Press Release: Flat River Outreach Ministries (FROM) and Meijer Fight Food Insecurity in Greater Lowell Community Through Simply Give Hunger Relief Program

We received the following press release from Flat River Outreach Ministries.

 

Lowell, Michigan – Flat River Outreach Ministries (FROM) is proud to announce a partnership with Meijer to provide much-needed relief to local families facing food insecurity through the retailer’s customer-driven hunger relief program, Simply Give.

“Throughout the pandemic our food pantry saw an influx of new families in need within our community,” Kelly, FROM Healthy Food Program Coordinator shared. “This need continues as we enter 2021, and your support through the Meijer Simply Give program allows us to purchase the necessary items to help our neighbors in need.”

Our community continues to feel the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. As uncertainty around guidelines and wage disruptions continue to place extreme pressure on families. Families that may never have needed help in the past are now facing difficult choices.

Each Meijer Simply Give campaign replenishes the shelves of more than 250 food pantries in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and Wisconsin. The program encourages customers to purchase $10 Simply Give donation cards, which are then converted into Meijer food-only gift cards and given to a local food pantry in the store’s community.

FROM will benefit from donation cards purchased at the Lowell Meijer now through April 10. In addition, Meijer will double match any cards purchased on Saturday, March 13, and Saturday, April 3, effectively tripling contributions made on those days. Meijer customers shopping online using Meijer pickup or home delivery can also purchase Simply Give donation cards as an add-on to their orders.

In light of increased need resulting from COVID-19, Meijer donated more than $7.6 million to Simply Give food pantry partners in 2020. Since the program began in November 2008, more than $61 million has been generated for food pantries in the Midwest to distribute to our neighbors in need.

“The winter months are a difficult time for people facing food insecurity and food pantries continue to struggle to keep up with the flood of requests they receive daily, especially given the difficult circumstances many families now face amidst the global pandemic,” said Cathy Cooper, Senior Director of Community Partnerships and Giving for Meijer. “The Simply Give program is a way for Meijer customers to partner with us and support the food banks and pantries that feed families in need in their own communities. We certainly couldn’t do it without the support and commitment of our generous customers and team members, who stand beside us in this effort.”

About FROM Food Pantry: FROM Food Pantry is a participant choice healthy food pantry. FROM serves families and individuals living in the Lowell Area School District who make 200% of the poverty line or less – or express a need for food. In 2020 the food pantry was accessed by families and individuals nearly 1,600 times.

About Meijer Philanthropy: Meijer is a family-owned retailer based in Grand Rapids, Mich. with a fundamental philosophy aimed at enriching lives in the communities it serves. Meijer proudly donates more than 6 percent of its net profit each year to charities throughout the Midwest. With hunger as a corporate philanthropic focus, Meijer partners with hundreds of food banks and pantries through its Simply Give and food rescue programs. Meijer also supports education, disaster relief, and health and wellness initiatives.

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