Manistique, Mich. — May 23, 2017 — Headquartered in Manistique, mBank has pledged to underwrite three Mobile Food Pantry distributions which includes two in Manistique and one in Escanaba this summer. The $10,000 contribution is being made to Feeding America West Michigan, which provides food to 160 local hunger-relief organizations across the Upper Peninsula.
“We welcome the opportunity to assist with this critical program on an annual basis and support the great work Feeding America does to help facilitate access to food in our local markets, said Kelly W. George, mBank’s President and CEO. It is part of our core mission statement to give back to our local communities, contributions of time and money, and this program certainly is very worthwhile in the fight against hunger some residents in our towns have to cope with daily. We want to do what we can to make sure all families have access to good food to better their quality of life.” (Download the Press Release)
As a company, mBank makes financial contributions in the areas of education, literacy, human services, animal welfare and healthcare. Food insecurity, as Feeding America West Michigan’s Sean Little points out, certainly fits the human services description, but it affects the wellbeing of a community much more broadly.
“If you’re constantly having to choose between paying your mortgage and buying food or between fixing your car so you can get to work and putting a meal on the table, that creates an incredible strain on families and on the community as a whole,” Little said. “By providing nutritious food to people and lifting that burden, you help them move forward in these other areas of their lives.”
He also noted that mBank’s support comes at a critical time. The grant that had supported many of the Upper Peninsula’s Mobile Pantry distributions was not renewed this year, which could have left a gap in basic services in Delta and Schoolcraft counties.
“We’re so grateful that mBank has chosen to support our Mobile Pantries.”
Each Mobile Pantry provides a variety of fresh produce, dairy products and baked goods and is open to anyone who finds themselves in need in the community. Mobile Pantries in Manistique and Escanaba contain 20,000 pounds of food, enough to provide several days’ worth of groceries to 400 households.
Manistique’s Mobile Pantries are scheduled for June 28 and July 26 and will take place at Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital. The Escanaba distribution is expected to take place in June, although the date is still being finalized.
About Feeding America West Michigan. Serving local families in need since 1981, Feeding America West Michigan reclaims safe surplus food from farmers, manufacturers, distributors and retailers. That food is distributed through a network of more than 900 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters and other hunger-relief agencies in 40 counties from the Indiana border through the Upper Peninsula. Each year, an estimated 492,100 people receive food from Feeding America West Michigan. For more information, visit FeedWM.org.
About mBank. Headquartered in Manistique, Michigan. Proudly serves Michigan and Northern Wisconsin with 24 branch locations. With assets in excess of $978 million, the community bank empowers individuals and small to medium sized businesses with smart financing and depository solutions for peace of mind. For more information, visit: bankmbank.com. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.