Charter One Bank and Gleaners Carve Out Hunger
60 tons of poultry to feed more than 45,000 people, marking the food bank’s largest holiday food giveawayDETROIT (November 14, 2006) - Charter One Bank announced today the launch of Carving Out Hunger, an initiative to increase the awareness of hunger and to help fight its impact in southeast Michigan. The Charter One Foundation has pledged $75,000 to provide 10,000 turkeys free of charge to 400 partner agencies of Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan.
In previous years during the holiday season, Gleaners purchased turkeys at wholesale prices and offered them to partner agencies at a discounted price. Charter One’s Carving Out Hunger will underwrite the cost of 10,000 turkeys that will feed more than 45,000 individuals and be used to prepare more than 150,000 meals. Beginning at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 14, Charter One volunteers will help distribute 60 tons of poultry to partner agencies. The distribution will take place at Gleaners’ Detroit warehouse at 2131 Beaufait.
“Hungry children, seniors, and working poor families have hope today. Hope that their Thanksgiving will be blessed with enough food. And even more hope because Charter One is willing to make a difference both today and into the future. By giving away 10,000 Thanksgiving turkeys, Gleaners and Charter One are making it possible for our partners to serve more hungry neighbors. Resources that would have been spent buying turkeys will now be spent on other necessary food,” said Agostinho Fernandes, President of Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan. “Charter One’s leadership will truly make a difference far beyond the wonderful gift of today.”
Gleaners estimates that it will take $1 million to feed hungry neighbors in southeast Michigan from now until the end of the year. That’s six weeks, 48 days or 69,120 minutes at $15 per minute. Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan is championing the fight against hunger with their partner agencies and asking the community to give a minute to raise a million. Carving Out Hunger launches Gleaners’ donation drive and starts the clock to nourishing southeast Michigan's hungry neighbors.
“Gleaners doesn’t just feed hungry neighbors – it is creating solutions to help end hunger in our region, “ said Sandy Pierce, President and CEO of Charter One Bank, Michigan. “Charter One Bank is proud to partner with Gleaners through Carving out Hunger to raise awareness of hunger while bringing compassion to people in need this holiday season.”
In addition to free turkeys, Charter One will join with seven of Gleaners’ partner agencies and coordinate colleague volunteer efforts throughout 2007. These non-profit agencies represent soup kitchens and food pantries serving some of the most vulnerable communities in southeast Michigan: All Saints, The Baldwin Center Macomb Food Program, Salvation Army – Temple, Salvation Army – Warren, Shared Harvest Pantry, and Yad Ezra.
Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan is the third-oldest food bank in the United States. Gleaners secures, stores and distributes food to more than 400 local non-profit agencies that feed people in need. Some of Gleaners’ partner agencies operate soup kitchens or food pantries that provide food packages while others include shelters and human service organizations that serve meals. Since 1977, Gleaners Community Food Bank has grown to distributing nearly 25 million pounds annually, equivalent to 65,000 meals per day.
About the Charter One Foundation
Charter One Foundation is a charitable contributions vehicle of Charter One Bank. The foundation’s support is focused on housing, community development and basic human needs.
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