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A chance at a new life. by  r a wallace. Listen to the ► Podcast at Steamy Stories.  Chapter 3: Regrets? Wendy I woke the next morning lying beside a man who wasn't my husband and felt good about it. I didn't feel a bit of guilt as I looked at him. I'd done two, one-night stands in my life and wasn't excited with what I found next to me in the morning. One of the reasons I had sworn off drinking before meeting my husband. The amazing part was, I didn't feel a bit horny at the moment and wondered if that was going to be a problem–would he want more from me now?As I lay there I wondered if he had saved my life, not merely by accident because of the baseball, but because he saw I was troubled and stayed with me, so I wouldn't try to use the pistol again. That was what I had intended. I simply didn't know if he had or not, but probably. His bringing me home with him had certainly changed my thinking in that regard. I'd been ready to end my life over a man Robb felt wasn't worthy of my consideration. Not that the passion he had shown as he lay into me didn't tell me I was desirable to at least one man. It had a tremendous effect on me for reasons I didn't fully understand, and maybe never would. I felt a movement, then Robb rolled over toward me, his eyes open. When he saw me looking at him he smiled, causing me smile back. “Could you spare a kiss this morning? He asked. "You mean could I spare a kiss and something else?” “A kiss and then you let me hold you for a while. The something else is up to you.” I laughed as I rolled over onto him, “Make way mister, you're going to get an armful of woman.” I snuggled into him and heard him reply. “You mean an armful of beautiful woman.” The words melted me immediately. If he had wanted to control me for his pleasure, he had me–no contest. We lay together not speaking for a while, his hands caressing my leg and arm. I kissed his neck a few times, then snuggled and closed my eyes again–he pulled me closer. I could hear his heart beating, feel his chest rise and fall, and smell him. When was the last time I had been so intimate and comfortable with a man? I couldn't remember for sure. It was sad, but I couldn't, not even with my husband. Shit! My husband. I was going to have to go home and face him today. Would he even notice I hadn't come home? If he did would he even care? Knowing him, his only concern was that I would make him look bad–his wife not home and obedient where she should be. He would push for me to attend Fellowship with him in the afternoon to keep up appearances with the congregation. I pushed the thought away as my stomach tightened. I'd make this time with Robb last another hour, then face the reality of my life. At this juncture I realized I had one to live thanks to someone who cared enough for a woman crying on a park bench to intervene. It was as incredible as it seemed I realized. I was lying in bed with a man in my panties after he had promised to do what I asked of him to end my despair. “Are you hungry?” He asked. “Yes, actually I am.” “Does scrambled eggs, corned-beefed hash, and toast sound good to you?” The words made my mouth start to water. I realized I hadn't eaten but the Danish since the previous morning. My stomach gave an audible growl and I placed my hand over it as if it would hush it. “I'll take that as a ‘yes'”, he laughed lightly. “I have to pee,” I slid out of bed and headed for the bathroom. I finished my business, washed my hands, than looked into the mirror while running my fingers through my hair. I thought I looked hideous. Then I thought again about why I was here in the first place. That's what a tart looks like. At least a satisfied one. I swallowed hard, opened the bathroom door, and walked into the bedroom to see Robb sitting on the edge of the bed in his briefs. When he saw me his jaw dropped. “My god! Wendy, you're gorgeous. Drop dead gorgeous.” I stopped dead in my tracks, looking down to see my breasts standing proud, my flat stomach, pantie clad pelvis, my shapely legs, and my red polished toenails. The sunlight coming in through the window hitting my skin warmed it ever so slightly. I looked up at him as he rose from the bed with a smile. I wasn't sure what he was going to do– grab me and take me without asking? “My turn. Why don't you get dressed, I'll join you in a minute, so we can eat.” The bathroom door closed and I walked to where my blouse and skirt lie on the floor. His words, his expression, his smile of obvious delight with my appearance all came back to me. I put my bra on, finished dressing, and sat on the edge of the bed looking around. The bedroom was tastefully decorated and there was no sign in the form of a photograph, or other articles suggesting he had a girlfriend. Okay, if he was unattached that made it easier, I wasn't the 'other woman'. At least I hoped I wasn't. I knew who my husband was screwing when I saw them from the hallway– she headed the prayer group that met on Friday nights almost every week. I had gone to several of them and stopped going as it was too much for me– touting how a woman should respect her husband and honor his wishes even if she weren't entirely onboard with it. Yes, she espoused Christian women bear the fruit of the Spirit- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Well, so much for faithfulness and self-control parts. Peace might work too if you spelled it 'piece' and added two words. She was thin, with big boobs, and blonde hair that came out of a bottle. I'd met her husband twice and he made my husband look really good by comparison. It was obvious to me some of her prayers hadn't been answered. That, or God's plan for her was as flawed as my own. My husband was so deep into her they never noticed I was in the house. I had simply left in tears, devastated at the sight. Robb I was a little nervous as I opened my eyes–was she going to be ashamed, guilty, for what we'd done last night? Seeing her in the dim light the night before gave me hints she was well-endowed. It hadn't taken much effort to get her to orgasm. In fact, I had hardly gotten started when she gasped, and I felt her muscles contact around me. When she got on top she didn't hold anything back– she went all out. It was when she walked out of the bathroom that I saw her in full light for the first time– she was absolutely beautiful. Her husband had to be a real piece of work to walk away from someone like her. I was pleased I'd taken a low profile approach and brought her into my arms to comfort her when we woke. When she smiled her teeth showed from between nicely formed lips, her blue eyes sparkled. Though I knew it unwise to feel so protective, it made me want to never let her go. I reminded myself again she was separated from her husband, not divorced. She could go back to him, they could work things out. There are always two sides to a story– I could be the one to ruin their marriage. I had to admit it bothered me. Shit, what was I thinking? After what I saw, this woman was hurting and I had done the right thing by her. Don't overthink this dude, she needed someone, and you were there. Wendy I sat with a glass of orange juice as he made breakfast. I felt a little awkward just sitting there doing nothing. My husband would never cook because that was a woman's job. I tried to lighten the mood a little by asking Robb what he had planned for the day– at least it was a safe question. “I volunteer at the Community Food Bank, so I'll be working there most of the afternoon.” “Really, that sounds nice, I bet you meet a lot of interesting people there.” “I do, but sometimes it's hard to see how many people with young children have to rely on it. I never knew how many people live right on the edge until I started there. It makes me appreciate I have a good education and a well-paying job.” “So, what do you do?” “Computer Aided Design, CAD, for an engineering firm. It pays well and has regular hours. How about you?” It struck me that after talking with him for hours I'd never mentioned my job once. But, then in my emotional state that was the last thing on my mind. “I work as a clerical for a law firm, close to a paralegal I guess, but they don't pay me for that.” “Wendy, I have to ask. How are you feeling? Are you going to be ready to go home and feel safe?” “He's not abusive physically, so I'm not worried about that. But, in all honesty I'm dreading having to spend the afternoon with him, and I know he'll demand it.” “Do you want to stay another few hours?” “Thanks, but I know I should go home, take a shower, and get into some fresh clothes. I'm going to have to deal with it and a few hours here won't change anything. Robb, about last night. Thank you, I mean that. I needed what you gave me. You saved me from hurting myself.” “I think you should get some professional help. That is if you can afford it.” “I can't, but I'll deal with this. I've been putting off making the decision, but after yesterday I know I'm damned if I don't.” “What decision is that?” “I want to get a divorce and move on with my life. Thanks to you, I recognize killing myself wasn't the way to punish him. He would have won in a way, and I don't want that. Call it what you will, a form of revenge in a way, if I leave him. I have friends, family, and a job that pays enough to live on if I do.” We sat silent for a minute, eating in silence. Then I looked up at him with a smile. “I promise not to do something stupid.” “I want to believe that,” he replied with a firm expression. I reached for my shoulder bag hanging on the empty chair next to me, and took out the pistol, handing it to him butt first. “Here, keep this.” He took the pistol from my hand and placed it on the counter behind him, then looked at me. “I suppose I should take you home.” “Yes, but not home. Back to the park, I can walk from there, I don't…” “I know. You don't need to say it. I wouldn't want to make things any harder for you.” “Thank you for being so understanding.” “Wendy, give me your phone so I can put my contact information in it. Just in case… well… in case you need a friend again. By the way, you stayed with my wife Cindy and me last night. You know her from… let's see… she's one of your clients from work.” I took my phone out and handed it to him. When he gave it back I checked and saw he had put in 'Robb, Com. Food Bank'. I looked at him with a frown. “Just in case someone looks at your contacts. No reason for a man's first and last name to show up– it might cause problems. If someone asks, you may decide to volunteer, and I'm the contact person.” I was pretty much lost in thought as he drove me to the park. I felt myself tense, my stomach going into knots. I got out before Robb could attempt to open the door for me and looked back into the car– my emotions mixed with good and bad. “Robb, thank you. I know it sounds lame, but you made a difference, a big one. I can't explain why I asked you to do what I asked of you, maybe it was because I wanted to feel like a desirable woman again.” “Wendy, I can't pretend to know you, all I can say is you deserve to be happy. Please, don't throw your life away, do what you need to do to move your life forward. If you ever need a friend to lean on call me. I promise to be there for you.” I watched as he drove away, then turned and took the first step back to a life filled with problems. Regardless of the outcome, I had a life to rebuild and I was determined to make it better. It was time to face my demons. Robb had given me that chance– I wasn't going to waste it. I had always been strong in the face of adversity and the one time I had faltered there was someone who cared enough to pull me through. I would always be grateful to him. Chapter 4: Reflections Robb Well, this had been two of the strangest days in my life. I save a woman from killing herself, comfort her by having sex with her, feed her breakfast, and drop her off to return to a husband who doesn't deserve her. Sure, I was recovering from a failed relationship of long standing, but I had never come close to committing suicide despite the pain. But, depression affects people in different ways and some can climb out of it, others can't without help. I hoped Wendy had the strength to do what she needed to do to make her life better. I drove home wondering if I would ever get a phone call from her in the future. After walking in the door I went to put things away in the kitchen– there was the pistol sitting where I had left it. I hefted it, it had been a long time since I had fired a pistol in the military; it still felt familiar. I walked to the bedroom and to the closet, opened my fire safe, and placed it inside along with the rounds I had taken out of the clip. Wendy I walked the fifteen minutes home thinking of what I would need to do. I walked in the door after seeing his car in the driveway– he was home. He was sitting in front of the TV watching a car race when I walked in. “Where have you been? We have to get ready for church in a few hours you know.” “I stayed with a friend last night. Sorry, I should have called, or left a text.” He looked at me with a wicked grin, “You go to the bedroom and take your clothes off. We haven't done it in a while, and I'm feeling you might be good about now.” I froze, my stomach went tight. If there was something I didn't want from him that was it. “I'm not in the mood right now, maybe later.” “I'm not interested if you're in the mood, get yourself in the mood. I'll be in after the race is over in about ten minutes.” “Honey, I'm sorry, I really don't want to, maybe after church this afternoon.” He looked at me with a scowl. “You're my wife, that means you listen to what I need, and give it when I want it. It's probably those pills you take to avoid getting pregnant. I hear they mess up a woman's mind too. It's time for you to stop taking them.” 'There's nothing wrong with my mind that getting away from you for a while won't solve. You haven't touched me in six months, and now you want me to flop onto my back for you. Well, it's not going to happen this time.“ He turned the volume down on the TV and stared at me with hard eyes, "What are you saying, you're not going to be a wife?” “What! Be a wife only when you want to be a husband! Why don't you be a husband to me instead of spending all your time with Joanne Winston,” my voice going shrill. “Joanne has nothing to do with this,” he thundered. “I'm grateful for that. My Lord, I guess you having her bent over the sofa, your cock inside her didn't mean anything.” I saw is face grow taut, his jaw moving slightly, but he didn't say anything. “Yes, I walked in and saw the both of you. You were so intent on screwing her you didn't even hear, or see me. I'm going to divorce your ass.” “You can't talk to me that way. I had a moment of weakness and I've prayed for forgiveness. I want to make it up to you.” “Oh, so you can go around screwing her for months and you expect me to forgive you. I guess I'm not the hardcore Christian woman you thought I was. I'm going to pack my clothes and things I need and find someplace else to live until the divorce is final.” He stormed towards me, grabbed my blouse and torn it open, his eyes wild, “You're in my house, you are my wife, I'm going to have you as is my right. Now, we can do it the hard way, or the easy way. But, I'm going to get my due out of you.” I knew I wasn't going to be able to stop him, he was much too large for me to resist him. My mind scrambled to find a way to tamp things down. For the first time I was afraid of being raped– by my own husband. Maybe I wasn't thinking straight, but it was the only thing that came to mind. “Well, it's about time you showed some real interest in these,” as I placed my hands under my breasts and pushed them up. I saw a look of confusion on his face. He stopped, his hands went down to his sides as his eyes remained glued on my heaving chest. I swallowed hard, it was taking every bit of strength for me to take a step toward him. I planted a kiss on his cheek, my stomach protesting, then forced a smile. “Finish watching your race, then come in and treat me as your wife. I went off the pill a month ago if you want to know.” I watched as he sat back down on the sofa, his temper had settled. I was sure he didn't even think my comment about Joanne made a difference– as far as he was concerned he'd been forgiven by the Lord. Well, I wasn't the Lord and the memory of them at the sofa was fresh in my mind. He was going to hell as far as I was concerned and I knew he would have company. He looked at me, his face stoic. “This will be over in about seven minutes. Glad you came to your senses.” His words made me want to heave. I rushed down the hall, into our bedroom, pulled out a suitcase and jammed underwear, a bra, some blouses, a few pairs of slacks, and two pairs of shoes into it. I slipped out the door into the garage as he stared at the TV. I didn't have much, but it would be enough for a few days until I could come back for more. The asshole wasn't ever going to touch me again. I rushed to my car and was away as fast as I could go, the tires squealing as I drove off. My last look was of him standing in front of the garage in my rear-view mirror– I had gotten away. I got as far as the park and pulled onto a side street and called my parents. They lived about two hours away where my husband wasn't likely to go. After a minute to settle myself, I called and told them I was coming to spend the night and would leave early for work in the morning. I Explained I would tell them what was going on when I got there. I started driving and felt my hands tremble as I gripped the steering wheel. He had intended on taking me regardless of what I wanted and the fear was now manifesting itself. I settled down after a while and the drive to my parents' home was enough time for me to reflect on my three years with him. Three full years of my life down the drain because I wasn't mature enough to know better– our relationship had gone bad after no more than a year. We had disagreed on one thing after another, at first small things, then major things– like having children, and having money in a savings account. I spilled everything to my parents, well… not everything. The pistol and Robb I omitted not wanting to admit I had been so desperate. They sat silent and let me talk and when I was finished told me they understood and would help me in any way they could. I took my suitcase into the guest bedroom and sat down on the bed. I opened the suitcase to see what I had selected in my haste to get out of the house hoping there was the right combination to wear to work the next day. I slept poorly, tossing and turning, thinking I had screwed my life up big time. I had sought revenge on by husband by sleeping with a total stranger and realized I would never use it against him. I didn't want to look like that kind of woman. He had his righteous Christian woman and the Lord had forgiven him. What did I have now? I felt asleep and jerked up with a start when the alarm went off. Chapter 5: Freudian Slip? Wendy I drove to work and stumbled into the office half awake. I struggled through the day and realized I hadn't made arrangements for a place to stay for the night. It didn't make sense to drive all the way back to my parents' house again. I hadn't closed my savings account, or made it a joint account after we married– now happy I hadn't. I went to the ATM and withdrew enough money for the week to stay in a cheap motel. It would do for the time being and I decided I wasn't going to go back for my clothes either– I'd shop for what I needed. The account was healthy enough to support me for a while, so at least I felt better about that. After work I drove to the cheapest place I knew, committing for one night. I walked into the room, put my suitcase on the chair, and fell exhausted onto the bed. I woke up three hours later feeling hungry and decided to walk down the street to a fast food place for a salad. I had put my phone on silent and when I looked at it found there were multiple calls, and text messages from my husband. I deleted all of them and blocked his number. No sense in talking with him, he could do that through my lawyer, and I'd find one before the end of the week. The week went along and the women at work knew something was up. I finally revealed I'd left my husband and was living in a motel. One of the single women offered me a room in her apartment saying she didn't use it for anything other than storing a few boxes of stuff. I accepted her offer and moved in two days later after buying a used single bed and bedding to make it up from a thrift shop. I needed to stretch my money as far as I could not knowing how long it would be before I could end my marriage. Clara was a godsend, she was always such a happy person, her personality was exactly what I needed, and I found my mood improved as the days went by. We shared expenses for food, so that helped too. The biggest change after a few days was I didn't feel stressed as much as I had before. I didn't realize how much it was taking out of me having to deal with my husband day in and day out. I found a lawyer and gave him the go ahead to do whatever was needed. He told me if my husband didn't contest the filing it could be done in a month at a modest cost. Under state law I was entitled to half of our real assets and funds held in joint accounts at the time of the filing. A week later I had diverted my paycheck to my new checking account. I was feeling better about the decision I had made when my husband showed up in the lobby of the building asking to see me. My lawyer told me it was best not to talk with him unless someone were with me, even if it were not him. I told the receptionist to tell him I was in a meeting for the rest of the day. I found out later he left after a few minutes saying he would try to see me later obviously unhappy. I was eating supper with Clara when my phone rang, it was my mother. I decided to ignore it and call her back after we finished eating. I walked into my bedroom for privacy, went to my contacts, and touched the screen. A male voice answered, thinking it was my dad who had picked up. “Hi Dad, this is Wendy. How are you?” There was a long pause, then. “Wendy, this is Robb. Are you okay?” Surprised, I stammered out a reply, then regained my composure. “How are you?” “Good, work and doing the volunteer stuff, nothing unusual. But, why are you calling me?” I didn't want to hurt his feelings by telling him I hadn't meant to call him. I was trying to come up with a plausible explanation when he offered. “You called my number by mistake didn't you?” “Yes, I'm sorry. I never took your number out of my contacts.” “I understand. So, things are going well with you and your husband?” “No. I'm in the process of getting a divorce. I'm living with a friend in her apartment until I get things settled. I hope my lawyer will have good news for me by next week.” That's great, ugh, well… not great news… “Robb, it's okay. I understand it's awkward.” “Good, it's good to know you're moving your life forward and you're safe. Well, I'll let you get back to whomever you meant to call.” “Thanks.” I replied not knowing exactly what else to say. I saw the call end and this time pressed the number for my mother: Roberta, not Robb. I would remove Robb's information after talking with her. My Mother answered and told me my husband had called her asking if she knew where I was living. I felt my heart go into my stomach. He was stilling looking for me. “Honey, I told him I didn't know where. I won't repeat what he said, it would only upset you. Your father and I think you're doing the right thing. Be strong, see this through, and when things settle down you'll find a man that's good for you.” That was my mother, always looking for the silver lining. We talked for another half hour and then I put my phone down. I would call my lawyer tomorrow and see if he had anything to tell me. I opened my contacts to delete Robb's number, my finger almost touching the screen when I pulled it back. I probably should have thanked him again for helping me. I'd call him back, then delete it after we finished talking. I selected his name, waited for the dial tone, and for him to pick up. “Robb here.” “Robb, it's Wendy again.” There was a pause. “You're alright aren't you?” I laughed. “Yes, I'm fine. I thought I should call you back and thank you again for helping me.” “Okay, you know I'm pleased you're alright. You sound good, I can almost see your smile. I remember what you look like when you wear one.” I felt myself smiling like a fool, I remembered when I had smiled at him that way. Memoires flooded my mine and I felt myself go warm remembering being in bed with him the following morning. There was a long pause between us, then I started to say something just has he did, we both stopped, another pause. “Go ahead, what did you have to say,” he offered. “I don't know, what did you want to say?” Another pause, I felt myself tense wondering now if I should have called him. “Wendy, are you free tonight?” “Yes. Well not free, but reasonable,” I replied flippantly. I heard him laugh. “Reasonable works for me. How about I come and pick you up and we can go out for a coffee.” “Robb, I'm still married. I want to, but I'm not sure it's a good idea.” “I understand, it makes sense, sorry. I guess I wasn't thinking straight.” “Robb, I would say yes otherwise. Really, I would.” - to be continued.. By R A Wallace for Literotica

A chance at a new life. by  r a wallace. Listen to the ► Podcast at Steamy Stories.  Chapter 3: Regrets? Wendy I woke the next morning lying beside a man who wasn't my husband and felt good about it. I didn't feel a bit of guilt as I looked at him. I'd done two, one-night stands in my life and wasn't excited with what I found next to me in the morning. One of the reasons I had sworn off drinking before meeting my husband. The amazing part was, I didn't feel a bit horny at the moment and wondered if that was going to be a problem–would he want more from me now?As I lay there I wondered if he had saved my life, not merely by accident because of the baseball, but because he saw I was troubled and stayed with me, so I wouldn't try to use the pistol again. That was what I had intended. I simply didn't know if he had or not, but probably. His bringing me home with him had certainly changed my thinking in that regard. I'd been ready to end my life over a man Robb felt wasn't worthy of my consideration. Not that the passion he had shown as he lay into me didn't tell me I was desirable to at least one man. It had a tremendous effect on me for reasons I didn't fully understand, and maybe never would. I felt a movement, then Robb rolled over toward me, his eyes open. When he saw me looking at him he smiled, causing me smile back. “Could you spare a kiss this morning? He asked. "You mean could I spare a kiss and something else?” “A kiss and then you let me hold you for a while. The something else is up to you.” I laughed as I rolled over onto him, “Make way mister, you're going to get an armful of woman.” I snuggled into him and heard him reply. “You mean an armful of beautiful woman.” The words melted me immediately. If he had wanted to control me for his pleasure, he had me–no contest. We lay together not speaking for a while, his hands caressing my leg and arm. I kissed his neck a few times, then snuggled and closed my eyes again–he pulled me closer. I could hear his heart beating, feel his chest rise and fall, and smell him. When was the last time I had been so intimate and comfortable with a man? I couldn't remember for sure. It was sad, but I couldn't, not even with my husband. Shit! My husband. I was going to have to go home and face him today. Would he even notice I hadn't come home? If he did would he even care? Knowing him, his only concern was that I would make him look bad–his wife not home and obedient where she should be. He would push for me to attend Fellowship with him in the afternoon to keep up appearances with the congregation. I pushed the thought away as my stomach tightened. I'd make this time with Robb last another hour, then face the reality of my life. At this juncture I realized I had one to live thanks to someone who cared enough for a woman crying on a park bench to intervene. It was as incredible as it seemed I realized. I was lying in bed with a man in my panties after he had promised to do what I asked of him to end my despair. “Are you hungry?” He asked. “Yes, actually I am.” “Does scrambled eggs, corned-beefed hash, and toast sound good to you?” The words made my mouth start to water. I realized I hadn't eaten but the Danish since the previous morning. My stomach gave an audible growl and I placed my hand over it as if it would hush it. “I'll take that as a ‘yes'”, he laughed lightly. “I have to pee,” I slid out of bed and headed for the bathroom. I finished my business, washed my hands, than looked into the mirror while running my fingers through my hair. I thought I looked hideous. Then I thought again about why I was here in the first place. That's what a tart looks like. At least a satisfied one. I swallowed hard, opened the bathroom door, and walked into the bedroom to see Robb sitting on the edge of the bed in his briefs. When he saw me his jaw dropped. “My god! Wendy, you're gorgeous. Drop dead gorgeous.” I stopped dead in my tracks, looking down to see my breasts standing proud, my flat stomach, pantie clad pelvis, my shapely legs, and my red polished toenails. The sunlight coming in through the window hitting my skin warmed it ever so slightly. I looked up at him as he rose from the bed with a smile. I wasn't sure what he was going to do– grab me and take me without asking? “My turn. Why don't you get dressed, I'll join you in a minute, so we can eat.” The bathroom door closed and I walked to where my blouse and skirt lie on the floor. His words, his expression, his smile of obvious delight with my appearance all came back to me. I put my bra on, finished dressing, and sat on the edge of the bed looking around. The bedroom was tastefully decorated and there was no sign in the form of a photograph, or other articles suggesting he had a girlfriend. Okay, if he was unattached that made it easier, I wasn't the 'other woman'. At least I hoped I wasn't. I knew who my husband was screwing when I saw them from the hallway– she headed the prayer group that met on Friday nights almost every week. I had gone to several of them and stopped going as it was too much for me– touting how a woman should respect her husband and honor his wishes even if she weren't entirely onboard with it. Yes, she espoused Christian women bear the fruit of the Spirit- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Well, so much for faithfulness and self-control parts. Peace might work too if you spelled it 'piece' and added two words. She was thin, with big boobs, and blonde hair that came out of a bottle. I'd met her husband twice and he made my husband look really good by comparison. It was obvious to me some of her prayers hadn't been answered. That, or God's plan for her was as flawed as my own. My husband was so deep into her they never noticed I was in the house. I had simply left in tears, devastated at the sight. Robb I was a little nervous as I opened my eyes–was she going to be ashamed, guilty, for what we'd done last night? Seeing her in the dim light the night before gave me hints she was well-endowed. It hadn't taken much effort to get her to orgasm. In fact, I had hardly gotten started when she gasped, and I felt her muscles contact around me. When she got on top she didn't hold anything back– she went all out. It was when she walked out of the bathroom that I saw her in full light for the first time– she was absolutely beautiful. Her husband had to be a real piece of work to walk away from someone like her. I was pleased I'd taken a low profile approach and brought her into my arms to comfort her when we woke. When she smiled her teeth showed from between nicely formed lips, her blue eyes sparkled. Though I knew it unwise to feel so protective, it made me want to never let her go. I reminded myself again she was separated from her husband, not divorced. She could go back to him, they could work things out. There are always two sides to a story– I could be the one to ruin their marriage. I had to admit it bothered me. Shit, what was I thinking? After what I saw, this woman was hurting and I had done the right thing by her. Don't overthink this dude, she needed someone, and you were there. Wendy I sat with a glass of orange juice as he made breakfast. I felt a little awkward just sitting there doing nothing. My husband would never cook because that was a woman's job. I tried to lighten the mood a little by asking Robb what he had planned for the day– at least it was a safe question. “I volunteer at the Community Food Bank, so I'll be working there most of the afternoon.” “Really, that sounds nice, I bet you meet a lot of interesting people there.” “I do, but sometimes it's hard to see how many people with young children have to rely on it. I never knew how many people live right on the edge until I started there. It makes me appreciate I have a good education and a well-paying job.” “So, what do you do?” “Computer Aided Design, CAD, for an engineering firm. It pays well and has regular hours. How about you?” It struck me that after talking with him for hours I'd never mentioned my job once. But, then in my emotional state that was the last thing on my mind. “I work as a clerical for a law firm, close to a paralegal I guess, but they don't pay me for that.” “Wendy, I have to ask. How are you feeling? Are you going to be ready to go home and feel safe?” “He's not abusive physically, so I'm not worried about that. But, in all honesty I'm dreading having to spend the afternoon with him, and I know he'll demand it.” “Do you want to stay another few hours?” “Thanks, but I know I should go home, take a shower, and get into some fresh clothes. I'm going to have to deal with it and a few hours here won't change anything. Robb, about last night. Thank you, I mean that. I needed what you gave me. You saved me from hurting myself.” “I think you should get some professional help. That is if you can afford it.” “I can't, but I'll deal with this. I've been putting off making the decision, but after yesterday I know I'm damned if I don't.” “What decision is that?” “I want to get a divorce and move on with my life. Thanks to you, I recognize killing myself wasn't the way to punish him. He would have won in a way, and I don't want that. Call it what you will, a form of revenge in a way, if I leave him. I have friends, family, and a job that pays enough to live on if I do.” We sat silent for a minute, eating in silence. Then I looked up at him with a smile. “I promise not to do something stupid.” “I want to believe that,” he replied with a firm expression. I reached for my shoulder bag hanging on the empty chair next to me, and took out the pistol, handing it to him butt first. “Here, keep this.” He took the pistol from my hand and placed it on the counter behind him, then looked at me. “I suppose I should take you home.” “Yes, but not home. Back to the park, I can walk from there, I don't…” “I know. You don't need to say it. I wouldn't want to make things any harder for you.” “Thank you for being so understanding.” “Wendy, give me your phone so I can put my contact information in it. Just in case… well… in case you need a friend again. By the way, you stayed with my wife Cindy and me last night. You know her from… let's see… she's one of your clients from work.” I took my phone out and handed it to him. When he gave it back I checked and saw he had put in 'Robb, Com. Food Bank'. I looked at him with a frown. “Just in case someone looks at your contacts. No reason for a man's first and last name to show up– it might cause problems. If someone asks, you may decide to volunteer, and I'm the contact person.” I was pretty much lost in thought as he drove me to the park. I felt myself tense, my stomach going into knots. I got out before Robb could attempt to open the door for me and looked back into the car– my emotions mixed with good and bad. “Robb, thank you. I know it sounds lame, but you made a difference, a big one. I can't explain why I asked you to do what I asked of you, maybe it was because I wanted to feel like a desirable woman again.” “Wendy, I can't pretend to know you, all I can say is you deserve to be happy. Please, don't throw your life away, do what you need to do to move your life forward. If you ever need a friend to lean on call me. I promise to be there for you.” I watched as he drove away, then turned and took the first step back to a life filled with problems. Regardless of the outcome, I had a life to rebuild and I was determined to make it better. It was time to face my demons. Robb had given me that chance– I wasn't going to waste it. I had always been strong in the face of adversity and the one time I had faltered there was someone who cared enough to pull me through. I would always be grateful to him. Chapter 4: Reflections Robb Well, this had been two of the strangest days in my life. I save a woman from killing herself, comfort her by having sex with her, feed her breakfast, and drop her off to return to a husband who doesn't deserve her. Sure, I was recovering from a failed relationship of long standing, but I had never come close to committing suicide despite the pain. But, depression affects people in different ways and some can climb out of it, others can't without help. I hoped Wendy had the strength to do what she needed to do to make her life better. I drove home wondering if I would ever get a phone call from her in the future. After walking in the door I went to put things away in the kitchen– there was the pistol sitting where I had left it. I hefted it, it had been a long time since I had fired a pistol in the military; it still felt familiar. I walked to the bedroom and to the closet, opened my fire safe, and placed it inside along with the rounds I had taken out of the clip. Wendy I walked the fifteen minutes home thinking of what I would need to do. I walked in the door after seeing his car in the driveway– he was home. He was sitting in front of the TV watching a car race when I walked in. “Where have you been? We have to get ready for church in a few hours you know.” “I stayed with a friend last night. Sorry, I should have called, or left a text.” He looked at me with a wicked grin, “You go to the bedroom and take your clothes off. We haven't done it in a while, and I'm feeling you might be good about now.” I froze, my stomach went tight. If there was something I didn't want from him that was it. “I'm not in the mood right now, maybe later.” “I'm not interested if you're in the mood, get yourself in the mood. I'll be in after the race is over in about ten minutes.” “Honey, I'm sorry, I really don't want to, maybe after church this afternoon.” He looked at me with a scowl. “You're my wife, that means you listen to what I need, and give it when I want it. It's probably those pills you take to avoid getting pregnant. I hear they mess up a woman's mind too. It's time for you to stop taking them.” 'There's nothing wrong with my mind that getting away from you for a while won't solve. You haven't touched me in six months, and now you want me to flop onto my back for you. Well, it's not going to happen this time.“ He turned the volume down on the TV and stared at me with hard eyes, "What are you saying, you're not going to be a wife?” “What! Be a wife only when you want to be a husband! Why don't you be a husband to me instead of spending all your time with Joanne Winston,” my voice going shrill. “Joanne has nothing to do with this,” he thundered. “I'm grateful for that. My Lord, I guess you having her bent over the sofa, your cock inside her didn't mean anything.” I saw is face grow taut, his jaw moving slightly, but he didn't say anything. “Yes, I walked in and saw the both of you. You were so intent on screwing her you didn't even hear, or see me. I'm going to divorce your ass.” “You can't talk to me that way. I had a moment of weakness and I've prayed for forgiveness. I want to make it up to you.” “Oh, so you can go around screwing her for months and you expect me to forgive you. I guess I'm not the hardcore Christian woman you thought I was. I'm going to pack my clothes and things I need and find someplace else to live until the divorce is final.” He stormed towards me, grabbed my blouse and torn it open, his eyes wild, “You're in my house, you are my wife, I'm going to have you as is my right. Now, we can do it the hard way, or the easy way. But, I'm going to get my due out of you.” I knew I wasn't going to be able to stop him, he was much too large for me to resist him. My mind scrambled to find a way to tamp things down. For the first time I was afraid of being raped– by my own husband. Maybe I wasn't thinking straight, but it was the only thing that came to mind. “Well, it's about time you showed some real interest in these,” as I placed my hands under my breasts and pushed them up. I saw a look of confusion on his face. He stopped, his hands went down to his sides as his eyes remained glued on my heaving chest. I swallowed hard, it was taking every bit of strength for me to take a step toward him. I planted a kiss on his cheek, my stomach protesting, then forced a smile. “Finish watching your race, then come in and treat me as your wife. I went off the pill a month ago if you want to know.” I watched as he sat back down on the sofa, his temper had settled. I was sure he didn't even think my comment about Joanne made a difference– as far as he was concerned he'd been forgiven by the Lord. Well, I wasn't the Lord and the memory of them at the sofa was fresh in my mind. He was going to hell as far as I was concerned and I knew he would have company. He looked at me, his face stoic. “This will be over in about seven minutes. Glad you came to your senses.” His words made me want to heave. I rushed down the hall, into our bedroom, pulled out a suitcase and jammed underwear, a bra, some blouses, a few pairs of slacks, and two pairs of shoes into it. I slipped out the door into the garage as he stared at the TV. I didn't have much, but it would be enough for a few days until I could come back for more. The asshole wasn't ever going to touch me again. I rushed to my car and was away as fast as I could go, the tires squealing as I drove off. My last look was of him standing in front of the garage in my rear-view mirror– I had gotten away. I got as far as the park and pulled onto a side street and called my parents. They lived about two hours away where my husband wasn't likely to go. After a minute to settle myself, I called and told them I was coming to spend the night and would leave early for work in the morning. I Explained I would tell them what was going on when I got there. I started driving and felt my hands tremble as I gripped the steering wheel. He had intended on taking me regardless of what I wanted and the fear was now manifesting itself. I settled down after a while and the drive to my parents' home was enough time for me to reflect on my three years with him. Three full years of my life down the drain because I wasn't mature enough to know better– our relationship had gone bad after no more than a year. We had disagreed on one thing after another, at first small things, then major things– like having children, and having money in a savings account. I spilled everything to my parents, well… not everything. The pistol and Robb I omitted not wanting to admit I had been so desperate. They sat silent and let me talk and when I was finished told me they understood and would help me in any way they could. I took my suitcase into the guest bedroom and sat down on the bed. I opened the suitcase to see what I had selected in my haste to get out of the house hoping there was the right combination to wear to work the next day. I slept poorly, tossing and turning, thinking I had screwed my life up big time. I had sought revenge on by husband by sleeping with a total stranger and realized I would never use it against him. I didn't want to look like that kind of woman. He had his righteous Christian woman and the Lord had forgiven him. What did I have now? I felt asleep and jerked up with a start when the alarm went off. Chapter 5: Freudian Slip? Wendy I drove to work and stumbled into the office half awake. I struggled through the day and realized I hadn't made arrangements for a place to stay for the night. It didn't make sense to drive all the way back to my parents' house again. I hadn't closed my savings account, or made it a joint account after we married– now happy I hadn't. I went to the ATM and withdrew enough money for the week to stay in a cheap motel. It would do for the time being and I decided I wasn't going to go back for my clothes either– I'd shop for what I needed. The account was healthy enough to support me for a while, so at least I felt better about that. After work I drove to the cheapest place I knew, committing for one night. I walked into the room, put my suitcase on the chair, and fell exhausted onto the bed. I woke up three hours later feeling hungry and decided to walk down the street to a fast food place for a salad. I had put my phone on silent and when I looked at it found there were multiple calls, and text messages from my husband. I deleted all of them and blocked his number. No sense in talking with him, he could do that through my lawyer, and I'd find one before the end of the week. The week went along and the women at work knew something was up. I finally revealed I'd left my husband and was living in a motel. One of the single women offered me a room in her apartment saying she didn't use it for anything other than storing a few boxes of stuff. I accepted her offer and moved in two days later after buying a used single bed and bedding to make it up from a thrift shop. I needed to stretch my money as far as I could not knowing how long it would be before I could end my marriage. Clara was a godsend, she was always such a happy person, her personality was exactly what I needed, and I found my mood improved as the days went by. We shared expenses for food, so that helped too. The biggest change after a few days was I didn't feel stressed as much as I had before. I didn't realize how much it was taking out of me having to deal with my husband day in and day out. I found a lawyer and gave him the go ahead to do whatever was needed. He told me if my husband didn't contest the filing it could be done in a month at a modest cost. Under state law I was entitled to half of our real assets and funds held in joint accounts at the time of the filing. A week later I had diverted my paycheck to my new checking account. I was feeling better about the decision I had made when my husband showed up in the lobby of the building asking to see me. My lawyer told me it was best not to talk with him unless someone were with me, even if it were not him. I told the receptionist to tell him I was in a meeting for the rest of the day. I found out later he left after a few minutes saying he would try to see me later obviously unhappy. I was eating supper with Clara when my phone rang, it was my mother. I decided to ignore it and call her back after we finished eating. I walked into my bedroom for privacy, went to my contacts, and touched the screen. A male voice answered, thinking it was my dad who had picked up. “Hi Dad, this is Wendy. How are you?” There was a long pause, then. “Wendy, this is Robb. Are you okay?” Surprised, I stammered out a reply, then regained my composure. “How are you?” “Good, work and doing the volunteer stuff, nothing unusual. But, why are you calling me?” I didn't want to hurt his feelings by telling him I hadn't meant to call him. I was trying to come up with a plausible explanation when he offered. “You called my number by mistake didn't you?” “Yes, I'm sorry. I never took your number out of my contacts.” “I understand. So, things are going well with you and your husband?” “No. I'm in the process of getting a divorce. I'm living with a friend in her apartment until I get things settled. I hope my lawyer will have good news for me by next week.” That's great, ugh, well… not great news… “Robb, it's okay. I understand it's awkward.” “Good, it's good to know you're moving your life forward and you're safe. Well, I'll let you get back to whomever you meant to call.” “Thanks.” I replied not knowing exactly what else to say. I saw the call end and this time pressed the number for my mother: Roberta, not Robb. I would remove Robb's information after talking with her. My Mother answered and told me my husband had called her asking if she knew where I was living. I felt my heart go into my stomach. He was stilling looking for me. “Honey, I told him I didn't know where. I won't repeat what he said, it would only upset you. Your father and I think you're doing the right thing. Be strong, see this through, and when things settle down you'll find a man that's good for you.” That was my mother, always looking for the silver lining. We talked for another half hour and then I put my phone down. I would call my lawyer tomorrow and see if he had anything to tell me. I opened my contacts to delete Robb's number, my finger almost touching the screen when I pulled it back. I probably should have thanked him again for helping me. I'd call him back, then delete it after we finished talking. I selected his name, waited for the dial tone, and for him to pick up. “Robb here.” “Robb, it's Wendy again.” There was a pause. “You're alright aren't you?” I laughed. “Yes, I'm fine. I thought I should call you back and thank you again for helping me.” “Okay, you know I'm pleased you're alright. You sound good, I can almost see your smile. I remember what you look like when you wear one.” I felt myself smiling like a fool, I remembered when I had smiled at him that way. Memoires flooded my mine and I felt myself go warm remembering being in bed with him the following morning. There was a long pause between us, then I started to say something just has he did, we both stopped, another pause. “Go ahead, what did you have to say,” he offered. “I don't know, what did you want to say?” Another pause, I felt myself tense wondering now if I should have called him. “Wendy, are you free tonight?” “Yes. Well not free, but reasonable,” I replied flippantly. I heard him laugh. “Reasonable works for me. How about I come and pick you up and we can go out for a coffee.” “Robb, I'm still married. I want to, but I'm not sure it's a good idea.” “I understand, it makes sense, sorry. I guess I wasn't thinking straight.” “Robb, I would say yes otherwise. Really, I would.” - to be continued.. By R A Wallace for Literotica

Host: Rhonda Dunlap Guest: Alisha Wenger Air date: Jul 30, 2025

Creating Inclusive Spaces for Individuals with AutismFostering equity and accessibility means creating environments where everyone feels welcome. At Comcast, this mission has come to life through the development of a sensory-friendly room—designed to support individuals with autism and sensory sensitivities. Christina Wong, Comcast's Executive Director and Producer of Experiential Content, joins us in studio to share how this initiative was developed in collaboration with partners like the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES), The Arc of Philadelphia, and Southpaw Enterprises. Learn more: Comcast Center Campus Accessibility.Navigating Senior Living with ConfidencePlanning for senior living can feel overwhelming, but it's a vital step toward a secure and fulfilling future. Brian Kersey, Marketing & Sales Director at Foulkeways at Gwynedd—a premier continuing care retirement community rooted in Quaker values—joins us to discuss the importance of life planning, the benefits of senior living communities, and how to make informed decisions for yourself or your loved ones. Discover more: www.foulkeways.org.Rethinking Food Insecurity: Hunger in Unexpected PlacesWhen you think of food insecurity, Philadelphia often comes to mind—it's the big city with the highest poverty rate. But hunger exists in places you might not expect, including communities like Narberth and Lower Merion. In this episode, we revisit an insightful conversation with Ben Hearn, Board President of the Narberth Community Food Bank, to discuss the challenges of food insecurity in suburban areas and how the organization is making a difference.Learn more: narberthcommunityfoodbank.orgFollow them: Instagram: @narberth_food_bank | Facebook: Narberth Community Food Bank  

Host: Coach Guest: Jessica Mays Air date: Jul 10, 2025

Hosts: Faith Rodriguez, Kyra Seppie Guests: Jessica Mays, Jasmine Oeinck, Ashley Ojala Air date: Mar 27, 2025

An Auckland community leader says mandatory police body cameras would help everyone. David Letele is behind a petition calling for the change - a petition that's garnered nearly 10,000 signatures so far. A 45 year-old man died a week ago at Auckland's Ōrere Point, after he and another person fled police. Faasala Samu Matue lost consciousness after being tasered and pepper-sprayed - when he threatened police and bit an officer's hand. Letele says body cameras are a no-brainer. "These body cams - it's not just for the safety and accountability for the public, but it also keeps the police safe." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Asset Limited Income Constrained and Employed = ALICE household

November 25, 2024 ~ Metro Detroiters continue to support the hungry in our community. Gerry Brisson, President and CEO of Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeasthern Michigan, sits down with Kevin at the Hunger Free in the D radiothon to share how much a supporting can help our community.

Rob sits down with Katie Choate, Senior Director of Community Engagement from Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeast Michigan, to shed light on a hidden reality: even in affluent Livingston County, there are neighbors in need. They talk about the organization's mission to feed people and nourish lives, dive into their incredible campaigns like Hunger Free Summer, and share how everyone can lend a hand. Plus, don't miss the scoop on their festive “12 Days of November” fundraiser! Get inspired to help build a hunger-free community—one meal, one volunteer, one campaign at a time.   Show Links Learn more about the Brighton Chamber by visiting our website. Website: https://www.brightoncoc.org/   Guest Links Website: https://www.gcfb.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Gleanersfan/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/GleanersFoodBank/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gleaners/

Host: Coach Guest: Alisha Wenger Air date: Sep 09, 2024

The post July 18, 2024: Bonner Community Food Bank appeared first on KRFY Radio.

What if your family had to choose between paying for groceries or healthcare? For many in the US, this painful dilemma is a harsh reality. In today's episode, we're joined by Kyle Waide, President and CEO of the Atlanta Community Food Bank, to unpack the staggering 50 percent increase in demand for food assistance over the past two years. Rising inflation and financial strain have left countless families, even those juggling multiple jobs, struggling to put food on the table. Bishop Wright and Kyle have a conversation about the broader economic landscape of the US, the unwavering support of volunteers, and the faith based organization that stand alongside the growing work of the Atlanta Community Food Bank. Listen in for the full conversation.Learn more about the Atlanta Community Food Bank here. As President and CEO of the Atlanta Community Food Bank, Kyle Waide leads one of the largest hunger relief organizations in the U.S. Working with a network of 700 community-based nonprofit organizations across 29 Georgia counties, Kyle and his team facilitate the distribution of $250 million in food and resources each year to approximately 700,000 neighbors facing food insecurity. During his tenure, Kyle has led the Food Bank through a decade of dramatic growth and expansion, quadrupling its annual output while launching multiple innovative initiatives to expand food access and increase food security.Prior to joining the Food Bank, Kyle held several management roles at The Home Depot Inc. in disaster relief, corporate responsibility, community affairs and store operations. He also previously served as a founding member of the team that created and launched Charity Navigator, the nation's premier charity evaluation service. Kyle is a graduate of Harvard University and an alumnus of Teach For America. Kyle and his family attend All Saints' Episcopal Church in Atlanta.Support the Show.

Hunger knows no boundaries and I speak to the head of an organization that provides hunger relief to the food insecure in Lower Merion. I talk with Ben Hearn, Board President of the Narberth Community Food Bank.https://narberthcommunityfoodbank.org/ Instagram handle: narberth_food_bank Facebook: Narberth Community Food Bank  

Hockinson Community Center will host its annual Seed Swap and Giveaway on Sunday, a benefit for the North County Community Food Bank. http://tinyurl.com/cmrzvc4z #HockinsonCommunityCenter #SeedSwapGiveaway #NorthCountyCommunityFoodBank #flowers #seeds #seedlings #gardening #herbs #donations #communityevent #Hockinson #BrushPrairie #VancouverWa #ClarkCountyWa #ClarkCountyNews #ClarkCountyToday

Welcome to Season 4, Episode 1 of the Today is the Day Changemakers Podcast. I am so excited to be back interviewing the changemakers, inspirers, and those disrupting the status quo. This week I am excited to introduce the fantastic fab five food bank CEO's of New Jersey. These individuals, Fred Wasiak, Elizabeth McCarthy, Bernie Flynn, Triada Stampas, and Mark Valli are working together to feed New Jersey through each of their amazing organizations. Each of these incredible changemakers have found themselves working in public service, whether they knew from the start that they wished to pursue the nonprofit path or found it along the way, they have all come together with a common goal: to help the people of New Jersey. Fred Wasiak is the CEO and president of the Food Bank of South Jersey, serving 4 counties from urban, to suburban, to rural. Founded in 1985, the Food Bank of South Jersey focuses on health, nutrition, education, and awareness. Fred emphasizes that “the root cause is not hunger, it is poverty” when discussing ways to address the problem of food insecurity at its source. Elizabeth McCarthy, president and CEO of Community Food Bank of New Jersey shares a common goal as her recent focus has been job training programs to help people get on their feet. CFBNJ started with a woman named Kathleen DiChiara handing out meals out of her station wagon and now 49 years later they provide 90 million meals annually. Elizabeth describes her perspective as “food is medicine”, aiming to get heart healthy meals to those in need. Bernie Flynn is the full-time volunteer CEO of Mercer Street Friends, providing food bank services since 1958, focusing on family and education in Mercer County. He highlights the food banks' partnership with the state as “providing tremendous support” throughout their public service endeavors. Triada Stampas is the CEO and president of Fulfill, a food bank serving Monmouth and Ocean Counties which sends 14 million meals to a network of 300 people. Fulfill began as a food bank 40 years ago and has now included toy and clothing drives as well to address larger issues within the population. Triada firmly believes, “it is a blessing to get help when you need it and it is a blessing to give help when others need it, that's something that binds us as humans”. Mark Valli is the CEO of Norwescap, serving over 30,000 low-income families in the northwest corner of New Jersey. Founded in 1965, Norwescap started as a community action organization and has grown its role to include a food bank. He describes his work as, “a system to help government and private resources get channeled to people who need them”.  By forming a coalition and meeting regularly to collaborate, these five food bankers of New Jersey have formed a strong group within the state to ensure impactful, judgment free, lasting aid to those in need. It is as Fred says, “when five food bankers of New Jersey get together, good things happen”.  If you would like to help this cause, we encourage you to take advantage of the abundant volunteer opportunities provided by their organizations or make a monetary donation to help them to continue to serve nutritious food. You can also visit their websites, foodbanksj.org, cfbnj.org, mercerstreetfriends.org, fulfillnj.org, and norwescap.org to learn more about their work. Please follow Today is the Day on Facebook - Today is the Day Live It and Instagram @todayisthedayliveit.Have a great week everyone!

The morning show had a range of content, including an interview with a Sinn Fein local election candidate, Ali was in Nenagh visiting the Community Food Bank, updates from the Farmers Journal, a preview of this week's seasonal Down Your Way program, and a guest appearance by 14-year-old musician Lorcan Kennedy.

Join me this week on Conflict Managed, as I welcome Kumar Vijayendra, celebrated author, speaker, and entrepreneur. Engage with us as we delve into:

Joscelyn Smith the District 4 HRDC Emergency Services Specialist and Overseer of the Havre Community Food Bank talks about the Food bank and the Donation they received of 1500 pounds of beef.

With inflation rates peaking at 9.1% last summer (the highest since 1981), nonprofits are feeling the strain. Higher prices drive up the cost to provide programs and services while also increasing demand for those services; on the fundraising side, every dollar raised has less buying power. In today's episode, we'll look at how two nonprofits fighting food insecurity are overcoming these challenges and growing their operations despite economic realities. Free 30-minute fundraising consultation for NPFX listeners: http://www.ipmadvancement.com/free Want to suggest a topic, guest, or nonprofit organization for an upcoming episode? Send an email with the subject "NPFX suggestion" to contact@ipmadvancement.com. Additional Resources [NPFX] Peer-to-Peer Fundraising: Getting Started the Smart Way https://www.ipmadvancement.com/blog/peer-to-peer-fundraising-getting-started-the-smart-way [NPFX] 8 Valuable Lessons Nonprofit Fundraisers Learned in the Past Year https://www.ipmadvancement.com/blog/8-valuable-lessons-nonprofit-fundraisers-learned-in-the-past-year IPM's free Nonprofit Resource Library: https://www.ipmadvancement.com/resources Ali Colbran, Director of Development at Feeding San Diego, is responsible for planning, organizing, and directing Feeding San Diego's fundraising program, including major gifts, grants, corporate partnerships, annual funds, and development operations. Ali has 15 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. Her previous development work supported UC San Diego, The New Children's Museum, Sacramento Children's Museum, and the California Association of Museums. She has a Bachelor of Arts in the History of Art and Visual Culture from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Ali is currently pursuing her graduate degree in Nonprofit Leadership and Management at the University of San Diego. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ali-colbran-7aa87535/ https://feedingsandiego.org/ Nicole Williams is the Chief Executive Officer of the Community Foodbank of Central Alabama. With 25 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, she's managed federal, local, and privately funded projects to lead the Community Food Bank in its current growth and expansion. A graduate of Samford University, Nicole has lived and worked in Birmingham for over 30 years. She currently serves as the Secretary/Treasurer of Feeding Alabama, the State Food Bank Association and on the Board of Directors for the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP). She was named in the Who's Who in Nonprofits by the Birmingham Business Journal in March of 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-williams-5b688513b/ https://feedingal.org/ Russ Phaneuf, a co-founder of IPM Advancement, has a background in higher education development, with positions at the University of Hartford, Northern Arizona University, and Thunderbird School of Global Management. As IPM's managing director & chief strategist, Russ serves as lead fundraising strategist, award-winning content creator, and program analyst specializing in applied system dynamics. Rich Frazier has worked in the nonprofit sector for over 30 years. In his role as senior consultant with IPM Advancement, Rich offers extensive understanding and knowledge in major gifts program management, fund development, strategic planning, and board of directors development.

Hear about a local couple who is holding their 13th annual donation event supporting the Greater Pgh Community Food Bank - in their front yard :) And Tressa chats with and learns a whole lot from powerhouse Ciora Thomas, Founder and Executive Director of the incredible non-profit, SisTers PGH. SisTers PGH - www.sisterspgh.org Instagram: @sisTers PGH Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank - https://pittsburghfoodbank.org/ Instagram: @pghfoodbank https://www.yinzaregood.com/ Have a story of GENEROSITY or KINDNESS to share with us? Email us at yinzaregood@gmail.com To request a KINDNESS CRATE drop off at your business or school, email us at yinzaregood@gmail.com Instagram: @yinzaregood Facebook: @YinzAreGood

The Morning Show is live for the iHeartRadio Schools Out Radiothon to benefit the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. Sean Collier reviews the new Transformers movie and has a retro pick. The mayor Sean Casey returns to the show. Phat Man Dee is in for a virtual coffeehouse.

Rhode Island moves ahead with legal adult-use recreational cannabis. Plus, the problem of hunger in the Ocean State.

Rhode Island moves ahead with legal adult-use recreational cannabis. Plus, the problem of hunger in the Ocean State.

The Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona is helping people grow and care for velvet mesquite trees. Learn more at https://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/ 

Host: Coach Guest: Alisha Wenger Air date: Nov 07, 2022

Do you think retirement will be boring? Listen to this interview with man-about-town, Biff Messinger, and he will tell you all the ways to keep retirement exciting and meaningful in this entertaining episode of the Full Circle Podcast! If you know Biff, you know he is a storyteller, and he did not disappoint as our October podcast guest.Biff talks about a lot of wonderful organizations he has been involved with over the years.  Here are some links to check them out:RiversEdge West  https://riversedgewest.org/Community Food Bank  https://www.foodbankgj.org/Grand Valley Resettlement Program  https://www.jdainternational.org/The Cycle Effect  https://www.thecycleeffect.org/Vitalant Blood Donation  https://vitalant.org/locations/grand-junctionHorizon Sunrise Rotary  https://rotary5470.org/clubinfo/grand-jct-horizon-sunriseIf you prefer to watch your podcasts, head over to our YouTube page!https://www.youtube.com/christireecegroup

A South Auckland charity chief says he feels as if he's been kicked in the face. David Letele, who's also known as Brown Buttabean, says he's gutted his food bank has been broken into. Meat and vegetables were stolen, which Letele says he'd have happily given to anyone who'd come and asked for it. Letele says he's asking the community to keep an eye out for anything suspicious. "All I can say is that I hope they needed it. But you know, the silly thing is, if they just came today, we would have given them it. But it's a sad state of affairs and a sign of the times, I guess. Even the police I spoke to today- they've never seen a food bank targeted." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Charla Irwin-Buncher, Development Director at the Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, joins Rick to talk about the desperate need for volunteers right now and how you can help. 

Today - About 50 motorcycles filled Tombstone with a throaty roar Saturday when the Lost Brotherhood motorcycle club arrived at the Tombstone Community Food Bank with a special delivery.Support the show: https://www.myheraldreview.com/site/forms/subscription_services/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kyle Waide, Atlanta Community Food Bank (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 511) Kyle Waide, President and CEO of the Atlanta Community Food Bank, joined host John Ray on this edition of North Fulton Business Radio to discuss ACFB and its work across 29 Georgia counties. Kyle shared his background and the passion he developed at an […] The post Kyle Waide, Atlanta Community Food Bank appeared first on Business RadioX ®.

Kyle Waide, Atlanta Community Food Bank (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 511) Kyle Waide, President and CEO of the Atlanta Community Food Bank, joined host John Ray on this edition of North Fulton Business Radio to discuss ACFB and its work across 29 Georgia counties. Kyle shared his background and the passion he developed at an […]

Laura is our AmeriCorps State member serving with the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona as the Volunteer & Engagement Coordinator. Laura is behind the scenes tracking the information and the hours the thousands of volunteers put into serving at the organization. Hear more about her passion for food security and open the awesome events coming up with the Food Bank in this Episode! https://www.communityfoodbank.org/

This is the Live United podcast presented by the Tulsa Area United Way. On today's episode, we're looking at two of the greatest needs in our communities – food and blood. According to the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, 594,000 Oklahomans (1 in 6) are food insecure, including 208,000 children. As for blood donations, 1,200 blood donors are needed daily in our area to maintain an adequate blood supply. But the Oklahoma Blood Institute's blood supply is less than half of what hospitals and patients currently need. And our partner agency, America Red Cross, is experiencing a 10-year low in blood donations. To put both issues into perspective, our guests include 1. Chris Bernard, executive director of Hunger Free Oklahoma, which is one of Tulsa Area United Way's community collaborations. 2. Nathan Woodmansee, executive director of partner agency Sand Springs Community Services. 3. Sydney Chastine, of the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. 4. We'll close out the podcast with an interview featuring John Armitage, CEO of the Oklahoma Blood Institute. Before we get to our interviews, I need you to make a difference in your communities by participating in Tulsa Area United Way's Third Annual Day of Caring Food and Blood Drive. On June 24, you can donate nonperishable food items at one of 16 donation sites, including BancFirst Wagoner, First Oklahoma Bank, Hilti, Jim Norton Toyota, Jim Norton T-Town Chevrolet, Mabrey Bank, and SpiritBank Bristow. From June 20-26, you can also shop at any Oasis Fresh Market and Supermercados Morelos stores and donate your groceries to the Food and Blood Drive right there in the store. For details, visit tauw.org/fooddrive. With all that being said, the Live United podcast starts … now. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/tauw/message

FR LOUIS SCURTI INTERVIEWS CARLOS ROLDAN, DIRECTOR OF THE PATERSON DIOCESE FR ENGLISH COMMUNITY CENTER FOOD PANTRY, PATERSON, NJ.IN THIS SERIES OF INTERVIEWS, FR SCURTI & MR ROLDAN RECALLS, RESEARCHES, AND REJOICE IN THE GROWTH AND SERVICE TO THE PATERSON COMMUNITY.

In today's episode, we'll talk about why our food justice movement including food banks should work in solidarity with the movement for migrant justice. I recently saw a meme that showed a picture of a man holding a sign that read, "Do you know what an accent is? It's a sign of bravery." Truly, the migrant story is one of bravery. You must be brave to leave family and the only homeland you've known, embrace potentially treacherous travel and come to a new country where you know that not all will welcome you. But you do it for the potential to work, you do it for the potential for safety, you do it for a better future. Migrants make up the backbone of our American food system. They work our fields and in our restaurant kitchens yet they are among our most vulnerable for food security. They pay taxes, but immigration status is a bar to important federal food assistance programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The charitable food bank system is one resource, but it's not a sustainable one and also can be fraught with access issues. We're talking with Claudio Rodriguez and Robert Ojeda of the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona. Claudio is the environmental and social justice manager and Robert is the chief program officer. Interview Summary Christina - Claudio, before we look at migration in particular, you as the environmental and social justice manager, you have the privilege of facilitating change in communities at the intersections of food justice and community organizing. Could you tell us a little bit more please about what community organizing has to do with food and food banking?   Claudio - Yes, yes. I love this. Thank you for the question. I feel like community organizing is one of the key foundations that drives changes in our community because we've seen it throughout time through movements that change the condition of farm workers. That change policies and practices for the protection of workers, no matter where they find themselves. And when we bring community organizing into the space of food banking, what we are bringing is the building of relationships, using those relationships to accomplish together what we cannot accomplish on our own. In the case of food banking, it is to address the root causes of food insecurity. Christina - Claudio, could you please share an example for our listeners? Claudio - Our organizing work has actually helped change school menus to include local fresh produce. It has also created access to vacant land across our community to turn them into green spaces. Communities that often find themselves ignored, marginalized, or even just disinvested. And the purpose and mission of community organizing within food banking is to build power. To build power with our participants because without power we aren't able to change the conditions of our communities. And to break it down a little bit more for our listeners, is that when we talk about power, we're not talking about empowerment. Power is the ability to impact and affect the conditions of our own lives and the lives of others. And empowerment is more of a feel good about yourself and self-esteem. So our goal is to build power within the food banking movement so people can really change what the community looks like, feels like and their experiences. Christina - That is a really important distinction and I appreciate that so much. Because when you talk about building power, I also think about what that means for building leadership. And Robert, as the chief program officer, you develop programs that are building leadership opportunities for people from Latin America. In your anti-hunger work, what relationship have you identified between food insecurity and migration? Robert - Thank you, Christina, for the question. I think there are a few things that to me are really important. One is like a deep reflection and exploration around why we have folks coming to the US. One of the reasons from my perspective has to do with economic justice, lack of opportunities for folks. And it's very much connected to issues that we see within the food system. For example, food banks depend on donations from corporations, from companies, from growers that do have an impact on the workers that work within these companies. And so a question that I would ask and that we do ask is: what are the unintended consequences of our business model as food banks? So what is happening with the rights of those workers who are growing the food that we are able to distribute then to community members? And so in the case of us as an organization that's based at the border, having Mexico as a neighboring country, it's a really important question. Why are folks or brothers and sisters from Latin America coming to Southern Arizona? And can we do something also if we are actually getting resources, for example produce from Northern Mexico to be able to also do something so that it's not an extractive practice but rather a partnership? Questions around that from my perspective are really important. And the other thing that I think is really important to elevate is this principle that I think is really important, as an immigrant myself, I do feel like we have an incredible set of experiences, expertise that we can contribute to this community. And so as an organization with resources, I think it's our responsibility to make sure that community members, immigrant community, migrant workers and others also have access to those resources. So as an organization for example, this past year we enhance our grants program to have $3 million in grants go to organizations, many of them led by people of color who are doing really amazing work in this community. So it's this belief and commitment that for, particularly our immigrant community are able to come up with really amazing and innovative ways to address issues of food insecurity and hunger. And one last thing that to me is really kind of the beginning of part of our journey. We've been operating for 43-44 years. About 20 years ago we started doing programming that Claudio leads for example around gardening and food production education. And a lot of it had to do with our immigrant community saying, "Look, this food is not culturally relevant "or appropriate for us that you're giving us. "However, we don't know "how to do other things like grow food." And I think that was the beginning of us really rethinking our role as an organization. So it's been an incredible partnership I think over the years. Christina - Those are just some incredibly powerful examples of what you are doing to transform food systems locally for the benefit of migrant communities. What do we need to be doing more widely? What kind of role can food banks be playing at a policy level in order to address food insecurity for our migrant communities? Claudio, what do you think? Claudio - Thank you. I think that's a really important question that really ties into the intersection of community organizing and food insecurity. And at a policy level, I think we need to be advocates as food banks and folks in the food justice movement to push policies that address the root causes of hunger. But I think we should also be investing as Robert mentioned the development of community leaders. And it doesn't get more local that looking at our own organizations, what are our customs? What are our practices? And are we centering the most impacted? And to truly center them, we need to create spaces, brave spaces that challenge the status quo within our own organizations, within our own programs. And I think those are the first steps and sometimes those steps tend to be the hardest. Robert, what do you think? Based on the 20 years that we've done this work, what have been your steps that you've seen? Robert - Thank you, Claudio. I think there are, from my perspective a few things based on what we've learned that we could invest in policy-wise. One, food banks can be a vehicle, a mechanism for shifting our food sourcing business model and a food distribution business model. So we have an opportunity to come together really impact, where our food comes from. Are there any issues that we want to elevate to make sure that our donors are also paying attention to the rights of workers, as an example? Another thing I think is we have an opportunity to work with our local government, our state governments, and regionally and nationally around this idea that food is a human right. And that as we've seen now with the pandemic, some things that I think are promising is really how much more school districts are doing to make sure that school lunches are universal rather than sort of what we had before the pandemic. So there's a role around bringing healthy food to communities, a great opportunity for that. And the one that I think is very important has to do with economic justice. We were just involved in a campaign. Claudio actually was one of our leaders around fight for 15, a fight for a minimum wage in our local community, working with other nonprofits and other community members. And there was our local election and it passed. So now the City of Tucson and businesses that do business in our city are having to pay $15 an hour to our workers. And that has I think a really large impact to really benefit our immigrant community and other communities as well. Christina - I really appreciate what you said, that the fight for food justice is intrinsically linked with a fight for economic justice. That we can combat food insecurity at its start by making sure that those who are taking care of us by helping us put food in the table are able to take care of their families too, and able to afford their basic needs for food and other essentials. Thank you so much, both of you.

Don Scordino spoke with Denise O'Canto who joined us from the Community Food Bank of Central California.

The post The Vashon Community Food Bank – Emily Scott – 20 February 2022 appeared first on Puget Sound Zen Center.

Our guest today is Joshua Lohnes, food policy research director at the West Virginia University Center for Resilient Communities. He's a scholar activist who writes and organizes alongside members of the West Virginia Food For All coalition. Josh will help us shed light on whether and how food charity can be seen as political, why that is a problem for us all, and what those working on the ground can do about it. Interview Summary I'm Charlie Spring, your host for today, I'm a researcher at the Laurier Centre for Sustainable Food Systems. I've been researching the growth of charitable food networks, particularly in the UK, where one thing I've noticed is food banking organizations lobbying national government for funding or for favorable regulatory environments for the redistribution of surplus food as charity. Meanwhile, some UK food charities have become vocal critics of government policy that they see as driving food insecurity. It's clear that the link between charity and state is a complicated and shifting one. My first question is, most people working and volunteering in food charities wouldn't think of their work as political. What's hunger and food charity got to do with politics? Food charity work is absolutely political. Anytime we intervene to assist someone on the brink of food access failure, we're shaping and even reinforcing the everyday realities of the politics that structure our entire food system. While charities may not want to contend with this reality, they are, by default, acting within a set of policies that govern society's response to household food insecurity. Those working in food charity, they know that they're working within an extremely complex food system. They witness this complexity every day, more than most. Charitable food workers are also often aware that this system is driven by profit logics shaped by powerful actors in the food system, including the state and large corporations. Even if individual charities tend to operate on a logic of care over a logic of profit, the fact that they exist as a critical part of our contemporary food supply chains is a testament to the way in which specific interests in society have shaped the laws that govern food charity and the expansion of these food assistance networks over time. Free, volunteer or even low cost labor that charitable food work provides to this system is very much a part of a broader calculation. From that optic, anybody engaged in food charity is really, intimately engaged in a political project around what the future of our food system will be. Thanks for bringing in some of those questions around logics of care over logics of profits and the question of labor in food charity work. Can you tell us a little bit more about how this expansion of food charity happened? How did politics fit into that? I study emergency food networks in a US context from here in West Virginia, one of the places with the highest food and security rates in the country. I've observed this expansion unfold here over the past eight years. I've taken more and more of an interest in the global expansion of food charity. If we look at the US case, specifically, food charity and politics really began to intersect in the 1980s, shortly after the Reagan administration came into power. There was this concerted effort to trim down social services provided by the state like housing, cash and food assistance programs. They were all cut pretty drastically. As a result, people began lining up at churches and other organizations that had previously provided ad hoc intermittent food aid. Those cuts, they were part of a political project, one that's typically branded as trickledown economics. It left many people vulnerable to hunger. As feeding lines expanded and became a regular part of everyday food sourcing strategies for some people, a word got out that there was all of this excess cheese and other surplus food commodities in government storehouses all across the country. Political pressure was put on the Reagan administration to release this public food to local feeding programs. That initiated a process of integrating food charities directly into federal food policy. 40 years on this response has evolved into a multi-billion dollar program we now know as the Emergency Food Assistance program or TEFAP. On the private side, the good Samaritan food donation laws were also written and shaped by corporate donors over the same period to benefit their bottom-line interests. Then we've seen this massive expansion over the past 18 months, as feeding lines expanded once again in the wake of the COVID 19 pandemic. Here, states, private corporations, philanthropies have all invested heavily in charitable food networks. This doesn't just happen. Decisions are made in corporate boardrooms and in government committees to leverage charitable food labor and the infrastructure there, to resolve a major crisis in our food system. One, that simultaneously produces absurd amount of waste and endemic levels of hunger. Unless charities mobilize together to come to this realization and push back against these perverse dynamics, unless there's some concerted political effort to counter these trends, we'll see food charity continue to normalize as a growing part of everyday life in our communities. I think we really need to be asking whom does food charity ultimately serve? Whom are we working for when we distribute food to those in need? We serve our neighbors of course, but we also serve a powerful food cartel that has significant interest in maintaining this status quo. I think we've seen similar trajectories of food charity expansion following welfare cuts in other parts of the world, certainly in the UK, across Europe, in Australia and increasingly in other countries as well. If charity is political then, what can people who are working assistance programs on the ground do to genuinely address food and security issues in their communities through the policy process? That's a great question. I think the answer is organize. Organize and keep organizing. Local food charities are already organized into some kind of structure. Here in the US if you distribute TEFAP food, you are working on behalf of the federal government, which is highly organized. If you redistribute food waste from Walmart or the Kellogg corporation, you're being organized by Feeding America and a board of directors, largely beholden to the interests of these corporations. Food charities need to organize independent movements that have a powerful enough political voice to counter the dynamics currently leading to the expansion of food charity. I think that once food charities realize that their labor, their fundraising, their infrastructure investments bring a significant amount of collective value to this profit driven system, they can begin to leverage and take back that social value to reshape the entire food system from below, for and with the very people to whom they're providing food aid. Now, I don't know how many people remember, but just last year, Donald Trump placed letters in every box of food distributed by the federal government during the pandemic right during election season. He understood food charity as a political space. How are we leveraging the spaces we've created to shape the food system that we want to see in the next 10, 20 or 30 years? These are questions I have because an organized political movement of local food charities that elevates the voices of those they serve, could be a powerful force, reshaping the moral economy of our entire food system. Of course, it involves rethinking what food charity is at its core as well. This will take time, but emergent initiatives like Closing the Hunger Gap here in the US, this Global Solidarity Alliance were part of is beginning to do work. Now, you can also do that work at the local level with your city or your county government. You can do that work by building alliances with other political groups that are already organizing around these issues. We're doing it here through the West Virginia Food for All Coalition, a broad coalition of food banks and farmers and anti-poverty advocates. We need to build alliances that connect across place, connect across space, advocating for social issues that go far beyond food; low wages, poor healthcare, high housing costs, expensive transportation. Now, we can collectively get involved in shaping the laws linked to the production of hunger in our communities. If we don't, you can be sure others will shape them on our behalf. We've seen where that's led these past 40 years, the continued expansion of food charity. I just learned last week that the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona seeded a political campaign to increase minimum wage in the city of Tucson. That just passed last week. Now, that's wonderful. Charities getting involved in the political process to actually reduce the need for charity. Here in West Virginia charities are beginning to get involved in the movement for constitutional amendment around the right to food. That's also really cool. It's wonderful. The first step, I think, is for charities to learn about the policies that undergird their systems. Food charity, why does it exist? Why is it there in the first place? Only then can we organize with purpose. From my vantage point, the right to food movement and the food sovereignty movement already give us all of the language and concepts that we need to begin doing that, no matter what political scale you're organizing at or that you feel your organization can act within. I know from firsthand experience, it's not easy doing politics, but again, anyone involved in distributing charitable food is already involved in a political project. Unfortunately, when you follow the money, it's probably not a project that you actually want to be a part of. I think that the first step in getting involved in this work, politically, is digging into the politics that create the need for food charity in the first place. Listening to this podcast seems like a great way to begin to do that. Thanks for inviting me on to contribute some of these thoughts. I look forward to learning with you as this project moves forward.    

Kyle Waide, Atlanta Community Food Bank President and CEO on NonProfits Radio Kyle Waide, President and CEO Atlanta Community Food Bank As President and CEO of the Atlanta Community Food Bank, Kyle Waide oversees the distribution of nearly 70 million pounds of food and grocery products each year through a network of 600 local and regional partner nonprofit organizations that feed those in need across 29 Georgia counties. Prior to being named CEO in June of 2015, Waide served for three years as the Food Bank's Vice President of Partner Operations, leading the organization to record-breaking years of food distribution to the hungry. Through Waide's collaborative efforts to improve distribution best practices, the Food Bank dramatically increased the nutritional quality of its product offerings, including fresh produce. Currently the Food Bank distributes more than 14 million pounds of produce each year. Prior to joining the Food Bank, Waide held several management roles at The Home Depot Inc. in disaster relief, corporate responsibility, community affairs and store operations. He also previously served as part of the management team that created and launched Charity Navigator, the nation's premier charity evaluation service. Waide is a graduate of Harvard University and serves as the Chair of the Southeast Regional Cooperative, the Vice Chair of the Georgia Food Bank Association and is a member of the Ending Hunger Advisory Committee and the Policy, Education and Advocacy Committee for Feeding America. In our local community, Waide is a member of the Leadership Atlanta Class of 2015, the Rotary Club of Atlanta, the Community Advisory Board for The Junior League of Atlanta, Inc., the Super Bowl LIII Host Committee Advisory Board and the Committee For A Better Atlanta. Waide resides in Decatur with his wife, Christina, and their three children. Brief Description of Service: 1. The Atlanta Community Food Bank + their vision, mission and Bold Goal. The Atlanta Community Food Bank distributes enough food for over 60 million meals each year and distributes to more than 600 nonprofit partner agencies serving families and individuals in 29 metro Atlanta and north Georgia counties. 2. Every day, one in seven Georgians struggle with hunger. We are asking you to join us in supporting the Atlanta Community Food Bank today to make a donation, visit acfb.org 3. The Atlanta Community Food Bank's strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency has earned another 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America's largest independent charity evaluator. The 4-star rating is the highest grade awarded by Charity Navigator. For eight consecutive years, the Food Bank has earned 4-star ratings from Charity Navigator. Topics to Discuss: Other details about the Food Bank's service area - 1 in 7 Georgians struggles with hunger in metro Atlanta and north Georgia. These folks include children, seniors, and hardworking families. Each year, an estimated 755,400 (or 1 in 7) people in metro Atlanta and north Georgia turn to Food Bank partner agencies for food. Clients visit agencies an average of 8 times a year. Web Site / Linkedin / Social Media Links: http://www.acfb.org https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-waide-4339a31 Non Profits Radio! Be Our Guest and “Broadcast Your Cause!” Mission: Share compelling stories of local community nonprofit organizations. Inviting nonprofits and companies/individuals supporting nonprofits to join us in the studio for a guest interview on NonProfits Radio! A passion project of Pro Business Channel, the creator of NonProfits Radio "as our way to support and help tell the stories of local nonprofits"!! Hosted by: Rich Casanova Rich Casanova began his broadcasting career in California's central valley at KSKS-FM. While in California he also ran a successful entertainment company whose staff and crew entertained over 100,000 people.

Tonight, live at 7pm eastern we'll talk about the upcoming game against the Buffalo Bills! Will the Jets defense be able to get pressure on Josh Allen? Can Mike White continue playing well against a tough Bills defense? All those questions will be asked and more! I'll also have special guest Amy Costa on the show from the Community Food Bank of New Jersey. I also take live callers! The number to my show is (515) 602-9639! Call in and share your takes! GO JETS!   Here's all of my social media and content: https://linktr.ee/LongBeachJoe

This segment is about Alameda county community food Bank needing volunteers and AC housing choices and the call for more volunteers to help the Alameda county community food Bank --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/j-w54/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/j-w54/support

Workplace MVP: Sheri Foster, Atlanta Community Food Bank Sheri Foster, Vice President of Human Resources, joined host Jamie Gassmann to share why the Atlanta Community Food Bank created employee-led work teams, the recommendations they solicited from these teams, which included pay and vacation policies, and how these teams have engendered increased employee engagement and aided […] The post Workplace MVP: Sheri Foster, Atlanta Community Food Bank appeared first on Business RadioX ®.

Even with the best intentions, nonprofits have played a major role in maintaining racist systems -- and the makeup of their leadership is one big reason why.   In this episode, we speak with Community Food Bank of Arizona CEO Michael McDonald and board member Rene Lopez about their work transitioning their organization's traditional whitespace governance into one that represents the communities it serves.

“It has been breathtaking to see how, overnight, the scale of our activity has just shifted totally.”While most businesses have been forced to adapt at a blistering pace, when you're a nonprofit organization that distributes meals to assist those suffering from hunger and food insecurity, a global pandemic brings an especially unique set of challenges.Kyle Waide, President and CEO of the Atlanta Community Food Bank, tells the story of how this nonprofit adapted while continuing to advance its mission amid a pandemic in this episode of The Wrap.Waide joins our podcast hosts, along with Warren Averett Member and nonprofit advisor Megan Randolph, CPA, to discuss what nonprofits everywhere can glean from the story of how the Atlanta Community Food Bank has navigated (and continues to navigate) the unfamiliar territory of COVID-19, its impact on nonprofit funding, food supply, service need, volunteer efforts and more. 

Christi has a full house in this episode, talking to some of the team behind the Community Food Bank of Grand Junction. Alisha Wenger, Executive Director, and two board members, Biff Messinger and Karen McLean-Wilson, share how they got involved in the Food Bank.  They also discuss the mission and history, as well as their efforts to support the Grand Valley community during the COVID-19 pandemic. To make a donation or to volunteer for the Food Bank, please visit www.foodbankgj.org. This episode was recorded on May 26, 2020.

0:08 – Mondays with Mitch — Mitch Jeserich of Letters and Politics joins Cat Brooks and Brian Edwards-Tiekert to talk abut the Senate's reauthorization of the PATRIOT Act, known now as the USA Freedom Act, to expand the widespread surveillance across the U.S. and allow the FBI to access browsing history without first obtaining a warrant. We also talk about the House passage of the HEROES Act, another congressional stimulus during Covid-19 that contains money for states, and its uncertain future in the U.S. Senate. 0:34 Suzan Bateson, executive director of the Alameda County Community Food Bank, discusses food insecurity in the East Bay. Food banks have seen a surge in need during the coronavirus crisis — and the Alameda County Community Food Bank has increased its food purchases by almost three times the amount they spent last year. We're spotlighting the food bank during our spring fund drive — listeners can give a portion of their donation to KPFA to the food bank by donating here. 1:08 – CA Governor Gavin Newsom unveiled his May budget revision, with deep cuts to most areas of state spending, making up for an anticipated $54 billion shortfall as a result of Covid-19. The cuts are set to take place if the federal government does not provide funding to California. Political reporter Laurel Rosenhall (@lrosenhall) of CalMatters joins us. Her latest piece is “Newsom moves to slash school, health spending — but asks feds for a rescue.” 1:20 – Michael Herald of the Western Center for Law and Poverty explains the effect of Newsom's proposed budget cuts — many which go deeper than the cuts after the 2008 recession — on poor people. Programs implemented in the last two years and designed to keep poor people out of debt are on the chopping block. 1:34 – Amber-Rose Howard of CURB, Californians United for a Responsible Budget, calls for eliminating California's “three strikes” policy and explains what Newsom's budget means for prison spending and incarcerated people. Prisoners are dying of Covid-19 behind bars in California. Newsom is now proposing closing two state prisons — but Howard says Newsom has fallen short of Jerry Brown's record on commutations and that more action is needed from the governor. “Prison is no place for a pandemic” illustration by Micah Bazant. The post Newsom's deep-cutting budget axes programs for poor people amid $54 billion shortfall; Plus, a spotlight on Alameda County Community Food Bank appeared first on KPFA.

We packed the equipment up and did a live broadcast at Breaker's Kitchen and Tap in Waretown, NJ for their New Jersey Brewer's Night Celebration!  Vic, Tom, Rob, and John interview a bunch of great guests including: Ian and Gary from the Battle River Brewing in Toms River John Howard-Fusco, noted South Jersey Foodie and Author Kris Lewis, Owner and Head Brewer of Oyster Creek Brewing Corey From Pinelands Brewing  Joe Molineaux, our Co-Host on Brewing Up South Jersey Business! Join us for a Gourmet Dinner and Beer Pairing at The Cardinal Bistro on 3/27/19!  All proceeds will benefit the Community Food Bank of South Jersey-Southern Division!  6 Great Beers paired with Chef Michael Brennan's Culinary Creations!   Tickets and Info Here! Advertise With Us! For rates and info email us at info@sjbeerscene.com For all the latest South Jersey Beer News visit us at www.sjbeerscene.com

We went alcohol free for our podcast in Glassboro with Josh, Greg, and Krystle of the soon to be open Axe & Arrow Brewery located on the courtyard of the totally revamped downtown space on Rowan Blvd, or RoBo as it is known to the locals. A&A has a really great space and a truly unique brewing system that will allow them a ton of flexibility in both the brew house and tasting room.  We cannot wait until we can sample some of their creations! Join us on 3/27/19 at The Cardinal Bistro in Ventnor for Foraged & Fermented, a fine dining experience featuring foraged local delicacies and Great New Jersey Craft Beer!  This event is part of Atlantic City Beer Week, the prelude to the 2019 AC Beer & Music Festival!  All proceeds will benefit the Community Food Bank of New Jersey-Southern Branch!  Visit SJBeerScene.com for all of the details! Listen to "Brewing Up South Jersey Business" on WOND 1400 AM on Saturday from 1-3PM with South Jersey Beer Scene and host Joe Molineaux for interviews with your favorite breweries, bars, and bottle shops.  Stream live from WOND.com    

Vic, Rob, & Richard sat down with Jason Goldstein, owner and brewer, of Icarus Brewing of Lakewood, NJ.  Icarus is going to be celebrating their 2nd Anniversary on Saturday, January 12th with a bunch of cool beers including Barrel-Aged Bottle releases, Three Different Anniversary Can Releases, and Special tappings! Make you plans now to join us as we host Foraged & Fermented, a Dinner at the Cardinal Bistro in Ventnor, NJ as part of Atlantic City Beer Week on 3/27 at 7 PM. This event benefits the Community Food Bank of South Jersey. For tickets and information please visit Foraged & Fermented Beer Dinner Make sure to visit South Jersey Beer Scene for the latest in South Jersey Beer News! Listen to us every Saturday on WOND News Talk 1400 AM for "Brewing Up South Jersey Business" as we bring in all of the movers and shakers in beer in South Jersey!