At Gleaners, we believe “child” and “hunger” are two words that should never go together. Each day, our challenge is to ensure kids in our neighborhoods have the food they need to learn and grow. With extended school closures and quarantines, we know many additional children need our help.
Gleaners is honored to receive the support of General Motors during this urgent time of need. For many years, General Motors has provided funding and given time to support Gleaners’ efforts to end childhood hunger. Together, we are reaching more children and families in need through School Food Mobile pantries.
“General Motors and Gleaners have proudly partnered to support Detroiters for 29 years,” said Terry Rhadigan, executive director, Corporate Giving at General Motors. “Our support is helping to ensure students and their families have nourishing food to fuel learning during extended school closures and the summer months ahead.”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we know that more than 300,000 kids who rely on free and reduced-price school meals might be facing hunger while at home. The support received from General Motors will provide School Food Mobile monthly food distributions at nine high-need schools in Detroit and Warren. Each School Food Mobile can serve upwards of 100 families with 35 pounds of nutritious groceries each. Given that 100 percent of students enrolled at the nine schools qualify for free lunch, General Motors support will make a tremendous difference for families right when they need it most.
“Having General Motors as a steadfast supporter helps ensure even more children have consistent access to nutritious food,” said Gerry Brisson, President and CEO of Gleaners. “Their support is helping our kids reach their fullest potential today and into the future.”
General Motors’ investment in education focuses on increasing reading proficiency and high school graduation rates. Research shows that children who face hunger are more likely to experience impairments in areas like language, motor skills and behavior. When children have consistent access to nutritious food, they have the strength and energy to thrive at school and at home. Through our long-term project Best Food Forward, Gleaners is helping school communities achieve full-food security in order to measure a variety of long-term health and educational outcomes. Together with General Motors, Gleaners can help our community better understand the positive community-wide impacts of ending childhood hunger.