Forgotten Harvest

For the full month of December you can make twice the impact! All donations up to $50,000 will be matched it by the Harold and Kay Fund. What does that mean? Till the end of December each dollar donated will get 8 MEALS back into the community. Double your impact TODAY! 👉 https://lnkd.in/dkJ-zYsn

We’re incredibly saddened to share the news of the unexpected passing of Virginia Williams, Romulus City Councilwoman and lead of our dedicated partner agency Citizens Changing Communities/Hands Up. In addition to running a weekly food distribution in partnership with Forgotten Harvest, Ms. Williams orchestrated and offered several community events throughout the year for free, like trunk or treats, movies in the park with free food, and holiday meal events to get items like turkey and desserts into the homes of those who wouldn’t otherwise have them. As a Romulus City Council member, Virginia once shared with us how the weekly food distributions helped connect her to her community so she could do everything in her power to assist them. She was a truly hands-on elected official and a deeply caring neighbor. Her loss will be felt widely, but her enormous heart and dedication to her community will live on in all of us who have been touched by her care.

The 2024 Gardner White Furniture & Mattress's Twinkle Town Tree Contest winner was announced on Friday the 13th! Congratulations to Hot Pink Helpers and Melissa Morrow on your win! We admire the important work you do within the community. ✨Hot Pink Helpers is a Michigan-based 501(c)3 Cancer Foundation that provides financial and emotional support to families affected by cancer with a primary focus on breast cancer. Hot Pink Helpers is 100% volunteer run. Every dollar raised goes directly towards helping families in need during their cancer journey. A BIG shoutout to WXYZ-TV Channel 7 for creating a beautiful tree in support of Forgotten Harvest this year. We are so appreciative of you all for thinking of us. THANK YOU! https://bit.ly/4gAoavK

🚨IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT🚨 Forgotten Harvest will be closed on the following dates: December 24th & 25th January 1st & 2nd Please visit our website for alternate volunteer dates and mobile pantries at www.forgottenharvest.org.

The GEORGE W. ROMNEY AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN VOLUNTEERISM is given annually to one or more persons who have contributed many years of service to the community and who have simultaneously exhibited quality fundraising and personal giving, offering inspiration to others, and contributing their time and energies to charities of their choice. Please join us in congratulating Hugh Mahler on receiving this much-deserved award! 👏🏆 Hugh Mahler, an eight-year volunteer with Forgotten Harvest, started the program in 2018 when Tim Hudson, Forgotten Harvest’s chief development officer, approached him about solving the problem of how smaller portions of donated food could be collected. Hugh and another volunteer started the program on a small scale, proving its viability. Last year, Harvest Heroes was the second most active volunteer group, donating 1,898 hours of time. Hugh sold his business in 2010, looking for volunteer experience and wanting to do something worthwhile with his newf ound free time. He ended up spending many hours at Forgotten Harvest, both in the warehouse and in the office. He was a familiar face among staff and other volunteers. Harvest Heroes has grown beyond Hugh’s expectations, with 25 volunteers handling daily routes. Currently, 32 routes are active, with 300,000 pounds of food rescued in 2021. Because food donors are expecting weekly pick-ups, volunteers are asked to make a long-term commitment (at least three months). There are provisions for absences or vacations, but program success is strongly dependent on the obligation to the route assignment. Among the food donors are Hollywood Market, Aldi’s, Grand Traverse Pie Company, Great Harvest Bread, Fresh Thyme, and many, many others that donate fresh produce, prepared foods, baked goods, and dry goods. Little Caesars is a large donor, with six Eastside stores donating pizzas twice a week, thanks to the generosity of franchise owner Louis Asher. New to the project, Dollar General signed on in the fall of 2021 with close to 90 metro Detroit stores making donations. Dollar General stores are often located in food desert areas and sell frozen and packaged food. The major uptick in volume generated by Dollar General required 20 new drivers for the Harvest Heroes fleet. The Dollar General project was organized at a national level through Feeding America, a network of U.S. hunger-relief organizations, and is being executed at the local level through Forgotten Harvest’s Heroes. Congratulations Hugh! We 💚 YOU!

One of our very own amazing volunteers has received a must deserved recognition. Please join us in congratulating Kyle Stewart on receiving a 2024 National Philanthropy Day Distinguished Volunteer Award! 👏🏆   Kyle heard that there was a need for long-term and tech-savvy volunteers at Forgotten Harvest. He uses his technology background to assist with client intake at various food pantries. He serves the community rain, snow, or shine. Kyle told us, “I enjoy being able to give food to all who ask, regardless of their life circumstances. I started volunteering regularly two years ago, and it’s made a huge difference in my own life.” Congratulations, Kyle! 💚💚

For the full month of December you can make twice the impact! All donations up to $50,000 will be matched it by the Harold and Kay Fund. What does that mean? Till the end of December each dollar donated will get 8 MEALS back into the community. Double your impact TODAY! 👉 https://lnkd.in/dkJ-zYsn

THANK YOU to E.W. Grobbel who donated thousands of pieces of their high-quality, Detroit-favorite meat just in time for the holidays! Some of the most difficult food items for Forgotten Harvest to source are meat and protein items, so we’re very grateful to Grobbel for this generous donation. More than 30,000 pounds of frozen corned beef and brisket will be included in Forgotten Harvest’s regular food distributions with all the other makings of a balanced, nutritious plate, like fresh produce and grains. If you or anyone you know needs food assistance, please visit the Find Food page of our website. https://lnkd.in/gX87zUiX

Mayor Bazzi and Deputy Police Chief Hussein Farhat from Dearborn Heights stopped by and toured Forgotten Harvest on December 10th. Together we are going the help fight food insecurity in our communities.

Forgotten Harvest would like to highlight one of our favorite Detroit Lions (JARED! GOFF!) who was just nominated for the 2024 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award! Congratulations, Jared — well deserved! ✨🏈🦁 Click the link to cast your vote each day until January 6th 👉 https://lnkd.in/eQstxArx