COME & MAKE A DIFFERENCE, as The Salvation Army of Michigan City, First Trust Credit Union, Al’s Supermarkets, local WEFM & WIMS radio stations, and the Michigan City Area Schools celebrate 20 years of hosting the “STUFF A BUS” food drive for The Salvation Army’s food pantry.
Now through September 22nd, you can make a monetary donation or donate non-perishable food items at First Trust’s Michigan City Branch at 950 E. U.S. Highway 20.
In addition, on Saturday, September 23rd, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., volunteers will be filling Michigan City school buses with bags of food donated by YOU (the local community) at both Al’s (Franklin St. & Karwick Plaza) Supermarkets. You can donate now or come to the Stuff A Bus event on the 23rd to purchase much needed meat vouchers and/or pre-packed bags of groceries for families in need.
Major Becky Simmons of The Salvation Army of Michigan City stated, “Typically we serve around 400 families each month, but since Covid and the increase in the price of groceries, it has dramatically increased to 500+ families each month.” Simmons added that the Feeding America organization announced that September is Hunger Action Month, and the Food Bank of Northern Indiana stated 91,060 households are food insufficient including 31,460 children. What better time is there to do our part and HELP feed our own community?
The Salvation Army is very grateful for all the community partners who have worked together the past 20 years to make this event a success each year. Al’s Supermarkets is the location host for the event and they work with food suppliers to purchase product for the pre-packed bags assembled and ready to purchase a few days prior to the Stuff A Bus event, which is always held on a Saturday in September.
Please come out and support the STUFF A BUS event, by making food or monetary donations at First Trust Credit Union, or by attending the event. At the Stuff A Bus event on September 23 rd , you can meet local radio celebrities from WEFM 95.9 at Al’s Supermarket (Karwick Plaza) from 9 a.m. – 12 noon, and WIMS-AM 1420 radio celebrities at Al’s Supermarket (Franklin Street) from 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. They will be encouraging the public and local businesses to come out and help to make sure that NO ONE in our hometown goes hungry.
Dorene Martinson, Marketing Director at First Trust Credit Union, said, “This is a big year for this event…It’s the 20 th anniversary and there’s always a huge need at this time of year. We’re (First Trust) running our food drive in our Michigan City lobby through the 22 nd and we’d like to encourage local businesses and the general public to come out and make a donation.” She added, “It’s truly an honor to organize this event each year and give back to our community in such an important way.”
For more information, or if you would like to volunteer at the event, please contact Jessica O’Brien, at The Salvation Army of Michigan City at (219) 874-6885, or Dorene Martinson at First Trust Credit Union at (219) 877-2290.
