Meijer helps Ionia food pantry
Luckily, the Zion Food Pantry got a boost Wednesday when Food Pantry Director Director Deb Hall received $13,810 in Meijer gift cards from Meijer Store Director Scott Flanagan. Hall said the funds will be used help people in Ionia County.
“It's awesome to know that people in the surrounding area recognize the need,” Hall said. “We see an uptick in the number of people who need help this time of the year.”
The donation was part of the Meijer Simply Give program. During the simply give drives, local shoppers are asked if they want to contribute a $10 donation upon checkout. Once purchased, the donation is converted into a Meijer food-only gift card and donated directly to the local food pantry in Ionia.
Flanagan said the Meijer in Ionia then matches the overall donations that go to the Zion Food Pantry.
“If the community didn't come in and purchase the Simply Give cards there wouldn't be anything for us to match,” Flanagan said. “This is truly a community driven event.”
Hall said the food pantry helps dozens of families each week. She said often it's the last place people turn to for help because many residents in Ionia County want to make sure there is enough for those truly in need.
“People really appreciate what we do,” Hall said. “But it seems they come in only when they're really desperate.”
The food pantry has overcome tough times as well. Two years ago it closed, but Hall was able to reopen the community mainstay with the help of local business owners and Meijer.
The food pantry is ran by Zion Methodist Church and community volunteers. Volunteer Dennis Perry said the job helps him as much as it helps other people.
“It makes your heart feel good to help,” Perry said. “I look forward to it every week.”
People can donate food and other items to the Zion Food Pantry Monday thru Friday, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The pantry is located at 423 W. Washington St. in Ionia. Hall said items such as toilet paper are often needed at the food pantry because she can only use the Simply Give cards for food.
People can receive items on Wednesdays from 2 to 4:30 p.m.
There are also double match weekends at Meijer, or times at the store when the store will double the amount of donations received from customers. Hall said the next double match weekend will be Nov. 11-12.
Follow Nicholas Grenke on Twitter @NickSJ86.
