Prevail Academy recently partnered with Gleaners Community Food Bank and Fox 2 News to host an annual Double Your Donation Day to help fight hunger in Metro Detroit this holiday season. Gleaners, headquartered in Detroit, aims to achieve a hunger-free community in southeast Michigan by providing access to nutritious food and related resources.
Every year, Gleaners selects a local school to host its organization to share their mission of providing food for families and individuals in need. This year, Prevail Academy was selected for the honor! Amy Andrews from Fox 2 News visited the school along with Gerry Brisson, president and CEO of Gleaners, and Rachel Hurst, corporate affairs officer at Kroger, to film commercials and interviews that ran on Fox 2 throughout the day on Double Your Donation Day to raise funds for the cause.
“The holidays are an especially difficult time for hungry kids – while schools close for holiday celebrations, many in our community go without the breakfasts and lunches they provide,” said Terry Collia, director of marketing at Gleaners. “With this year’s December Double Your Donation Day, all donations made will be generously matched by Kroger as we seek to provide a happier, healthier holiday, and more hopeful New Year. We are fortunate to have Prevail Academy as a backdrop and their passionate educators as a conduit to help tell this story.”
Principal Mark Weigle, and LaTanya Mixon, social worker at Prevail, spoke to Fox 2 about this valuable resource within their community and how it has a positive impact on the school. Students also joined in by participating in the filming and sharing what their favorite holiday foods are. When asked, one first-grade student exclaimed his favorite food is “VEGETABLES!”
“In Macomb County alone, there are over 28,000 young people who deal with food insecurities,” said LaTanya Mixon. “Gleaners supplies 20-30 pounds of fresh produce, meat protein, dairy, and nutritious food to our school as well as to our community. It is through community partners and generous donors that make this possible every month.”
On Double Your Donation Day, which took place earlier this week, Kroger matched all gifts to ensure local families can celebrate a happy and healthy holiday. Throughout the one-day event, every dollar collected provides six meals for individuals in need.
“No family in our community should ever go hungry,” said Rachel Hurst. “It’s Kroger’s mission to raise as much money as we possibly can, and every penny raised goes directly to a child in your backyard.”
Prevail’s staff hosted a “dress down day” fundraiser on Double Your Donation Day to raise additional funds for the cause. To participate, staff members were required to donate $5 to wear their casual clothes. The funds were then donated to Gleaners in Prevail’s name. Students were also invited to dress down and participate in the giving. Prevail enjoyed being part of this opportunity to give back to their community.