15th annual competitive food drive included 16 downtown businesses
LANSING – (Sept. 6, 2023) Downtown Lansing businesses came together this summer to provide more than 16,000 meals for those in need in Lansing, in partnership with Greater Lansing Food Bank (GLFB). Together, the 16 participating businesses donated a total of 1,454 pounds of food and $3,835.95.
“The annual Downtown Lansing Food Fight is such a fun way for our downtown businesses to come together to fight hunger in our area,” said Cathleen Edgerly, Executive Director of Downtown Lansing Inc. “This event shows that every business can make a difference in the community, regardless of its size and we are proud of the 16,000 meals that this drive provided.”
The annual Downtown Lansing Food Fight, organized by the Organization Committee of Downtown Lansing, Inc. is a competitive food drive collecting both food and monetary donations. Donations were collected by businesses during July and August, with the drive wrapping up on Aug. 22. In an effort to measure donations evenly for the competition, every dollar donated counted as one pound of food. The total number of “pounds” collected per business was divided by the total number of staff members to determine the highest percentage of “pounds” of food donated per employee.
The results:
- The business with the highest percentage of pounds of food collected per employee wins the Golden Can Traveling Trophy. The Golden Can Trophy goes to Red Bike Delivery, with an average of 180 meals created per employee.
- The business with the highest total number of pounds wins the Heavyweight Traveling Trophy! This year’s Heavyweight Champ, with 425 pounds of food donated, is Neogen.
“GLFB knows that in the fight against hunger, everyone has a seat at the table,” said Brady Broderick, GLFB’s corporate & community giving specialist. “This drive is a perfect example. Whether you are a team of one or a team of one hundred, our impact is greater when we work together.”
Businesses participating in the food drive were C2AE, Capital Area District Libraries, Capital City Market, Dewpoint, Downtown Lansing Inc., Element Massage, Eyde Development, Fahey Schultz Burzych Rhodes PLC, First National Bank of Michigan, Loomis Law Firm, Lansing Symphony Orchestra, Neogen, Radisson Lansing, Red Bike Delivery, Resch Strategies, and State of Fitness.
About Downtown Lansing Inc.
Downtown Lansing Inc. is the downtown management agency and grassroots Main Street organization committed to promoting the culture and sustainability of the downtown business district while lifting up local businesses and our residents.