Leelanau Essentials—the workers who keep us safe during the pandemic. Meet Michelle White
From staff reports
They are doctors, nurses and healthcare workers. They stock the shelves, slice the deli meat, and run the registers at grocery stores, they deliver your meals curbside, delicately pinching the paper bag between gloved fingers. They are the EMS first responders, the firemen and the cops. They are the distilleries that turn spirit byproduct into hand sanitizer. They drive semi trucks and delivery trucks and bring packages and food. They are postal workers. They run the food banks and the church pantries. They keep the school cafeterias open to make sure the needy families get breakfasts and lunch. They pick up our recycling and our garbage. They watch our children, and they care for our elderly. They are the farmworkers—both with and without documents—who harvest our crops.
Even as our community and our society shut down and we stay home to socially distance ourselves, these essential workers of Leelanau County show up every day and walk to the front lines to fight for us in this world war against a murderous pandemic. Let us honor our Leelanau Essentials.
Michelle White, delivering food
Through Central United Methodist Church in Traverse City and 5Loaves2Fish—a program hosted by Leland Community United Methodist Church—Michelle White and a team of local volunteers cook meals, gather donations (from the Leland Mercantile, among other locations) and deliver the meals to a Tom’s West Bay or a designated spot. This way the meals can be transferred from one vehicle to the next without violating social distancing protocol. The words “You Matter” and a heart are drawn in red marker on each cup of soup.
“We take the boxes out of the car, set them in the parking lot and go back to our cars,” White explained. “Melissa (her contact) comes and picks up the boxes and loads them in her car. She then delivers to all the people she knows that cannot get to all the services. There are many out in woods and places out of reach. She wears all her protection gear and goes around and delivers. It seems to be working really well. Everyone has their piece of the puzzle and it fits each persons strength so it’s been fun.”
What does this job mean to me?
It is important because too many people in our community, and society, are suffering from food insecurities, which are a symptom of a far bigger societal issue, and we feel called to help alleviate this issue. We saw a quote, author unknown: “Jesus prepared a meal for the multitudes to remind us that we feed people not because we believe they deserve it, but because they’re hungry.” My husband and I have always had a passion for others, coming from families that demonstrated generosity, which led to studying to become Deaconess and Home Missioner through the United Methodist Church. Part of this calling is to have a ministry outside of the church. 5loaves2fish is a ministry where we feed people by nourishing; mind, body and spirit through love, justice and service to community, through programs of food and art.
Art & Soul North is a ministry under 5Loaves2Fish, and is designed to bring dignity, pride and purpose to those who are experiencing homelessness and marginalization through self-expressive and collaborative community art; which also helps to nourish; mind, body and spirit. It is first a ministry of hospitality, offering a place of comfort and encouragement, using art as the medium. Expressive art is the focus; engaging the arts for healing, self-discovery and transformation.
What does my work mean to the community?
Communities are composed of people from all social economic classes and impact the overall functioning of each community. Do unto others is the golden rule and the overall health of a community depends how its citizens follow this rule. By not providing these basic needs, it could put even more of a strain on communities’ already limited resources.
How has my life changed during the pandemic?
My husband and I are discovering even more about ourselves and each other. We are finding that a little goes a long way and how much others care. We are rediscovering how much human interaction is important, to the individual, and the overall functioning of a community. We are also seeing how each person, regardless of their position in society, is able to stand up and offer whatever assistance they can. We have homeless/marginalized who have reached out to assist in whatever way they can, being aware of social distancing and others health.
Dear readers—who would you like to nominate for our Leelanau Essentials profile series? Do they have a compelling story they’re willing to share? Have they proven themselves essential to the community in recent weeks? Can they send us a photo of themselves and answer the following questions: What does my job mean to me? What does it mean to the community? How has my life changed during the coronavirus? Send submissions to editorial@GlenArborSun.com.
