“My genuine interest is to create a safety net that works for everyone. It’s still what drives me today,” he said. “You can see the difference when people don’t have to worry about having enough food. It changes their life.”
Gleaners collects food from farmers, grocery stores and other sources at its headquarters on Detroit’s east side. From there, the food goes to several partner agencies across Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Livingston and Monroe counties.
During Brisson’s 13 years with Gleaners, $4 million in annual fundraising has climbed to about $14 million. Food distribution is up, too, from 20 million pounds annually to 44 million pounds.