Munson Healthcare (MHC) announced today that it has made a commitment to donate $150,000 to Goodwill Northern Michigan (GWNMI), as part of a broad effort to support the needs of those in the community who struggle with food access and chronic homelessness.
“As a community-owned nonprofit, we rely heavily on the generosity of our donors and the support from our thrift stores. Contributions like this one from Munson are vital to advancing our mission and making a meaningful impact,” said Dan Buron, CEO and Executive Director, Goodwill Northern Michigan. "We are grateful for Munson Healthcare’s commitment and partnership in our efforts in bringing food to neighbors and helping people find homes.”
Earlier this month, Munson Healthcare announced new Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) priorities, one of which is economic security – highlighting a renewed focus on addressing basic needs such as food access and housing. This donation to Goodwill Northern Michigan is a direct investment in those priorities, underscoring Munson’s commitment to tackling the root causes of poor health and advancing community wellbeing across the region.
Goodwill Northern Michigan shares this vision, working to improve health outcomes by ensuring reliable access to nutritious food for the region’s most vulnerable residents and playing a leading role in the Homeless Coalition’s transformational Initiative to End Chronic Homelessness in the region by 2028.
Munson’s donation will specifically support expansion of food rescue operations, including fuel, staffing, vehicle maintenance, and growth of housing with supports programs.
Food Rescue
- Food Rescue gleans, repacks, and distributes over 2 million pounds of food annually to 78 pantries and meal sites across northwest Michigan.
- This food serves over 16,000 people annually; a third of which are children, a third are seniors, and many have disabilities.
- The environmental impact of this work is also profound, diverting 2M+ pounds of food from the landfill annually, reducing methane emissions while serving the community’s needs.
Housing
- Goodwill Northern Michigan is also playing a leading role in the Homeless Coalition’s transformational Initiative to End Chronic Homelessness in the Greater Grand Traverse Area by 2028.
- In the last year, their existing Housing and Homeless Services programs provided critical support, helping 1,566 people access shelter and housing, and connecting them with vital resources, case management, and pathways to housing.
- GWNMI helped 486 families, seniors, individuals, and Veterans exit homelessness into housing in 2024.
- The Goodwill Inn in Traverse City and Patriot Place in Gaylord provided 39,759 nights of emergency shelter, offering families, individuals, and Veterans a safe haven as they work toward stability and permanent housing.
- The shelters operate 24/7, 365 days a year, with trauma-informed staff and wraparound support services.
“Organizations like Goodwill Northern Michigan play a vital role in bringing food to those in need and addressing our complex housing challenges,” said Ed Ness, President and CEO, Munson Healthcare. “This new donation, along with our recent investment into The Street Medicine Program, reflects Munson’s commitment to building a healthier region by addressing the full spectrum of factors that impact overall health. We are proud to stand alongside Goodwill and a growing coalition of community leaders working toward these shared goals.”
About Munson Healthcare
Rated by Fortune Magazine/PINC as one of the Top 15 Health Systems in the nation, Munson Healthcare is non-profit health system serving over 500,000 residents across Northern Michigan. As the largest healthcare organization in the region, MHC serves its communities through primary care and specialty clinics, urgent cares, outpatient imaging, lab, and surgical facilities, five community hospitals, and three regional hospitals including Munson Medical Center that is home to Cowell Family Cancer Center, Munson Orthopedic Institute, Traverse Heart and Vascular, and The Witham Family Comprehensive Stroke Center. Learn more at munsonhealthcare.org.
About Goodwill Northern Michigan
Goodwill Northern Michigan is a community-owned nonprofit with community programs — including Food Rescue, Street Outreach, the Goodwill Inn, Housing with Supports, Good Meals, Patriot Place, and Good Partner Vouchers — that serve a 19-county region from Wexford to Cheboygan. Donations and sales at our thrift stores, combined with financial support from a generous donor community, allow us to increase housing stability and food security for some of our most vulnerable neighbors in Northern Michigan. Learn more at goodwillnmi.org.