Lakeshore Food Club launches fund raising campaign. 

Lakeshore Food Club launches fund raising campaign. 

LUDINGTON — The Lakeshore Food Club is launching it Be A Hero fundraising campaign with the goal of raising $80,000 to help provide food for local families. The campaign asks for a $19 per month donation. 

“Everywhere we turn, costs are climbing at historic highs, said O’Nealya Gronstal, executive director. “Housing costs. Health care costs. Child care costs. Food costs. The basic cost of living increases are what have doubled our membership this summer. We have recently surveyed our members asking why they shop at the Food Club. The number one answer that gets repeated over and over is that the money is running out faster than the month is now.”

The Lakeshore Food Club has more than doubled its impact to the community over the last three months and is now serving more than 750 families each month. 

“The number of new members who are senior citizens has grown dramatically over the last six months,” Gronstal said. “It breaks my heart when my senior friends tell me they just can’t make it on their Social Security checks. Last year, during the height of the pandemic, CNN helped us raise money by showing pictures of hours-long lines of Americans waiting for food to come off the Feeding America food trucks. Those headlines are no longer being shown and yet the need is greater now than it was a year ago. Now, we are dealing with the aftereffects of a global pandemic and things are much more expensive than they were a year ago. Our members can’t keep up, even with two incomes. We need the community’s support more than ever.”

Community members who live, work and/or have a household member who attends any school in Mason County and who fall within the 200% of the Federal Poverty guidelines are able to become a member for $10 per month. Members shop with the points allotted by household size. 

The Lakeshore Food Club is solely supported by monetary donations and local grants. 

To learn more about the Be A Hero campaign, visit www.lakeshorefoodclub.org. Donations can also be sent by texting GIVE to 231-201-3180.

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