Learn more about becoming a Chapter Champion HERE.

Congratulations to the following Chapter Champion!

Happy New Year! As we kick off the new calendar year, it’s not too early to start thinking about the new volunteer year as well. Along with setting goals, preparing budgets, and making plans for the chapter, January is also a great time to think about our personal goals as they relate to volunteering. Chapter leaders are essential to our organization and help further ANFP’s mission and strategic plan throughout their state. Our national volunteers do the same thing but on a broader scale. We encourage our current chapter leaders to consider volunteering at the national level and continue your path of professional growth and apply your current skills at a higher level.

Help Solve Problems – As a national volunteer, you will have the opportunity to work in a group that will help shape programs and services relevant to chapters, education, and communications and help solve challenges we face as an organization and industry.

Expand Your Network - Working on a committee or board allows you to meet and engage with other members (or non-members) that you may have not had a chance to meet otherwise, including corporate partners and registered dietitians.  

Broaden Your Skill Set - National volunteers continue to grow their professional skills like communication, project management and coaching as well as gain a better understanding of governance, leadership development and advocacy.

Earn CE – Volunteers can earn CEs for volunteering with both chapters and national roles. Per the CBDM, these requests for CE for volunteer leadership activities will be based on the following:
a. Organization for which activities are contributed must be related to a domain in the Detailed Content Outline 
b. The activity must be at a leadership level and in a non-compensated role
c. A maximum of two CE may be accrued per year, with a total of six CE in a three-year recertification period.
d. CE will not be awarded until date of service ends

We encourage you to continue building your professional and volunteer career and consider submitting your name for the 2023 Call for Volunteers. Please click here to learn more about the opportunities available as well as the criteria for each committee/board. We look forward to working with you!

Look back at our 2022 Volunteers of the Month. Each of these volunteers have continually demonstrated their dedication to ANFP and their chapters through hard work, perseverance, and exceptional leadership. We are appreciative and grateful for all they have done for ANFP.

We’d like to recognize you and your fellow chapter leaders as our Volunteers of the Month in 2023. Please send your nominations (which can include yourself) to asolazzo@ANFPonline.org.

Below are the upcoming rebate requirements. Documents can be submitted either the chapter portal or sent to chatpers@ANFPonline.org.

• Submit bank statements for the month of October to ANFP Headquarters – Due November 30  
• Chapter Bylaws – Due January 15 (if the chapter bylaws have not changed, please let us know. You will not need to submit another copy.)                                                                                           
• Policies & Procedures - Due January 15 (if the chapter policies & procedures have not changed, please let us know. You will not need to submit another copy.)                                                           
• Bi-Annual Chapter Rebate Achievement Report - Part 2 - Due January 15         

Also, if you have not submitted the following documents from the first deadline, please do so as soon as possible:

• 990
• Affiliate Agreement                                                                                                   
• Financial Code of Conduct

Learn more about becoming a Chapter Champion HERE.

Congratulations to the following Chapter Champion!

During our November Leadership Happy Hour call, we discussed some of our challenges (recruiting volunteers), as well as our victories (great speakers at our fall meetings) as well as some unique incentives to entice members to attend, including member appreciation and recognition. The importance of recognizing our members is two-fold; it is a way to be inclusive no matter the member (or non-member) type, and it makes them feel appreciated as well. Here are few suggestions for member recognition and appreciation.

Years of Service – National has a longevity program that recognizes members for their years of membership. Chapters can do the same and even take it a step further by presenting members with certificates or small gifts of appreciation at your meetings as well as noting their anniversaries in your newsletters.  

Newcomers/First Timers – It’s important we recognize our first timers, including students and prospective members, and ensure their meeting experience is a positive one. Some chapters recognize first timers with name badge ribbons or ask them to introduce themselves at the start of the meeting to be recognized.  This also makes it easier to identify newcomers and go out of our way to make sure they feel included and can assist with anything they might need. Don’t forget to thank them for attending in your newsletter or social media posts too!

Volunteers – We certainly can’t forget to recognize our volunteers! Volunteer recognition can be key in recruiting new volunteers as well as demonstrating to members the time and hard work that goes into managing the chapter. More importantly, our volunteers are deserving of this recognition and appreciation. Perhaps it’s a nice lunch for your volunteers, or a gift card to their favorite coffee shop. However, you choose to recognize volunteers, its important to do so on a regular basis.  Thank you, Volunteers!

This month, we are honoring Angie Mannel, CDM, CFPP of the NE ANFP Chapter as our Volunteer of the Month. Angie first joined ANFP in 2009 after earning her certification. However, Angie’s career in foodservice began before she was a CDM, CFPP. As a teenager, Angie worked in the kitchen of a nursing home in her town. At that time, she decided she wanted to earn her CDM, CFPP and to learn more about foodservice management. She has since held positions at various healthcare facilities and is currently at the Cozad Community Hospital applying the credential to her everyday work, where she manages a staff of 12 among two buildings.

Since joining ANFP, Angie has been involved with chapter leadership and served as the education and membership chair, as well as secretary and is currently the chapter president since January 2021.

Having to take on the role of chapter president during COVID brought many challenges, like for many of our chapters. However, Angie and her team made use of social media to stay connected to members and recruit volunteers which proved successful. NE ANFP was able to fill all volunteer roles and held a very successful fall meeting that gave members the chance to connect in-person once again.

As for the future of NE ANFP, Angie would like to see more members involved as well as additional volunteers helping out, no matter their role. She would also like to see more NE ANFP members attend ACE and hopes to see the chapter win the Diamond award.

Angie would also like to see younger nutritional services employees obtain their CDM, CFPP and become involved in their state chapter and ANFP.

Thank you, Angie, for your dedication and continued hard work for NE ANFP! Your perseverance has built NE ANFP into a successful and sustainable chapter.

If you would like to nominate a volunteer for the Volunteer of the Month, please send your submission to asolazzo@ANFPonline.org.

Below are the upcoming rebate requirements. Documents can be submitted either the chapter portal or sent to chatpers@ANFPonline.org.

• Submit bank statements for the month of October to ANFP Headquarters – Due November 30  
• Chapter Bylaws – Due January 15 (if the chapter bylaws have not changed, please let us know. You will not need to submit another copy.)                                                                                           
• Policies & Procedures - Due January 15 (if the chapter policies & procedures have not changed, please let us know. You will not need to submit another copy.)                                                           
• Bi-Annual Chapter Rebate Achievement Report - Part 2 - Due January 15         

Also, if you have not submitted the following documents from the first deadline, please do so as soon as possible:

• 990
• Affiliate Agreement
• Financial Code of Conduct

Learn more about becoming a Chapter Champion HERE.

Congratulations to the following Chapter Champion!

We are rapidly approaching the busy holiday season and don’t always have the chance to get together in person with our members before the start of the new year. However, we still want to keep our chapters at the forefront of our members’ minds and continue to engage with them outside of meetings and other formal chapter events. The holidays give us the opportunity to have some fun, relax and enjoy each other’s company in a different setting and without pressure and expectations. Consider a virtual meet-up or exchange in the next couple months to show appreciation for you members and keep them engaged.

Toast to Your Members – Invite members to a virtual ‘Toast to Members’ event to recognize your members’ accomplishments from this year as well as what is ahead for the new year. It’s a great opportunity to show gratitude for your chapter leaders as well as hearing about your members victories.

Ugly Holiday Sweater Contest - Many facilities or organizations hold an ugly holiday sweater contest, try this with your members as well. They can either post their photos to your preferred social media account or send them via email between set dates. Then, let your members vote to choose the member with the ugliest sweater. This is activity is always fun and gets a lot of laughs!

Recipe Swap – Another virtual event that does not take up much time, is a virtual recipe swap. This can be done at your members leisure or can be included as part of your ‘Toast to Members’ event. Ask members to submit their favorite recipe along with the reasons it’s their favorite (does it remind them of a loved one? Is it a tradition in their family, etc.). Once you have collected all the recipes, these can be combined into one document and sent out to all your members to use. No doubt you’ll get some great recipes along with some unique stories from members.

Member Check-In – While it would be ideal to meet face to face with all our members, there are many reasons we cannot, but we can reach out via phone, which is often the next best thing. Think about taking some time to reach out to your members individually via phone to say hello, see how they are doing and wish them a happy holiday season. Divide and conquer by separating the member roster by the number of chapter leaders on your board, and each one calling a portion of your members. If you have a large number, think about using your micro-volunteers for this job or sending emails or texts as well.

Reasons of Gratitude – We can all find at least one thing we are grateful for and often the holiday season is the time we think about this. Ask your members to post what they are grateful on your social media account. Then create a word cloud and post for all members to see, or in your next newsletter. You can also ask this of your members in your virtual holiday events.   

Below are the upcoming rebate requirements. Documents can be submitted either the chapter portal or sent to chatpers@ANFPonline.org.

• Submit bank statement for the month of October to ANFP Headquarters - Due November 30

Learn more about becoming a Chapter Champion HERE.

Fall chapter meetings are in full swing this month. Chapter leaders have worked very hard to put together programs that consist of relevant and important content to help CDM, CFPPs succeed in their jobs and grow professionally. One of the ways our chapters decide on content is through feedback provided from their meeting evaluations. Allowing our members and attendees to provide feedback on meetings, can help us better serve our members and meet their needs. It becomes imperative to our growth as a chapter to learn from feedback and evaluations, but perhaps most importantly that we are asking the right questions.  

Meeting Effectiveness - We can start with asking a basic, yet important question, if the meeting was effective. Was the meeting a good use of their time? Did attendees get what was intended from the meeting? If it is a reoccurring meeting, has the meeting quality improved or declined over time? You could also give attendees or members the opportunity to explain their answer as a follow-up question for a more detailed explanation. 

Meeting/Session Content – Another question or questions, you’ll want to include in your evaluation, address the meeting or session(s) content. Was the content relevant to your position? Did the session meet the objectives? Will you be able to apply what you learned? This will help your board and chapter leaders improve upon the education and topics provided at future events. You can also tack on feedback questions regarding speakers in this portion.

Recommendation of Event – One of the most positive forms of feedback is when a member or attendee recommends others attend your events. This is a great way to gauge if members will be back and perhaps bring others to the next event. Be sure to include the questions that ask if they would attend again or if they would recommend the event to a friend or colleague.

Topics for Future Meetings – A great way to get ahead of planning for the next meeting is asking your attendees the topics they would like to see included in the meeting. You may find some unique topics or a trend with the same topics being suggested. Asking this question can give you a great start to your content and agenda for next year as well as meet your members’ needs.

Additional, but Important Questions - You’ll also want to consider adding questions about the venue, location, cost to attend, food & beverage, networking events or expo/food show, registration process and anything else that you’d like to improve upon or change for next year’s event. This may help you understand why others may have not attended if you receive negative feedback.

These are just a few questions you can include in your evaluation or feedback survey. However, in addition to creating your survey, its important to act on this feedback and keep it in mind as you plan your next event.  

This month we are honoring ALL our chapter leaders and volunteers!

Last week we celebrated our annual Volunteer Appreciation Week. A week filled with giveaways, recognition and appreciation of the hard work and dedication our volunteers provide to ANFP.

We started the week off with a keepsake postcard sent out to all our volunteers. We hope that you will display this proudly in your office or workspace to let others know that you are greatly appreciated.

Tuesday, we asked volunteers to send us their testimonials about volunteering with ANFP. We asked volunteers to tell us their ‘why’ and what benefits they have received as part of their volunteer work. We hope each of you were able to reflect on your own ‘why’ and know that we are grateful for the motivation and reasons you volunteer.

On Wednesday, we had a chance to honor volunteers with Volunteer Superlatives, to recognize those that go above and beyond for their chapters, committees, or boards. Below is a list of the winners:

Early Bird Award – John Hickson, CCA, FMP, CHESP, SNM, CDM, CFPP

Biggest Heart Award– Cindy Cothern, CDM, CFPP

Perpetual Smile Award – Ariel Womack, CDM, CFPP

Band-Aid Award – Janice Hemel, CDM, CFPP

On-the-Spot Award – Joey Rost, CDM, CFPP

Thursday, we sent a video message to all our volunteers from the ANFP National Staff, thanking all volunteers for your contributions that make our organization a success. To view the video, please click here. We hope you’ll share this with your employers and fellow members so they too, can understand the positive impact you have made on ANFP.

We rounded out the week with a giveaway of Visa gift cards to 8 lucky volunteers that were randomly selected from our entire pool of volunteers. Congratulations to these individuals!

 A BIG thank you to all our volunteers! Your hard work and time given have not gone unnoticed and we hope that you feel appreciated by our members, Board, and staff. Thank you!

If you have suggestions for the 2023 Volunteer Appreciation Week, please contact Abigail Solazzo at asolazzo@ANFPonline.org.

Below are the upcoming rebate requirements. Documents can be submitted either the chapter portal or sent to chapters@ANFPonline.org. 

• Submit bank statement for the month of October to ANFP Headquarters - Due November 30

Learn more about becoming a Chapter Champion HERE.

We are off to a great start with our fall chapter meetings, with twenty meetings already scheduled and more to come. For some members this may be their first time attending a meeting, or for others this may be their first in person meeting in a couple years. Either way, attending a chapter meeting is an exciting opportunity for members to gain new knowledge, learn best practices and network with their peers and industry colleagues. However, once the meeting ends, we want to ensure we maintain our momentum and our connections that we made during the meeting. We can do this using a few strategies to maximize the knowledge we gained and build on the connections we made.

Monthly Networking Circles – Implement a virtual networking circle, like our Leadership Happy Hour calls, that extends from your meeting’s networking event. Once a month or every other month, invite participants to attend the meet-up and continue their discussions as well as meet others and ask and answer industry questions.

Set Goals Related to Content – Much of the content we learn can be applied to our everyday jobs and/or volunteer roles. Before leaving the chapter meeting, ask attendees to set goals for themselves that are related to the content taught at the meeting. This encourages attendees to use the knowledge they have gained and apply it to real life situations.

Follow-up Webinars – Once attendees have set goals, schedule a follow-up meeting(webinar) for those that would like to report on their progress and share what they learned through applying their knowledge gained at the meeting.

Check in on New Members/First Timers – Be sure to keep in touch with first time attendees, new members, students, and non-members that attend the meeting. New member advisors can be tasked with reaching out to these individuals to act as a mentor or simply check in to see how they are doing. It can be a great opportunity for relationship building among industry peers.