Food Ministry Donates Food Packages to Those in Need

MONROE, GA August 18 - Angel Food Ministries (AFM), the nation's largest nonprofit food ministry, will join in supporting national Hunger Action Month in September.  Every month AFM donates more than 600 of its food packages free to those in need while also offering food packages at 30-50% off retail prices to anyone.  AFM recently donated more than 11 tons of food to tornado victims in Joplin, MO.

"Hunger continues to affect millions of Americans day in and day out.  Nearly 15 percent (17.4 million) of U.S. households are food insecure and have difficulty providing enough food for all members of their family," said Pastor Wes Wingo, AFM chief information officer and CEO of Ministry Development.  "Children make up an important percentage of those who are food insecure and every month we donate at least 200 of our No Child Goes Without food packages.

"During these challenging economic times, it is even more difficult for those in need to provide nutritious food to their families," Pastor Wingo said.  "Every month we donate gift cards for our Sponsor Armed Services Families program as well as hundreds of our Bread of Life Signature food boxes."

Founded in 1994, AFM serves hundreds of thousands of customers in 45 states through some 5,000 churches.  Anyone can order AFM food packages and SNAP (food stamp) participants can use their EBT cards to purchase food packages.  There are no qualifications, income criteria or forms to fill out.  Food packages can be ordered online,by phoning 1-888-819-3745 or through local churches.  To locate your nearest host site and/or to order online, visit www.angelfoodministries.com and click on "Order Online."

Headquartered in Monroe GA, AFM offers a dozen standard food packages and a number of specialty packages at great discounts because it purchases food in bulk, does not have retail space and labor costs, does not advertise, uses less packaging, and benefits from the labor of some 40,000 volunteers at their partner churches.

Each month AFM compares prices item by item at major retailers in the 45 states it serves.  In a recent price comparison, Angel Food's Bread of Life Signature Box, which sells for $35, was priced for as much as $79 retail.  AFM's Bountiful Blessing Box, which sells for $46, was priced for as much as $114 retail.  Prices are compared with major grocery and discount retailers and vary by marketplace. 

"Angel Food is dedicated to helping those in need while also benefiting those churches and organizations we partner with," Pastor Wingo said.  "We have returned nearly $24 million to our partner churches and every month bring more individuals into their churches than any other single organization in America."AFM is non-denominational and does not require religious faith to order their food packages.  

AFM also does not rely on donations -- less than 1 percent of AFM revenues come from donations.  To review this month's menu and gather more information, please visit: www.angelfoodministries.com.

August 18, 2011

Washington, DC - Tomorrow, Rep. Bruce Braley will visit Dubuque and Jackson Counties to tour flood damage that occurred from severe storms on July 27-29, 2011.

Rep. Braley will meet with Jackson County officials and tour county roads and bridges that sustained damage during the recent flooding. Later in the afternoon, Rep. Braley will tour the City of Dubuque and meet with Dubuque officials to see flood damage across the city and throughout Dubuque County. In addition to touring the damage, Rep. Braley will receive an update on flood recovery efforts by local officials who are working on public infrastructure and potential buyouts of private residences.

***TOMORROW***

WHAT: Rep. Braley to meet with Jackson County officials to tour county roads and bridges that sustained damage during the recent flooding.

WHEN: FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 12:00-12:45 PM CDT

WHERE: Kalmes Restaurant, 100 N. Main Street, St. Donatus, IA 52071

There will be a press avail at 12:00 PM CDT.  Media is encouraged to attend the tour with Rep. Braley and Jackson County officials after the press avail.   

WHAT: Rep. Braley to meet with Dubuque officials to tour flood damage and receive an update on recovery efforts.

WHEN: FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 1:45-2:30 PM CDT

WHERE: Swiss Valley Nature Preserve, 13606 Swiss Valley Road, Dubuque, IA 52003

There will be a press avail at 1:45 PM CDT. Media is encouraged to attend the tour with Rep. Braley and Dubuque officials after the press avail.

Mental Health Parity, Regional Integrated Behavioral Health Networks among New Laws to Improve and Coordinate Behavioral Health Care 

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS - August 18, 2011. Governor Pat Quinn today signed new laws designed to improve the quality of life for those needing behavioral health services and ensure equal access to necessary treatments. During a ceremony at the Alexian Brothers Center for Mental Health, the Governor signed House Bill 1530, which requires insurance companies to provide parity in coverage for mental health and substance abuse disorders, and House Bill 2982, which will help the state build regional networks to improve behavioral health care throughout Illinois. The laws build upon Illinois' efforts to ensure equal access to health care for Illinois residents and coordinate care to improve outcomes.

"When we talk about access to health care, we want to make sure that we are including all types of care," Governor Quinn said. "No one should be forced to forgo critical mental health care because of where they live or because their insurance charges more for the necessary treatment. These laws will increase equality throughout the state and advance our goal to improve the health of all Illinois residents."

House Bill 1530, sponsored by Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie) and Sen. Willie Delgado (D-Chicago), establishes mental health parity among health insurance policies. Insurance companies must now provide the same coverage for mental health and substance abuse disorders that they provide for all other conditions. Insurers are prevented from including additional barriers within the policy - such as financial requirements, treatment limitations, lifetime limits or annual limits - to treatments for mental, emotional, nervous and substance abuse disorders if no such stipulations exist for other health conditions. Illinois' new law exceeds the requirements of the recently-enacted federal mental health parity law, and was a recommendation of the Governor's Health Care Reform Implementation Council.

The Mental Health Services Strategic Planning Task Force is created under House Bill 2084, sponsored by Rep. Fred Crespo (D-Hoffman Estates) and Sen. Michael Noland (D-Elgin). The task force will develop a comprehensive strategic plan for the state's mental health and developmental disabilities services. The plan will address issues impacting mental health and developmental disabilities services, including: reducing regulatory redundancy; improving access to care; ensuring quality of care in all settings; and ensuring hospital and institutional care is available, when necessary, to meet demands now and in the future.

Senate Bill 1584, sponsored by Sen. Maggie Crotty (D-Oak Forest) and Rep. Al Riley (D-Olympia Fields), sets up community health advisory committees for counties and townships that have not already established community health boards. The legislation requires counties with less than 3,000,000 people and townships within counties with a population greater than 3,000,000 to appoint a volunteer seven-member health advisory committee made up of members of the general public if no community health board exists. 

Additionally, on Monday, Governor Quinn signed House Bill 2982, sponsored by Rep. Joe Sosnowski (R-Rockford) and Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Rockford), which creates Regional Integrated Behavioral Health Networks across Illinois to ensure and improve access to appropriate mental health and substance abuse services throughout the state, especially in rural communities. The networks will bring together relevant health, mental health, substance abuse entities and other community partners to coordinate services and ensure that each community's behavioral health needs are being met.

These bills align with the goals of the State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP). The SHIP calls for Illinois to improve access to comprehensive health-related services, enhance data and information technology in the healthcare sectors, address the social factors affecting health and health disparities, manage and improve the public health system, and ensure sufficient workforce in the healthcare and public health fields. The SHIP is prevention-focused and centered on the following priority health concerns: alcohol/tobacco; use of illicit drugs/misuse of legal drugs; mental health; environment; obesity (including nutrition and physical activity); oral health; patient safety and quality, and unintentional injury and violence.

Also signed today, Senate Bill 1837, sponsored by Sen. Tom Johnson (R-West Chicago) and Rep. Mike Fortner (R-West Chicago), gives the Kane County Mental Health Court the authority to work with accredited mental health service providers to provide necessary services to defendants. It also requires the mental health court to assess its effectiveness and submit a report on the impact it has on reducing the number of mentally-ill people admitted into the state's correctional system. The Kane County Mental Health Court was launched in February 2006 to reduce future criminal activity and improve public safety by preventing repeated incarceration of mentally ill, non-violent offenders.

Governor Quinn also approved House Bill 1317, sponsored by Rep. Crespo and Sen. Noland, which assists individuals with serious behavioral disorders and other disabilities by excusing them permanently from jury duty. Those seeking to be excluded from jury lists must present written proof from a licensed physician concluding that the individual has a total and permanent disability that prevents performance of the duties of a juror. The legislation mandates county boards, jury administrators and jury commissioners to create and maintain a list of persons to be permanently excluded jury lists.

House Bills 2084 and 1530 are effective immediately. House Bills 1317 and 2982 and Senate Bill 1837 take effect Jan. 1.

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In connection with the current PENCIL exhibit at the German American Heritage Center and Museum, the Book Discussion Group will discuss the book "The Pencil" written by Henry Petroski. The discussion will be led by St. Ambrose University Professor Michael Hustedde.

Petroski's witty and unexpected history of the pencil includes a wide range of characters: from the American philosopher Henry David Thoreau, and Toulouse Lautrec, who declared, "I am a pencil", to the great nineteenth-century manufacturing families, such as Dixon and Faber. Petroski charmingly celebrates the design history of one of mankind's most essential, and yet undervalued tools.

The program will be held at the German American Heritage Center and Museum, 712 West 2^nd Street. Davenport, at 2:00 on Sunday, August 28^th.

Free to members, free to non-members with museum admission.

See the pencil art and collections on display at GAHC.

Watch for information regarding the visit to the Quad-Cities of the author Henry Petroski.