March 16, 2020
To our neighbors:

I wanted to extend deep gratitude on behalf of the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan's board, staff, and partners for the support we have received from the community as we respond to the COVID-19 emergency. We have had numerous people donate money, inquire about volunteering, and reach out in other ways to see how they can support our efforts to ensure people in need continue to have access to food.

With more uncertainty for neighbors as mass closures leave questions about pay and longevity in small business, the demand for food will increase. We are continuing to monitor information from officials, while we talk with churches, schools, healthcare facilities, soup kitchens, and other partners in our 22-county service area to assess how the emergency declaration is changing their needs and how the Food Bank can help fill gaps in services. We will continue to listen and shift our distribution models to be innovative in helping families, children, and senior citizens with food supplies.

Information is changing rapidly, but we have put together a web page with resources, including links to schools and other sites in our coverage area where people can get food. We will update this regularly as information is provided to us. You can also find calendars for food distributions on our website.

Donations and volunteers continue to be vital to our ability to operate. Thank you for your continued support as we aim to be a stabilizing force for the community in this time of need.

Sincerely:
President & CEO
Food Bank of Eastern Michigan
Precautions Taken to Support our Volunteers
Kidd Company, a screen printing, embroidery, and creative business in Clio, Michigan, has, like all businesses, been impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. But a group of their employees decided to use this time as an opportunity to give back to the community.

“I think this is a chance for people, especially people in organization leadership, to be an example,” said Ray Markey, art director at the Kidd Company. “We want to be an example for other organizations to give back to the community and be socially responsible.”

The Food Bank has numerous volunteer opportunities. Read more about the precautions being taken to protect volunteers or call Keri Brack at (810) 396-0210 to schedule a shift or for more information.
Food Bank Prepares 4,700 Meals for Distribution to Youth
The Food Bank of Eastern Michigan’s culinary team prepared and assembled food boxes that contained 4,700 take home meals for kids on March 16.

The boxes are for kids in headstart programs. The boxes include enough food for eight breakfasts and eight lunches, including fresh produce, protein, grains, and dairy.

The boxes were shipped to multiple sites for distribution on Monday.
Food Bank of Eastern Michigan | [www.FBEM.org]