Lakeshore Food Club partners with Meijer’s Simply Give program.

Lakeshore Food Club partners with Meijer’s Simply Give program.

LUDINGTON — The Lakeshore Food Club has announced a partnership with Meijer this spring to provide needed hunger relief to local families through Meijer’s customer-driven food pantry donation program, Simply Give.

“The Simply Give program has been a great benefit for our food club families,” said Sarah McMahon, program director for Lakeshore Food Club. “We especially encourage food club supporters in the community to participate on Double Match Days, where donations of $10 equal $30 of food for the shelves.”

Each Meijer Simply Give campaign replenishes the shelves of more than 240 food pantries in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and Wisconsin. The program encourages customers to purchase $10 Simply Give donation cards, which are then converted into Meijer food-only gift cards and given to a local food pantry in the store’s community.

“We encourage community members to help us fulfill our mission of helping feed our neighbors in Mason County by purchasing a Meijer Simply Give food donation card during their next shopping trip,” said McMahon.

The Lakeshore Food Club will benefit from donation cards purchased at the Ludington Meijer now through June 22. Double Match Days will be held on Friday, May 31, and Friday, June 14. McMahon said that those wishing to contribute to the match can send in a donation now via www.lakeshorefoodclub.org, and Food Club staff will make sure those dollars go toward the match.

This year’s spring campaign will, once again, coincide with the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give. Proceeds from the tournament – and its corresponding festivities – will benefit the Simply Give program. The first five tournaments generated more than $4.2 million.

For the eighth consecutive year, Meijer will contribute at least $1 million to the 2019 Simply Give program. 

The program runs three times a year: spring, fall and during the holiday season. Since the program began in Nov. 2008, nearly $48 million has been generated for food pantries in the Midwest to distribute.

“Food pantries continue to struggle with keeping up with the flood of requests they receive daily,” Meijer Spokeswoman Christina Fecher said. “The Simply Give program is a way for Meijer customers to partner with us and support the food banks and pantries that provide food to our hungry neighbors in the communities we serve. We certainly couldn’t do it without the support and commitment of our generous customers and team members, who stand beside us in this effort.”

The Lakeshore Food Club is located at 920 E. Tinkham Ave.