Beans, beans, they’re good for your heart (and for bringing people together)

MSU continues tradition of support for local food bank

(Editor’s Note: Greater Lansing Food Bank volunteers recently gleaned green beans from the Horticulture Teaching & Research Center.)

Today’s economy is forcing some families  to make tough choices.

That’s where a partnership between Michigan State University (MSU) and the Greater Lansing Food Bank (GLFB) comes in. The partnership, in its 26^th year, is all about providing families, individuals and agencies with fresh produce from the MSU farms.

The GLFB provides volunteers through its Garden Project Gleaning Program to harvest surplus from campus farms and distribute it to low-income families and individuals and to agencies that serve those in need.

Food is a gathering point for families. It’s another way to come together. The MSU farms, staff, volunteers and researchers know that these donations offer families in need some relief.

MSU & GLFB, by the numbers:

Pounds of food donated

600                             Pounds of beans harvested and donated during recent green bean harvest

21,689                        Pounds of fresh food donated by MSU farms so far in 2009

216,833                      Average number of pounds per year donated by MSU farms over 25-year period

266,447                      Pounds of food donated to GLFB by MSU farms in 2008

5,673,650                  Total number of pounds of fresh food donated from 1983-2008

Estimated dollar value

$605.88                     Estimated retail value of beans harvested on Friday, Aug. 7

$34,990.90                Retail value of food donated by MSU farms so far in 2009

$308,177.67               Estimated retail value of the food donated in 2009 

*Numbers are tallied and tracked by the Greater Lansing Food Bank