Rotary Club of Ann Arbor Fights Child Hunger Campaign Successful

Ann Arbor — The Rotary Club of Ann Arbor has successfully completed their 2022 Rotary Fights Child Hunger Spring fund and food drive to support Food Gatherers. Beginning in mid-March the drive invited local businesses and organizations to collect funds and non-perishable food items to alleviate hunger in our community. The Club successfully raised food and funds to provide 110,612 meals for children and families in Washtenaw County during the summer when they don’t have access to free and reduced-price meals in school.

The Rotary Club is grateful for the Harold & Kay Peplau Family Fund that matched gifts up to $10,000 and the many local businesses, schools, organizations, and Rotary members who donated food and funds.

Efforts like the Rotary Fights Child Hunger drive are vital right now. The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant rise in demand for food resources in Washtenaw County. This is further complicated by inflation and supply chain issues resulting in skyrocketing food and fuel prices, and further stressing families with limited resources. Today, food insecurity in our community is 7% higher than before the pandemic and child food insecurity is 12% higher. Over the last two years, Food Gatherers has distributed record-breaking amounts of food to our neighbors.

Food Gatherers will use resources from the fund and food drive to supply its network of 170 partner programs, including food pantries, meal programs, and other emergency grocery services that help food insecure children and families throughout Washtenaw County. In coordination with its partners, Food Gatherers is the largest sponsor of the Summer Food Service Program that provides meals to children throughout the summer break.

About Food Gatherers
Food Gatherers is the food bank and food rescue program serving Washtenaw County. The lead agency for hunger relief in the County, Food Gatherers supports a network of 170 community partners with free and low-cost food, deliveries, and trainings. In our last fiscal year, we distributed more than 9 million pounds of food – the equivalent of 7.5 meals. For a list of our partner programs or to learn how you can become involved in the fight against hunger locally, please visit
www.foodgatherers.org or call (734) 761-2796.

About Rotary
Rotary International is an organization of business and professional persons united worldwide, who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations and help build goodwill and peace in the world. To learn more about The Rotary Club of Ann Arbor, visit the web at http://www.a2rotary.org/