Leadership Duluth and North Shore Bank Raises $12,525 for CHUM Holiday Meals
On Thursday, November 18, 2021, Leadership Duluth visited CHUM Food Shelf to deliver a large donation for holiday meals.
The Chum Food Shelf is a humble recipient of food drive funds donated by Leadership Duluth, the region’s premier leadership development program of the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce. The Thanksgiving Food Drive, including turkeys supplied at cost by Reinhart Foods and organized by the Leadership Duluth program, was delivered to the food shelf as a part of the program’s annual tradition.
Each November, the leadership training day revolves around human services offered in our area and includes a visit to the CHUM Food Shelf. During the visit in 2010, the Leadership Duluth class of 2011 became aware of the need for Thanksgiving turkeys to be given to those who would otherwise go without. Responding to this need, the classmates donated 50 turkeys. For the first time in years, the food shelf had enough turkeys to meet the community demand. In years since, the Leadership Duluth program has moved the class driven turkey drive to a Chamber initiative that seeks donations from our entire membership.
This year, the Premier Sponsor of the Leadership Duluth program, North Shore Bank, conducted their own internal fundraising and challenged its employees to donate $5,000 to the cause with the incentive of matching dollar-for-dollar. They are happy to report the goal was met, and they raised a total of $10,500 to contribute this holiday fundraising tradition. This in combination with Chamber member donations totaled $12,525 in Thanksgiving food drive funds for local families in need.
The large donation will allow CHUM to provide 300 community meal kits across Duluth. 100 boxes will be distributed to families in West Duluth and another 200 boxes will be given to those in downtown Duluth. Each family picking up a box will also receive a pumpkin pie.
Developed by the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Duluth is a comprehensive leadership training program. Leadership Duluth educates participants about Duluth’s cultural and business history, as well as the current issues facing the Duluth area. The program focuses on the elements necessary to develop leaders who are invested in community health. In its 34 years, more than 1,450 area professionals have completed the Leadership Duluth program. Leadership Duluth thanks North Shore Bank for its premier sponsorship and their extraordinary efforts in supporting the annual food drive.
To learn more about Leadership Duluth, visit www.leadershipduluth.com.
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The Chamber extends its gratitude to our local media outlets for covering this story.
From left to right: Matt Baumgartner, Chamber President; Mandi Peterson, North Shore Bank Marketing Director; Scott VanDaele, CHUM Food Shelf Director of Distributive Services; Martha Bremer, Director of Leadership Duluth
Mandi Peterson, North Shore Bank Marketing Director stands with Martha Bremer, Director of Leadership Duluth
