Food First

June 20, 2021 - Food for Thought

June 20, 2021 - Monologue

Do you believe that food security is solvable? Food security is not just a Michigan challenge, it is a global one. Global estimates state that by 2050, there will be 9.7 billion people in the world, and we will require approximately 70% more food than what we consume now. The SOLUTION to meet these needs requires a cross-sector approach with an emphasis on food loss and waste; including analyzing...

The pandemic is [finally] subsiding, vaccinations are rising, and the saying “back to normal” is heard with prevalence. Applying what we have learned about ourselves and food security across our communities begins with understanding that prior to the pandemic, that there were 1.3 million food insecure Michiganders. The number skyrocketed to close to 2 million people amid the pandemic, but has been...

June 6, 2021 - Food for Thought

June 6, 2021 - Monologue

“A big business starts small.” - Richard Branson Tune in for Food First Michigan with Dr. Phil Knight, Gerry Brisson, president and CEO of Gleaners Community Food Bank, and Rob Fowler, CEO of the Small Business Association of Michigan (SBAM), tonight at 11 PM or tomorrow at 9 PM on WJR Radio. Rob is no stranger to excellence and growth as he has led SBAM to major growth over the past 21 years. SBA...

May 30, 2021 - Food for Thought

May 30, 2021 - Monologue

“Peace if possible, but truth at all costs.” –Martin Luther Tune in for Food First Michigan on WJR Radio tonight at 9:00 PM to hear from Dr. Phil Knight, Gerry Brisson, president and CEO of Gleaners Community Food Bank, and Kim Trent, Deputy Director for Prosperity with the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. Kim also serves on the Michigan Coronavirus Task Force on Racial Dispa...

May 23, 2021 - Food for Thought

May 23, 2021 - Monologue

Barack Obama once said, “Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time. WE are the ones we’ve been waiting for. WE are the change we seek.” Dr. Dawn Opel, general counsel and director of research and strategic initiatives for the Food Bank Council of Michigan, is the change the council had been waiting for. Tune in to Food First Michigan on Sunday on WJR...

MASS means MORE! MASS, Michigan Agricultural Surplus System, is a grant-funded program with the State of Michigan through the Food Bank Council of Michigan. Using the grant funding, we purchase ‘cosmetically challenged’ produce that Michigan farmers are unable to sell to large retailers. This type of produce has many names; Grade B, seconds, #2’s, and the uglies. While there is nothing wrong with...

April 25, 2021 - Food for Thought

April 24, 2021 - Monologue

When is a charity more than a charity? Charities that move beyond their charitable mandates multiply their influence, impact, and create sustainable sources of revenue that can take their effectiveness to a whole new level. The next frontier for greater impact in the work of food security is in the massive world of healthcare. Pamela Yager, the director of social mission at Blue Cross Blue Shield...

April 18, 2021 - Food for Thought

April 18, 2021 - Monologue

Solving hunger starts in the field; it starts with farmers, families, and the seeds they plant that feed us all. Our farmers make Michigan the 2nd most agriculturally diverse state in the nation. According to Feeding America, we have approximately 50 million residents who are food insecure nationwide, with approximately 2 million of those people being Michigan residents. Over 100 Michigan farmers...

An exigent circumstance is defined as an emergency situation requiring swift action to prevent imminent danger to life, serious damage to property, the destruction of evidence, or the escape of a suspect. What if we applied the term and definition of exigent circumstances to childhood hunger, or senior citizens experiencing food insecurity? Join Dr. Phil Knight and Gerry Brisson, president and CEO...

Who wins when we win? This question drives our efforts when we discern who our partners are in our effort to create a food secure state. Tune in to hear Dr. Phil Knight, Gerry Brisson, president and CEO of Gleaners Community Food Bank, and Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Director Gary McDowell this Saturday at 12:00 AM or Sunday at 9:00 PM on WJR Radio or NewsTalk 760 AM!...

When obstacles arise, you change your direction to reach your goal; you do not change your decision to get there. The vision of a food secure state drives the Food Bank Council of Michigan [FBCM] and our 7 Feeding America food banks’ purpose, mission, and goals. One of the ways that FBCM and our network strive to accomplish this is through resource management, including reducing food waste. Did yo...

The smallest steps in the right direction sometimes end up being the biggest and most important steps of your life. Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America, leads the nation’s largest nonprofit dedicated to creating food security. Tune in for @Food First Michigan on @WJR Radio to hear from Claire, Dr. Phil Knight and Gerry Brisson, president and CEO of @Gleaners Community Food Bank, on S...

Who cares about food insecurity for children, senior citizens, working families, veterans, and community members with disabilities? We care, and so does Food First Michigan listener Doug Oberski. This week Doug joins the conversation with Dr. Phil Knight and Gerry Brisson, president and CEO of Gleaners Community Food Bank. Tune in this Sunday at 12:00 AM or 9:00 PM on WJR Radio or NewsTalk 760 AM....