The founders of The Benja-Men have announced the results of their first quarterly meeting held on February 15 at Grand River Brewery. A total of $17,351.82 was raised through donations by members of the group and was presented to Food Bank of South Central Michigan. The initial goal was to have 100 men join the cause at their first meeting to raise $10,000 for an area charity. For the first meeting, the organizers chose Food Bank of South Central Michigan, which supplies several area Jackson food pantries with food at a deeply discounted rate. According to today’s announcement, more than 104,000 meals will be served to Jackson County residents as a result of the donation.
The Benja-Men was founded by Brian Cooper, Mick Falahee, Joe Dunigan and Mike Easter who are encouraging local men to make a local impact. Each quarter, members will gather at the Grand River Brewery to each make a one hundred dollar contribution to a Jackson charity. In a release, the founders thank all those who took time out of their busy lives to attend, join, and donate hard-earned money, proving that “the men of this community DO care and together, we CAN make a difference! We are beyond excited to continue spreading the word, adding to our “MEN-bership”, and making a positive impact on the Jackson community!”.
The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, May 9th at 6pm at Grand River Brewery and all men are welcome to join. Membership is $100 per quarter, with 100% of the membership dues going to a different Jackson charity each quarter.