Wolverines stock shelves at Valley View Food Bank

More than a dozen University of Michigan alumni from Sun City and Sun City West donated more than 300 pounds of food Saturday to the Valley View Food Bank in Youngtown.

"It's a wonderful project for us to be a part of, especially now when people need it the most in our area," said Candace Martin, a member of the University of Michigan Club of the Sun Cities and the West Valley.

In addition, club members presented Valley View Food Bank with $220 to buy more food for local families.

"I'm blown away to see an organization want to help us because they could've chose anybody, but they asked us," said Jesse Ramirez, food bank executive director.

George Cheney, president of the University of Michigan club, said the alumni organizations all over the country chose Saturday as its service day, coinciding with the school's graduation.

Each alumni club must pick a local organization to help, so the Sun Cities organization decided on Valley View Food Bank in Youngtown.

"We were looking for a worthwhile organization, and I'm glad that we found them," Cheney said.

Cheney said they collected the majority of the food through the club's board meetings. Members also received some help from Youngtown United Methodist Church, which donates goods on a regular basis.

The University of Michigan club will continue its annual service day next year.

"I'm not sure who we will support next year, because we may just continue to go with the food bank because they're reaching out to so many people right now," he said.

Ramirez said the food bank feeds about a 180 families with food donations from the community.

"Without the help of local groups like this one, we wouldn't exist because our mission is to help those in need," he said.

For more information or to donate, visit the Valley View Food Bank at 11115 W. Nevada Ave. in Youngtown or call 623-933-3358