NOVI, Mich. – A community-led initiative is making strides to combat hunger in the state.
At a Kroger in Novi, shoppers were greeted as they prepared for their Sunday grocery runs.
Volunteering Together for Service, also known as VT Seva, is dedicated to serving their communities.
The organization’s Director, Suresh Rajan, emphasized the importance of giving back.
“Giving back is so important that you have to (be thankful for) whatever you have in your life and be able to give back to the community,” Rajan said.
For its annual food drive, VT Seva partnered with Food Gatherers, an organization based in Ann Arbor.
The collaboration aimed to address food insecurity, which affects roughly 1.4 million Michiganders, according to a 2020 analysis from Feeding America.
“These are people all around the places . . . you’d be amazed to see and understand how many people are actually in need of food and in need of basic necessities,” Rajan said.
Many families benefiting from VT Seva’s drive may not appear to need help.
The group reports that most of these families are working but struggle to meet their daily needs.
Shoppers at Kroger stepped up to fill in the gaps.
“Well, it’s for the Food Gatherers, and I’ve had some experience working with them in the past. They’re a fantastic organization that does everything they can to help our community, the children, the parents -- just be able to be successful,” said Amanda Fanson, a shopper.
Each donation contributed to a larger call for help, addressing the pressing issue of food insecurity in the region.
VT Seva’s community work has garnered recognition, including the President’s Volunteer Service Award, highlighting the impact of their efforts.
Here is a statement:
“We received 26 boxes of food items in total and $600 of cash donations. Mr. Sunny Reddy will be matching the donations to make it $1200.00. All the food and cash donations will be handed over to Food Gatherers soon.”
