GVSU working with SpartanNash to provide Hurricane Helene relief

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — West Michigan is finding ways to help people in North Carolina impacted by Hurricane Helene as the region works to rebuild.

Grand Valley State University, SpartanNash, and WLAV radio are partnering to send nonperishable snacks to areas hit hard by the storm. The donations will be distributed by the American Red Cross.

“You see the devastation. You see just the unbelievable damage that those storms have created so just wanted to do our part and wanted to help out,” said Scott Wooster, GVSU head football coach.

Wooster said several of his mentors coach in areas that have been impacted and GVSU has competed against many teams in the region.

“We just played West Florida a couple weeks ago. They were kind of on the outskirts of that in Pensacola, but a lot of their families were from these areas that have been affected,” Wooster said.

The university will be collecting nonperishable snacks ahead of its home football game this weekend. SpartanNash is preparing to use its transportation network to get the shipments to North Carolina.

“The Red Cross reaches out to us a lot when there’s disasters that strike. Their biggest asks are for salty sweet snacks. Whether it’s the pouches for children, whether it’s applesauce, fruit, whether it’s chips, anything to help families who need some hope and just need a little bit of help in the disaster that they’re experiencing,” said Dawn Bredeweg, manager of charitable giving with SpartanNash.

The West Michigan-based company is also collecting the items at some of its grocery stores.

“We have three trucks out at three of our stores. Our Forest Hills Food Store, D&W Fresh Market in Grand Haven and then our Family Fare in Allendale … we’ve got big bins in the stores,” Bredeweg said. “Once those trucks are full, they will be brought back to our distribution center here in Byron Center and we will truck those items down to the Red Cross locations down in the Carolinas.”

SpartanNash is looking closely at Hurricane Milton and the devastation in Florida.

“Right now the intent is to send it to the Carolinas because that’s where the biggest need is. You know they’re still evaluating the impact of Hurricane Milton and at that point we will wait and see what else we can do to help,” Bredeweg said.

In addition to the three store locations, donations can be dropped off at the WLAV booth at its designated “Tailgate Town” area from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday ahead of the GVSU football game against Northern Michigan.

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