(Detroit, MI – May 30, 2018) … Gleaners Community Food Bank (Gleaners) has received a $36,000 grant from Tyson, allowing the organization to expand its reach through the School Food Mobile Pantry Program. Currently serving nearly 90 schools, the program will serve 900 people a month at three schools in Metro Detroit.
The three schools are:
Van Dyke Public Schools, 22900 Federal, Warren, MI
Detroit Merit Academy, 1091 Alter Road, Detroit, MI
Hazel Park Schools, 1620 E. Elza, Hazel Park, MI
Gleaners’ School Food Mobile Pantry Program brings emergency food directly to schools for distribution to low-income students and their families. Each monthly distribution provides 100 families with approximately 30 pounds of nutritious food including approximately 17 pounds of fresh produce and 13 pounds of other healthy pantry staples.
Of those Gleaners serves with emergency food, more than 70 percent have to choose between buying food and paying utility bills and 73 percent of households have children who are food insecure. In southeast Michigan, nearly 1 in 6 kids doesn’t know where their next meal is coming from.
“Children and hunger are two words that should never go together. In Southeast Michigan, nearly 300,000 children get two of three meals a day at school, many for free or at a reduced cost. When school is not in session, these kids may have nothing or very little to eat,” said Gerry Brisson, president and CEO of Gleaners. “We are grateful to Tyson for helping us provide kids and their families with the healthy food that they need because when they have access to nutritious meals, they can focus on other important aspects of their lives and thrive.”
About Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan
Headquartered
in Detroit, Gleaners operates five distribution centers in Wayne,
Oakland, Macomb, Livingston and Monroe counties and provides food to
nearly 500 partner soup kitchens, food pantries, shelters, and other
agencies throughout southeastern Michigan. In 2017, Gleaners
distributed more than 42 million pounds of food to neighbors in need! On
average, Gleaners distributes more than 96,000 meals each day and
provides nourishing food to 430,000 people, including 171,000 children a
year. Every dollar donated provides three meals and 97 cents of every
donated dollar goes to food and food programs. For more information,
visit www.gcfb.org.