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<< back to the 2001 archive listing << Dairy, Food and Environmental Sanitation Commentary From The Executive Director Have you contributed to the IAFP Foundation Fund? Have you contributed to the IAFP Foundation Fund? Have you made an annual contribution? In this column, I want to refresh your awareness of the Association’s Foundation and the programs supported. The Foundation Fund is supported solely through the generosity of Members like you and through a portion of our Sustaining Member fees. Over the past year, we received individual contributions from 111 Members (listed on the following page). Out of 3,000 total Members, that is only 4% of our Members who contribute to the Foundation. When you complete this column, I hope that you will consider joining your colleagues by sending a contribution to the IAFP Foundation to "Advance Food Safety Worldwide." We feel the Foundation exists to serve all Members and we want to build broad Member support. Two projects sponsored entirely by Foundation funds are the Audio-visual Library and the Developing Scientists Competition. Both are essential in carrying out the Association mission. The Audiovisual Library of training tapes is available to all Members for use in teaching and training. The Foundation purchases tapes and then pays the cost to send tapes to IAFP Members. Members are expected to pay the return shipping expense. What could be easier or more beneficial? Last year, over 900 tapes were loaned to our Members. Just think, if users of the Audiovisual Library were to contribute $5 for each tape used, the Foundation would receive more than $4,000! I want to make you aware that many of the Library users do contribute to the Foundation when they realize the Foundation Fund sponsors this very worthwhile endeavor. The other highly visible project sponsored by the Foundation is our Developing Scientists Competition at the Annual Meeting. Each year since 1986, the Foundation has awarded cash prizes and Association Memberships to finalists and winners of the Competition. Since 1994, three awards have been presented in two categories — oral presentations and poster presentations. This competition is responsible for attracting student involvement in the Association and is very successful. It is interesting to review the list of past awardees in the Developing Scientists Competition and to know what these student winners are doing today. Many former competitors continue to be very active in the Association and have worked their way in to leadership roles not only in the Association, but also in the food safety community. Anna Lammerding, our current Vice President, is a previous recipient of a Developing Scientist Competition Award. Just from these two examples, you can see the valuable work the IAFP Foundation Fund supports, but it doesn’t stop here! The Foundation supports the shipment of excess IAFP Journals to FAO in Rome for further distribution to Third-World countries. We receive numerous thank you letters from recipients of these journals telling how much they appreciate receiving current food safety information. Without the help of FAO and the Foundation, these food safety professionals would not have access to the latest scientific research presented in our Journals. Two additional areas of support are provided by the Foundation during the Annual
Meeting. The Foundation allocates a portion of its budget to assist speakers
in paying for their travel. It is projected that with our new Sustaining Member
Program, the ability to sponsor speakers in need of assistance will increase.
Support is also provided for the Ivan Parkin Lecture given during our Opening
Session. This provides a perfect opportunity to publicize the work of the IAFP
Foundation. The Foundation sponsorship allows us to attract leaders in food
science to address our attendees. Watch for the announcement of this year’s The Foundation also provides IAFP sponsorship of the Samuel J. Crumbine Award.
The Crumbine Award is presented annually recognizing excellence in food protection
services at public health agencies The IAFP Foundation Fund carries out projects that support the mission of IAFP. |