“For a community to be whole and healthy, it must be based on people’s love and concern for each other.”  – Millard Fuller

Forgotten Harvest has been a part of the Southeast Michigan community for 25 years. They provide food to the hungry throughout the area with support from over 800 grocers, food distributors, farms, and dairies. The food rescue operation takes perfectly good perishable foods like meat, dairy, vegetables, fruits and breads, and delivers them free of charge to food banks. The Oak Park based non-profit rescues food in the morning and distributes that food in the afternoon to 280 agencies in the area, six days a week. This year alone, Forgotten Harvest’s 35 trucks have rescued more than 48.8 million pounds of food.

Forgotten Harvest provides those in the community with not just food, but hope. Items rescued through the organization help those in poverty and low income to buy food, pay for bills and childcare, and get transportation. Many recipients have minimal resources that disqualify them from receiving government help, but don’t have enough to cover basic needs. This includes those that have been laid off, fallen on hard times, or are suffering due to lack of funds. As one in five people still face hunger and poverty in Metro Detroit, the job is ‘Far From Done.’

Innovation and partnerships have helped further the mission of Forgotten Harvest. New this year, Forgotten Harvest branded foods have hit store shelves at both Kroger and Busch’s Fresh Food Markets. This partnership allows these companies to market their products with the Forgotten Harvest logo on them, letting customers know a portion of the proceeds goes directly to those in need.

Forgotten Harvest Farms is a 92 acre plot of land that is run by the organization with help from volunteers. To date, the farm has produced over 2 million pounds of nutrient rich fresh produce for distribution. Volunteers, food donations and monetary donations, help to keep the organization running strong.

Founder Dr. Nancy Fishman dreamed of reducing waste and fighting hunger locally. Having fallen on hard times once herself, she began rescuing food from the back of her Jeep. Celebrating their 25th Anniversary this year, Forgotten Harvest partnered with Jeep in honor of Dr. Fishman’s dream and raffled of a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo, with proceeds benefiting the organization.

To learn more about Forgotten Harvest, volunteering, or food donations click here. If you would like to donate food or money to help this Holiday season, click here. You can also find them on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.