Greater Lansing Food Bank

Interested in joining the GLFB team? We are hiring! For more information on our current job openings, please visit the link below. https://lnkd.in/gmUMAF4n

Next up in our meet the team series: The drivers! Our drivers play an essential role in the work we do. From grocery store pickups to mobile food pantries, these amazing individuals help make sure food is exactly where it needs to be to serve neighbors across our seven county service area.

After the devastating loss of their six-year-old son, Arek, in 2021, Matt and Tamah Gustafson began hosting a donation-based vegetable stand based on the "Arek's Store" stand he started at their Mason home. Every year since, they have kept up the tradition of honoring his memory through the vegetable stand with community members taking part by purchasing produce or even donating from their own gardens. At the end of harvest season, Matt and Tamah donate all proceeds from the stand to support GLFB's Weekend Kits program, which helps ensure all children have their nutritional needs met, even during non-school hours. “I just want to continue remembering him as much as possible and sharing him with others, because he was such a cool kid,” said Tamah. “Food is such a big part of life. I hope that joy is shared with these kids and their families.” Read the full story on our website: https://lnkd.in/dkg5edRa

Meet our newest Volunteer of the Month, John Fricke! John began volunteering with GLFB shortly after the opening of the new distribution center in Bath in 2021. He enjoys volunteering for many reasons, including meeting new people, and says his fellow volunteers, GLFB employees and supervisors are all friendly and helpful. John says he finds the work of the food bank even more crucial for neighbors experiencing food insecurity, given the economic hardships associated with unemployment, the recent COVID-19 pandemic and continued inflation. "If you are looking for a way to provide community service, I would recommend that you contact GLFB," John said. "It does not cost you anything; you work with your hands and mind to solve problems and have fun at the same time." When not volunteering, he enjoys participating in the choir at Hope Lutheran Church in DeWitt, reading and spending time with children and grandchildren.

Recently, Feeding America published its 2024 Map the Meal Gap study, providing an updated picture of the state of food insecurity across the nation. The findings are heartbreaking, but all too familiar, showing how hunger persists in every county in the United States and in mid-Michigan. This data reflects what we continue to see across GLFB's seven county service area, as already in the first few months of 2024 we are seeing an increase in neighbors seeking our services compared to the already record-breaking numbers of 2023. There are many ways to join in GLFB's continued fight against food insecurity. Learn more about volunteering, food drives and donations at https://lnkd.in/gdNvXiP

At more than 20 percent, Clare County has the highest rate of food insecurity of any county in Michigan. In 2023, volunteers with GLFB partner organization Clare County Food served nearly 5,000 households — more than double the number served by their Mobile Food Pantry just five years ago. In recognition of their work, lead volunteers Bonnie Smalley, Jeri Harm and Deb Mason recently accepted a Hunger Action Partner Award at Food Bank Council of Michigan's 2024 Hunger Solutions Reception. Read more about their work helping neighbors in the northernmost county of GLFB's service area on our website: https://lnkd.in/gXbkhTPH

A big thank you to Jackson for coming out yesterday to celebrate the retirement of their CFO, Marcia Wadsten! Thank you for your constant dedication to helping feed our mid-Michigan neighbors. Corporate volunteering is a great option for staff engagement and celebrations! If you or your company are interested in a group volunteer opportunity at GLFB, click the link below to learn more. https://lnkd.in/dC3c6kRx

Thank you to everyone who participated in the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC)' #StampOutHunger food drive on Saturday! This drive is a great opportunity to support our neighbors and for families like Andrew Kozan's, it's a chance to get the whole family involved in the fight against hunger. Read more about #StampOutHunger and the Kozan family's tradition of teamwork from WILX News 10: https://lnkd.in/gkN3Yxk8

The National Association of Letter Carriers Stamp Out Hunger food drive is TOMORROW! To participate, simply place a bag of nonperishable food donations near your mailbox tomorrow morning and your letter carrier will do the rest. Donations made in our service area of Clare, Clinton, Eaton, Ingham, Isabella, Gratiot and Shiawassee Counties will support neighbors served by GLFB. In 2023, GLFB saw an average 30 percent increase in the number of neighbors seeking support from us and our partner network ― a need that has only continued to rise in the first few months of 2024. Your support is more important than ever and we are grateful for partners like the NALC that come alongside us in this work. Together, we are feeding mid-Michigan!

TODAY'S THE DAY! The 16th annual Empty Plate dinner is this evening at 5:30 p.m. at the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center at MSU. Throughout the week, we have been recognizing the many sponsors and auction & in-kind donors that have helped make this event possible, and today we would like to thank our Title Sponsors, Delta Dental and Jackson. It's not too late to purchase your tickets for today's event! Follow the link below and be a part of our biggest fundraising event of the year. https://lnkd.in/gZyBq_nW