From June through August, Ross’s Portage campus was busy collecting non-perishable items for Loaves and Fishes of Kalamazoo. The “Beans for Jeans” drive resulted in over 700 pounds of food to benefit Kalamazoo county residents.
Marv King, Warehouse Director at Loaves and Fishes said, “While many churches donate on a regular basis, it’s unusual to have a school show this level of consistency, and that’s what’s really great.”
There are 26 Loaves and Fishes pantries in Kalamazoo county. In August, the organization delivered over 150,000 pounds of food to meet the needs of 8,600 residents. Approximately 40,000 county residents live below the federal poverty level, including 18.4% of children under 18 years of age.
“The students do an excellent job of stepping up to the plate to help our neighbors in need,” said Vicki Boody, Assistant Campus Director, Portage. “Going into the holiday season, we can’t wait to top our most recent donation.”
To find out how you can help Loaves and Fishes, visit http://www.kzoolf.org/ or call (269) 488-2617.