Midland’s Big Give collectively donates $13,000 to Hidden Harvest
August 15th, 2017Hidden Harvest recently distributed 79,180 pounds worth of food to Midland, helping those impacted by disastrous flooding that took place in June. Less than two weeks before the flooding, The Big Give had awarded Hidden Harvest a $13,000 grant to support its work in Midland County.
A portion of this donation supplemented the generous support of The Midland Area Community Foundation and United Way of Midland County’s joint Disaster Relief Fund, which helped cover the cost of food. Hidden Harvest served Midland with three distributions from their Saginaw headquarters.
“We used flood relief funds to cover the food cost, but a lot of other expenses pile up when you’re transporting that much food,” said Samantha McKenzie, Hidden Harvest president & CEO. “The gentleman from The Big Give voted to donate their recent giving circle check to support Hidden Harvest, and we’re incredibly grateful.”
The Big Give, a giving circle supported by the Midland Area Community Foundation, is a group of local men that meets three times a year. Each member donates $100 or more each meeting. A giving circle is a growing form of giving around the world. Since 2013, The Big Give has donated over $147,000 to nonprofit agencies impacting Midland County.
“We were very pleased to support Hidden Harvest, which helps so many families in Midland every year,” said John Wilson, chair of The Big Give. “We could not have anticipated how much this gift would be needed just weeks later with the flooding in our county. We thank Hidden Harvest for their outstanding contribution to our community.”
Hidden Harvest has been picking up surplus food and distributing to those in need throughout the Great Lakes Bay Region since 1994.
“The idea is pretty simple; if you have extra food, get it to people who can use it,” said McKenzie. “It’s what our parents taught us.”
Hidden Harvest accepts monetary and food donations, and can be reached at 989.753.4749. The Big Give welcomes men from the area who wish to donate $300 per year and positively impact their community. For details, visit: http://thebiggiv3.weebly.com.
