PTK Presents Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes with May 11 Charity Walk Donations

Kalamazoo Valley's chapter of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), the international honor society for two-year colleges, presented Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes with more than $1,300 in donations. The proceeds were gathered from the second annual PTK Charity Walk on May 11. Current and upcoming chapter officers were in attendance for the transfer of funds at the Texas Township Campus on June 12. Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes Associate Director Greta Faworski was present to accept the donation and expressed her gratitude for the contribution.

"This donation will help us purchase food, which is very important because we purchase about 65% of the food we distribute," said Faworski. "We make sure that families have nutritionally balanced items, such as milk, eggs, bread, frozen meat, produce and non-perishables, and so, we want to make sure we always have those in stock. Sometimes if we're running low on our monthly budget, it's hard for us to do that, so this donation helps. It really has a great impact to ensure that families have what they need."

Last year, Kalamazoo Valley's PTK chapter raised more than $1,000 in donations for the organization at the inaugural walk on Aug. 11. This year, the event expanded its outreach beyond the PTK student body to invite the entire college community. The May 11 walk garnered 46 donors and 40 participants.

Loaves and Fishes services the Kalamazoo community with free food pantry programs. The organization accepts food and monetary donations and uses the proceeds to help alleviate food insecurity in the community. Loaves and Fishes is also a partner of the college's Valley Food Share initiative. Through the program, currently enrolled Kalamazoo Valley students can sign-up to receive a box or a "share" of food which includes produce from the college's Food Innovation Center as well as non-perishable goods donated from Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes.

Click here to learn more about Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes. For more information about Kalamazoo Valley's PTK Chapter, email .