Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan: Cure Hunger Here



Gleaners Community Food Bank Cure Hunger Here Campaign Starting on December 1, 2007 and continuing through December 31, 2007, participating banks and credit unions will encourage their customers to make a donation to Gleaners to help feed their hungry neighbors. Spearheaded by Huntington and National City banks, the program has been joined by other banks and credit unions to total more than 200 participating branches all over southeastern Michigan. Branches will display posters about the program and tellers will hand out information at all windows and at their drive-throughs. Donors have the option of having their name put on a specially-created donation slip and having it posted at the bank branch where they made their donation. One hundred percent of all money collected will go to Gleaners. Donations go a long way at Gleaners: 96% of every dollar goes directly to serve the Gleaners mission of "nourishing communities by feeding hungry people." With more families than ever looking to emergency food supplies provided through the Gleaners network of participating agencies, every dollar counts. Your contribution can make a difference: $1 will feed a hungry child or senior for a day. Gleaners' Cure Hunger Here campaign is the largest effort of its kind in Southeast Michigan. The last campaign in the Spring of 2007 raised over $70,000. Gleaners thanks you for participating in our effort to Cure Hunger Here. Click here for more info about Cure Hunger Here events.

About Cure Hunger Here The sad truth is that 1 in 10 families in Michigan receive food assistance from food banks each year. Many people getting helped are living right next door - they are working mothers and children, seniors on fixed incomes, and others who don't fit the profile of a homeless or destitute person. If we don't feed our hungry neighbors, the cost to our community goes up exponentially. Without food, children don't learn in school. Without food, seniors end up in the hospital with problems they could have easily avoided. Without food, parents steal and end up in jail - just so that they could feed their children. These are only a few examples of the high cost of hunger - many of which are not on the radar screen for people who can make a difference. For the past 30 years, Gleaners Community Food Bank has emerged as a leader and innovator in food banking. In spite of our accomplishments, we still need your help in order to get more food to more people in need. As a result of our success, many community members and our more than 400 partner agencies have asked us to take a leadership role to help meet the growing needs in our community. Because of this, we have decided to celebrate our 30th anniversary by building greater awareness and asking our neighbors to Cure Hunger Here. Every person has the capacity to help heal the life of another. No matter your interests, background or abilities, you can play a part in reducing hunger in southeast Michigan. We invite you to join us in this effort to Cure Hunger Here. Want to know more about Gleaners? See our 30 Years of Gleaners chronology page. Click here for more info about Cure Hunger Here events. up to top		Top 10 Hunger Facts Gleaners distributes food for roughly 65,000 meals every day. That translates to 71,000 pounds of food daily. One million people in Michigan will need emergency food this year. That is one in ten people. In 2005, Gleaners provided nearly 17 million meals to people in southeast Michigan. In 2008, Gleaners' goal is to provide 27 million meals - 10 million more than currently provided. In 2006, Gleaners distributed nearly 25 million pounds of food to its 400 partner agencies. Gleaners Community Food Bank was founded in 1977 as the third food bank in the United States. Gleaners feeds more than two million households annually, representing approximately 44% of all households in the state of Michigan. Gleaners operates with the help of more than 14,000 volunteers. The amount of work volunteers accomplish is equivalent to the work of 20 full time staff members. Last year, more than 75% of Gleaners' revenue came in the form of donated food - totaling $28 million. 44% of our hungry neighbors in southeast Michigan are seniors and children. 36% of our hungry neighbors in southeast Michigan are children under 18. 30% of metro Detroiters live in poverty and suffer hunger. 40% of Michigan's hungry neighbors live in rural or suburban areas. 70% of people who use food banks have incomes at or below the poverty level.