it is possible.
It is very important to make sure that
meats are cooked to the proper temperatures
to ensure they are safe to eat. Poultry
(chicken/turkey) must be cooked to an
internal temp of 165°F; hamburgers, hot
dogs, steaks, and pork to 155°F; Fish to
145°F. After cooking, maintain hot foods at
140°F or above to keep them out of the
temperature danger zone. Using a food
thermometer is a great investment in your
safety. They are readily available at
grocery stores and only cost a few dollars.
How do you serve foods?
Popular items such as coleslaw, macaroni,
pasta salad, potato salad, deviled eggs, and
tuna/chicken salad must be kept at 40°F to
ensure safe food consumption. If foods have
been left out for more than two hours,
without being properly chilled, they are
most likely spoiled and should be thrown
away. Do not try to re-chill this food for
later use.
A good way to keep foods chilled is to
place them in a separate cooler or ice bath.
Placing drinks in a separate cooler will
allow you to keep your food dishes
constantly chilled. Also, keep foods out of
the sun when possible. Make sure to have
enough ice on hand to keep food chilled
until it is eaten.
2,163
number of Moveable Feast volunteers in 2001.
10,687
number of total volunteer hours in 2001.
What is Food-Borne illness?
Some common food-borne organisms are:
- Salmonella – This bacteria
can be found in foods made with eggs,
meats and milk products such as salad
dressing, coleslaw, tuna/chicken salad,
deviled eggs, etc. It can cause diarrhea
and severe flu-like symptoms 12 to 24
hours after eating.
- Staphylococcus – This
bacteria is common in the foods listed
above, but it is also found in processed
meats, casseroles, chicken, spaghetti
and sauces made with milk. Severe
cramping, nausea, abdominal pain,
vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, headache
and fever can occur in 3 to 12 hours
after eating. This is one of the most
common food poisonings.
- E. Coli – This nasty microbe
is most commonly found in under-cooked
hamburger meat. Symptoms include
diarrhea, cramping, and possible fever.
This organism, in the severest form, is
known to cause death in the vulnerable
population. This is avoidable by
checking the internal temperatures of
the meat by using a food thermometer.
By following these helpful tips for safe
food handling, your picnic is sure to be fun
for everyone.
Easy Eatin’ Recipes...
Tuna Dinner
Ingredients:
- 1 Box 14.5 oz Macaroni & Cheese
Dinner – prepared
- 1 Cup Milk
- 2 6 oz. Can Tuna (drained)
- 2 10.5 oz cans Cream of Mushroom
Soup*
- 1 8.5 oz can Peas (drained) –
optional*
Prepare dinner as directed. Stir in soup
and milk. Gently stir in Tuna and Peas.
Heat to serving temperature.
Nutrition info:
- Calories per 1 cup serving: 500
- Protein: 19 g
- Fat: 19 g
- Sodium: 1000 mg
*Use low-salt soup and canned peas,
and the amount of sodium will decrease.
Ride for the Feast 2003
“Ocean to Harbor” bike ride sets
quarter million dollar goal to help feed
homebound HIV/Aids clients in Maryland
Moveable Feast will host Ride for the
Feast, an “Ocean to Harbor”, bike ride,
Saturday and Sunday, May 17 and 18, 2003,
from Rehoboth Beach, Delaware to Baltimore,
Maryland. Participants in the approximately
150- mile journey will raise (and hopefully
surpass) $250,000 to help feed homebound
Maryland residents living with HIV/AIDS.
Moveable Feast’s objective is to attract
200+ riders, each raising $1,200 in pledges.
Our plan is to secure enough corporate
underwriting to ensure that 100% of the
riders’ pledge dollars go directly to the
programs and projects of Moveable Feast.
Participants will be assigned a coach to
assist in meeting training and fundraising
goals.
Ride for the Feast Chair David Andrews
Departing from the Pavilion (oceanfront
and Rehoboth Avenue) in Rehoboth Beach, Ride
for the Feast will traverse a 100-mile flat
course through farmland and small towns in
Delaware and Maryland, with an overnight
stay in Stevensville on the East Side of the
Bay Bridge. Day two’s 50-mile component
concludes at Harbor Hospital for lunch
followed by a short ride to Baltimore’s War
Memorial Plaza for a closing ceremony.
Ride for the Feast will feature a fully
supported itinerary with pit stops every 15
to 20 miles where food, restroom facilities,
water, ice, medical care, and bike
maintenance services will be available.
For further information on the 2003
“Ocean to Harbor” Ride for the Feast,
including sponsorship opportunities,
registration details, or on becoming a
volunteer, please email
dandrews@mfeast.org or contact Rod Clark
at
Rclark@mfeast.org. Riders can register
at Moveable Feast’s website,
www.mfeast.org.
Culinary Skills Training at Moveable Feast
Moveable Feast has launched an exciting
new program aimed at teaching basic kitchen
and life-skills to former Moveable Feast
clients and others who are prepared to
re-enter the workforce.
Those enrolled in the program will attend
daily classes at the kitchen for 12 weeks,
where they will be trained in food safety,
preparation and cooking. At the end of the
program, the participants will become
industry-certified to make them valuable
members of today’s workforce. As the
participants train, they will also be
working in the kitchen preparing food for
Moveable Feast clients.
Moveable Feast has hired a seasoned chef
to teach the intensive course. Students will
learn all aspects of cooking like poaching,
grilling, roasting, and frying.
This is such an exemplary program.
Everyone benefits from this. Not just the
clients, but the companies who need labor,
and the communities too, because they will
have more skilled people joining the
workforce.
For information about the program, call
410/327-3420 extension 24, or email Tonei
Turk at
TTurk@mfeast.org.
