Agent Charitable Fund supported 17 Harvest for All projects in 2023

In 2023, Farm Bureau Insurance of Michigan’s Agent Charitable Fund (ACF) awarded almost $24,000 in county donation matches through the ACF Double-Up Donation program. ACF was proud to come alongside 17 county Farm Bureaus and support Harvest for All programming in their communities.

ACF appreciates county Farm Bureaus for their partnership and looks forward to continuing to support their hunger-relief efforts in 2024.

The following county Farm Bureaus utilized ACF Double-Up to match a monetary donation to a hunger-relief program or nonprofit:

• Allegan County Farm Bureau – donated to the Allegan County Food Pantry Cooperative 
• Bay County Farm Bureau – donated to the Good Samaritan Rescue Mission
• Calhoun County Farm Bureau – donated to South Michigan Food Bank
• Clare County Farm Bureau – donated to Mid-Michigan Community Action Agency and Compassion Counts Food Pantry at Gathering Church
• Gladwin County Farm Bureau – donated to Sacred Heart Mission, Helping Hands Outreach and Gladwin Community Services Corp. 
• Gratiot County Farm Bureau – donated to the Gratiot Hunger Network
• Livingston County Farm Bureau – donated to Gleaners Community Food Bank
• Monroe County Farm Bureau – donated to God Works Family Soup Kitchen
• Montcalm County Farm Bureau – donated to the Food Source Food Pantry at Montcalm Community College
• Oakland County Farm Bureau – donated to Gleaners Community Food Bank
• Osceola County Farm Bureau – donated to Angels of Action
• St. Joseph County Farm Bureau – donated to the Glen Oaks Campus Cupboard at Glen Oaks Community College

The following county Farm Bureaus utilized Double-Up to help purchase food or accessible protein for a county-initiated hunger-relief project: 

• Berrien County Farm Bureau facilitated its yearly Thanks-4-Giving program, which provides a bushel basket filled with Thanksgiving ingredients for 125 families in need. ACF provided matching funds to help purchase ingredients for the baskets. 
• Jackson County Farm Bureau’s Young Farmer Committee hosted ‘Cornhole for Hunger’ and used the proceeds to purchase animals from the 4-H livestock auction. The animals were then processed and donated to local county food banks. ACF provided matching funds to support the purchasing of the large animals and the processing fees. 
• Lenawee County Farm Bureau purchased processed beef from a local farm and donated it to the Hudson Food Pantry at Hudson Wesleyan Church. ACF provided matching funds to help purchase beef for the donation. 
• Sanilac County Farm Bureau purchased meat from a local processor and donated it to local food pantries through the Sanilac County Freeze-Out Hunger program. ACF provided matching funds to help purchase meat for neighbors in need. 
• Shiawassee County Farm Bureau facilitated a meal project to support 150 local families during the Thanksgiving holiday. ACF provided matching funds to help purchase meals for families in need.

The ACF Double-Up Donation Program supports county Farm Bureaus’ efforts to end hunger in their communities by providing matching funds to local organizations and programs which represent the ACF mission. 

County Farm Bureaus initiate the nomination and donation process, and the selected program is approved for an ACF matching donation by a committee of ACF donors based on the need of the organization, population being served and overall goal of the program. If approved, ACF donation match through the Double-Up program can count towards the county’s Harvest for All totals. 

The 2024 Double-Up Donation application will open the first week of January 2024. Requests will be reviewed on a rolling basis with the following donation deadlines in 2024: Feb. 2, April 5, June 7, Aug. 2, Oct. 4 and Nov. 15. 

For more information about the Double-Up Donation Program, please contact ACF Manager Persis Sopariwala at [email protected]. 

The ACF, whose mission is to end hunger in Michigan, is a donor-designated fund administered through the Michigan Foundation for Agriculture. The Michigan Foundation for Agriculture, a 501(c)(3) governed by Michigan Farm Bureau’s board of directors, positively contributes to the future of Michigan agriculture through leadership and educational programming. Through grant programs like Feeding the Future, Farm Bureau agents, clients and partners provide food and educational programs to Michigan residents struggling with hunger and aid the more than 3,000 hunger-relief agencies throughout the state.