Michigan communities continue to benefit from August livestock auction
From left, Enbridge administrative assistant Heather DuRoy and Julie Mallard from the United Way of Delta County.
Enbridge purchases help address food insecurity
Nov. 15, 2023
Head, heart, hands and health—the values that comprise 4-H, the nation’s largest youth development organization.
Founded more than 100 years ago, 4-H focuses on helping young people and their families gain the necessary skills to be proactive in their communities. Part of the commitment to community includes raising livestock, which can be auctioned to address food insecurity.
This fall, as Michiganders prepare for Thanksgiving, communities in 10 counties in the state of Michigan continue to benefit from one such event—the Upper Peninsula State Fair Livestock Auction.
“With the goal of creating the most positive impact on the communities in which we operate, we purchased 12 livestock from the auction,” said Kate Houchard, CMRP, lifetime 4-H member and Enbridge area manager.
“While proceeds from the auction go directly to the 4-H youth and their families to use to fund college and/or support future livestock projects, local food banks and shelters, and other organizations received approximately 1,300 pounds of meat to help address food insecurities.”
According to the Food Bank Council of Michigan, 1.15 million Michiganders struggled to put food on the table in 2020, nearly 300,000 of whom were children. That means that one in nine Michiganders experience food insecurity.
“We’re trying to do our part to support Michigan communities. We’re part of this community and it’s important to make a difference where we can, like supporting efforts to tackle hunger and malnutrition,” said Houchard.
“We wanted to support as much as possible the youth and families living near Line 5 in the Straits.”
—Kate Houchard, Enbridge’s operations manager for the Great Lakes Region
Help comes in all shapes and sizes
In addition to a home for adults with disabilities and eldercare centers, Houchard shared that Tribal communities facing food insecurities, shelters and food banks were among those who received donations of pork, beef and lamb. The United Way of Delta County also received more than $2,000 generated from a meat raffle at Enbridge’s Escanaba office.
Social-service, not-for-profit and other entities benefitting from livestock donations include the Adult Learning Systems group home for disabled adults, Safe Harbor and Domestic Abuse Shelter and Wellspring Community Church, all in Escanaba; Community Action organizations in Delta, Gogebic, Mackinac, Menominee, and Schoolcraft counties; Festival of Lights, Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital, Manistique; and Cheboygan Food Pantry.
Much like farming, purchasing livestock requires the support of many.
“We wanted to support as much as possible the youth and families living near Line 5 in the Straits,” said Houchard.
“As such, we had team members who conducted research or were on site to purchase the livestock while others coordinated the donations after the auction. It really was a team effort that embodied the values and spirit of 4-H.”
Joining Houchard in activities surrounding the auction were: Lauren Brown, Enbridge community engagement advisor; Heather DuRoy, an Enbridge administrative assistant; Sara Gouin, Enbridge PLM planner; Halley Halberg, Enbridge Straits Maritime Operations Center analyst; Paul Meneghini, Enbridge community engagement manager; Scott Paquette, Enbridge PLM supervisor; Jimmie Wreath, pipeliner; and Jerry Zellar, pipeliner.
Some people believe it takes caring and collaboration to make a difference. Michiganders are doing their part across the state.
