By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkar/local-wkar-936939.mp3
Lansing, MI – Last year, more than 1 million people in Michigan got emergency help from a food bank. The Food Bank Council of Michigan says local food banks are reporting increases in requests for assistance of anywhere from 25 to 35 percent this year.
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Jane Marshall is with the Food Bank Council. She says food banks get pretty busy between Thanksgiving and the new year before donations start trailing off.
"We distribute more food per-person during the holidays because we have it, but we really sometimes have to make those resources stretch because we don't get as much in donations during the wintertime, but the need is pretty consistent year-round," says Marshall.
Marshall says that's because children don't benefit from school breakfast and lunch programs during summer breaks - and rising utility bills can tap into a family's food budget during the colder months.
Marshall says volunteers and donations of non-perishable goods are always welcome. But she says food banks also need cash donations to pay for bulk purchases, transportation, and refrigeration of fresh fruits and vegetables.