Kalamazoo, MI – The Kalamazoo Growlers have teamed up with Kzoo Parks and Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes to host a supply drive at Homer Stryker Field.

The supply drive, running from 12:00pm – 4:00pm on Saturday, February 16th will be welcoming donations of non-perishable food, clothes and personal care items. Those who donate will be given a free ticket to a game in the Kalamazoo Growlers 2019 season. The team will also be serving hot dogs and chips to anyone who wants them.

The donated items will be collected, sorted and distributed by the charity partners after the event.

Nate Kissell of the Kalamazoo Growlers said “The original idea was to help those furloughed or working without pay during the government shutdown. But we realized winter is the hardest time of year for lots of people in our community that need assistance. So we opened this thing up to impact the greatest number of people we can. We’re excited to make a difference in the lives of those who need it most and we’ve partnered with some terrific local organizations to help distribute the supplies we collect.”

Greta Faworski, of the charity partner Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes said that ‘it’s estimated that nearly 40,000 people in Kalamazoo County are food insecure’ with there being no single face to hunger. She also said that items donated will ‘get into the hands of someone who is struggling to get enough to eat’ as quickly as possible.

For more information on the event, the Kalamazoo Growlers have set up a facebook event.