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Advocate

Hunger Poll

Which chronic disease is associated with very low food security?

A. Diabetes
B. Hypertension
C. Both A + B

The correct answer is C.

People who are food insecure are often making the tough choice to save costs by purchasing cheaper, less nutritious food. Therefore, many people with very low food security are at increased risk for both diabetes and hypertension.

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Hunger Education

Our Speakers Bureau and Outreach team members will speak to your group about the mission of the Food Bank, how we operate, what the need looks like in Northeast Ohio, and how to get involved.

Speakers Bureau Presentations and Tour Requests

GCFB staff and skill-based volunteer Speakers Bureau members are available to engage your group around the Food Bank’s work. Our speakers can present an overview to your group on how we operate, what the need looks like in Northeast Ohio, and how to get involved. These presentations are usually 15-45 minutes in length and are available both on- and offsite. We also offer tours of our state-of-art facilities.

If you are interested in inviting a member of the Speakers Bureau to speak at your event or meeting, please fill out this presentation request form.

If you are interested in a presentation on a specific topic, such as nutrition, public benefits, or Harvest for Hunger, please fill out the form above and specify your request.

Due to the high volume of requests, we are not able to accommodate elementary and middle school groups at this time. Please see our Hunger Education materials on this page for activities designed for elementary and middle school students.

Questions? Please contact us.

Outreach and Help Center Presentations

Greater Cleveland Food Bank Community Outreach team members are available to attend community events, spend time on site at your location and provide information sessions.

First, our team is happy to connect in person with people who may need emergency food and/or those who may be eligible for public benefits. We can participate in your special event or dedicate a team member to co-locate at your site to engage directly with those who need assistance.

Second, our team is happy to connect with anyone who comes into contact with people who may need emergency food and/or those who may be eligible for public benefits by providing and information session. These sessions last from 20-60 minutes based on your preference and the needs of your audience. Typical audiences include professionals working in schools, social service settings and community based organizations.

Our participation is always dependent on availability.

We hope you’ll invite us by completing this form.

Interactive Group Presentations and Simulations

Making Choices Activity (for smaller groups)

The Making Choices Activity is designed to help participants understand what it might be like to live in a typical lower-income family trying to stretch their budget through the month. In this role-playing activity, participants are assigned into a family unit. Each family has a specific budget that they must stick to throughout the month.

During the activity, families are presented with a series of choices. Based on their specific situation, families need to make choices around housing, transportation, schooling, and food – all while operating within their budget.

The activity typically lasts about 60 minutes. It includes a brief introduction and a debriefing period during which participants share their experiences navigating the simulated month on their limited budgets. There is no cost to conduct this activity and we offer it both on- and offsite.

Community Action Poverty Simulation (for larger groups)

The Community Action Poverty Simulation (CAPS) is a highly-interactive 3-hour experience for larger groups that helps individuals begin to understand what life is like with a shortage of resources and an abundance of stress. It moves people to think about the realities of poverty and to talk about how communities can address the problem collectively. Most importantly, it encourages people to make a difference.

The simulation is based on the Missouri Community Action Model and is facilitated by Greater Cleveland Food Bank. Since 2013, many organizations and companies have participated in poverty simulations including Leadership Cleveland, Greater Cleveland RTA, and Cleveland Municipal School District. We can host groups at our Coit Rd. Partner Distribution Hub or offsite in spaces equivalent to the size of a school gymnasium with onsite tables and chairs. We require a minimum 60 participants and up to 80, plus 15+ support volunteers. The cost to conduct the simulation is $300 with a minimum of 3-month advance notice.