The staff and students of Ross Medical Education Center of Lansing, Michigan went all out this year to collect food for the annual Ross Company Wide Food Drive during the month of March. Evening Office Assistant Alyssa Holley, tapped into her creative talents to construct a Dr. Seuss-like tree of opportunity for giving, which inspired everyone at the campus with Alyssa’s catchphrase… “Let’s CAN Hunger!”
Throughout the month of March, everyone’s generous donations of non-perishable food items were displayed on a table alongside Alyssa’s clever signs that read “One can… Two can… Who can… You can!” before being packed up and delivered to the Greater Lansing Food Bank.
According to the Greater Lansing Food Bank’s website, “7,144,000+ meals were served to those in need during 2017.” The Greater Lansing Food Bank distributes food throughout seven counties: Clinton, Eaton, Ingham, Clare, Isabella, Gratiot, and Shiawassee. Their website further notes that the Greater Lansing Food Bank has been in existence since 1981: “During the recession of 1981, layoffs left many families in the Greater Lansing area without resources. Some faced tough choices: whether to pay for housing, medicine, utilities or food. To help ensure that no one in our community had to go hungry, community leaders David Hollister, Camille Abood, Patrick Babcock, and William Long founded the Greater Lansing Food Alliance—now known as the Greater Lansing Food Bank (GLFB).” The organization’s vision is, simply put, to create “a hunger free community.”
Staff and students at Ross’ Lansing campus were delighted with the outcome of this year’s drive, which almost quadrupled last year’s efforts! When several huge boxes of food were delivered to the Greater Lansing Food Bank, the donations weighed in at an impressive 156 pounds—equivalent to 130 meals! Kimberly May, a student in the Lansing Medical Assistant program, was pleased to be a part of this worthwhile drive, “there is always someone more in need than me. So as long as I can help I will!”
For more information on how you can support this invaluable community resource, please visit the Greater Lansing Food Bank’s website at www.greaterlansingfoodbank.org or contact them by telephone at 517-908-3680. Please help them continue to answer the call of so many among us who struggle daily to feed themselves and their families.