Food Gatherers cancels annual Grillin’ fundraiser for the fourth year in a row

ANN ARBOR – Food Gatherers summertime Grillin’ fundraiser has once again been canceled, officials shared.

The annual fundraiser would regularly host more than 1,400 visitors during a June celebration at the Washtenaw County Fairgrounds. It highlighted the nonprofit’s mission to fight hunger and food insecurity in Washtenaw County.

“After much consideration, Food Gatherers staff and board have made the difficult decision not to host Grillin’ for Food Gatherers in 2023,” officials wrote in a statement.

“Due to ongoing inflation and supply chain issues, we cannot ask our still-recovering food partners to support a large fundraiser at this time.”

Several Ann Arbor area businesses would provide food and donations to the massive event, which was first canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Food Gatherers has held various funding campaigns in lieu of the event, including one-for-one matching in 2022.

The organization works with 486 local and regional food rescue donors to be able to offer 17,000 meals per day to those in need.

Need help getting food? Find Food Gatherers’ map of grocery distribution sites and meal programs open to the public here.