The Times Herald (Norristown, PA)
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Freedom From Hunger Drive : Valley Forge Tourism kicks off annual cause MAHN: VFTCB teams up with county anti-hunger network to make a difference
NORRISTOWN » When you spot Mike Bowman, Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board (VFTCB) CEO, manning the stove in public it’s usually for a good cause.
That was certainly the case recently when Bowman and his staff kicked off the agency’s Fourth Annual Valley Forge Freedom from Hunger Food Drive by lending a hand in the kitchen at Haws Kitchen, located in Haws Avenue United Methodist Church in Norristown.
A onetime professional chef who honed his cooking skills at such iconic restaurants as the Parker House in Boston and the Fontainebleau in Florida, Bowman, worked alongside Culinary
Arts Institute (CAI) at Montgomery County Community College members to whip up a chicken dinner for 100 to 150 people.
A custard dessert was donated by Shake Shack.
The tradition of helping out at soup kitchens to promote the food drive began in 2016 at Siloam Baptist Church, when Bowman and CAI members prepared a meal for more than 50 soup kitchen patrons.
“It’s so important that we keep our commitment to run this annual food drive, and support our residents in Montgomery County, especially those who are in times of need,” said Bowman. “It’s about raising awareness, as well as showing them the respect they deserve.”
With a goal of collecting 5,000 pounds of canned food, the Freedom from Hunger Food Drive, which was recognized with a 2018 Communitas Excellence in Community Service Award, will collect donated canned goods at various drop-off locations throughout the county through Sept. 30.
The food generated by the Valley Forge Freedom from Hunger Food Drive will help to feed just some of the 80,000 people estimated to be in need across Montgomery County.
VFTCB established the food drive in 2015 as a farewell “gift” to Pope Francis following his visit to Philadelphia and a stay at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Montgomery County during the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia.
Subsequent food drives are following through on that promise to Pope Francis to address the local hunger need on a yearly basis in the Pontiff’s name.
“It just made sense,” Bowman said at the time of the project’s inception, indicating that he regarded a standard parting gift as inappropriate.
“The suggestions were all around stuff. But Pope Francis wasn’t about stuff. He was about care for the poor. So we established a food drive around his visit and gave him a proclamation that announced it as a yearly show of support.”
Last year, the VFTCB collected more than 4,800 pounds of food donations and exceeded the Board’s goal by more than 300 pounds
of food. The VFTCB has increased its goal for donations every year since the drive began in 2015, and to date has collected more than 9,000 pounds of food to feed the hungry in Montgomery County.
This year, VFTCB will be partnering with Workhorse Brewing Company in King of Prussia on a local beer series, featuring a new brew each quarter, that will be branded using the help of area artists. A portion of the proceeds from the sales of the beer will go to the food drive.
The agency is also partnering again with the MontCo Anti-Hunger Network (MAHN), a coalition of hunger relief organizations working together to make healthy foods available to all communities in Montgomery County.
“Partnering with leaders like those at the VFTCB makes a world of difference in our work,” said MAHN administrator Paula Schafer. “Everyone benefits from a more vibrant community when the basic needs of its residents are met.”
MAHN support helps feed more than 15,000 hungry households a year, according to a press release. Most needed canned items include tomatoes, sauce, fruit, and soup.
To learn more about the drive, find drop-off locations or make a monetary donation, please visit www.valleyforge.org/hunger.