Forgotten Harvest Expands Operations, Expresses Need For Volunteers During COVID-19 Pandemic

Forgotten Harvest Expands Operations, Expresses Need For Volunteers During COVID-19 Pandemic

Southfield (CW50) - Forgotten Harvest is a food rescue organization serving food-insecure families and families who struggle to cover the cost of basic life necessities, in metro Detroit. Through donations and the help of volunteers, they deliver over 100,000 pounds of food to local charities, 5 days a week. The distributed food is rescued from food surpluses at grocery stores, markets, restaurants, and caterers, while the rest of the food is donated by public organizations or grown on the Forgotten Harvest Farms.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Forgotten Harvest has continued to serve the community and even expanded their operations to another distribution center. They also opened 17 "super sites" across Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties. Each site serves around 700 families per week. The organization's continued expansion and growing need for volunteers illuminates the fact that the need for their services far greater in 2020, than in years prior.

"We're going to continue to need the support of everybody who cares about our mission and can come out and support us..." said Forgotten Harvest CEO Kirk Mays when talking about volunteers, "...Forgotten Harvest and other organizations really need your help now."

Sign up to volunteer at ForgottenHarvest.org/volunteer

In June, CW50 and our sister-station CBS 62, partnered with Forgotten Harvest to air "Feeding Detroit: A Motor City Meal-A-Thon", a donation drive to help feed those in need in Metro Detroit. The broadcast was hosted by Community Connect's own Lisa Germani and featured celebrity guest appearances by Kristen Bell, Jay Leno, and Matthew Stafford - to name a few. The event raised more than $100,000 for Forgotten Harvest.

When talking about the event, Mayes said, "That was one of our best surprises of the year. The response from the community was fantastic."

Kirk Mayes, CEO of Forgotten Harvest, joins Lisa Germani on Community Connect to talk about how Forgotten Harvest has adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic and why their need for volunteers in greater than ever.

To learn more, go to ForgottenHarvest.org

Related: Community Connect Web Extra - Forgotten Harvest CEO Kirk Mayes Talks Need For Volunteers

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