Date:  October 30, 2012
Writers Name:  Rosey Denise White
Title:  Food is Not a Luxury

Holiday season is usually the time of year when the needs of the hungry are often highlighted but truthfully, hunger is a regular issue both here at home and abroad.   According to feedingamercia.org, approximately 6.1 million households in the U.S. received emergency food assistance in 2011.   Children were hunger victims in 78% of these households.    With so much focus on the economic and political health of the country, sometimes the plight of the hungry does not get the attention it deserves.  Many go without food to eat on a daily basis; every six seconds a child dies from hunger related issues.

In Michigan, there are several businesses and non-profit organizations dedicated to helping cure the hunger epidemic. The Michigan division of the Kids against Hunger Coalition is a mobile packaging operation that ships meals to malnourished children here at home and internationally. This mobile unit works with other volunteers, non-profit organizations, and local companies to help package and distribute food accordingly.  

To inquire about volunteer opportunities or to schedule a mobile food packaging event please see the below:

Kids Against Hunger – Michigan Coalition
8600 Northend Rd.
Oak Park, MI 48238
(248) 336-2559
http://www.kidsagainsthungercoalition.com/

Meijer’s is a major local grocery chain in Michigan, but the executives of this group also use the business to promote hunger awareness by helping the community.  Meijer’s Simply Give Program recently gave 4 million dollars to various food pantries across Michigan.   Meijer also has a Food Rescue program that distributes food straight from Meijer shelves to local food banks.    Top Meijer executive Janet Emerson is the force that drives the wheel for these programs.  She believes that “food is just a basic need… a basic right not to go to bed hungry.”     


Food Gatherers is a food rescue plan established in 1988 in Michigan.   Close to 1500 volunteers prepare and serve 100,000 meals to people in need each year.  They also provide student and job training within culinary arts.   December 5th – December 9th, Food Gatherers will host their annual “freezing for a reason” food and fund drive.   You can participate by donating cash or food donations to any Kroger located in Washtenaw County.  

If you are in need of emergency food assistance or interested in their training programs please contact:


Food Gatherers
734-761-2796
www.foodgatherers.org

The Food Bank Council of Michigan reports that 196,400 people receive emergency food assistance per week in Michigan.   If you have internet access,  pantrynet.org  provides a list of food banks throughout Michigan.  Below is also a list of food pantries, and emergency food resources that provide assistance year round in the Michigan area:

Emergency Food Resources in Michigan


Storehouse of Hope
8850 Woodward Ave.
Detroit, MI
Tuesday – Friday   10:00am – 4:00pm
(313) 871-4750

Lord of Harvest
21601 Schoenher
Warren, MI
Monday – Friday  10:00am – 11:30am
(586) 498-8869

Walk in the Spirit Food Pantry
11638 Whittier St.
Detroit, MI
Tuesday – Friday 10:00am – 1:00pm
(313) 371-3930

Redford Interfaith Relief
18499 Beech Daly
Redford, MI
Tuesday & Friday  10:00am – 2:00pm
sue@redordinterfaithrelief.org

Emergency Food Assistance
1-800-552-1183

State of Michigan Food Assistance Program
1-800-481-4989

Gleaners Food Bank
(313) 923-3535

Date: 10/17/2012
Name: Donnell Hicks
Title: Hunger & Homelessness in America



The richest country in the world is battling a major epidemic. It is not AIDS/HIV, high unemployment, or human rights. It is two diseases called hunger and homelessness. America is facing a dark issue that must be resolved by coming together. No matter if you are a Republican or a Democrat, rich or poor we must come together to make a change to end hunger and homelessness for the adults and children who are currently living in pure destitute. The rise in hunger in the United State of America is due in part to low-income wages, a child being raised in a single parent household, and the social economic gap. Hunger affects all urban communities in America. There reality is that African-Americans families are battling the idea of putting food in the household and children across the nation who are poor are experiencing the hunger epidemic.

A study in 2011 shows that 46.2 million people live in poverty; 26.5 million people between ages 18-64 years old are living in poverty; 16.1 million children under eighteen are living in poverty; and another 3.6 million seniors 65 years and older are living in poverty. Many people will suggest that poverty plays a major role in the wave of hunger. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, another main reason there is hunger in America is due to the shortage of food supplies and the rising costs of food.

The national percentage of people receiving food assistance in Florida is 16.2%, the national average in the United States is 14.7%. However, 57.2% of household participants receiving food assistance are in enrolled in at least one of three major federal food assistance programs. These include the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formally known as food stamps), the National School Lunch Program, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). On the other hand, nearly 14 million children are served by Feeding America, over 3 million are ages five and under. (Source: www.feedingamerica.org)

Amongst African-Americans living in urban communities, one of the most difficult tasks that African-American families face every day is survival - for the apparent reason that 30% of children live below the poverty line. A study dating back to 1991 shows that 46% of black children were chronically hungry compared to 16% of white children.

There is no gleam of hope when hunger takes part in the death of infants. The U.S. is ranked 23rd among infant mortality. Nonetheless, black infants are dying nearly twice the rate of white infants. (Source: www.rollingout.com)

Politicians who serve in local, state, and federal governments don’t take people who are homeless seriously. Politicians either ignore the need to aid the homeless or aid to the homeless isn’t a number one factor on their “to-do list.” Little do they know the poverty rate for black children is 32.8% and 32.3% for Hispanic children, compared to 17% for whites, and 3% for Asian children. (www.apa.org)

Homelessness in America is more prevalent in urban areas in America with 71% living in central cities, 21% in Suburbs, and 9% in rural areas. On the contrary, 1.6 million people live in emergency shelters or transitional housing. Homelessness in America remains an issue of deep concern as we advance in the 21st century. We must come together and do something about it.

Date: October 1, 2012
Writer’s Name: Stephanie Hardy
Title: Thank You for Your Donation

With all the resources in the world it is hard to understand why people are hungry across the globe.

On one of the last episodes in her last season, Oprah highlighted the growing epidemic of hunger faced by Americans across the country. The show followed several suburban families displaying their grim reality of hunger. One lady, a mother and wife, cried after falling down outside of a food bank where she once donated money and food. The show told the dismal tail of what many of us face each day as we have to decide whether or not to pay bills or eat. Like the families on the episode, many Americans who were once middle class are now facing this new challenge and are not equipped with the tools to understand how or why this is happening, while many of us refuse to acknowledge and cannot empathize with the issue because it is not directly affecting us.

In Michigan, more specifically Detroit, and surrounding areas, individuals have a better idea of where to gain assistance when in need. As a result of unemployment and other unfortunate events, more people in the community have less to eat and are learning to improvise and live with less. Various organizations and institutions have stepped up to the plate and are helping those in need on monthly, bi-monthly and even weekly bases.

Many organizations seek to eradicate hunger by facilitating food drives.

The United States Post Office puts on the largest food drive that serves the continental United States, Virgin Islands, and Guam. The annual event that takes place each May, affords letter carriers the ability to collect non-perishables from those they regularly deliver mail to and deliver collected items.

Gleaners Food Bank, an outstanding organization that has served Southeastern Michigan for over three decades now, in the economic downturn, it has remained a pillar remaining true to its mission "nourishing communities by feeding hungry people.” Gleaners often have days where donations from the public are matched and/or doubled in order to keep up with the ever growing needs of the community. Gleaners home page purports, “Gleaners distributed 40 million pounds of emergency food to over 600 partner soup kitchens, shelters and pantries in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Livingston and Monroe counties”

Forgotten Harvest whose mission is “to relieve hunger in the Detroit metropolitan community by rescuing surplus, prepared and perishable food and donating it to emergency food providers,” has also been and continues to be a major player on the side of eradicating hunger. Like Gleaners, Forgotten Harvest serves Macomb, Oakland and Wayne Counties and was established in 1990 with the twofold objective of eliminating hunger and waste. This is achieved by receiving food that is surplus before it spoils and then distributes the food to religious organizations, seniors’ facilities, children’s homes, etc. where the food is then given out among the aforementioned organization’s populations. To help Forgotten Harvest continue to reach its mission they always welcome monetary and food donations as well as volunteers.

Organizations such as Forgotten Harvest and Gleaners make it possible for churches and other service organizations to assist the community. With donations from the aforementioned, churches have been successful at developing programs that help feed people within the congregation as well as those within the community.

National Jr. Honor Society Leader, Ms. Edwards,  with Henry Ford Academy: School for Creative Studies Detroit, is in the planning phase of organizing students to volunteer with Forgotten Harvest and Gleaners in the near future.  

Knowing the challenges those around me face all too well makes it imperative I support businesses and organizations that give back to the community. Hiller’s Market is just one of several businesses that is very upfront about its stance against hunger as they often announce on radio broadcast its aim to stomp out hunger by applying a percentage of proceeds received from in store purchases to local food banks such as Forgotten Harvest and Gleaners.

Gleaners Upcoming Events for October

http://www.gcfb.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pg_eventfood

Mow Down Hunger in Our Own Backyard
Help us feed hungry kids and Weingartz will double your donation!

Now - Wednesday, October 17

David Houston Salon's 'Full for Fall' Fundraiser
Bring canned food items in exchange for a discount off hair styling products!

Monday, October 1 - Saturday, November 17

Doc's Prescription for Hunger Food Drive
Bring in 5 nonperishable food items and be entered into the daily drawing (1 free entrée and drink) and the Big Raffle, a $100 Gift Certificate to Doc’s Good Food!

Monday, October 1 - Monday, October 22

Haunt for Hunger 2012

Saturday, October 6 - Saturday, October 28 
(Open weekends only and Halloween night)

Zombie Walk Detroit 2012

Saturday, October 13

Volunteer, Donate, or Both

http://www.gcfb.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pg_volunteer

http://www.gcfb.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pg_donate

http://www.hillers.com/

http://hands4detroit.org/

http://www.forgottenharvest.org/volunteer/

https://www.forgottenharvest.org/donate/one-time.aspx

http://www.forgottenharvest.org/page.aspx?p=3