Conference Resources

This session used the story of a grandmother’s famous sweet potato pie to illustrate the importance of succession planning and organizational continuity. While family members watched her make the pie for years, they realized after she was gone that no one knew the exact recipe. The presentation drew a parallel to agency operations, where critical knowledge often existed only in the minds of staff, volunteers, or long-time leaders. 

• 2026 The Recipe That Nobody Had Handout

• BVFB Family Cookbook

This session outlined practical strategies for organizations to clearly communicate their mission and community impact. The training emphasized keeping messaging simple by focusing on organizational identity, actions, and results while utilizing storytelling formulas and meaningful statistics to connect with audiences. It also provided a framework for navigating tough questions by acknowledging them and bridging back to the core mission, concluding with an interactive elevator pitch exercise for partners to practice their delivery. 

This interactive panel discussion explored practical fundraising strategies used by Agency Partners to support and sustain their programs. Attendees heard real-world successes, challenges, and lessons learned from fellow pantry leaders while gaining ideas for diversifying funding sources, strengthening donor relationships, and building long-term financial stability for their organizations. 

• Supplemental Notes & Resources 

• 2026 Grant Submission Checklist

This session provided practical strategies for handling difficult interactions with neighbors, volunteers, and community members while maintaining dignity, respect, and safety. Participants learned how to recognize signs of escalating situations, use communication techniques that lowered tension, respond calmly under pressure, and document concerns effectively, all while reinforcing the importance of treating every neighbor with compassion and respect. 

This session outlined the Brazos Valley Food Bank's new three-to-five-year roadmap presented on June 22, 2026. Created through community-wide feedback, the plan aimed to mobilize the region to end hunger by focusing on four strategic priorities: securing equitable food access, mobilizing community resources, transforming foundational conditions, and catalyzing health. Ultimately, the document established a refreshed mission and core values while aligning local efforts with national Feeding Texas and Feeding America networks.