Annual Hunger Free Summer Campaign Exceeds Goal

DETROIT, Aug. 25, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- TODAY, Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeast Michigan (Gleaners) and the Charter One Foundation will celebrate with a special distribution event where they will provide 100 children with lunch and a backpack filled with school supplies.

The event will be held at the Martin Luther King Apartments (595 Chene Street, Detroit), from 11:30am – 1pm.

Campaign leaders are excited to report the 2014 Hunger Free Summer campaign provided more than 2 million meals to hungry children in southeast Michigan. The campaign increased the number of children receiving summer meals significantly while showing a cost savings through increased mobile distribution and providing 50 percent more breakfasts at stationary sites.

With the support of additional match partners – Ford Motor Company, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Andiamo Restaurant Group, David & Cherie A. Bazzy, The Joshua (Jim) and Eunice Stone Foundation, The Grainger Foundation, MGM Grand Detroit, American Specialty Oils, Nextep Systems, Rick Young Insurance and Butzel Long – all donations made to Hunger Free Summer were doubled.

"Gleaners is grateful to everyone who pitched in and made this year another success for children in southeast Michigan," said Gleaners President Gerry Brisson. "Charter One's consistent support for this critical issue has made a tremendous impact on kids in Oakland, Wayne, Macomb, Livingston, and Monroe Counties."

Over 300,000 children in southeast Michigan rely on the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, when school is out children and their families risk missing meals. The campaign worked with companies and communities throughout southeast Michigan to help alleviate childhood hunger.

One hundred children will receive lunch and backpacks filled with school supplies – part of Charter One Foundation's Gear for Grades program. After lunch they will join Charter One and Gleaners volunteers, dancing to Pharrel's Happy song - this year's campaign theme. 

"With the rising cost of school supplies, the Gear for Grades program helps to ease the financial strain parents face this time of year as they prepare to send their children back to school," said Richard Hampson, President, Charter One and RBS Citizens, Michigan. "We are proud to play a small role in contributing to the academic success of so many local children who return to the classroom ready to learn."

All Hunger Free Summer donations were matched - every $1 donation providing six nutritious meals for hungry southeast Michigan children.

SOURCE Gleaners Community Food Bank