NASA’s White Sands Test Facility’s Fabulously Fun Food Drive helps local families
2013-09-12
Lorenzo Alba Jr., executive director, Casa de Peregrinos Emergency Food Bank, talked with employees at the White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) located near Las Cruces, N.M., about the Feds Feed Families Food Drive. The food drive was held from June 21 to Aug. 30.
“We serve the communities around us,” Alba said. “Not only do we feed people, we veer them to other resources that can help with housing, Medicaid, food stamps and even employment. During the summer months, when food banks are low on food supplies, it is friends like you that make a difference to us.”
Alba spoke at an all-hands meeting for Navarro, a contractor for the Environmental Department at the test facility.
“We added 587 brand-new families to our roster this year,” Alba said. “We can’t be grateful enough for your help. In a typical month, we feed 750 to 1,000 families just in Las Cruces. In rural areas, there are around 1,200 to 1,450 families in need.”
This is the third year that WSTF has joined the Feds Feed Families Program, along with their parent-affiliate Johnson Space Center.
“I think Feds Feed Families is a wonderful program that allows us to give something back to the community, whose imagination and support allows NASA to exist and mankind to explore,” said NASA astronaut Jack Fischer.
“A recent news article listed New Mexico’s children as very much in need of food, shelter and general economic well-being,” said Office Chief Mary Burke, Technical Services, WSTF, at the beginning of the federal campaign. “Seeing how our contributions are so meaningful to Casa de Peregrinos places this need into perspective. One employee donated 500 pounds of potatoes. It only took a day and a half to use up this donation.”
“This year we asked our site’s employees for 20,000 pounds of food,” said Kathleen Franklin, an administrative assistant in the Technical Services Office at WSTF, who has co-chaired the event for the past three years. “Last year we donated 20,552 pounds of food.”
Franklin’s signature passion and commitment to those in need inspires people to give generously. ERC, Inc., a contractor company at WSTF, contributed 10,013 pounds, included in the site total. ERC Fund President Albert Wu matches donations given by employees and also purchases diapers, formula and other needs for Jardin de los Niños. The Oxygen Systems Group in the Materials and Components Laboratories Department volunteered to challenge their 2012 record of 2,425; they gave more this year, averaging 680 pounds per employee with a 4,367 total weight.
“The WSTF Feds Feed Families campaign is a great way to give,” said Joel Stoltzfus, Oxygen Systems project manager. “There is no administrative overhead. Every dollar you give to buy food is spent on food. The food gets distributed to people who really need it. As far as charitable giving goes, this is a great bargain!”
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center White Sands Complex added 1,153 pounds, for a grand total of 29,611 pounds of food given.
“I am truly humbled by your efforts and generosity,” Alba said. “Thank you.”
Cheerie R. Patneaude
NASA’s White Sands Test Facility
“We serve the communities around us,” Alba said. “Not only do we feed people, we veer them to other resources that can help with housing, Medicaid, food stamps and even employment. During the summer months, when food banks are low on food supplies, it is friends like you that make a difference to us.”
Alba spoke at an all-hands meeting for Navarro, a contractor for the Environmental Department at the test facility.
“We added 587 brand-new families to our roster this year,” Alba said. “We can’t be grateful enough for your help. In a typical month, we feed 750 to 1,000 families just in Las Cruces. In rural areas, there are around 1,200 to 1,450 families in need.”
This is the third year that WSTF has joined the Feds Feed Families Program, along with their parent-affiliate Johnson Space Center.
“I think Feds Feed Families is a wonderful program that allows us to give something back to the community, whose imagination and support allows NASA to exist and mankind to explore,” said NASA astronaut Jack Fischer.
“A recent news article listed New Mexico’s children as very much in need of food, shelter and general economic well-being,” said Office Chief Mary Burke, Technical Services, WSTF, at the beginning of the federal campaign. “Seeing how our contributions are so meaningful to Casa de Peregrinos places this need into perspective. One employee donated 500 pounds of potatoes. It only took a day and a half to use up this donation.”
“This year we asked our site’s employees for 20,000 pounds of food,” said Kathleen Franklin, an administrative assistant in the Technical Services Office at WSTF, who has co-chaired the event for the past three years. “Last year we donated 20,552 pounds of food.”
Franklin’s signature passion and commitment to those in need inspires people to give generously. ERC, Inc., a contractor company at WSTF, contributed 10,013 pounds, included in the site total. ERC Fund President Albert Wu matches donations given by employees and also purchases diapers, formula and other needs for Jardin de los Niños. The Oxygen Systems Group in the Materials and Components Laboratories Department volunteered to challenge their 2012 record of 2,425; they gave more this year, averaging 680 pounds per employee with a 4,367 total weight.
“The WSTF Feds Feed Families campaign is a great way to give,” said Joel Stoltzfus, Oxygen Systems project manager. “There is no administrative overhead. Every dollar you give to buy food is spent on food. The food gets distributed to people who really need it. As far as charitable giving goes, this is a great bargain!”
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center White Sands Complex added 1,153 pounds, for a grand total of 29,611 pounds of food given.
“I am truly humbled by your efforts and generosity,” Alba said. “Thank you.”
Cheerie R. Patneaude
NASA’s White Sands Test Facility
Astronaut Jack Fischer helps load food. Image Credit: NASA White Sands Test Facility
Fischer stopped by WSTF to bestow Silver Snoopys and then helped load the day’s donations. Image Credit: NASA White Sands Test Facility
Lorenzo Alba, executive director, Casa de Peregrinos Emergency Food Bank (near left), John McManamen, Robert Cort, Nathan Jeffers and Joel Stoltzfus. Fisher (far right), Stephen Peralta, Rich C. de Baca, Kyle Sparks and Tim Gallus. Keisha Rosales is not pictured. Image Credit: NASA White Sands Test Facility