Feeding the Community - MSU vs. U of M 'Food Fight'

Sentinel-Standard: November 10, 2011

IONIA - What started out as a staff food drive to see what team, Michigan State University or University of Michigan, could raise the most food items for Zion Community Food Pantry, ended up totaling more that 1,000 food items and $2000 collected.

The U of M team captain, Child Psychiatrist, Dr. Ron VanValkenburg, snuck in at the last minute for a win over the MSU team captain, Ionia County Community Mental Health CEO Bob Lathers.

"It was a social activity with everyone in the organization, and it is good to experience with staff that really got into it," said VanValkenburg. "It's really good to make a contribution to those in need."

Lathers, the captain of the losing team, had to wear U of M apparel for the day, and the U of M flag was flown on the flag pole outside of the ICCMH building.

This was the first time the ICCMH held the MSU, U of M "FOOD FIGHT," and the real victor was the Zion Community Food Pantry located at 430 W. Washington Street.

The food fight raised 1184 non-perishable food items, and $2047 in cash donations

"It's the Zion Community Food Pantry and the Zion Comunity Soup Kitchen - it's not the church, it's the people," said Zion Methodist Church Pastor Cliff Allen. "It's amazing what this community is doing for their community. Miracles do happen."

The cash donation was given to Zion Community Fod Pantry Thursday, and the food items were donated last month.

Allen explained that the donation from the ICCMH will help the community food pantry pay for the Feeding America Truck, which delivers food and produce at the Ionia County Fair Grounds once a month, up until October of next year.

"As of this week, I was a little nervous because we didn't get any grants," said Allen. "All of a sudden, we have enough to go to October. As of yesterday we had it up until July."

"This (donation) bringing (our supplies) into October, is totally amazing for me. We have to have these trucks."
Allen added he has seen senior citizens coming in, having to make the decision of buying food of paying for prescription medicines. He also said he has noticed the number of people living in single family households has increased to five or six people living in a household.

The Zion Community Food Pantry is open from 2 to 4:30 p.m. each Wednesday. The Zion Community Food Kitchen serves those in need at 5:30 p.m. every Thursday. The Feeding America Mobile Food Truck visits Ionia on the second Tuesday of each month.

To learn more, contact Zion Community Food Pantry at 616-527-1910, or visit www.zionionia.org/food-services.html. For more information on Ionia County Community Mental health, call 888-527-1790 or visit www.ioniacmhs.org