Neogen employees Dominic Reed and TJ Berg drop off donations on Aug. 22.
Downtown Lansing businesses are always ready to #LiftUpLocal, whether by offering unique products, services and experiences to the community or by supporting food security in mid-Michigan through the Downtown Lansing Food Fight.
The Downtown Lansing Food Fight, organized annually by the Organization Committee of Downtown Lansing, Inc. (DLI) is a competitive drive that takes place during July and August and collects both food and monetary donations benefiting Greater Lansing Food Bank (GLFB). The 2023 drive wrapped up on Aug. 22 and raised 1,454 pounds of food and $3,836 — enough for approximately 16,000 meals.
“The annual Downtown Lansing Food Fight is such a fun way for our downtown businesses to come together to fight hunger in our area,” Cathleen Edgerly, director of DLI, said in a press release. “This event shows that every business can make a difference in the community, regardless of its size.”
Each year, the event recognizes two businesses with the Golden Can traveling trophy and Heavyweight traveling trophy.
The Golden Can is awarded to the business with the highest percentage of pounds collected per employee and was awarded this year to Red Bike Delivery — a sustainability-focused local bike delivery service — with an average of 180 meals raised per employee.
Jeremy Hurt, founder and owner of Red Bike Delivery and winner of the 2023 Golden Can award.
“Food insecurity is an important issue we feel can be overlooked in most communities, so it is our pleasure to participate in the Downtown Lansing Food Fight,” said Jeremy Hurt, founder and owner of Red Bike Delivery. “We love seeing so many local businesses coming together to support the community. What the food bank does is so important for greater Lansing, and we are humbled to be able to partake and give what we can to help fight hunger in our city.”
The Heavyweight Trophy, which recognizes the highest total number of pounds raised by a single business, went to Neogen — a biotechnology company focused on solutions and services for food processing and agriculture — with 425 pounds raised.
“As a global leader in food security, Neogen believes that it is our responsibility to support organizations that are dedicated to the advancement of the global food chain and ensuring that people around the world are able to live safe and healthy lives,” said Julie Mann, Neogen’s chief human resources officer. “Our team members are committed to this mission, and we thank them for their generosity in supporting our Mid-Michigan community through the Downtown Lansing Food Fight. We are proud to support the Greater Lansing Food Bank, and we are ecstatic to have won the Heavyweight Trophy for the second year in a row.”
In addition to Red Bike Delivery and Neogen, fourteen more downtown businesses participated in the 2023 Downtown Lansing Food Fight:
- C2AE
- Capital Area District Libraries
- Capital City Market
- Dewpoint
- Downtown Lansing, Inc.
- Element Massage
- Eyde Development
- Fahey Schultz Burzych Rhodes PLC
- First National Bank of Michigan
- Loomis Law Firm
- Lansing Symphony Orchestra
- Radisson Lansing
- Resch Strategies
- State of Fitness
Community events like the Downtown Lansing Food Fight provide an opportunity to join in the movement to end hunger while having fun and engaging with the local community. They’re also a great option for businesses looking to foster staff engagement while giving back to their community.
This #HungerActionMonth, consider hosting a food or fund drive at your workplace, place of worship or other community organization, or make a monetary donation — every $1 raised can fund up to three meals for a neighbor in need! You can also sustain your impact by making your donation monthly to help neighbors feel #TheFullEffect of a full stomach all year round.
Learn more about ways to support GLFB’s work toward a hunger-free mid-Michigan here: https://greaterlansingfoodbank.org/give.
Hunger Action Month is an annual nationwide month of action, hosted every September by the Feeding America network, to spread awareness and inspire everyone to join the movement to end hunger.