DETROIT – The Detroit Lions and Meijer helped tackle food insecurity this Thanksgiving by teaming up with Gleaners Community Food Bank to pack and distribute 5,000 meal kits to local families. Meijer and the Detroit Lions were also joined by AAA – The Auto Club Group (ACG), Lineage Foundation for Good, Delta Air Lines and North Bay Produce to help package the kits that equate to more than 158,000 meals.
Throughout the month leading up to Thanksgiving, Meijer alongside Detroit Lions players and staff were joined by volunteers from ACG, Lineage, Delta Air Lines and Gleaners to pack meal kits at Gleaners' distribution center in Taylor, Michigan. The packages – which were filled with ingredients provided by Meijer, Lineage and ACG – included green beans, corn, walnuts, fruit, stuffing, potatoes, mac and cheese, cranberry sauce, turkey gravy and corn muffin mix, as well as a 3-lb. bag of fresh apples provided by North Bay Produce. Each recipient also received a turkey provided by Meijer and a 10-lb. bag of potatoes provided by Gleaners.
"As we celebrate our annual tradition of Thanksgiving football in Detroit, we continue to recognize that this day is so much more than what happens at Ford Field. We know that there are many individuals who don't always know where their next meal will come from, and we stay committed to helping alleviate some of that stress, especially during a time of year that prompts us to gather around a dinner table," said Detroit Lions Principal Owner and Chair Sheila Hamp. "Putting our resources together with Meijer, we are so grateful for our collaborative partnerships, including Gleaners Community Food Bank, Lineage, AAA, Delta Air Lines, and North Bay Produce, to help provide meals for our community so that we can ensure as many local families as possible will have a warm meal on their plate this Thanksgiving."
"We're grateful for the opportunity to partner with the Detroit Lions and Gleaners Community Food Bank to support families in need this holiday season," said Melissa Conway, Director, Community Partnerships & Giving at Meijer. "At Meijer, our purpose is to enrich lives in the communities we serve, and by coming together to pack and distribute these meal kits, we're helping ensure those experiencing food insecurity can celebrate with a nutritious meal and feel the support from their community."
The majority of meal kits were distributed at 10 Gleaners mobile distribution sites in Southeastern Michigan between November 14 through November 23. The Lions, Lineage and Delta Air Lines also gathered at Detroit Lions Academy on November 20 to distribute a portion of the packages to the students' families, while volunteers from ACG and Meijer passed out 1,000 meals kits at the ACG Dearborn Headquarters on November 18.
"Thanksgiving is a time for sharing and togetherness, with so many of our traditions and celebrations centered around food," said Angela Halverson, director of community giving for Gleaners. "Collaborations like this one show how much stronger we are when we work as one team to solve hunger in our communities. We're grateful for the grit and generosity of the Detroit Lions, Meijer, AAA, Lineage Foundation for Good, Delta Air Lines and North Bay Produce at this important time of year for our neighbors."
The Lions will play their 85th annual Thanksgiving Day Classic against the Chicago Bears on November 28 (kickoff 12:30 PM).
