During November and December our Nonprofit Spotlight is on Food Gatherers!

Food Gatherers is the food bank and food rescue program serving Washtenaw County and the largest hunger-relief program in our community. Food Gatherers supports a network of more than 140 food distributions that help connect people facing food insecurity with free, nutritious groceries and meals.

Last year they distributed 9.9 million pounds of food through their network of partner programs. They also operate several large direct service programs including the Food Gatherers Community Kitchen, the Summer Food Service Program, and the Healthy School Pantry Program; and work closely with community schools, universities, and healthcare providers to address gaps in services. Because hunger will not be solved with food alone, they advocate for policies and system changes to create an equitable food system.

Zingerman’s is featuring this extraordinary organization once again this holiday season to celebrate our 36 year partnership working to ensure everyone in our community has access to delicious and nutritious food.

Faculty, staff and students work on sorting donated produce at Food Gatherers to be distributed throughout the county as part of the School of Information Service Day.

Donate directly to Food Gatherers!


Details

Events to support Food Gatherers

Rockin for the Hungry
December 3, 2024–December 7, 2024

Help raise over 1,000,000 meals! Donate online by clicking the links on this page or go to FoodGatherer.org/Rockin to learn more and donate. By phone: Call 734-761-2796 from Dec 3rd through the 7th. By check: Mail a check made out to Food Gatherers (with “Rockin’” on memo line) to PO Box 131037, Ann Arbor, MI 48113. In-person at Kroger: We’ll be freezin’ for a reason as FG collects donations and broadcasts live outside the Kroger store at 400 S. Maple Rd in Ann Arbor from 6:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m (Dec 3-7). Drop-off your donation of food or funds and say hello to the volunteers! Live broadcast schedule Food Gatherers and ann arbor’s 107one radio hosts are “Rockin’ for the Hungry” with a 5-day broadcast live from Kroger on Maple Rd. Hear live interviews with community partners, program highlights, donor-sponsored power hours, and LOTS of great music! Listen live on www.annarbors107one.com (107.1 FM) and follow along on the Food Gatherers Facebook page for updates.

Zingerman's Mail Order Warehouse Shop Fundraiser Sale
December 6, 2024
9:00 am –9:00 pm

Come to Zingerman's Mail Order's Warehouse Shop at 710 Phoenix Drive in Ann Arbor on Friday, December 6th! All of the sales that day from the in-person shop will be donated to Food Gatherers! The shop is open from 9am to 9pm. Shop for some amazing deals to fill your stockings or fill out your holiday meals, find great gifts and thoughtful snacks to bring hosts or family members - all for a fantastic cause!


Rockin for the Hungry

We jumped right back in with 'Rockin' this year, the annual fundraiser for Food Gatherers wherein they work to raise 1 million meals! This year Rockin for the Hungry is once again 'freezin for a reason' in front of Kroger on S. Maple Rd in Ann Arbor with 107one doing a live radio broadcast to raise awareness daily from 6am to 7pm throughout Rockin - December 3rd through the 7th. Tune into the broadcast and you're likely to hear from some Zingerman's folks randomly throughout the week too!

If you miss Rockin this year, you can still donate to Food Gatherers by bringing food donations directly to FG or by donating online. More food donation details below.

Other ways to support

Food Gatherers gratefully accepts donations of funds and food to support their mission.

Anyone can donate non-perishable food items and fresh produce at their warehouse. Check out their list of Most Needed Food Items for ideas at foodgatherers.org. They accept donations at their warehouse located at 1 Carrot Way, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.

You can also learn more about their volunteer opportunities at foodgatherers.org/get-involved/volunteer for a really rewarding experience! Volunteers are vital to their success in distributing more than 9.9 million pounds of food — the equivalent of 8.2 million meals — each year. They hope you will join them to make a difference and have fun at their warehouse or at the Community Kitchen!

They love to host individuals and groups of many sizes. Learn more and sign up at foodgatherers.org/volunteer

Work at their warehouse could include sorting produce and canned goods or repackaging bulk foods. They never know what type of foods they will be rescuing, so the job is different every time! Warehouse work requires moderate lifting and comfort learning the different tasks required to keep their food moving safely and efficiently.

Volunteers at the Community Kitchen prepare and serve meals, set up for and clean up from service, and prepare bulk meals for distribution to their partner agencies.

Facts about FG

Food Gatherers works with a network of 140+ pantries, meal programs, and emergency grocery distributions across Washtenaw County to provide free food to anyone who needs it. If you or someone you know is looking for free groceries please visit their website (foodgatherers.org) or call 734-761-2796 to find a distribution near you.

They work as advocates to eliminate the causes of food insecurity by partnering with local healthcare providers to spot the signs of issues, educating the community about nutrition, and making sure the quality of food redistributed is of a high quality and healthy so that the recipients are getting food that will truly serve them. They provide about 18,000 meals each day to our community.

Why Zing loves FG

Zingerman's has a close historical tie to Food Gatherers, in fact, it began back in 1988 around Thanksgiving when some folks at Zingerman's recognized there was need in the community and wanted to give back. But since then, Food Gatherers has become a much larger operation, functioning independently from Zing, as a nonprofit, working with many other wonderful local restaurants, grocery stores, and other community partners.

Though the true dream would be for food scarcity not to exist, and for there to simply be access to nutritious meals for everyone, everywhere, we know many people depend on services like Food Gatherers to ensure they're not going hungry. We're dedicated to supporting our friends at Food Gatherers as they provide this crucial safety net and improve the lives of so many people in our area. The holiday season is a particularly important time to reflect on the things we're lucky to have and to acknowledge all that we're able to give back, so we hope you'll join us in providing what you can towards this mission.

Donate directly to Food Gatherers!