免费福利一区二区

听

By Alex Freeman, MCC Communications Coordinator

In what has become an annual tradition, MCC Agriculture Club students gathered听at听the Woodside Caf茅 on Nov. 5 to pack听Harvest Food Baskets.听

The students worked together, dividing and conquering to swiftly pack 25 baskets with several food items that would illuminate a table for a Thanksgiving meal. Items packed into the baskets included chickens, apples, potatoes, onions, stuffing, chicken broth, muffin听mix听and more. Much of the food was locally sourced, including apples from AB Orchards in Sparta, donated courtesy of MCC听freshman听Logan Anderson.听

鈥淢y family owns the apple farm,听and I work part time on it,鈥� said Anderson, who is majoring in Agricultural Operations. 鈥淗opefully, one day, I can take over the business.鈥�听

The Harvest Food Baskets are given annually听to听students at MCC who听are听experiencing听food insecurity.听Helping those in need raised the spirits of the Ag Club students in attendance, including Savanah Mager.听

鈥淚t makes my heart warm to help the people who need help the most,鈥� Mager said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e听not all fortunate enough to have places to go on Thanksgiving and听it鈥檚听nice to have some home-grown听product听to give them. A lot of us contributed something to help feed those are who in need.鈥�听

Among the听locally-sourced听food items were chickens from the听Montcalm Area Career Center鈥檚听(MACC)听Agriscience program.听Their students听raise chickens for a contest听annually,听and MCC鈥檚 Ag Club commits to buying 25 of them per year to help听fill听the Harvest Food Baskets听鈥� a beneficial听collaboration听for both parties.听The potatoes were sourced from the Michigan State University Potato Research Farm in Entrican听while the onions came from a familial tie within the Ag Club.听Following the packing of the baskets, students took the time to hand-write thank you notes for those who provided food items.听

鈥淚t鈥檚 really cool that we can use what we鈥檝e been听given to give听back,鈥� Anderson said. 鈥淓specially in the agriculture sector, we produce food for profit but sometimes,听it鈥檚听really good听to help people who are in need and who听can鈥檛听afford food for their whole family. To be able to give a little bit back to them is very meaningful;听I鈥檓听really thankful听that听I鈥檓听able to help other people by providing them with some apples and help bless people during the Thanksgiving season.鈥�听

Ag Club advisor and MCC Ag Program Coordinator Brian Gardner shared how important it was for his students to get involved in charitable work to properly understand the impact their field of study has.听

鈥淢CC has a variety of students from all different听backgrounds听and several of them have issues finding what they鈥檙e going to eat for their next meal,鈥� Gardner said. 鈥淚 think听it鈥檚听important,听as we learn to become growers and agricultural professionals,听that we understand we are part of the food chain. We have an obligation to give back to our students in that way and to be able to provide food for them is听a great opportunity听for them to see the need here, locally.鈥�听

Following the filling of the baskets, the task of distribution is delegated to MCC鈥檚 Student Success Coaches, who work closely with a variety of students to听identify听those in need of food听assistance.听

鈥淭he success coaches know a lot of students听here听and we want them to be able to have something so they鈥檙e able to have a nice Thanksgiving meal,鈥� Gardner said. 鈥淚f they听don鈥檛听have the means to cook,听we鈥檒l听find other sources of food for them. We听don鈥檛听know who gets them directly, but听we鈥檝e听heard stories about the impact it makes on the people who receive these baskets.听It鈥檚听really nice听to hear those stories and to be able to pay it forward.鈥�听

听

听

POP OUT BOX:听

The Food Source at MCC provides current MCC students with nutritious food items while classes are in session. Donations of non-perishable food items may be left at the Recreation Desk,听located听in the Activities听Building听on the college鈥檚 Sidney campus.听Popular items at The Food Source include:听

听

• Cereal听

• Canned fruit听

• Macaroni and Cheese/Boxed Meals听

• Canned meat听

• Pasta听

• Pasta sauce听

• Soups听

• Crackers听

• Various dry goods听

听

Contact information:听For more information听about听donating to The Food Source, contact听Auxiliary听Services Manager John Davis at (989) 328-1209 or via email at john.davis@montcalm.edu.听