JN2117 Feed My Sheep, Inc. DBA Satisfeed

Our initial launch of SATISFEED involved banana boxes full of food named “BOXES OF HOPE.” We intended to fully implement BOXES OF HOPE, then add “BACKPACKS OF CARE” and “FOOD RESCUE” as time, money, and support allowed. Alas, time ran out (WORLDWIDE PANDEMIC), forcing us to shelve BACKPACKS OF CARE and FOOD RESCUE. We focused 110% of our time, talents, and treasures on food insecurity and feeding hungry people. In the ensuing 13 months, we transitioned from a twice a month food co-op serving 51 families 4000 pounds of food to a dual drive thru campus serving 300+ families per week (15+ new families weekly) 13,700 pounds of food a week. This transition has moved us from RELIEF to RECOVERY, with plans to move our guests into RESOURCES and RELATIONSHIPS. THE ELEVATE PRIZE would: -significantly increase our financial resources -trumpet our efforts to fight food insecurity and food waste -deliver the professional development and business guidance needed for continuous improvement and impact -develop connections, experiences, and relationships that go beyond the balance sheet -providing support for our team to GO! M*A*D! (Make A Difference).

Many years back, my son, 13 at the time, happened to be playing baseball with the son of the founder of a non-profit food distribution program. The father and I got to talking about his work, and I was stunned by his words. At the time, I had no idea about the local hunger issue. For all I knew, Gwinnett was a prosperous county. When I began to look into it, it was like a curtain was raised. Hunger wasn't just an abstract problem on another continent, but a real crisis that affects our friends and neighbors in Gwinnett.

Once I knew about the ubiquity of food insecurity, I had to do something. It's who I am, and it's what I want to do. With the help of like-minded individuals, and with onsite training from veterans in the field, I started my own program of food rescue and distribution. Satisfeed was born out of my wish to serve the community that is my home. Fueled by the joy of receiving a meal, and by the human connections we build along the way, I work to nourish Gwinnett.

There is more than enough food produced to feed the world’s population, however, 690 million people go to bed hungry each night. (actionagainsthunger.org) United Way Atlanta produced a Child Wellbeing Map.  In the area that Satisfeed focuses on:

• 42.5% of the children live in poverty (total children 16,955)
• 63% of families are not financially stable.  (total families 12,325)
• Since the pandemic unemployment is higher than any time since WWII.

This project will allow us to not only reach people in our community better, it will expand our reach into other communities who live with food insecurity.  

SATISFEED (www.satisfeed.org) exists to fight hunger and food insecurity. We fight food insecurity by feeding families, nurturing relationships, and building community. The food is here. The means to feed the community is here. Through a variety of programs, we minimize food waste, bring people to the table, bring food to the table, and bring food to the people.

The dual issues of food insecurity and food deserts are well hidden. However, a cursory investigation reveals 53% (90,000+) Gwinnett County Public School students receive free/reduced meals 36 weeks a school year. In the 29 counties of metro Atlanta and north Georgia served by the Atlanta Community Food Bank (ACFB), 658,000 people (11% of the population) are food insecure. The latest report from ACFB indicates food insecurity will not peak until at least 2025. The effects of the global pandemic show food insecurity rising 50% worldwide.

SATISFEED stepped into the morass of food insecurity and food deserts to provide a safe, reliable, and cost-effective method of distributing food to hungry people. Using a HUB/SPOKE logistics model, we have built a HUB warehouse distribution center. We have recruited SPOKE partners to receive bulk shipments of food to distribute to hungry people. The value of the HUB/SPOKE model is found in our results. In February 2020, SATISFEED served 51 families 4026 pounds of food. In February 2021, SATISFEED and its SPOKEs served 1528 families 62,431 pounds of food.

Ultimately, the SPOKEs will be developed into “WE” Community Service Centers to feed the people physically, financially, socially, emotionally, relationally, and spiritually.

SATISFEED feeds people physically, financially, socially, emotionally, relationally, and spiritually. We start with food because we know your hunger interferes with your healing.

We started as a walk-in food co-op in September 2018. We served families two Saturdays a month; the amount of food determined by family size (1-4, 4-6, 7+). We collected basic demographic information and served the families as they entered.

We grew from 7 families and 644 pounds of food in September 2018 to 51 families and 4026 pounds of food in February 2020.

Because of COVID, we converted from guest walk-in distribution to dual drive-thru distribution. In February 2021 we served 1528 families and 62,341 pounds of food. Our distributions moved from twice monthly to weekly.

We have embarked on a hub/spoke distribution model to feed more people. Our vision is to build the hubs into WE COMMUNITY SERVICE CENTERS. The centers would offer collaborations with service providers, enabling us to serve the needs of our guests more effectively.

SATISFEED is impacting lives because of the power of human relationship, technology, and reduction of barriers to entry.

We started by placing two A-Frame signs at our parking lot entries. The invitation to register was barrier free, except for the 40 foot walk up our sidewalk to the front door. The 40 foot walk enabled our guests to cast aside their fear and pride to ask for help. Our simple registration process reassured our guests they would receive food.

The registration process produces a bar-coded I-D card that enables us to quickly register our guests as they come on campus. After registration, they receive their food and proceed to the rest of their day. The food is delivered to them by our cadre of superstar volunteers (including schoolkids, grandparents, and everyone in between). Our volunteers serve because they are GO!ing M*A*D! (Making A Difference) in the lives of their families, friends, and peers. Our guests return with their friends and families because we are reliable-We Do what we Promise.

Technology not only improves our speed of processing, but it improves our communications. 100% of our guests have a mobile device. We use TEXT/SMS to update our guests.