OrgWatch

Mayor Jerry Sanders officially launched the San Diego Food Bank's annual Holiday Food Drive on Tuesday which, according to the Food Bank, will be the most important in its 32-year history since it is feeding more people than ever before.

Food Bank Chairman Eugene "Mitch" Mitchell highlighted the Food Bank's latest distribution statistics, showing sustained increases in demand from cities across the county. The Food Bank's figures compare the amount of food it distributed during the first six months of 2008 with the same period in 2009. From January to June, the amount of food distributed to the needy doubled and tripled in key cities across the county. The number of meals distributed by the Food Bank in the city of San Diego alone increased from 1.6 million to 2.4 million.

The mayor delivered a speech calling on San Diegans to support the Food Bank's annual Holiday Food Drive. Food Bank officials and the mayor also honored 20 Vons supermarket managers who are hosting collection barrels at every San Diego County Vons location throughout November and December.

The launch took place at The Edge Room in the Hard Rock Hotel downtown.

Grand Pacific Resorts, a privately owned vacation ownership company located in Carlsbad, and ResorTime.com, a popular source for online vacation and timeshare condominium rentals, teamed up to kick off the first North San Diego County edition of "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer."

"The 'Grand Pacific Resorts He'RO'es for Hope Team' had a great start with its 1st Annual 'Making Strides Against Breast Cancer' walk in Carlsbad. We had a total of 55 people that came out on a beautiful day for a 3.5 mile walk," said Karen Jones, the walk organizer.

The fundraiser raised approximately $1500 in its first effort. The contribution was presented to the American Cancer Society on Sunday at its Balboa Park walk, which had 25,000 walkers and raised almost $1 million to help find a cure for cancer.

The walk began and ended at Grand Pacific Palisades Resort and wound its way past the flower fields and through Legoland.

"Our idea is to grow the walk in North San Diego County as a companion to the Balboa Park event," said Karen. "Many of us walked to honor Rosemarie Fecko who was our friend and co-worker for many years. We have even greater plans for next year's event."

Feeding America San Diego announced it will be one of the beneficiaries of Hunger at Home's second annual charity gala. The event will be held on Saturday, Nov. 21, 6 p.m. at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines.

The benefit will include a reception of chef stations and wine pairings, seated dinner, silent and live auctions, dancing and a special dessert with paired wine cordials created by Chad White, Hunger at Home executive chef. The theme for this year's gala is "Through Their Eyes: A Vision of Those In Need," and will feature photographs taken by San Diego students who are homeless.

Tickets for the event are $150 per person and can be purchased online at hungerathome.com.

"We are thrilled to be selected by Hunger at Home to be one of the beneficiaries of this year's gala," said Gary McDonald, president and CEO, Feeding America San Diego. "I am happy to be a part of an event that not only raises funds to provide meals, but reaches out to the community to create awareness about the growing hunger crisis in San Diego County."

Besides Feeding America San Diego, five other San Diego charities will benefit from the gala. These charities are The Monarch School, 211, Embrace, The Network for a Healthy California and the San Diego Rescue Mission. The goal this year is to raise $500,000, which would be enough money to provide more than 4 million meals to those in need in addition to nutrition counseling and other services.

The San Diego Women's Foundation (SDWF) is accepting proposals for funding in the field of Environment.

With the release of its 2009-2010 grant guidelines, SDWF enters its 10th year of grant making.

"The goal of the Environment grants cycle is to fund programs that involve people in activities connected to local nature that promote informed awareness of and personal responsibility for the natural environment of the San Diego region," said Rita Solberg, SDWF grant's chair. The specific target area was developed after the team's yearlong study of priorities within the San Diego region.

All grant applications must be submitted electronically no later than 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 2. Application and guidelines are available at sdwomensfoundation.org.

Last year the SDWF awarded $201,000 to four new community partners whose work addressed the 2009 focus area of economic and employment development in the San Diego region by supporting programs that help lower-paid, lower-skilled workers prepare for and move into higher-skilled jobs with the intent of strengthening the middle class in the San Diego region.