Together, Team Lake Trust made up a volunteer force of 350 participants, who donated nearly 1,000 combined hours back to Michigan communities. In just one day, we made face masks, prepared community gardens for winter, created meal and snack kits for students, and gave back to local shelters.
The theme of our volunteer day was focused on providing access to food and enhancing wellbeing. The COVID-19 pandemic has created many challenges for families, small businesses, and communities this year. The prevalence of food insecurity in our state is just one issue that has been highlighted recently, as over 613,000 Michigan adults reported not having enough to eat in September 2020.2 Without access to free and reduced lunch programs at school, coupled with the increasing costs of groceries, the need for additional food resources will continue to rise.
“2020 has been a tough year for many due to COVID-19. Lake Trust team members wanted to provide immediate help to begin bridging the gap back to recovery by providing food and PPE to Michigan families and our nonprofit partners,” explains Amanda H., Community Engagement Manager at Lake Trust.
In partnership with the Michigan nonprofits Weekend Survival Kits, Blessings in a Backpack, Operation Full Bellies, and Kids’ Food Basket, our team assembled over 3,000 food kits. These organizations focus on eliminating childhood hunger and providing healthy meals to those in need. Meal kits are distributed to students who qualify for free or reduced lunch to eat over the weekend. By providing healthy snacks and meals, students are more prepared to learn and focus when returning to school on Monday.
At Gleaner’s, six hard-working team members prepared 6,318 pounds of food. This food will provide 5,346 meals for families in and around Detroit. Another nine team members processed 11,000 pounds of meat and put together 7 pallets of food at the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan in Flint, proving that even a small group of determined, passionate individuals can make a big difference.
In addition to donations, food banks can provide fresh food to recipients by partnering with community gardens. To ensure that local gardens are ready for a new season, we mobilized team members to clean garden beds and harvest the last vegetables of the season at Grace Gardens in Grand Haven, Greater Lansing Food Bank in Lansing, Woldumar Nature Center, Barry County Family Promise in Hastings, and Saline Area Social Services in Saline.
We also built 10 raised garden beds at Lansing First Presbyterian Church. In the spring, the beds will be filled with soil and rented out to community members and nonprofits to provide fresh fruits and veggies for those in need.
The demand for personal protective equipment will be ongoing to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. So, we thought it would be beneficial to support the wellbeing of our neighbors in Michigan by making face masks. Over 100 team members volunteered from their homes or a Lake Trust branch and made cloth face masks. The 900 masks that were created were donated to LACASA in Howell.
Not only were we able to provide much-needed supplies to local nonprofits, but our time was valued at nearly $26,000 in savings for Michigan nonprofits.2 Volunteering and giving back is an important part of our culture, as we recognize the importance of holistically supporting the financial, physical, and environmental wellbeing of our neighbors in Michigan.
For the time, we may have to keep our distance and gather in small groups. But there’s power in togetherness, even when we’re apart. There’s power in numbers. And with that power, we can make a big impact.
1Llobrera, J., Mazzara, A., Nchako, C., Sherman, A., & Zippel, C. (2020, September 23). New Data: Millions Struggling to Eat and Pay Rent. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Retrieved from https://www.cbpp.org/research/poverty-and-inequality/new-data-millions-struggling-to-eat-and-pay-rent
2Value of Volunteer Time. (2020, Ocotber 28). Independent Sector. Retrieved from https://independentsector.org/value-of-volunteer-time-2020/