The nostalgia of the holidays almost single-handedly leads to a huge outpouring at Thanksgiving and Christmas every year leaving many a food pantry almost bursting at the seams as nobody wants families down on the their luck to miss out on the spirit of the season. Unfortunately, hunger is prevalent every day of the year.
That’s why Charlotte Rogers and her colleagues at United Way of Southwest Michigan gave birth to the brilliant idea of marking “Christmas in June,” to replenish depleted stocks at food pantries in the summer of the year. Last year’s inaugural run was a huge success and this year it ballooned beyond expectations.
This month, 51 local businesses participated in the second annual United Way of Southwest Michigan event and boosted supplies dramatically for 33 area food banks and food pantries.
As Rogers told her team last year, every year, food pantries across Southwest Michigan are fully stocked in the winter months thanks to generous holiday donations—but when summer comes, donations are few and pantry shelves become sparse. That can leave low-income, hard-working families with limited options during this time of year. So, for the second year in a row, United Way asked local businesses to participate in the “Christmas in June” event to stock local food pantries with items to get them through the warmer months.
This year, the 51 businesses in Berrien and Cass counties who participated in “Christmas in June,” collected more than 20,000 items that were delivered to 33 area pantries—and bringing much-needed cheer to local families and those in the community who serve them.
That represents a big jump in participation in the event year over year: Last June, 34 organizations collected 15,000 items for 22 area pantries.
Becker, who is the Director of Annual Campaign at United Way of SWM, says, “It’s clear that we need to continue working together to combat food insecurity year-round.” She adds, “When we come together and work as a community, we all win—and this event is an opportunity for everyone to make a real difference in people’s lives.”
“Christmas in June” is part of a worldwide United Way “Day of Action” effort, held on and around June 21, during which tens of thousands of people across the globe volunteer with local United Ways to fight for the health, education and financial stability of every person in every community.
United Way of Southwest Michigan fights year round for the Health, Education and Financial Stability of every person in every community. They have the influence and relationships to make sustainable change a reality. By harnessing resources from corporate, nonprofit and public partners, they provide immediate assistance to the most vulnerable populations in the region while addressing the root causes of the community’s longstanding challenges and changing lives for the better. To join the fight—through giving, advocacy and volunteering— you can visit online at www.uwsm.org.
Depicted in the photo is United Way of Southwest Michigan’s “Christmas in June” food drive at Upton Middle School in St. Joseph, courtesy of United Way SWM.
