mid city nutrition program
new building capital campaign
who we are/what we do/& why
“If you want to eliminate hunger,
everybody has to be involved.”
Bono
And so, in 1987, “everybody” came together and formed
Mid City Nutrition Program at St. Martin Lutheran
Church to help eliminate hunger in the Blue Water Area.
Feeding the hungry in our community was not a new idea.
Prior to the establishment of MCNP, Bethlehem Temple
and the First Presbyterian Church had served food to the
hungry.
MCNP serves two meals
daily, five days a week,
and one meal daily on
weekends, serving an
average of more than
68,000 meals annually.
MCNP is an affiliated
organization that
coordinates mobile
food pantries for the
Food Bank of Eastern
Michigan. More than
5,000 families are
served annually at 38
local locations.
Over the years, MCNP grew in
the numbers that it served, but its
mission remained the same: to feed
the body and mind of all individuals
in need in our community.
MCNP has operated, since its
austere beginning, in large part
thanks to the donation of food,
time, talent, and treasure from
individuals, local businesses, local
church congregations, and various
granting foundations and agencies.
Today, MCNP continues to serve
two meals daily, Monday through
Friday, and one each on Saturday
and Sunday, at St. Martin’s
Lutheran Church.
MCNP is an affiliated organization
that coordinates mobile food
pantries for the Food Bank of
Eastern Michigan. More than 5,000
families are served annually at 38
local locations.
MCNP also provides more than 4,100 meals annually
to those in need who are receiving help from other local
nonprofits through a Partnership Meal program. These
include Literacy & Beyond, the Harbor, Pathways, Center
of Port Huron and many others. Food donations are
shared with nonprofit agencies such as B-Warm, Food
Depot, SOS Pantry in Marysville, Huron House and
more.
MCNP is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Facts & Figures
Mid City Nutrition Program:
2017-2018 budget:....................................................................... $168,900
Meals served annually: .................................................................. 68,867
Number of meals served daily:.......................................................200+
Pounds of donated food given to guests:................................ 150,000
Community volunteers:.....................................................................300+
Demographics Served by MCNP:
Age range:........................................................... Infant to 80+ years old
Diversity:.................................................Wide range of ethnic heritage
Mobile Food Pantry Facts & Figures:
Number of food distribution locations: ............................................. 38
Pounds of food distributed annually:....................................... 398,477
Demographics Served by Mobile Food Pantry:
Families:................................................................................................ 5,099
Senior citizens 65+ years old:........................................................... 200
Individuals:......................................................................................... 16,935
why a building/why now/& How
“When you share your last crust of bread with a beggar,
you mustn’t behave as if you were throwing a bone to a dog.
You must give humbly and thank him for allowing you to have a part in his hunger.”
Giovanni Guareschi
The Mid City Nutrition Program has had a home at St. Martin
Lutheran Church at 8th and Chestnut in Port Huron since it was
established in 1987.
Since then, the needs and the focus of the organization has changed, as
we strive to better meet the needs of our guests. For instance, our guests
have become both older and younger, and we now have many more
men than women attending than we did 31 years ago.
In addition to serving meals daily, MCNP has begun to manage referral
services for our guests, provided additional food for them, and directed
them to medical, dental, and mental health services at other local
agencies, and provided nutrition information and education.
In recent years, the MCNP board of directors reviewed the current
location and recognized the fact that the organization had outgrown
its current space. There was also a desire to be located in an facility
that would allow for greater storage capacity, and also efficiency and
accessibility. So, in 2017, the board approved the purchase of property at
830 Griswold, at Ninth Street, just a few blocks away from the current
location, which works well for the MCNP client population.
The property contained two buildings (5,800 sq., ft and 1,000 sq., ft.,
respectively.) This space offered the opportunity to realize the long-term
need for a teaching kitchen, and increased space for up to 225 guests per
seating.
Upon inspection, it was discovered that there had been a serious fire and
significant damage to the trusses and ceilings. Professional inspections
showed other structural and abatement concerns, and it was decided that
demolition was the only option. The main building was razed in June
2018.
The smaller, building remains, as it has steel construction. This is where
we will realize the long-held dream of a teaching kitchen. This is critical
for the long-term stability and food security of our guests. What good is a
pound of chicken if you don’t know what to do with it?
MCNP has partnered with Blue Water Habitat for Humanity to be the
project manager on the new building and renovation of the remaining
structure for education. BWHH brings construction expertise,
equipment, building supplies and grant dollars to the project.
To date, in-kind gifts of more than $200,000 have been secured in the
form of a wide range of construction and building supplies and services.
capital campaign
fundraising goal:
$334,800
MCNP plans to raise $334,800 to cover all additional costs of
construction. It is anticipated that those dollars will be acquired from a
variety of donors, ranging from churches and service organizations, gifts
from individuals, and foundations and government grants.
mission statement
To continue to feed the hungry in St. Clair County for as long as there is a need.
board members/
& staff
Lisa K. Morse
Board Chair
John Hitzeroth
Vice Chairman
Beth Belanger
Treasurer
Deb Johnson
Secretary
Susan Bennett
Executive Director
Anita Varty
Business Manager
Tiffany MacReady
Kitchen Manager
Paul, Kelly, Mel, Jeff
Cooks
Directors:
Rhonda Bessette
Josh Chapman
Mary Depner
Juanita Gittings
Laurie Irwin
Justin Neil
Christine Newberry
Judy Redmond
Hale Walker
Ernest Werth-Toward
Mike
Driver
And our many
Loyal Volunteers!
community partners
will you please
contribute?
For more than 30 years, the Mid City Nutrition
Program has helped some of the most vulnerable
in our community. All of that assistance has been
possible due to the generosity of our community.
In order to continue to serve those in need, and
to expand our services to help our clients become
healthier by providing nutritional education, we
need your help.
Will you please contribute to the capital campaign
that will allow us to construct a new facility that will
provide better health, remove hunger pains, and
provide a place for fellowship for those in need?
2 0 1 4 H O L L A N D AV E . # 70 1 • PORT H U RO N M I 4 8 0 6 0
w w w. M i d C i t y N u t r i t i o n S o u p K i tchen.com
810-982-9261
Your contribution will change the lives of
infants, children, adults and senior citizens in our
community so that none of them will go to bed
hungry and will enable us to help them learn how to
provide a lifetime of self-care.
Please contact us today so we can help you plan your gift.
Change language