Choose Hope Not Hunger LETTER to the COMMUNITY Choose Hope, Not Hunger

2019 REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY choose hope not hunger LETTER TO THE COMMUNITY Choose Hope, Not Hunger s a Board, we ask many questions of ourselves and of the management team here at Greater Lansing Food Bank (GLFB). What do we ask? It’s simple: What have we done today, and what can Awe do tomorrow to get more nutritious food to those in need and those at risk? Because the single focus of our board and team at GLFB is feeding those in need across the mid-Michigan region. As members of the Board of Directors of the GLFB, we know how important food is for every single person. We cannot function, let alone excel, without nutrition. It is that basic. And that is why this year’s theme, Choose Hope, Not Hunger, is so important, and so simple. As a community, a society and a nation, we firmly believe that no one should go hungry. And only because of our wonderful community partners, and the amazing support we receive from the people and businesses across our region, are we able to receive and deliver increasing quantities of nutritious food to people in need. As we have often said, it is what caring communities do. A number of our board members have shared personal stories of times of need in their families that they remember all too well. You see, hunger does not discriminate. It can and does prey on anyone…and everyone. We often remind those we meet that no one chooses to be hungry. And so, hope is what we offer in partnership with you—our caring and giving community. In this year’s Report to the Community, we again share stories of individuals who needed our help and those who rose to the occasion to meet that need. This past year was unique, yet so much like years past. There was a need, and as a team and as a community, we provided hope when some in our community needed it most. Thank you for caring and supporting the important mission of GLFB to feed those in need. On behalf of the Board of Directors and our team at the food bank, thank you for your continuing support this past year. Best Wishes, John Pirich Joe Wald Board Chair Executive Director GREATER LANSING FOOD BANK 2019 REPORT Greater Lansing Food 2018 HIGHLIGHTS Bank Mission Statement: Partner to alleviate hunger one Choose Hope, Not Hunger. We believe this says it all when meal at a time, to create a future talking about the role of Greater Lansing Food Bank (GLFB) in the where everyone has access to communities we serve. nourishing food. Support for GLFB doesn’t only provide meals for countless individuals, it provides hope for those facing difficult times. We see parents who worry about feeding their children on the weekends Greater Lansing Food Bank when the school cafeteria is not available. We see retirees on fixed Board Members incomes who know that unexpected medical bills will severely impact their food budgets. And we see single mothers whose Executive Director Joe Wald two jobs can’t quite meet all their financial obligations and who worry about having enough left over to put nutritious food on the Board Chair John Pirich table for their children. For every one of these very real situations Vice Chair and for countless more, GLFB’s network of donors, partners and Leslie Brogan volunteers provides hope. By being there with the most basic of Treasurer human needs—food—these at-risk individuals can look forward Nikali Luke to growth and success. Because you selflessly wanted to make Secretary a difference, you had a life-changing impact on individuals and Lavon Dennis families in our community. Thank you for caring! Following is the story of our past year. Members: Christopher Abood, MD Jeff Blohm JANUARY J. Michael Busch 2018 began with bitter cold and immense challenges for our community. Certainly, Joe Chahine one of those challenges was to assure that those at risk across the region would have Lauren Forcia access to nourishment and warmth. Another was the shortage of truck drivers and the lack of produce that would impact our ability to bring in fresh product well into the Glenn Freeman III spring months. Linda Headley Lupe Izzo As a community, we came together as we always do to meet these needs. We ended our annual holiday campaign in January with donations from DBI Business Solutions Larry Lee and the MSU Athletic Department, among so many others. Because of the amazing Jim Savage support from our community, GLFB set a record for this campaign, raising nearly $1.2 Pat Spyke million to fund a major portion of our annual costs, funds that enable us to provide Rose Tantrophol food across our region. Our partners at the Lansing State Journal, Adams Outdoor Carrie Waggoner and Lansing City Pulse spread the word far and wide, and the community responded. Kevin Zielke FEBRUARY Founders: February brought more snow…and some rain, just to keep us guessing. The rain Camille Abood brought historic flooding to much of our region. This created more challenges, but our C. Patrick Babcock community was up to the task. David Hollister We were presented with generous checks from our friends at Farm Bureau Insurance William Long and the MSU Rebounders Club. Liberty Coin also kicked off a fundraiser for us, and page 2 LEFT: Michigan Farm Bureau Insurance employees contribute funds to GLFB. RIGHT: DBI Business Solutions leadership Sue Burger and Steve Klaver present a check to GLFB. Enterprise Holdings presented the second of to our senior friends. More needs to be done to MAY three donation installments from their Fill Your make certain that this important population has May is always a special month at the GLFB. This Tank Feeding Program. GLFB Executive Director all the opportunities available to comfortably year’s 12th Annual Empty Plate festivities, once Joe Wald was asked to share the story of the remain in their homes as they age. March also again hosted by the Kellogg Center on the food bank. His speaking engagements included brought appreciated gifts of support from Swan MSU campus, welcomed nearly 800 community the Lansing Rotary Club and the Mt. Pleasant Electric Company, PNC Foundation, and our supporters and raised more than $575,000 to Kiwanis Club. During these talks, Mr. Wald friends at LAFCU and WKAR, who teamed up help feed those in need. The National Letter explained both the need and how individuals, again this year to raise funds for GLFB. Carriers’ Food Drive is another important families and businesses could get involved to annual event to help restock our shelves with help. February also brought the retirement of APRIL food donated from across our region. Every two long-time volunteers and friends of GLFB. year, letter carriers and volunteers collect Duane Possanza and Robert (Bob) Noecker April showers usually bring May flowers, but food donations with the day’s mail with the announced their retirement. Both special April of 2018 brought cold weather which hope of collecting enough food to support volunteers, the team was sad to see them go and significantly pushed back the spring growing GLFB through the summer months. Kroger, with deep gratitude, we thanked them for their season. This impacted our ability to provide Meijer and CATA also participated by setting special commitments to help those in need. locally grown produce to those at risk well into the summer months. up donation sites at local stores. With all the February also gave the GLFB team an planning, we have learned that one thing we opportunity to say thank you to a very April is also Volunteer Appreciation Month, and cannot control is Mother Nature. Unfortunately, important community partner, we made a special point to say thank you to a rainy and gloomy Saturday had a large impact WLNS TV-6. WLNS has shared GLFB’s the thousands of volunteers who make serving on the food gathered from this 26th annual message to the community in a number of those in need possible throughout the year. We community-supported event. Special thanks ways, including their yearly Day of Giving can’t thank our volunteers enough. Thank you! go out to our many friends from around the fundraiser at the station. Through 10 years A huge thank you goes out to everyone who community who contributed to this day to of Day of Giving fundraisers, WLNS TV-6 has participated in the Fight Hunger/Spark Change help feed those in need. They include Shaheen provided thousands of dollars of donations campaign at Walmart and Sam’s Club. This Chevrolet, Williams Auto World, Adams and thousands of pounds of food. Mr. Wald was nationwide campaign provides a considerable Outdoor, WLNS-TV-6, WILS-TV-10, WLNZ-FM, pleased to say thank you in person to General amount of local support that stays right here United Way, the National Association of Letter Manager Robert Simone and Operations in our community. Important partner Kroger Carriers and the National Rural Letter Carriers’ Director Eugene Shanahan with a special also stepped forth with their financial support. Association. Rounding out May was Red Nose commemorative plaque, which can be proudly In recognition of their contributions toward Day, a national fundraising program sponsored seen in the WLNS lobby. fighting hunger, one of the GLFB trucks was by NBC, Walgreens and Comic Relief. We rely wrapped with Kroger branding to let the public on Red Nose Day to help us provide GLFB’s We MARCH know of this important partnership. Lansing Serve Kids meals to local children.

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