By WKTV Staff
greer@wktv.org
Today through September 30, drivers can visit a local Shell station and fill up at the designated fueling pump to support Kids’ Food Basket and South Michigan Food Bank-Kids’ Backpack Program.
Marshall-based Johnny’s Markets, owned by Walters-Dimmick Petroleum, is joining with Shell USA (Shell) on The Giving Pump as part of its Force For Good initiative to drive positive change in local communities by giving back.
A portion of the purchases made by consumers who use the designated pump at 70 Shell stations across Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo will support the charities Kids’ Food Basket and South Michigan Food Bank, along with local schools and hospitals.
The Giving Pump will be specially marked with colorful signage at participating Shell gas stations to inspire consumers to fuel up and support two local food organizations: South Michigan Food Bank and Kids’ Food Basket. It’s easy to participate in the program, and it costs customers nothing extra.
South Michigan Food Bank — currently serving 33,000 meals a day across eight counties — works to eliminate hunger by providing healthy and nutritious food to those in need. This year’s donations from Giving Pump will go toward the nonprofit’s BackPack Program, which sends non-perishable meal packages home with students in low-income households, giving children access to food over the weekends and during school breaks. Each package contains enough food for seven meals.
“Many may not realize it, but folks and food banks alike are under a lot of pressure right now,” said Peter Vogel, CEO of South Michigan Food Bank. “During the pandemic, there were plenty of funds flowing to organizations tackling food insecurity. In the past year, though, many of those resources have dried up while demand — the need for affordable food — in our communities remains elevated. The Giving Pump is coming at the perfect time to help these people, and we are blessed to have Johnny’s Markets’ support.”
Kids’ Food Basket’s mission is to nourish kids to reach their full potential. They work with the community to serve 10,000 nutritious evening meals to kids in four West Michigan counties every weekday. KFB is also home to two farms that not only serve as a classroom for STEM education, but also provide fresh produce directly back to the community.
“Right now, the reality is that most food banks, like so many of the good people we serve, are trying to do a lot more with way less,” said Ashley Diersch, Vice President of Development at Kids’ Food Basket. “By teaming up with The Giving Pump, it gives everybody an opportunity to make an impact and really shows that everything — whether it’s one penny or a million — makes a difference.”
Johnny’s Markets brand, owned by Walters-Dimmick Petroleum, is home to more than 60 convenience stores and fuel stations across Michigan and Indiana. With the purpose of being a reliable source of goodness in the community, the company supports programs and events that help pave the path for young people to be successful.
“As an established member of the Western Michigan community, we believe we can do more by supporting local children’s organizations so that kids may receive what is needed to help them develop and succeed,” said J.P. Walters, President and CEO of Walters-Dimmick Petroleum. “We chose these charities for The Giving Pump because we want to continue growing our relationships with great organizations who support our communities, and there are no better examples of that than Kids’ Food Basket and South Michigan Food Bank.”
In addition to The Giving Pump, Walters-Dimmick has hosted an annual charity event called the Northern Classic for over 30 years, where 100 percent of the proceeds are donated to improve the lives of many in Western Michigan. In the past decade, the Northern Classic charity event has raised more than $1 million for multiple charities including Kids’ Food Basket, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the Fallen and Wounded Soldiers Fund.
This year, more than 7,500 Shell stations across the US are participating in this two-month Giving Pump initiative to support 532 local charities. Those looking to find a participating station can visit shell.us/givingpump. Since 2021, Shell wholesalers and retailers donated over $4.6M and supported over 400 children’s charities through The Giving Pump.
To learn more about how you can join South Michigan Food Bank in taking a stand against hunger, visit smfoodbank.org. Visit kidsfoodbasket.org for more on Kids’ Food Basket programs, services and how you can make a difference. Visit shell.us/givingpump to find additional program details, participating sites and content about local charities.
