Detroit food producer donating 40,000 pounds of corned beef to Forgotten Harvest

OAK PARK, Mich. - A Detroit food producer is joining a growing chorus of banks, businesses, and good Samaritans in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak.

E.W. Grobbel Sons is planning to donate an entire 53-foot tractor-trailer filled with 40,000 pounds of frozen corned beef. The protein-based charity is answering a call to arms by Forgotten Harvest, an Oak Park non-profit food rescue organization.

The contents are take-home flat corned beef briskets sold in grocery stores, along with the company's corned beef hash.

“In tough times, those with the least tend to get hurt the most,” said Jason Grobbel, president of E.W. Grobbel Sons, Inc. “That’s why we want to do what we can, as a business that has been in this community for nearly 150 years, to help fill the need for hungry neighbors in Metro Detroit.”

Both E.W. Grobbel Sons and Forgotten Harvest have committed decades of time to the community.

While most businesses in Michigan have closed due to the governor's call for non-essential places of work to suspend operations as the state contends with the COVID-19 spread, some are still open.

That includes Forgotten Harvest, which is working to supply struggling families in Southeast Michigan with food. As the economic impact from the coronavirus comes into focus, more people will struggle to pay for necessities as workers are laid off and income stops.

“We are appreciative of E.W. Grobbel & Sons and their generous donation and their continued support of our community,” said Kirk Mayes, CEO Forgotten Harvest. “The COVID-19 crisis is affecting our community in a number of ways and impacting individuals and families on multiple social and economic fronts. The additional support during this crisis will ensure families, children and seniors are guaranteed a supply of much needed protein throughout this difficult time.”

You can learn more about how you can help here.