Michigan National Guard to Staff Food Banks in 4 Michigan Communities

(March 30, 2020 10:34 AM) The Michigan National Guard has received a request to aid Food Banks in four communities across the state, including Ann Arbor, Comstock Park, Flint, and Pontiac. Approximately 10 Michigan National Guard members will be serving at each site. 

Support to the Food Banks is scheduled to begin March 30 and is expected to continue through mid-April.

“The aid that men and women of the Michigan National Guard will provide to Food Banks across Michigan is further proof that the Michigan National Guard is a true cornerstone of Michigan communities,” said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer “I could not be more proud of their service, commitment, and determination, and they are making a difference in the state’s response to COVID-19.”  

The food distribution sites requested Michigan National Guard personnel to assist with mobile food distribution, which serves between 300-600 Michigan families daily. Guard members will direct traffic for the drive-through distribution site and assist with packing bags of fruit and handing bags to cars. The guard members will perform their duties with personnel protective equipment to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, including gloves and hand sanitizer.

Whitmer announced the Michigan National Guard’s involvement in the state-wide response to COVID-19 on March 18. Since then, guard members have provided logistics support to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, assembling and loading critical personal protective gear such as gowns and face shields. There are also members of the Michigan National Guard serving the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans and the D.J. Jacobetti Home for Veterans in Marquette. Their support includes temperature screening of all employees before they enter the homes, and ensuring screening protocols are being followed to protect resident veterans from the spread of COVID-19. 

“The Michigan National Guard strives to be a provider of exceptional service,” said Maj. Gen. Paul Rogers, adjutant general of the Michigan National Guard. “As the response to COVID-19 continues, we stand ready to serve our neighbors, family, and friends in the communities in which we live and work.”