Press Release – Hunters Helping Food Banks

14 11 2008

From a press release from the Mid-Michigan Food Bank

Bridging the Gap Between Hunters And The Hungry

Lansing, MI – For many in Michigan, fall means one thing – deer hunting. There are many reasons people hunt, to commune with nature, to bond with friends and family, and for some, to supply food for their families. But for those hunters who would rather not spend the next three months eating venison, the Michigan Sportsmen Against Hunger have a solution.
Since 1991, the Michigan Sportsmen Against Hunger (MSAH) has been working to create linkages between hunters, wild game processors and charities which feed needy individuals, such as the Mid-Michigan Food Bank. MSAH is an all-volunteer organization, led by sportsmen and women who are concerned about making a positive difference for the communities in which they live.

According to the Department of Natural Resources, Michigan leads the nation in hunting licenses and sadly, has also led in the increase of working poor families with children. The Mid-Michigan Food Bank (MMFB) serves more than 92,000 individuals each year. Approximately 39% of those clients are children. MMFB seeks to bridge the gap between hunters and hungry families by giving hunters the opportunity to donate wild game to hunger relief organizations.
“Being able to provide protein to our agencies is such an important goal for us,” said David Karr, Director of Operations. “Providing a well rounded diet, including meat, is made much easier with the generous contribution that hunters make each year through this program.” Read the rest of this entry »

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Press Release – Breakin Bread with the Blues

7 11 2008

From a press release

Breakin Bread with the Blues

What: 5th Annual Capital Area Blues Society food drive for the Greater Lansing Food Bank

When: Sunday November 16, 2008 from 4 p.m. to midnight

Where: Green Door Blues Bar and Grill
2005 E Michigan Ave
Lansing

Breakin Bread with the Blues has been sponsored by the Capital Area Blues Society for 5 years. The line up is:
Jimmy G and the Capitals, Those Delta Rhythm Kings, Lansing All Stars: Frog, Stan Budzynski, and Bill Malone, Marble Garden, and the Alligators.
Admission is $5.00 for the Blues Society and canned food for the Greater Lansing Food Bank. Donations of food have totaled 100’s of pounds in the past.


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Press Release – Empty Bowls

30 09 2008

From a press release….

Mark your calendars for  Empty Bowls 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008 – Lunch 11:30Am – 1:30 PM Dinner 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

More than 800 bowls are handmade by the Potters Guild, Clayworks and many Lansing area potters. In addition, local businesses donate soup, bread and beverages each year.

“We are fortunate to work with such talented artists in efforts to reach out to our community”, Kathe Smithe, Operations Supervisor and MMFB, said. “Empty Bowls is a wonderful event for families as well as businesses to enjoy. It brings the whole community together for a great cause.”

For a donation of $20, attendees receive a handcrafted bowl, as well as their choice of soup and drink. All proceeds will go towards feeding the hungry through the Mid-Michigan Food Bank.
This great event is held at The Center for the Arts 425 S. Grand Avenue – Lansing. This event is celebrating 18 years of feeding the hungry.

Become a Sponsor
– For $250 you can sponsor a table of eight  For $500 you can sponsor a table of ten
– For $750 you can sponsor a table of ten and receive and Empty Bowls Poster
  signed by the artist.

Learn how you can become a sponsor! Go to www.midmichiganfoodbank for more information.
Buy Tickets To purchase tickets for the 2008 event, please contact Kathe Smith at 517-702-3358.

Thank you to our contributors:
Breadsmith of Okemos – Coral Gables – Dusty’s Cellar – Empire Szechuan
Flap Jack Restaurant – Great Harvest Bread Co. – Mijo’s Diner
New Apple Jade Chinese Restaurant – Red Cedar Grill – Robinhill Catering
Sahara’s – Spartan Water and Coffee – Spuds – Sultan Express – Ted-Dee’s – The Cappuccino Café – The Spotted Dog Café – Travelers Club
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Press Release – Harvest Gathering Kick Off

16 09 2008

From a Press Release……

18th Annual Michigan Harvest Gathering Campaign To Launch at Michigan Capitol

WHAT: The Food Bank Council of Michigan will kick-off its annual Michigan Harvest Gathering campaign on the Capitol steps on Thursday. The 2008 Michigan Harvest Gathering will run through November 12.

WHEN: Thursday Sept. 18, 2008 – 10:00 a.m.

WHERE: Front Steps of Capitol

WHO: Judge Bill Schuette, Court of Appeals,  Michigan Harvest Gathering Founder

Brian Peters, Senior Corporate Vice President Michigan Health and Hospital Association

Gordon Wenk, Deputy Director Michigan Department of Agriculture

Erica Karfonta, Manager, Gleaners Community Food Bank of Livingston County; Personal Testimony as someone who has utilized the generosities of a food pantry

State Representative John Moolenaar- Midland

Jane Marshall, Executive Director

Food Bank Council of Michigan

WHY: To raise food and funds to support the nine regional food banks in Michigan. Regional food banks provide food for agencies such as food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters in all of Michigan’s 83 counties. This year’s goal is to raise $430,000 and 300,000 pounds of food.

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Press Release – Garden Project’s 25th Anniversary

4 09 2008

From a press release….

The Garden Project’s 25th Anniversary “Harvest Dinner” Potluck

The Garden Project welcomes you to join us at our annual Harvest Dinner potluck! This year we are celebrating our 25th anniversary of helping folks in the greater Lansing area to grow their own healthy food and cultivate connections with their neighbors. Many of our gardeners will be cooking up delicious dishes with food right from their own gardens. Anyone is welcome to come with a dish to pass; ingredients from gardens are encouraged. The Harvest Dinner will be held on Wednesday, September 10th at the Peregrine Pavilion in Hawk Island Park. Come share a fun outdoor meal and get to know some new friends!

ABOUT THE GARDEN PROJECT-As a program of the Greater Lansing Food Bank, The Garden Project is dedicated to growing healthy food and cultivating connections. The Garden Project supports over 30 community gardens throughout the Greater Lansing area, including many operated by schools, churches, service agencies, housing groups and others working together to strengthen community and community food systems. Other services include home garden assistance and gleaning/distribution of seasonal farm crops.

On the web – Lansing Food Bank


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GLFB Collection at The Flap Jack

7 08 2008

From a press release…..

The Flap Jack Restaurant located at 6927 S Cedar Lansing will be sponsoring
an in-house food drive from August 11th thru the 16th to support the Greater
Lansing Food Bank. All donors of non-perishable food items will receive a free beverage. 

The food collected will be distributed to the Greater Lansing Food Bank
pantries that help feed the hungry.  As the number of those in need of food
continues to rise, this is a timely opportunity for the community to assist
in keeping local pantry shelves well stocked.

Food Drive
Flap Jack Restaurant
6927 S Cedar
Lansing
August 8 through August 16th
6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

All donors will receive a free beverage


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Girl Scout Donates Pigs to Food Bank

29 07 2008

I had to post this story.  Ellen Sponsler, a Girl Scout from Parma, is donating fifteen pigs that she raised to the Food Bank of South Central Michigan.  That’s 3,000 pounds of food.  I can’t even imagine how much money this girl could make at auction, but she’s giving all of it away.  In the process, she will earn the highest award a Girl Scout can recieve, the Gold Award.

Sponsler has participated for five years in 4-H, which offers buyers of fair animals the option of donating them to food banks. Sponsler decided to bypass the auction and send the pigs straight to charity.

“We are just thrilled that Ellen has such an understanding of the needs of her community,” Holly Cavinder, community outreach coordinator for the Food Bank of South Central Michigan, said in a statement. “This donation of pigs to the food bank will help feed the hungry in Jackson County, providing something that is lacking for many individuals who struggle with food security.” Read the rest of this entry »


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Press Release – Mid Michigan Food Bank

21 07 2008

From a press release

Red Cross collects food and money donations at the

‘Food Fight’ at Sam’s Club

(Lansing, MI)

 

Saturday, July 19, 2008 at Sam’s Club on Edgewood Blvd., the Mid-Michigan Food Bank raised over $12,240.00 and collected some 26,300 pounds of donated food. The people of the Lansing area showed their caring and concern by generously donating much-needed items such as peanut butter and tuna fish. 26,300 pounds of food will stock the food bank’s mobile food pantry for one of its weekly trips. Shoppers and donors could also purchase hot dogs and pop donated by Sam’s Club, with those proceeds also going to the Mid-Michigan Food Bank. Local radio stations from 99.1 WFMK, 100.7 WITL, 97.5, 94.9 WMMQ, The Game 730 AM, Newstalk 1240AM (Citadel Broadcasting Company) were on-location all day, as were Fox 47 News and WILX News 10, all helping to load the food in the pouring rain. Ralph Shaheen of Shaheen Chevrolet brought over two trucks, which were filled with food 22 times. Shaheen Chevrolet also very generously donated 40% of the cash raised. Read the rest of this entry »


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Press Release – Empty Plate Raises $168,000

12 05 2008

Got this press release from the Greater Lansing Food Bank….

EAST LANSING, Mich. — The Greater Lansing Food Bank raised $168,000 to help feed the area’s hungry at its annual “Empty Plate Dinner & Auction” Thursday May 8, 2008.


“We met our goal thanks to the generosity and participation of the events guests, sponsors, and vendors,” said Peter Pratt, Greater Lansing Food Bank chairman. “This money will help the Greater Lansing Food Bank purchase high-demand foods not available through donations, support innovative programs to rescue and grow nutritious foods, and provide nutrition education and self-help initiatives.”


Over 500 guests savored gourmet delights by some of the area’s top chefs and received a commemorative “empty plate” decorated by local school children. In addition, they bid on one-of-a-kind collector plates — hand painted by artists and celebrities — paired with dinner, hotel, gift certificate and service prize packages.


“The Greater Lansing Food Bank was formed by our community, to serve our community, and all donations stay in our community,” Pratt said. “Even though the auction is closed, I urge all local businesses and residents to continue helping us provide food for the growing number of hungry neighbors in our area.”


GLFB supports a network of 58 community kitchens, shelters, and food pantries in Clinton, Eaton and Ingham counties. In 2007 alone, the network served 1.2 million meals to children, seniors, working families and those on a fixed income. Unfortunately, it is still only able to reach about half of those in need — and the need is growing:

  • The number of Ingham County residents receiving food stamps increased nearly 50 percent in the last four years — many use the food bank to avoid missing meals at home

  • As many as 65 percent of Lansing students qualify for free or reduced breakfast and lunch

  • Eaton and Clinton county populations are increasing and Lansing/East Lansing area incomes are decreasing

  • Higher unemployment, and the rising cost of food and transportation are stretching everyone’s resources to the limit

The Greater Lansing Food Bank is a non-profit organization established in 1981. Its mission is to raise money, food and in-kind contributions for Lansing area emergency food needs; coordinate and support the food pantries in the area; promote, encourage and emphasize self-help programs toward the goal of self-sufficiency; and educate the community on hunger issues. It is the area’s leading source of food for those who need it most.


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Press Release – Greater Lansing Food Bank

24 04 2008

As a public service, I’ll be posting Press Releases when I see them.  If your organization has any kind of food related news, e-mail them to me at midmichigandining@comcast.net.

The following press release is from the Greater Lansing Food Bank announcing their Empty Plates dinner and auction

LANSING, Mich. — The Greater Lansing Food Bank (GLFB) will host its annual Empty Plate Dinner & Auction Thursday, May 8, 2008 to raise funds for and awareness of the growing hunger problem in mid-Michigan.

The event begins at 5:30 p.m. in the Big Ten Room of the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center. Guests will savor gourmet delights created by some of the area’s top chefs, and receive a commemorative “empty plate” decorated by local school children. In addition, guests can bid on one-of-a-kind collector plates — hand painted by artists and celebrities — that will be paired with dinner, hotel, gift certificate and service prize packages.

“The Empty Plate Dinner & Auction is the Greater Lansing Food Bank’s largest annual event,” said Sharon Krinock, GLFB’s executive director. “It’s a great evening and a great opportunity to help address one of our area’s most serious problems –– hunger and food insecurity.”

GLFB supports a network of 58 community kitchens, shelters, and food pantries in Clinton, Eaton and Ingham counties. In 2007 alone, the network served 1.2 million meals to children, seniors, working families and those on a fixed income. Unfortunately — and the need is growing.

  • The number of Ingham County residents receiving food stamps increased nearly 50 percent in the last four years. Many use the food bank to avoid missing meals.

  • Up to 65 percent of Lansing School District students qualify for free or reduced breakfast and lunch.

  • Higher unemployment and the rising cost of food and transportation are stretching everyone’s resources to the limit.

Organizers aim to raise $200,000 through the Empty Plate Dinner & Auction. Cash donations allow GLFB to purchase high-demand foods not available through food drives, support innovative programs to rescue and grow nutritious foods, and provide nutrition education and self-help initiatives.

“The Greater Lansing Food Bank was formed to serve the tri-county community,” Kinock said, “and all donations stay in this community. The generous support of local businesses and residents helps us continue providing food for the growing number of hungry neighbors in our area.”

The Greater Lansing Food Bank is a non-profit organization established in 1981. Its mission is to raise money, food and in-kind contributions for greater Lansing area emergency food needs; coordinate and support the food pantries in the area; promote, encourage and emphasize self-help programs toward the goal of self-sufficiency; and educate the community on hunger issues.

To purchase tickets or become an event sponsor, to make a donation, or for more information about programs and volunteer opportunities, call the Greater Lansing Food Bank at 517-887-4307 or visit lansingfoodbank.org.


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