ANN ARBOR – In a little over two weeks, local residents and members of the Michigan Medicine community donated the equivalent of 28,278 meals in food and funds during the health system’s joint spring food drive with Food Gatherers.
Those meals will now be distributed to Food Gatherers’ more than 170 partner agencies in the area. Included in the donations was 456 pounds of toiletries for community members in need.
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“Thank you to everyone who gave, bringing our total for the past two years to 309,000 meals’ worth of donations and showing our commitment to addressing food insecurity and preventive health needs across local areas we serve,” Tony Denton, senior vice president and chief operating officer for U-M Health said in a release.
“Access to a consistent, healthy food supply is an important social determinant of health and is in continuing jeopardy with lingering effects of the pandemic and price inflation that particularly affects many neighbors across our communities. Michigan Medicine’s contributions demonstrate a commitment to caring, equity, teamwork and community health.”
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Michigan Medicine has partnered with Food Gatherers to hold five community food and toiletry drives with a collection site at University of Michigan’s North Campus Research Complex. Approximately 5,723 pounds of toiletries have been donated since April 2020.
Denton noted that essential toiletries are critical for the donation drives, since residents cannot purchase basic non-food items with federal food aid.
The online giving site is still live. To make a donation, visit www.foodgatherers.org/um.
Michigan Medicine and Food Gatherers announced that another food drive is set to take place later this year.