SAFB kicks off Feds Feed Families campaign, benefits WFAFB

  • Published
  • By John Ingle
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs

SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas – Wichita Falls Area Food Bank has a vision of hunger-free communities and a mission of fighting hunger with food, education and advocacy to achieve it.

The Wichita Falls area faces a 6.9 million meal gap, a fact not known by many. This means that 39,050 people in the 12 county service area are struggling to find their next meal. However, in the last three years, the WFAFB has reduced this meal gap to 3.7 million.

Sheppard AFB will team up to with the Feds Feed Families campaign to collect donations from Sept. 24-Oct. 18 for Wichita Falls Area Food Bank to stay stocked during low-giving season months. The theme for this food drive is “Team Sheppard: one team, one fight against hunger."

In addition to a clear vision and a precise mission, the WFAFB provides service to people in need through their core values, including integrity, service, stewardship and accountability. These ideals are extremely similar to those embodied in the Air Force core values of integrity first, service before self and excellence in all we do.

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VIDEO | 00:18 | Sheppard AFB Feds Feed Families_1
Preferred food items per the Wichita Falls Area Food Bank include:

  • Canned protein – tuna, chicken, turkey
  • Canned fruit in 100 percent or lite syrup
  • Low sodium canned vegetables
  • Brown rice, quinoa, oats
  • Beans – canned or dry
  • Powdered, shelf-stable, or evaporated skim or 1 percent milk
  • Cereal (low in sugar)
  • Rice, quinoa, oats
  • Pasta (whole grain)
  • Peanut butter
  • Dried fruit

 

Units across Sheppard are encouraged to donate. Donation boxes will be available for units if needed, but boxes may not be necessary. To add to the fun of giving, every unit is challenged to build a sculpture representing an Air Force, Sheppard, or unit mission theme out of donated cans, boxes and other packaging. Participation is optional and units can still donate food without building a sculpture.

Sculptures will be judge by a panel of members assembled from across Team Sheppard on Oct. 18. Public Affairs will provide photo/prints of the winning sculpture to be displayed throughout the installation and prominently online.

Rules:

  1. One entry per unit. All units must pre-register with Public Affairs using the attached entry form. Units planning to participate in the sculpture competition must register no later than Sept. 28.
  2. Participation is strictly volunteer. All food in the sculpture must be acquired through donations.
  3. Do not remove any of the food labels.
  4. Keep props or non-donatable foods to a minimum.
  5. Canned food can be joined using any of the following methods: Clear packaging tape, double sided tape, duct tape, Velcro, fishing line, wire, rubber bands, zip straps etc. Any method that provides easy demounting is permitted provided the labels and cans are not damaged. No gluing, welding or other permanent affixing of cans allowed.
  6. Always observe safety precautions.

For more information about Feds Feed Families, visit https://www.usda.gov/our-agency/initiatives/feds-feed-families

Information about the WFAFB can be found at https://www.wfafb.org/.