NMC business students held a massive distribution day for area food pantries Friday, Nov. 16, delivering the 18,000 food and household items they collected over the past month just in time for Thanksgiving.
The Food for Thought Fill the Pantries food drive was organized by Kristy McDonald’s Business 231 students as a semester-long project enabling them to learn how to communicate professionally while also helping the community.
As reported in the Traverse City Record-Eagle, food insecurity has become the region’s largest social issue. From 2007 through 2011, food pantry visits in the Grand Traverse area climbed by 83 percent.
Students invited 30 area businesses to conduct internal food drives, emphasizing the
importance of healthy food. Food was also collected on campus, with the Dental Assisting Program winning the prize for most donations, at more than 900. Students also held collection days at Walmart, two Tom’s Food Market locations and at Family Video locations. Cash donations –totaling $3,000 — were also collected online. The class thanks everyone who donated and sponsored the event. Happy Thanksgiving!

