Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan Experiencing Critical Food Shortage
Increased Need & Decrease in Donations Impacting Food Bank's Ability to Sustain Necessary Inventory Creates Katrina-like State of Emergency

Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan, the region's largest emergency food provider, has reached a critical food shortage. The agency's inventory is down by 1.5 million pounds of food. From January through September 2007, Gleaners' distribution has increased by 2.2 million pounds (12.7%) compared to the same period in 2006. In the past three months - July through September - Gleaners distributed 704,964 more pounds than the same period in 2006, a 13.4% increase. The agency's current inventory of just over 1.5 million pounds equals approximately three weeks of food for those in need. Gleaners estimates one million pounds of food feeds 10,000 people for a month.

On October 22, 2007 Gleaners hosted a press conference at their Detroit headquarters to report they had a critical food shortage with only 1.5 million pounds - or two weeks - of food in inventory. Since the announcement, with the support of Kroger, Charter One, National City Bank, Aretha Franklin, and hundreds of individuals, the agency received donations to procure 2.3 million pounds of food, but it also distributed 2.2 million pounds of food. "The good news is that with the help of our generous community, we've met the needs of our partners for another month. But with inventory remaining just over 1.5 million pounds, food and donations are still urgently needed." said Gerry Brisson, vice president for development at Gleaners. October 2007 food distribution represented a 22% increase (approximately 400,000 pounds) over the 1.8 million pounds distributed in October 2006, continuing the trend in higher demand for food in southeast Michigan.

While the need for emergency food continues to grow, national food donations have decreased. The trend of national food companies' improved efficiency levels leading to less and less surplus product for the emergency food network is not surprising overall, but the amount of decline was. The 35% decline in donations so far this year - one million pounds of food - is the largest falloff to date; at a time when Michigan's economy is at its worst, the amount has had a major impact on the emergency food system.

Additionally, the demand on farmers to replace food and feed crops with crops for ethanol manufacturing has impacted surplus food supplies and food costs dramatically.

Michigan's budget crisis has added another layer to the problem. A grant that funds the Michigan Agricultural Surplus System, providing fresh food as well as money to transport it, ran out in August 2007 and has not yet been renewed due to the state's ongoing budget issues.

In September, United Way's 2-1-1 emergency call center received the highest volume of calls for service since the program launched in December 2005, and food assistance was the No.1 request in Wayne and Oakland counties and the second-highest request in Macomb. The changes in Wayne and Oakland are attributed to residents using their "food money" to offset other monthly expenses. Call volume in September was 7% higher than in August and 93% higher than in September 2006. Based on the first two quarters of the year, United Way projects a 60% increase in assistance calls this year over last.

According to the Food Bank Council of Michigan (FBCM), Michigan food banks disperse 65 million pounds of food annually. Gleaners' annual distribution represents 40% of the total. Last year the agency distributed 26 million pounds through its 400 partner agencies. FBCM estimates its network provides approximately 70% of all emergency food in Michigan.

Gleaners Community Food Bank needs to acquire two million pounds of food to ensure it can meet the needs of the 250,000 people who depend on its emergency food to feed themselves and their families. "We have thus far been able to meet the demands of our partners, the over 400 soup kitchens, shelters, churches, and pantries who serve our hungry neighbors. But without help it is only a matter of time before hungry children, seniors and families will be denied assistance due to lack of food," said Gleaners' Vice President for Development Gerry Brisson. Because Gleaners can purchase food far more cheaply than the average person, Gleaners is asking individuals and businesses alike to make a monetary donation now.

Gleaners needs to raise over $1,000,000 to purchase the millions of pounds of food needed! Donate today to Gleaners.

Gleaners Quick Facts:

• More than 400 pantries, shelters, churches, soup kitchens and other distributors of emergency food rely on Gleaners.
• Local donors of food have helped make the difference in national donations, but with higher demand, the need is still urgent and the food supply dangerously low.
• Without help now, children, seniors and families asking for food are at risk of not being served.

The need is greater than ever:

Food Bank Council of Michigan's 2007 Blueprint on Hunger Facts:

• 35 million Americans live below the poverty line. Nearly 1 million live in Michigan.
• In Michigan, 1 in 10 people are using emergency food programs because they don't nave enough to eat.
• Food insecure families often adapt by buying less expensive, less nutritious, high calorie foods.
• Some working parents skip meals to better feed their children.

United Way 2-1-1 Calls are Up:

• 16,882 calls were placed to the system in the month of September 2007 - 93% more calls than September of the previous year.
• 37.5% of the calls placed in September 2007 were from people that were receiving a wage or severance compensation.

The Impact on Inventories is Real

Inventory in Pounds of Food	2006 Inventory Jan-Sept	2007 Inventory Jan-Sept	Difference 2006 vs 2007
Purchases	4,786,642	4,813,228	26,586
Local Donations	8,166,305	9,207,340	1,041,035
USDA	2,171,376	2,219,749	48,373
National Donations	2,733,097	1,758,993	-974,104
Total Inbound	17,857,420	18,001,317	143,897
Total Distributed	17,305,698	19,517,558	2,211,860
Impact on Inventory	551,722	-1,516,241	-2,067,963

Help Spread the Word About Gleaners

You can help spread the word about Gleaners by sending an eCard to your friends! In this time of rising demand and shrinking supplies, food banks are facing the possibility of shortages as we try to meet the need.

It's easy! Send an eCard today and let your friends know about the work we do here at Gleaners.