The economy may be improving, but many people continue to seek help through the Central Virginia Foodbank. Hot-line calls increased 50 percent over the previous year—from 2,834 to 4,281 people—in the quarter that ended Sept. 30.

On Monday mornings, children always ate the most at school breakfasts—about 30 percent more in a survey of Richmond public schools. The reason? They were hungrier after a weekend without meals at school. School officials contacted the Central Virginia Foodbank for help, and now there’s a backpack program to send food for the weekends home with the neediest children.

Guests who bring a bag of nonperishable food to donate to the Central Virginia Foodbank will receive two free admissions to this weekend’s MAC Events Richmond Home Show. The show, which runs from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. tomorrow and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, is at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. Nationally recognized bath and kitchen remodeler Steven Katkowsky will demonstrate how to create the illusion of size in a small kitchen or bath. He will conduct seminars tomorrow at 12:30, 2:30 and 5 p.m. and Sunday at 1 and 3 p.m.

David Gracer readily admits he was a finicky eater growing up. While avoiding foods such as pizza and tomatoes, he did eat the unusual combination of butter and jelly sandwiches. In the past 10 years, the English-composition and public-speaking teacher from Providence, R.I., has experienced a change in his palate—and he has added insects to the ever-growing list of foods he now eats.

Tanya Parker spent yesterday morning in a crowded warehouse unloading and sorting canned foods, dried pasta and gourmet candy corn—a far cry from what she did as a corporate events planner at Circuit City. It isn’t a temporary job she’s taken as she waits to return to a corporate suite somewhere. It’s a volunteer gig that takes her mind off her job search and helps others at the same time.

A dating auction raised more than $5,000 for the Central Virginia Foodbank. Members of 30s/40s Richmond Singles raised the money. A social group, which regularly volunteers at the Foodbank, auctioned dates with six men and six women at the Capital Ale House in Midlothian during its largest fundraiser last month. The Foodbank can buy one pound of food with every 17 cents, said Tam Evans, the group’s volunteer coordinator for the community. With the proceeds “we can buy 49,000 pounds of food. That’s just mind-boggling that so many children won’t have to go bed hungry.“

United Methodist Urban Ministries United Methodist Urban Ministries of Richmond has begun turning 1 acre at a church-owned camp into a source of nourishment and hands-on lessons for residents of the city.

The Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation awarded Saint Paul’s College a $120,000 grant for scholarships for the 2009-2010 academic year. The grant will assist 25 female students at the school in Lawrenceville. “The Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation has been a bedrock of scholarship support for Saint Paul’s College students for more than 28 years,“ said Dr. Robert L. Satcher Sr., Saint Paul’s president.

A nationwide recall of food containing peanut products is having an effect on the Central Virginia Foodbank, but not in the way you might think. Many food pantries across the United States report having to toss thousands of pounds of food containing peanut products because of salmonella fears.

A new interfaith advisory group plans to pitch in to bring more food and volunteers to the Central Virginia Foodbank. Several ministers gathered yesterday on the state Capitol grounds to pledge their support to the foodbank and urge legislators to approve $1 million in funds for Virginia’s association of seven regional food banks that is included in Gov. Timothy M. Kaine’s revised 2009-10 budget.

Saturday’s inaugural activities for Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones will do more than commemorate new leadership in City Hall. They’ll also restock the shelves of the Central Virginia Foodbank. Organizers are encouraging everyone who attends the events to bring nonperishable food and infant formula for the nonprofit community pantry.

The Dominion Foundation announced a $1.1 million donation yesterday to help feed the growing number of struggling families in 14 states.

Virginia’s food banks are trying to feed more people in a tight economy by getting help from the state government. The Federation of Virginia Food Banks will ask the General Assembly to fund a $1 million emergency food-purchase program to be shared by the state’s seven food banks. The food banks are requesting $1 million “because we didn’t think we could get $10 million,“ said Roy Peters, a member of the federation board. He’s also vice president of finance and administration for FeedMore, which operates the Central Virginia Foodbank and Meals on Wheels with a combined budget of $6.5 million to $7 million.

More than 90,000 meals were donated to the Central Virginia Foodbank during Cox Radio Richmond’s two-week “Feed Richmond” food drive that ended Nov. 20, 2008. During the drive, donations could be made online at feedrichmond.com, K95country.com, 965klr.com, mix1037.com, and y101rocks.com; at all 15 area Kroger grocery store locations; and at First Community Bank branches in Richmond and Emporia.

Thanky, a Richmond art gallery, will hold “Foodist Colony 2: Temple of Food!“ on Friday from 6 to 10 p.m. to collect canned food for the Central Virginia Foodbank. Local artists will trade their work for nonperishable food. Special consideration will be given to high-protein and organic donations. Last year, Thanky raised more than 300 pounds of food for the foodbank.