Johnson Aims to Fight Hunger in the Community with Feds Feed Families 2022

NASA Johnson Space Center’s 2022 Feds Feed Families (FFF) campaign is kicks off Aug. 1 and goes through Sept. 9. This year, there is a greater need for food donations due to the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on families. Did you know that there are almost 2.75 million people in our local communities who are potentially food insecure? In addition to this increase in demand, traditionally food donations are down during the summer months. Contending with all these factors in the background, Johnson’s participation in FFF 2022 is needed now more than ever. And, as a community, we can make a profound difference for Houston and Galveston families during this time. 

You may be wondering how Johnson intends to conduct a food drive this year. To make giving easier than ever, the 2022 campaign is being carried out both virtually and in person.

How to Donate
As always, your participation is entirely voluntary. However, if you choose to participate, the following are ways in which you can contribute:

• Donate online by purchasing food (reference the list shown at right and at bottom) via an online grocer and having it delivered/shipped to the local food bank or pantry of your choice.
• Drop off donations at your local pantry.
• Plant a row. Plant an extra row of food in your garden or harvest unwanted produce from neighborhood gardens and donate to local food banks or pantries.
• Participate in warehouse or field gleaning.

To locate a local food bank or pantry that accepts online food and household donations, visit https://ampleharvest.org/find-pantry/.

Recording Your Donation
Once donations are made, record your donation using the online self-reporting tool found at the FFF Hub. All donations will be tracked by the Johnson’s FFF chair. At the hub, learn more about getting involved, locating gleaning events, and sharing success stories. 

Please note that federal ethics regulations prohibit FFF coordinators from soliciting monetary donations directly for pantries or food banks; however, if an employee makes an unsolicited monetary donation to a food bank or food pantry, the employee can record their gift to the FFF Hub by selecting  drop-down option, “Unsolicited monetary donation to hunger organization.” Monetary donations are converted to pounds of food at a conversion rate of five pounds per dollar donated. 

Goal
Johnson aims to collect at least 50,000 pounds of perishable food and household items for pantries and food banks in our local area. Think — that amount of food roughly equals three adult elephants. But, if everyone contributes a few pounds, the goal is easily met. 

Stuff the Truck: Sept. 9
The campaign will include a drive-by, stuff-the-truck event at Gilruth Center on Friday, Sept. 9, for the Galveston County Food Bank. Your food and household donations will go straight from your trunk to the large food bank truck.  

So, start shopping online or scouring your pantries, itemize your grocery lists, and start planning. It took a team to get NASA to the Moon — and it will take the same to feed local communities in need.

Snapshot: Your Stories
During the campaign, we encourage people to take and share photos when donating food, planting a row, or volunteering at a food bank. One idea: Hold a sign showing your organization’s name or code when taking the photo. Spark some friendly competition that benefits the community!

Stay tuned for ways you will be able to share your stories and photos.