Where “change” feeds the soul: 5Loaves2Fish hosts annual fundraiser

By Berry Kendall

Sun contributor

In an effort to restore dignity and fight the growing crisis of food insecurity, a local nonprofit is employing a radical yet compassionate approach: No Questions Asked. At the heart of their mission is the simple, irrefutable idea that everyone deserves to eat, without judgment or bureaucracy. By easing those barriers and societal stigma, 5Loaves2Fish hopes to not only nourish bodies but also challenge long-held perceptions of the homeless and food insecure populations, reminding the community that humanity begins with empathy. Founders Michelle and Bill White meet people in need where they are, both literally and figuratively, through 5Loaves2Fish’s uniquely mobile food outreach organization.

On Aug. 12, the nonprofit is hosting its fourth annual Big Change Equals Big Change Fundraiser, an evening promising inspiration and impact. Set at the bucolic Dune Bird Winery in Northport, this event draws community members together in support of an objective that goes beyond food: a reminder that no one is invisible. Attendees will enjoy an upscale menu (elevated from the traditional hot dog cart of years past), while hearing accounts from community partners about food insecurity and homelessness in our region and live music from Geno and the Big Change Band.

Michelle White says, “The meal itself is going to be well worth the ticket price [$55]. Cash donations are not anything we’ve ever asked for before but I feel like we might as well start because we’re going to need it in the future.”

Comprised of a full-time team of six, plus countless volunteers, 5Loaves2Fish is primarily supplied by Food Rescue of Northwest Michigan. The latter is a nonprofit that rescues, harvests, repacks and distributes 7,000 pounds of food daily to more than 70 food pantries and community meal sites. Almost half of the food being distributed is produce that would otherwise go to waste.

“We usually create some pretty cool stuff out of what we receive from Food Rescue,” says White. “But we’ve noticed that we’re not getting as much protein so that’s why we are going to have to start asking for money.”

Although White had already been cooking and serving meals to the hungry for years, 5Loaves2Fish was born out of an urgent need emerging in March 2020 at the onset of the pandemic. With shelters forced to close their doors or severely limit capacity, 5Loaves2Fish stepped in to supply fresh, homemade meals to people who saw the resources they depended on drying up. They now deliver to nine different locations across three counties in Northern Michigan every week. Volunteers collect and organize donations, then prepare fresh meals out of the Leland Community United Methodist Church kitchen. Meal sites include Veterans Park and Safe Harbor in Traverse City; Leelanau Christian Neighbors in Lake Leelanau; Empire Food Pantry; Leland Community United Methodist Church; Lake Ann United Methodist Church Food Pantry; Friendship Community Center in Suttons Bay; Bethany Lutheran Church in Northport; and Saint Kateri Catholic Church in Peshawbestown.

When asked to picture a hungry or homeless person, the image that often comes to mind is skewed or incomplete. White shares that many of those experiencing homelessness or food insecurity once held high-level jobs, earned advanced degrees, came from “good families” and lived lives that looked much like anyone else’s. They are former teachers, engineers, business owners—people whose lives were derailed by illness, job loss, unaffordable housing or personal tragedy. Homelessness and food insecurity are not moral failings; they are societal ones that can happen to anyone.

Contrary to harmful stereotypes, White clarifies that most are not addicts, and certainly no one chooses to sleep on the street. “They may have given up and it appears that way, but nobody wants to be homeless,” she says.

White stresses the importance of maintaining the dignity of the people 5Loaves2Fish help. “The most important goal to us is to pump up the dignity of the guests we serve versus stripping it.” She tells them, “You are in a circumstance. And I don’t have to know what it is. I just want to be there to help you.”

“These meals are for anybody,” says White. “We ask no questions and there’s no sign up. If your friend is struggling and you want to do something nice for her, come grab meals and enjoy dinner together.” She reiterates, “Anyone can come by and pick up a meal for themself or anyone else, for any reason. So maybe somebody in need is getting a meal because they literally don’t have any money, somebody else is coming in to get a meal because their grandma fell and broke her leg or because their friend is going through a really bad divorce and needs a break, or both parents are working their butts off and need a freaking break. Everyone needs a break at some point and that’s why we make meals: to offer a break.”

Isolation is another key issue 5Loaves2Fish seeks to address. “There are so many ways to serve people,” she says. “My husband Bill is a big hugger; he’s kind of known as ‘The Hugger’ when we go to Veterans Park. He always asks people first if they hug. One guy said ‘NO’ and then said ‘All right’ and accepted a hug. Another person told us she hadn’t been touched in five years.” White says that despite the varying degrees of personal hygiene, “All I feel in that moment—and maybe this is a God thing—is love.”

5Loves2Fish is also combating loneliness via their weekly Community Meal. Held year round on Tuesdays from 4-6 p.m. at the Leland Community United Methodist Church, the Community Meal is open to everyone regardless of one’s housing or financial status. “It’s a restaurant quality meal for people from all walks of life and all ages. You can have money and still need community,” says White.

“There are people living in homes on Lake Michigan who don’t have a sense of community. There are people who lost their spouses and are lonely. We are really trying to get people to understand that the Community Meal is not just for those in need [by the standard definition]. It’s about community. And it’s been a lot of fun. We serve anywhere from 75 to 100 people a week. We even have a bounce house for the kids.”

White says that in addition to raising money to supply more protein-rich meals, her hope for the future is simple. “Maybe one starfish at a time we can create more compassion and change. Every day I pray for hearts to soften. Whether you’re religious or not, Jesus said there’s always going to be the poor. You’ve got to do something about it and meet them where they’re at.”

Tickets to the fourth annual Big Change Equals Big Change Fundraiser can be purchased using this link. Dune Bird Winery is located at 5620 North Manitou Trail in Northport. Doors open at 6 p.m.