At Gleaners, we believe hunger can be solved in Southeast Michigan—especially when we come together. For the past 15 years, Citizens has been a steady partner helping ensure local students and families have access to nutritious food during the summer when school meal programs pause.
From the very first Hunger Free Summer campaign in 2010 to this year’s effort, Citizens has been a driving force. As the underwriter for this cornerstone match campaign, Citizens goes above and beyond matching donations, which have helped provide millions of meals to kids and families. Over the years, more than 500 Citizens employees have volunteered in our warehouses, spending more than an accumulative 1200 hours packing and sorting food for our neighbors facing hunger.
“Helping is contagious,” said Yasmeen Jasey, Citizens’ Michigan Regional President. “It feels so good when you do it, especially when you know there’s an enormous benefit for someone else.”
Yasmeen’s passion for giving back is deeply personal. Growing up in a generous, tight-knit immigrant family—one that opened their home to others and always found a way to help, no matter what they had, Yasmeen knows firsthand just how powerful the generosity of a neighbor can be. “Even when times are tough, the more you give, the more you get. That philosophy just resonates for me,” she said.
It’s a mindset that runs deep at Citizens. Brittany O’Connor, VP and Senior Manager of Community Relations, has been a champion of Hunger Free Summer since the beginning and has seen firsthand how the commitment to hunger relief has grown. “Food banks are some of our best partners. This campaign started to fill a gap in the summer when school meals disappear. Since then, it’s evolved to meet the needs of entire families—and it’s brought more people into the mission.”
Brittany has seen the personal side of that impact, too. “Some of my favorite memories are bringing my kids to volunteer nights at Gleaners. When they were little, we’d talk about how they were helping other families, and they’d pack each bag with love.”
Of course, all this work comes back to what matters most: ensuring kids and families across our communities have access to the food they need to thrive.
“When people have enough to eat, they can focus on their health,
Yasmeen Jasey, Citizens’ michigan regional president
their jobs, and their families. That helps all of us.”
“We’re in the business of financial stability,” said Yasmeen. “And that doesn’t happen in isolation. When your neighbors are stable, your community is stronger. When people have enough to eat, they can focus on their health, their jobs, and their families. That helps all of us.”
You can be part of that ripple effect. Now through August 31, your gift to Hunger Free Summer will be matched thanks to Citizens and other generous sponsors.
That means twice the meals, twice the impact, and twice the support for kids and families throughout Southeast Michigan.
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