What happens when you combine the principals of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math), unopened cans and boxes of food and creative and dedicated teachers and students who want to help their community? You have an event called Canstruction. The Midland County Emergency Food Pantry Network (EFPN), Midland Schools and the Midland Mall are joining together to host a Canstruction event. Teams of students will use their STEAM skills to construct sculptures of food.
- Build date is Friday, February 21 at the Midland Mall starting at 8:00 AM.
- Technical Awards will be announced at 2:30 PM on February 21 at center area in front of former Yonkers store.
- Structures on display February 21 thru 12:00 PM Saturday, February 29.
- Vote for your favorite structure from February 21 till mall closes on Friday, February 28.
Tickets are $1.00 and can be purchased at a table located in the Mall Food Court
- People ‘s Choice Award will be announced on February 29 at 12:00 PM at center area in front of former Yonkers store.
You are invited to come and watch as students defy logic and gravity as they build structures out of cans and boxes of food. All food used in these structures will come back to EFPN to help feed your neighbors in need. This event is part competition, part food drive, and a whole lot of fun. We are grateful to many local businesses who have helped to fund the food that the students will be using. Come to the Midland Mall and enjoy the structures, vote for your favorite and support the efforts of the students as they show how we can tackle hunger and make a difference one CAN at a time.
EFPN was awarded the Beacon of Light Award at the conclusion of the Harvest Gathering of the Food Bank Council of Michigan (FBCM) in recognition of our leadership in establishing new programs and our outstanding delivery of food to those in need in Midland County. The food gathering was begun nearly 20 years ago by Midland’s own Bill and Cynthia Schuette in an effort to raise both funds and food to support the 13 regional food banks throughout Michigan. The FBCM is comprised of member regional food banks. The regional food banks, along with their subsidiary distribution organizations and branch warehouses, safely store and provide millions of pounds of surplus vegetables, fruits, and other grocery items to more than 2500 local agencies serving each of the 83 counties in Michigan. These products are made available to the agencies at a low cost (about 10 cents per pound for goods with an average retail of about $2.00 per pound). Types of agencies include food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, hospices, domestic violence shelters, head-start programs, afterschool programs, half-way houses, and group homes for the mentally ill. The Food Bank of Eastern Michigan is the regional food bank used by EFPN This award is a testimony to more than 700 EFPN volunteers who move the food through the pantry, food bank, or backpack buddy program to those in need. Everyone,including our nearly 1000 donors, should be proud of this award!
EFPN is now a part of the Kroger’s Community Rewards program. Choose EFPN when you register your Kroger Card and you will be donating to EFPN every time you shop with no additional cost to you. Kroger will donate a percentage of your qualifying purchases back to EFPN.