Upcoming Orientations, Meetings and Workshops

Spring 2013 Workshop Schedule

To register for any of these workshops, please call 401-942-6325 at least one week in advance of the workshop. Lunch 'n Learn workshops include lunch for registered participants. Click here for a complete list of workshops.

Online Ordering Upgrade

Q&A Coffee Hour
Tuesday, April 9, 9 - 10 am
Food Bank Community Room
Primarius Online is getting a new look. The Food Bank is upgrading its online ordering system to provide agencies with many new and helpful features. Meet with Gwen Cunningham, Director of Distribution, to learn more about the upgrade and how to make it work for your agency.

How to Best Serve Clients Struggling with Mental Illness

Lunch 'n Learn Workshop
Wednesday, April 17, Noon - 1 pm
Food Bank Community Room
Are your staff and volunteers prepared to handle the challenges of clients struggling with mental illness? James Thomas, from Riverwood Rehabilitative Services, will not only offer practical, useful tips in dealing with these challenges, but will also leave you feeling inspired and entertained at the same time. Join us for this unique, informative experience.

More Menu Planning for Meal Sites

Tuesday, April 30, 11 am - Noon
Food Bank Community Room
Back by popular demand! Our nutrition staff has developed all new samples of healthy, low-cost menu items to share with our meal site and on-site prep programs. This is a great opportunity to learn how to develop budget-friendly menus and to continue to maximize your Food Bank membership.

Annual Agency Conference and Dinner: Working Together to Provide Safe Food to the Community

Friday, May 3, 3 - 6 pm (Doors open at 2 pm for registration, resource tables and networking)
Bryant University, Smithfield, RI
Join us for this important annual conference featuring information from the RI Department of Health, as well as an agency panel, free resources, raffles and dinner. A great opportunity to network!

Cultural Competency: How Does My Agency Fare?

Lunch & Learn
Wednesday, May 15, Noon - 1:30 pm
Food Bank Community Room
Gerry Fernandes, RICFB Board member and founder of the Multicultural Foodservice and Hospitality Alliance, will reflect on cultural competency organizationally and provide tools for agencies to evaluate their own diversity practices. A catered lunch will be served between noon and 12:30; the workshop will begin promptly at 12:30.

Food Insecurity and Teen Culture: Let's Face the Challenges!

Food Bank Community Room
Teens have emerged as a struggling segment of today's society. Jaye Watts, Director of YouthPride, Inc., will share his expertise and successes in working with the often overlooked cultures of LGBT and homeless youth. Jaye will offer practical tools to better understand this diverse population.

"I'm Not Stupid. I Just Can't Read."

Over 20% of adults in the U.S. have limited literacy proficiencies. This interactive discussion, led by Mev Miller who brings more than 10 years of experience in the adult literacy field, will explore ways that you can make your agency friendlier and more accessible for adults who struggle with reading, writing and math.

How to Build a Healthy Pantry: Design with Health in Mind

Learn how to incorporate health and wellness into your pantry program. From providing wellness information at your site to helping clients make good shopping choices based on their own health needs, we will provide tools and resources to take small steps or giant leaps in transforming your program into a Healthy Pantry.

Agency Orientations

Agency orientations are required for anyone at one of the Food Bank’s member agency partners who intend to order, shop or come in to pick up an order of food. They are also a good resource for agencies wishing to brush up on their Food Bank knowledge.

Wednesday, March 13, 9:30 - 11:30 am
Tuesday, March 26, 3 - 5 pm
Thursday, April 11, 9:30 - 11:30 am
Tuesday, April 23, 3 - 5 pm
Thursday, May 9, 3 - 5 pm
Wednesday, May 22, 9:30 - 11 am

Advanced registration is required. To register call Hope Indeglia O'Brien at 401-230-1704.

If you’ve registered but cannot attend, let us know 48 hours in advance so that we may contact those on our waiting list. All agency orientations are held at the Rhode Island Community Food Bank.

Statistics Workshops

Understanding data is essential to an organization. The Food Bank’s statistics workshops offer information for the new Emergency Provider members of the Food Bank as well as statistics reporting information for established member pantries, soup kitchens and shelters. Food Bank statistics workshops can also help agencies made inactive for statistics delinquency. Register for a statistics workshop by calling (401) 942-6325.

Regional Meetings

The Food Bank coordinates regional meetings in Newport, Providence and Woonsocket as opportunities for member agencies in those areas to get together and share resources. For information on upcoming meetings, contact Agency Services at (401) 942-6325.