Weingartz to match donations dollar-for-dollar up to 1 million meals
DETROIT (Sept. 12, 2023) – Gleaners Community Food Bank today announced its 14th annual Mow Down Hunger campaign with match partner Weingartz. The campaign begins today, Sept. 12, 2023, and continues for four weeks, ending on Oct. 10, 2023.
“As students return to the classroom this year, they should be focused on learning, not worrying about where their next meal will come from,” said Gleaners President and CEO Gerry Brisson. “With our donors’ help, and matching funds from our friends at Weingartz, we have an opportunity to make double the impact and ensure local kids get the nutritious food they need to thrive.”
Every school in Southeast Michigan works with kids who struggle with hunger. More than 316,000 students rely on free or reduced-price lunches in Southeast Michigan, which indicates they may not have enough food to eat in the evening or on weekends.
Mow Down Hunger’s match sponsor, Weingartz, is a Michigan-based and family-owned provider of outdoor power equipment. Weingartz has committed to matching every donation during this campaign – dollar-for-dollar, up to 1 million meals. Thanks to Weingartz’ match, every $1 donated will provide six meals to local families. Over the previous thirteen years, Weingartz has helped Gleaners provide more than 17 million meals for local families.
“When kids have healthy food to eat, they earn better grades, are absent from school less, and remember more,” said Brisson. “Donating to Gleaners during the Mow Down Hunger match helps us provide local families with healthy food – especially fresh produce and fresh milk, which are vital to growing bodies and minds.”
Gleaners Programs Supported by Mow Down Hunger
Funds raised through the Mow Down Hunger campaign will benefit Gleaners’ programs that help solve child hunger. Gleaners is offering a variety of distribution models to meet children and families where they are, in the areas of greatest need.
In addition to serving its more than 400 partners, Gleaners offers Community Mobile food distributions five days per week, featuring direct-service, drive-through grocery sites with no appointment necessary, across its five-county service area.
Additionally, Gleaners’ School Food Mobiles provide nutritious, healthy food to students and families at low-income schools and Head Start programs. At every visit, Gleaners supplies 50-75 families with over 35 pounds of balanced nutrition, including fresh milk, fruit and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. Further empowering households, Gleaners’ nutrition education team teaches children and families how to prepare nutritious and delicious meals on a limited budget. The nutrition education program includes Cooking Matters courses, healthy recipes, and cooking demonstrations.
How to Participate
Those interested in donating to the Mow Down Hunger campaign can:
- Go online to: www.MowDownHunger.org
- Call: 855-315-FOOD (3663)
- Mail a check or money order to: Gleaners Community Food Bank, P.O. Box 44050, Detroit, MI 48244-0050. Checks should be made payable to Gleaners Community Food Bank and include Mow Down Hunger on memo line to ensure the contribution is matched.
Monetary donations will also be accepted at all Weingartz stores to benefit food security programs across the state, including areas served by Gleaners’ statewide food bank partners Food Gatherers in Ann Arbor and Feeding America West Michigan in Grand Rapids. Visit www.weingartz.com/locations to view hours and locations.
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About Gleaners Community Food Bank:
Headquartered in Detroit, Gleaners serves five Southeast Michigan counties: Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Livingston, and Monroe. Gleaners provides food to more than 400 partner agencies, including schools, soup kitchens, food pantries, shelters, and others across the region, and supplements the efforts of those partners by offering direct-service, drive-up grocery distributions. Every dollar donated provides three meals, and 92 cents of every donated dollar goes to food and food programs. For more information, visit gcfb.org.
About Weingartz:
Family-owned and operated since 1945, Weingartz continues to serve as an industry leader in outdoor power equipment sales, service and expert advice. A long-time advocate of commercial and residential buyers, Weingartz carries top-name equipment and replacement parts at each of its five Michigan locations and online at www.weingartz.com.