Leland’s Michelle White, co-founder of volunteer-based food ministry group 5Loaves2Fish welcomed a new addition to the community outreach’s kitchen.

She couldn’t contain her excitement on a recent snowy morning when a delivery truck rolled up to the Leland Community United Methodist Church (where 5Loaves2Fish has its headquarters) to drop off a nearly new walk-in cooler.

The nonprofit provides nourishing meals, prepared with love, to people in Leelanau County and Traverse City who are experiencing food insecurity and homelessness. “We feed people,” says White.

But when local businesses and individuals donate fresh produce, dairy or meat, there has not always been a practical place to store these perishable gifts.

“Ask, believe it has already been given, receive.” White’s husband and 5Loaves2Fish co-founder, Bill White, posted on 5Loaves2Fish’s Facebook page the day the walk-in cooler arrived. “For months we have been busting at the refrigerator seams and praying for solutions,” Michelle White adds. “And out of the blue, a solution appeared.”

She explains that Bill volunteers at Traverse City’s Salvation Army on ‘Code Blue’ days when shelters are open during the day due to the extreme cold. While there one day, he mentioned 5Loaves2Fish’s recent growth and food storage needs, and he was given a tip on a cooler. He was encouraged to contact Taylor Moore at Goodwill’s Food Rescue of Northern Michigan, who shared that Fustini’s Oils & Vinegars had just donated a walk-in cooler. Taylor then asked, “Would you like it?” Bill gratefully responded, “Yes! Yes, please!”

This wasn’t the first time that Fustini’s has made meaningful donations to support those struggling with food and housing insecurities. Karen Chemello, manager of the Traverse City store, credits the generosity of Fustini’s owner Jim Milligan for instilling a philosophy of giving through his business. She explains that their store moved away from the ‘grab and go’ type of food offerings it provided pre-pandemic, and so the nearly new cooler was no longer needed. “We decided it was best to just give it a new home,” Chemello says. Her go-to for donations is Taylor at Food Rescue because “he always knows who in the community has the most needs. We are super happy that 5Loaves2Fish is able to use it.”

5Loaves2Fish’s walk-in is already making a tremendous difference, Michelle White tells the Leelanau Ticker, for storage for their grocery deliveries for families, and for keeping things like vibrant and fresh salads in welcome rotation. “I was just saying yesterday as I put three huge bowls of prepared spinach in the cooler for tomorrow that we could not have done that. It is a complete game changer on our fresh food situation.

“This is a huge blessing,” she adds. “This gives us the ability to receive and store more food so we can make more meals and feed more people. We are incredibly grateful for this. Thank you, thank you to God for bringing this all together.”