TRAVERSE CITY — Food Rescue of Northwest Michigan and Traverse Health Clinic and Coalition are the first nonprofits and businesses to receive the Sara Hardy Humanitarian of the Year award.
City commissioners on Monday honored the nonprofit and clinic, each selected by the city Human Rights Commission. Mayor Richard Lewis said the first, Food Rescue of Northwest Michigan, went from a few people and a pickup truck to rescuing thousands of pounds of food per day from the trash — it’s 7,000, according to nonprofit Director Tyler Moore, for a grand total of 19 million since 2008.
It’s taken the efforts of thousands to distribute that food from grocery stores, bakeries and farms to food pantries and meal sites around the region, Moore said. But it’ll take more than rescuing excess food to end food insecurity.
“That’s not how it’s going to work, but it is going to take a community and we have that community,” he said. “Our work is emblematic of that.”
Traverse Health Clinic and Coalition believes in serving everyone regardless of their ability to pay, said Dr. Lynn Swan, medical director of street medicine for the clinic. Another principle is treating everyone with dignity.
“This is a human endeavor and I am so proud to do it with our whole team, because it is just who we are,” she said. “We serve the people who may have difficulty accessing care wherever they are.”
That team includes city Commissioner Mi Stanley, who said she works there when she presented the award.